Automotive Industry News & Information - Gateway Auto Clinic

If you’ve ever been in an emergency braking situation, you’re probably all too aware that the brakes are the most important safety system on your vehicle. And like many other systems in a vehicle, the brakes need regular upkeep to continue functioning properly. One way to preserve the integrity of the braking system is through brake bleeding, and while it may not be as well known as certain services like oil changes, it is a key maintenance item for a vehicle.

The engine in your Chevrolet, Dodge, or Ford diesel pickup is the heart and soul of your truck. At Gateway Auto Clinic in Kettering, OH, we repair, rebuild, and replace engines with quality parts and builds, keeping your truck on the road for years to come.

At Gateway Auto Clinic in Kettering, OH, we understand that you can’t prevent malfunctions all the time, every time. At some point in your driving history, you’ve probably dealt with a flat tire. Sometimes a tire goes flat in a parking lot, but sometimes a tire can fail while driving. Here are some indicators you have a tire that is about to fail, and how to handle the situation.

mechanic placing a car battery into a vehicle

Your car’s radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine. A vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used. This is where your car battery comes into play. The battery of your vehicle holds electrical energy while the car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion. Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you allow our team here at Gateway Auto Clinic to perform proper maintenance, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years.

If you own or maintain a fleet of vehicles, you understand what a huge investment multiple vehicles can be, especially when dealing with semis and other commercial trucks. At Gateway Auto Clinic in Kettering, OH, we’re here to help you protect that investment.

Your brakes have a lot to do with how your car drives. Brakes are a frequently neglected item on a lot of people’s checklist, and many drivers on the road have subpar brakes and don’t even know it. A car that brakes well and brakes correctly are just as important as acceleration, handling, or any other aspect of a vehicle’s drivability. A car with brake issues has the potential to be a far more enjoyable ride when fixed.

mechanic working on ball joints on a vehicle

If you own or operate a fleet of vehicles or a commercial truck, chances are you’ve encountered a bad ball joint or two. How do you catch one before it breaks, and why is it important? Gateway Auto Clinic in Kettering, OH has the answers.

Judging by the number of near-rear-endings we witness on our morning commutes, the typical attitude toward brake maintenance appears to be, “Brakes: Don’t let them stop you!” This puzzles us because monitoring your braking system’s health is one of the most straightforward aspects of car ownership. You do have to know what to look for, though, or rather, what to listen and feel for. So let us, uh, break it down for you. Here are the top three signs that your brakes need fixing.