Automotive News & Information - Lake Ridge Automotive

Part of maintaining your vehicle is keeping its safety devices in good working order, especially when there are kids in the car. Seat belts, window locks, and airbag sensors work together to keep children safe in an automobile. Though safety components are generally very reliable, they do occasionally fail. Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge is here when they do; here are some things to watch out for.

a car with lines and details over it like a computer screen

Your Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is essentially your car’s fingerprint. In its entirety, it is specific only to your car. Each car has its own unique VIN number and can be decoded to provide manufacturing and identification information on any vehicle on the road. Date of manufacture, manufacturer, vehicle type, where it was made, and options such as engine and transmission type, whether a car is a two or four-door, and a multitude of other specifications can be gleaned from a VIN number. Essentially, a VIN number will tell you exactly what a car is and where it came from, without even having to see the car.

Keeping track of maintenance done on your fleet vehicles and commercial trucks is one of the most important aspects of fleet management. At Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge, VA, we track maintenance and repairs for a number of reasons. Here’s why:

Wheel bearings are an often overlooked, but incredibly important component on your diesel truck; and when one begins to fail, other problems begin to arise. Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge has the information you need to recognize a problem before it turns into a bigger one. Here’s what to look out for:

The best way to keep your car out of the repair facility with major repair problems is to follow a basic vehicle care maintenance schedule. It is recommended that you make general visual inspections and stay on top of vehicle maintenance items. The skilled automotive technicians at Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge, VA can assist with basic vehicle maintenance and more complex repairs. Feel free to give us a call or come by at your convenience if you have any questions.

Obviously, your brakes are pretty important. At Lake Ridge Automotive in Woodbridge, VA, we are here to make sure your car, truck, or SUV stops as it should. Your brake system is made of many components that all have to work correctly for your brakes to operate seamlessly. If one thing needs to be repaired, the whole system is compromised. Brake pads, rotors, hoses, calipers, and metal lines all play a part in stopping your car. Our team is equipped to make sure all of those parts are in working order, so you can be safe on the road ahead.

There is a reason we check your brake fluid when you come in for a service check. Maintenance pays big dividends and we want to avoid high repair costs for our Woodbridge drivers. Did you know that brake service isn't just all about the brake pads, drums & rotors? That we have found low brake fluid to be the cause of a large percentage of brake issues here at Lake Ridge Automotive? Seriously, brake fluid is an important part of your braking system and with your service intervals being less frequent on the newer vehicles 5,000-10,000 more miles this has become an issue! Why?...

Your vehicle's belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning and charging systems, and the engine. Don’t take these routine replacement intervals for granted because they can break down and leave you stranded.

What is the purpose and importance of your belts and hoses? The timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft mechanically synchronized to maintain engine timing. Whether serpentine, V-belt, or fan belt (the belts on the outside of the engine), they all transmit power from the front of the engine to accessories that need to be driven, such as the air conditioning, the charging system, and fans. Radiator and heater hoses carry coolant to and from the engine, radiator, and heater core.