Boulder Auto Repair

Warm weather or cold, Boulder drivers still need to think about their family car’s air conditioning. Most Boulder people don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. At John’s Auto Care, we can advise you on your vehicle manufacturer’s preventive maintenance schedules for air conditioning service, just as we do for transmission service, oil changes and so on. Maintaining your air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the family car’s air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can’t cool the air as well. We see that a lot at John’s Auto Care in Boulder. The refrigerant also contains a special oil that lubricates air conditioning components, and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, an ... read more

Boulder drivers rely on their car’s coolant system to keep their engine cool. Coolant (also called antifreeze) mixed with water flows through your family car engine and absorbs heat. The mixture then flows out to the radiator where it’s cooled by air flowing over the radiator. From there the coolant/water mix circulates back through the engine to absorb more heat. There’s a reason we mix coolant and water. Water alone actually does a good job transferring heat from the engine. The problem is that water boils at a temperature that’s easily reached inside your family car’s engine, so it can turn to steam which does not conduct heat as well and is harder to contain. Also, if it’s freezing outside in Boulder, the water in your engine could freeze while your vehicle is sitting out in the cold. So, if you remember your Boulder high school chemistry, you’ll know that a mixture has both a higher boiling point and a low ... read more

Hey Boulder, CO Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your air conditioner? Do you only get cool air sporadically? If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked. It’s real easy to take your car’s air conditioner for granted. Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air. But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool. When most people in Boulder hear the words “air conditioning problems”, it sends a shiver up their spine. That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it’s broken, it’s expensive to repair. What things can we do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns? A common cause of air conditioning failure is leaks. Water and air can leak into the system. The system doesn’t work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the ... read more

When it comes to their vehicles, some Eldorado Springs auto owners don’t have a maintenance mindset. They know they need to take care of their cars, but it just seems really hard to get them to remember to do it. Eldorado Springs drivers generally accept that many things in life require regular maintenance, but just may have not applied it to their family cars. For example: the lawn. You water it and mow it every week. And weed the flower beds and rake the leaves. There are other things that Eldorado Springs residents are diligent about. Going to the dentist twice a year. Clothes to the dry cleaner. Flu shots. Taking the kids to your Eldorado Springs doctor for a checkup before school starts.So Eldorado Springs auto owners really are maintenance minded. They just have to learn to apply that mindset to cars. I mean, if you never brush your teeth or go to the dentist, you’ll become painfully ... read more

Working up a sweat is a great thing to do in a gym around Boulder, but not in your car. When your car’s AC System has a problem, you’ll often feel it right away. The question is, how long do you put up with it? You know, the old comfort versus cost dilemma. But a more comfortable drive around Boulder has a lot of benefits, and keeping the AC System well maintained can help prevent expensive repairs. A common cause for AC failure is water and air in the system. The system does not work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the A/C components. Also refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system, making it work harder to try to cool the air. That is why periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system so it cools better and lasts longer. You should also run the air conditioner regularly, even in the winter, so ... read more