Category: Auto Body Blog

Nobody likes to have their car’s heater break down, particularly if you have to weather the harsh cold months of Seattle. So, what can you do when your car starts to go cold at a bad time? With a little bit of foresight, you should be able to get through the worst of it until such a time as you can bring your vehicle in to our auto body shop in Seattle for repairs.

One good product to look into is a portable car heater. These simple devices plug into your cigarette lighter, and can offer much of the same comfort as a conventional heater for a reasonably low price. If you don’t have access to a portable heater, consider keeping some extra layers or hand warmers in your emergency kit. Even a single candle, safely mounted in your car, can serve well to warm up the confined and insulated space of your car.

If your coolant runs dry, it can be tempting to replace it with tap water. This can be a good short-term solution, but you should get new coolant as soon as it is convenient. After all, coolant is specially designed to be better for your car than normal water. First of all, it takes more heat to boil away engine coolant. Secondly, during the winter, water is more likely to freeze and rupture your radiator. Further, unless you’re using pure water, you’re likely leaving behind deposits of minerals like calcium and magnesium that are clogging up your system.

Should you find that your coolant is leaking out of your engine, bring your car down to our Seattle auto body shop. It is only by maintaining a healthy supply of coolant in your car can you avoid the severe damage that goes along with an overheating engine.

If you notice a recurring fluid stain under where you park your car, it may be something to bring to the attention of our auto body shop in Seattle. To help you identify your specific problem, consider the appearance and smell of the fluid and refer to the following list:

• Oil: The most common form of fluid leak, and the easiest to identify. It will generally come in the form of a dark-brown-to-black fluid, though it may be lighter if the oil is cleaner.
• Coolant: A viscous fluid that is generally either green or pink.
• Transmission Fluid: May be a very deep red color with a sharp odor.
• Power Steering Fluid: A slightly yellow, syrupy fluid with a very faint scent.
• Windshield Washer Fluid: May be blue, green, or orange. Smells like window cleaner.
• Brake Fluid: Similar to power steering fluid. If you believe you have a brake fluid leak, do not try to drive your vehicle.

Are you in the habit of letting your gas tank run dry? If so, you may want to start fueling up earlier. It’s not just a good way to keep from getting stranded with an empty tank, but it’s actually better for your engine.

The fact is that the fuel in your gas tank is serving to cool off your fuel pump and keep it in good working order. Unfortunately, the less gas in your tank, the less effective it’s going to be as a coolant. Once your fuel gauge drops below a quarter of a tank, your pump is no longer submerged. This can cause the pump to get very hot, which can lead to a failure which can cost you as much as $800 to repair. So, take care to keep your tank properly filled with gas, and bring your vehicle to our auto body shop in Seattle for all your repair needs.