Engine oil is typically dark brown or black in color.  At times, you might see a few drops here and there and this might be okay if you recently have had your oil and oil filter changed or performed this service yourself.  This can largely be attributed to the location of the oil filter on the engine, and some old oil may have dripped upon some of the vehicle chassis or a small amound may have been spilled onto the engine when dispensing the new oil.  While a few drops shortly after an oil change might be okay, you want to make sure that puddles of oil do not occur.

Engine antifreeze / coolant can be either green, yellow or red depending on the type used by the vehicle manufacturer.  Most vehicles have a radiator located just behind the grill.  This fluid has a sweet smell to it.  Not enough antifreeze / coolant will cause the engine to overheat.  There is usually an "overflow" or "fill" tank where you can add antifreeze / coolant.  Using just water reduces (or dilutes) the heat transfer properties of the antifreeze / coolant.

If the fluid looks like clear water, it probably is.  Since most vehicles today are equipped with air conditioning, you'll likely notive drips of puddles from underneath the engine compartment.  This is okay, since this water is condensation from the air conditioning system.  This is the best fluid to see under your vehicle!

Brake fluid is generally clear and oily to the toucvh. When you depress the brake pedal, brake lines allow the brake fluid to be pushed through to each of the four wheels containing a stopping device - either a brake caliper or a wheel cylinder. So any number o leaks could appear almost anywhere a weakness may exist in the system. While leakage of the brake system is rar, you'll likely feel a soft or spongy brake pedal feel when depressing the brakes, which can lead to brake failure if not corrected immediately.

Transmission fluid is typically red, although the color can be a milky pink color if it becomes contaminated.  Some transmission fluid of certain vehicles may be clear or amber in color.  If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle, then your transmission is next to the side of your engine underneath the hood.  If you have a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, then your transmission is located in the center of your vehicle just under the dash under that "hump" in the center.  If the color of your transmission fluid appears to be brown, then this would indicate that the fluid has overheated and should be changed as soon as possible.

Diesel fuel looks like light oil.  While not as flammable as gasoline, it can ignite in the right conditions.  Leaks should be taken care of as soon as possible.

Power steering fluid is generally red, although some vehicle manufacturers may use a fluid that is almost clear or amber.  The power steering reservoir is typically mounted with the power steering pump, which is driven by a belt on the engine.  Leaks generally occur within the power steering lines.

Pink or blue fluid would indicate that your windshield washer reservoir is leaking.  For the front windshield, this reservoir is under the hood in the ingine compartment.  For vehicles with rear wipers, it's usually mounted behind a panel in the rear left or right side of SUVs and vans.

Gasoline is a clear fluid with a strong smell and is obviously highly flammable.  Gasoline is stored in the gas tank usually located at the rear of your vehicle.  Leaks can occur if you bottom out your vehicle, causing damage to the gas tank.  There are also fuel lines that run underneath the vehicle up to the engine.  Leaks can also occur within the fuel line (rare), but are most likely to occur at a connection point.  Gasoline leaks should be repaired immediately because they are a fire hazard. 

Gear oil is light tan or black and is considered "heavy" or thick oil.  Leaks can occur in your manual transmission, differential (rear-end on rear-wheel-drive vehicles) or axle.  Since gear oil is used widely among certain components, a gear oil leak may be present at a number of locations underneath a vehicle.  Any leaks should be repaired as soon as possible.

Battery acid is a clear fluid that contains sulfuric acid and will smell like rotten eggs.  A leak would typically indicate that your battery casing is cracked and the battery should be replaced immediately.  Since battery acid is corrosive, any contact with skin should be washed and flushed with water as soon as possible.

Shock and strut fluid is typically a dark brown.  Shocks and struts can "ooze" their fluid and this will be evident by a stain on the outside of the shock or strut housing.  There is no refilling of this fluid so they must be replaced (usually in pairs or all four at the same time).

Making sure that your wheels are aligned properly is important to your tire wear, as well as how your vehicle reacts to braking conditions. Just checking your wheel alignment is important in order to catch a potential problem down the road. Chassis components wear over time and can even become "misaligned" by hitting potholes on the highway or back roads where you may travel. If your vehicle tends to "veer" in one direction or if you feel an unusual handling characteristic during braking, we recommend that you contact us as soon as possible to have a wheel alignment.  For more info, click here.

Think of it this way. Research indicates that the average vehicle is driven about 12,000 miles per year. A car with a toe angle misadjustment of 0.34 degrees (only 0.17 inches) out of specification will drag the tires sideways for more than 68 miles by the end of the year!

Have your vehicle checked if you notice:

• Excessive or uneven tire wear
• The vehicle pulls to the left or right
• Feeling of looseness or wandering
• Steering wheel vibration or shimmy
• Steering wheel is not centered when the vehicle is moving straight ahead

Follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation noted in your owner's manual. As a general rule, have your wheel alignment checked every 10,000 miles or at least once a year.

Some vehicle manufacturers require that you change your transmission fluid at certain mileage intervals under normal driving conditions. If you use  your vehicle for towing or in extreme driving conditions, then theis service will likely be needed sooner than what your owner's manual indicates. Performing this service can help extend the life of your transmission by replacing worn fluid and ensuring smooth operation.

Your cooling system removes the heat from your engine and helpos maintain it at an iptimal running temperature. Again, some vehicle manufacturers specify when the coolant should be replaced under normal driving conditions. Coolant becomes contaminated over time and can actually cause damage to certain engine components. Performing this service regularly will ensure proper operationg conditions. While some coolant may be "guananteed" for 100,000 miles, the guarantee doesn't cover damage to components caused by contamination!

One of the major contaminants within an air conditioning system today is actually air! A small leak in the system allows Freon to escape, allowing air into the system. In short, air in the system causes it not to work as it's supposed to - meaning that there will be less and less cold air available when you need it.  Today's air conditioning systems also work when using your heater.

Regardless of the quality of fuel you use, how you drive or even if you use a bottle of the "in tank" fuel injector cleaner every now and then, you still turn off your engine. This is actually when fuel injectors get dirty!  When you turn off your engine, the temperature under your hood and within the engine itself rises, causing a residue, to form on the back side of your intake valves and within your fuel injectors. As the engine cools down, the residue hardens and, over time, builds upon itself.

Our top engine cleaning service cleans your throttle plate, plenum and intake runners (inside your intake manifold).. Similar to how your fuel injectors and intake valves build up residue over time, fuel vapors also begin to adhere and build up on these components as well. Sometimes on hard acceleration you might experience a slight hesitation. Many times, this is the residue that has built up on your throttle plate, forming a "gummy" residue.

A lot of air is drawn through your air filter.  Checking the condition of your air filter is a simple way to ensure that your engine operates at its optimum performance, as well as eliminating a restricted air flow condition as the result of a dirty air filter.

Changing your what? Many newer vehicles have a cabin air filter that filters the air coming into your vehicle. Think of it as the air filter on your heating and air conditioning system in your home. The filter is designed to trap particulates from getting into the air that you breathe. For the majority of vehicles, it can be easily accessed. On some vehicles, it may be a little more involved, requiring additional labor time.

Your fuel filter also traps contaminants within the gasoline you use. The fuel filter is one of the most forgotten filters on your vehicle - out of sight, out of mind your could say. Many newer vehicles require that the filter be replaced when replacing your fuel pump, since the fuel filter is located in the gas tank. Some older vehicles will need to have the fuel filter replaced.

One of the most important systems on your vehicle continues to be your braking system.  Your brakes are designed to slow and stop your vehicle. While there are many components to your braking system, friction material (on your brake pads or brake shoes) is designed to wear for smooth operation, yet provide the braking force needed to operate properly.

This is a relatively new service in our industry and one that has been needed for some time.  Your brake fluid is hydrostatic - in other words, your brake fluid absorbs moisture (water) due to the hot and cold cycles the fluid must endure in order to provide the force needed to operate correctly.  Additionally, contaminants build up and are trapped within your brake fluid during normal operation.

Power-assist steering systems have been standard equipment on many vehicles for decades.  Most common systems today utilize a power steering pump and a rack-and-pinion unit.  At Acrylic Designs our service ensures a complete flush and exchange of the entire system, thereby extending the life of these components.

Does your vehicle have one? What is it? A timing belt ensures that your crankshaft and camshaft(s) are synchronized.  In other words, the timing belt keeps these components (and those attached to them) in time with one another.  Many vehicles today use a timing belt rather than a timing chain.  Most vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing the timing belt(s) anywhere from 60,000 miles to up to 105,000 miles depending upon the vehicle.  Acrylic Designs has the tools and expertise to perform this service at our location.

Have you ever been "blinded" by the headlights of an approaching vehicle?  While you might think that they have their bright lights on, it could be that their headlight system is out of alignment.  With today's lighting technology, a minor "misalignment" can occur from a minor fender-bender or from jolts during normal driving.  Some of these systems are very sensitive.  A good indication of visual misalignment would be if you see on the road that one of your headlights is not level with the other one during nighttime driving.

Manual transmissions have become very popular - especially with sports cars and high-performance vehicles.  At Acrylic Designs, our service includes the correct amount of fluid and type based upon factory recommendations.

Differential gear iol or fluid lubricates the gears and components that transfer the power to your wheels (either front wheel drive, rear wheel drive or all wheet drive). Our service, at Acrylic Designs, includes replacing the correct amount  and type of fluid or oil, as well as any additives recommended by your vehicle manufacturer.

Transfer case fluid lubricates the gears, bearings and chain, transferring power to your front wheels (on 4x4 applications).  At Acrylic Designs, our service includes replacing the correct amount of fluid, as well as the proper fluid type recommended by your vehicle manufacturer and any additives that my be required.

Your belts and hoses are an important part of your engine and other systems connected to them.  Sometimes a belt requiring replacement is easy to see.  Hoses may look okay visually from the outside, but most hoses actually fail due to breaking down on the inside.  Additionally, with radiator hoses, it's always best to replace both (upper and lower) rather than only replace the one that failed.  The reason for this is that the other one is likely not far behind the other from failing. At Acrylic Designs we recommend replacement of both radiator hoses to prevent a future breakdown.

While rotating and balancing your tires is included within some of our PM services, this service can also be performed at any time.  Rotating your tires every 6,000 to 7,500 miles will ensure more even tire wear and help lengthen the mileage of your tires.  Some vehicles today have a "staggered" tire package adn other high-performance vehicles have "directional" tires or both of the above.  In this case, then rotation of your tires would be limited or not necessary.  Balancing your tires would still apply to all tires and wheels today.  At times, a balance weight may come off the wheel or, due to normal wear and tear, a tire may gradually become unbalanced.

Wiper blades are obviously important safety items.  Of course, you don't really think about them until it begins to rain or snow.  At that point, it's too late.  Checking them regularly will ensure that they are ready to work properly when you need them.

During our preventive maintenance services, Acrylic Designs checks the condition of your vehicle battery as well as your battery cables.  If your battery needs to be replaced or charged, we'll let you know.  There are many electrical systems that can drain a battery.  Our professionals will recommend a battery replacement if needed.  Should another potential electrical problem exist, we'll discuss with you our recommended next steps.