Automotive News & Information - Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service

It makes sense that a car that is rarely driven will last longer, right? It may seem counterintuitive, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Vehicles are meant to be driven, and various issues can arise if they aren’t stored properly or driven fairly regularly. If you have a car, truck, or SUV that you only drive occasionally, in the summer, to car shows, etc., this one is for you. Here’s what you need to know, from Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA.

At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, we service all types of fleet vehicles and see many of the same problems come through the door again and again. Here are some easy early warning signs from our team here at Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service, that signal your fleet vehicles are in need of maintenance soon.

You’ve heard the term “slipping transmission” before, and you know it’s nothing good. What exactly does a transmission slip feel like, and how much of a problem is it if your transmission is slipping? At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, our expert technicians have diagnosed and repaired every type of transmission issue in the book. Here’s a short explanation of transmission slippage, and what action you should take to get rid of it.

At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, transmissions are our specialty. That means knowing how they work, how they wear out, what wears them out, and how to fix it. In this article, we’ll explore the way stop and go traffic affects your transmission.

If you spend much time on the road, you’ll eventually encounter a flat tire on your vehicle. At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA we want to prepare you for what you should do next. First, get out of traffic immediately. It’s best if you can stop on solid, flat ground, out of the way of traffic where other drivers can see you. Don’t continue driving; your steering is compromised, and you risk damaging expensive components, including your rim. Next, decide whether you want to call a tow truck, or change the tire yourself. If you have towing and assistance then you can call for help but it is always great to be able to handle the situation yourself if need be as there is not always cell phone service and you sometimes do not have the luxury of the added time it would take to wait for that assistance.

At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, we understand the importance of proper transmission maintenance. Commercial trucks are heavy, and they rack in a lot of miles. With this combination, it’s essential the transmissions in your trucks are always performing their best. Here’s a few things to watch out for:

When a vehicle has trouble starting, many people initially blame the starter. What is the starter, and how do you know if yours has called it quits? At Stuart Rolfe Muffler & Auto Service in Midlotian, VA, we want to keep you informed, and telling you what to look for will prevent further damage when issues arise. The starter is essentially just an electric motor; a gear at the end of that electric motor engages the flywheel, which turns the engine over, allowing it to start. How do you know if yours is failing?

Person driving with hands on the steering wheel

We’ve all been here: You start up your vehicle in the morning and begin to back out of the driveway. Before your hand reaches the volume dial on the stereo to crank up your favorite morning radio duo, you hear a noise coming from your car. A vehicle shouldn’t make that noise, yet yours is. And it sounds bad. But is it?