Manteo Auto Repair

Your car’s so important to your life: when it breaks down, you need it back on the road as soon as possible – with the problem fixed right the first time.  If you’ve ever check into some of the training technicians receive, you may be surprised at how much knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a modern car. Our engines are more and more powerful, fuel efficient and reliable.  This is all due to engineering.  But the advances come at the price of simplicity.  Modern cars are so much more complex from a mechanical and electronics standpoint that it makes your head spin.  Vehicles have several networked computers controlling most of the engine functions and many other vehicle functions as well.  We take all this sophistication for granted – but somebody must fix it when it breaks. It requires a high level of commitment on the part of the technician and the service center as well.  In addition to the training, t ... read more

Used vehicles are certainly an economical choice for budget-conscious Wanchese drivers. But how can we know we're getting a good used vehicle and not just inheriting someone else's problems? There are good used vehicles for sale in the Harbinger area. Cars are sold when families upsize, when families downsize or even when someone just wants a new car. So the used vehicle may be just fine. But some Wanchese used car owners sell vehicles because they don't want to deal with developing or existing problems. When you're considering buying a used vehicle in Wanchese, ask for service records. Check to see if the recommended schedules for preventive maintenance have been followed. If so, you probably have a great used vehicle on your hands. If there aren't any service records, then assume the worst. Check the vehicle for obvious signs of problems. Kick the tires if you want to, but definitely check them for uneven tread wear. This can indicate alignment problems, w ... read more

When all a vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment.  Hitting a road hazard or even just the normal bumps and bounces of everyday driving can cause your wheels to be out of alignment.  This can lead to expensive premature tire and suspension wear. Here are some alignment basics: The first angle is called toe: do the wheels point in towards each other or away from each other at the front of the tire. The next angle is called camber: do the wheels tip in or out at the top. And finally, there is castor.  Castor measures the angle where the front axles attach to the vehicle. The ideal alignment for your car was designed by its engineers.  Alignment service starts with an inspection of the steering and suspension – so see if anything’s bent, broken or worn out.  Then the technician will look at tire condition.  From there, the vehicle is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading ... read more

You may be surprised to learn that 40% of traffic fatalities take place at night even though there’s 60% less traffic.  It goes to show how important proper visibility is to nighttime driving. Obviously, a clean windshield is important – so are good wiper blades.  Your headlights play a big role as well.  There are two main concerns.  One is with the headlamp, or bulb.  The other is with the lens.  The fact of the matter is that headlamps go dim over time.  You just need to replace them.  Some vehicles come with a standard blub which you can replace, or you can upgrade to a halogen bulb that’s much brighter.  Halogen costs a little more, but you’d be amazed at the difference. It’s a good idea to replace your headlamps once a year.  The idea is that your lamps never dim to the point that they become a safety issue.  Just take care of it at a fall oil change so that your lights will be bright for the ... read more

Some of our customers at Lighthouse Automotive Inc are surprised to learn that there are actually two service schedules for their vehicles. One is the regular schedule and the other is the severe service schedule. Let's look at what the manufacturers say constitutes severe driving conditions and let you draw your own conclusions: Most of your trips are less than four miles/six kilometers Most of your trips are less than 10 miles/16 kilometers) and outside temperatures are below freezing The engine is at low speed most of the time – not on the highway You operate your vehicle in dusty areas You regularly tow a trailer, carry heavy loads or a car-top carrier Stop and go driving Driving in very hot or very cold weather So you can see that a lot has to do with how you drive, but some has to do with where you drive. Some areas of the country will be more or less severe than it is here in NC. For many, normal driving includes elements of severe servic ... read more

The Check Engine Light strikes fear into the hearts of some and is totally ignored by just as many.  Just what it means is a mystery to most of us. First, if your check engine light is flashing, that means that something is wrong that could cause severe damage to the catalytic converter or other components.  Get that taken care of right away.  If your check engine light is flashing, you shouldn’t drive at highway speeds, tow or haul heavy loads.  Take it easy all the way to the service center. If the light is glowing steadily, you should keep an eye on it for a day or two.  If the light doesn’t go off, schedule an appointment with your service advisor to get it checked out. Some more information on how the Check Engine Light works may be informative.  Most of your engine functions are controlled by a computer, not surprisingly, called an engine control computer.  The computer can adjust many engine parameters for environmental condition ... read more

Flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances can all be the result of driving around NC on underinflated tires. Now, it's hard to tell when a radial tire is underinflated but your friendly and knowledgeable Lighthouse Automotive Inc can help you. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds – which is significantly underinflated. Your newer vehicle or light truck might be equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). This technology has been used by race car drivers for years. They are able to head off problems from underinflation by closely monitoring tire pressure on the track.Obviously, TMPS systems don't come free for Wanchese car buyers. U.S. government studies have estimated the net costs of the TPMS system itself, maintaining the system, replacement of worn or broken parts and  ... read more

For most people buying tires is a big deal, so consult with your friendly and knowledgeable Lighthouse Automotive Inc tire professional about proper size, type and grade for your driving needs. He can help you balance load requirements, performance, durability and cost. When buying new tires in Manteo, it's best to replace both tires on the same axle in order to keep the rolling diameter as close as possible. Manteo drivers with four-wheel-drive vehicles should replace all four tires at the same time because you can run into problems if the tires have different rolling diameters due to wear or different type of tire. Four-wheel-drive vehicles should have all tires very close to the same rolling diameter to avoid binding and wheel hop between the front and rear axles. Also, tire manufacturers recommend that if you are buying just two new tires that they be installed on the rear for safer ... read more

Power steering is easy to take for granted – you spin the steering wheel and your car turns.  But behind the scenes your power steering is making it easy.  The vast majority of vehicles on the road have hydraulic power steering systems, which means that pressurized fluid is used to help you do the work of steering.  A pump pressurizes the power steering fluid to provide the boost you need.  In some vehicles the pump is driven by the serpentine belt, in others there’s an electric pump. The problem is that over time, the fluid becomes contaminated and can cause leaks in the hoses and connections.  It gets harder to steer and could even cause total failure of the power steering system. Periodically, your service advisor may recommend that the old, dirty fluid be cleaned out of your system and fresh fluid be installed.  This helps the power steering components last longer and maintains your vehicle’s steering performance and keeps you safe ... read more

Imagine waking up one morning with a stomachache.  You pick up the phone, call the doctor’s office and say, “I’ve got a really bad tummy ache.  How much will it cost to make me feel better?”  Of course, you wouldn’t do that.  You know that there could be a lot of reasons for your symptoms and that the doctor will have to examine you, ask some questions, and probably run some tests before she can tell you what’s wrong and give you treatment options. This same scenario plays every day at auto repair facilities.  When the cause of the concern isn’t obvious, the vehicle will need to undergo a diagnostic process.  The typical vehicle has about 30,000 parts, including several networked computers and miles of wiring.  Finding exactly what is wrong can be very complicated and take some time.  The most experienced technicians at the shop are the ones that tackle the difficult diagnostic jobs.  Once they have ... read more