Regular Auto Maintenance and Tune-Ups
We Make it Our Business to Keep Your Car Safe and Reliable
It used to be that a “tune-up” included new spark plugs, a valve adjust, new ignition components, etc. Now, when customers ask for a tune up, they mean "routine maintenance." With modern cars, this can include anything from a simple drain-and-fill oil change, to a new battery or a new timing belt. In Fairbanks, routine maintenance means routine inspections by a trained and professional Alaskan mechanic. Our staff knows exactly what to look for when tuning up a car or truck that needs to handle our harsh environment. Through regular inspections, each METRO mechanic gets to know the individual customer's vehicles. We track and make detailed notes about rates of decay or wear and flag upcoming work. This approach prevents breakdowns, saves money and ensures that nothing comes as a surprise to the people we serve. Our personalized touch will help ensure that all of your vehicle needs are being met—now and 3,000 miles later.
Climate control in modern cars and trucks are microprocessor-controlled electronic systems with a few mechanical components. In Fairbanks, the mechanical components that wear most often are the blower motor and air conditioner compressor pulley. Thorough and consistent inspections are the key to uninterrupted climate control.
Symptoms
Intermittent fan operation, fan works only on certain settings, heat works only on high, a syrupy, humid smell when starting the car, and/or coolant leaking on the passenger floor
Factory service specifications for most cars and trucks set air filter replacement at 12,000 to 15,000 miles. Interior Alaska has a climate that makes those factory recommendations irrelevant. Everything from birch seeds to spruce pollen, to mostly dirt roads, put debris and dust directly in the path of your vehicle’s combustion intake. Clogged filters result in crippling performance issues. Regular maintenance is the answer, and it's what we do best.
Symptoms
Filter with visible debris, filter looks ashen gray, filter looks black, abnormal engine performance, and/or poor gas mileage
The alternator is an integral component of your car or truck’s electrical system. Alternators convert mechanical energy from the engine to electrical energy, keeping your battery charged and your car moving. Most people don't know this, but the battery and alternator have a symbiotic relationship (they depend on each other). When one falters or fails completely, the other is actually at risk. Drivers often make the mistake of incorrectly diagnosing charging system issues by identifying either the battery or alternator for replacement. An incorrect assessment leads to the new part being ruined upon installation. The charging system in modern cars is a complex system of microprocessors, relays, fuses and connectors which provide refined and targeted electronic signals and power through literally miles of transmission lines within the car. Accurate diagnosis in such a comprehensive system requires advanced diagnostic tools and a trained eye. Let us save you money and time!
Symptoms
Lights dim while engine cranks, battery freezes (sides bulging), battery doesn't hold a charge, difficulty starting vehicle, and/or vehicle stalls
A vehicle's charging system can be thought of as an energy storage and distribution center. Your car battery is literally a storage container for electricity. The circuitry in a car acts as transmission lines that distribute this power. The most common need for a battery replacement is degradation due to the passage of time, which no one has figured out how to stop! An unnecessary and avoidable cause for battery replacement is neglect. Consistent inspections of winter heaters, as well as the charging system output, will increase your car’s battery life exponentially.
Symptoms
Dim or flashing lights, bulging battery case, corroded battery terminals, the engine struggles to start, and/or clicking sound when turning key
An oil change is the most misunderstood service interval for a car or truck. When the fluid is changed and the filter replaced, this is the smallest detail of this service. The most important part of an oil change is the inspection that goes along with it. This requires the care and attention of a highly trained and caring mechanic who is proud of what they do. This describes our staff to a T!
Symptoms
Check engine light is on, oil light is on, the engine makes rhythmic, metallic tick, dark black oil, and/or engine "knocks"
Intense cold creates stress and wear for any mechanical system. Car and truck transmissions are finely-tuned and automated systems that depend on consistent temperatures in order to function properly. Transmission fluid and gear oil are lubricating agents that require constant monitoring, especially during the winter months. All gearboxes and transmissions require several fluid exchanges over the life of the vehicle. In Fairbanks, these exchange intervals can increase by half!
Symptoms
The vehicle hesitates after shifting, sluggish shifts, dark, burned-smelling fluid, and/or slipping-feeling in shifts
Car motors, fueled by gasoline or diesel, are propelled by spark and superheated explosions, which are confined within sealed metal cylinders. These explosions produce excessive heat that needs to be carried away from the cylinders and other engine parts in order to protect them from thermal damage. This is what your car or truck radiator does. Car and truck radiators are a mesh of tubes designed to dissipate heat via the circulation of fluid throughout the engine's cooling jacket, which surrounds the cylinders. The most common radiator repairs we see in our Shop are due to the many fittings where the cooling liquid (coolant) passes through up to 45 connections in the system. These seals and fittings fail due to vibration, corrosion, materials fatigue, and extreme temperatures. At METRO, we know what to look for and where to find it on each make and model we see. We have decades of experience. When we inspect your vehicle, our mechanics shine a light on each of these various intersections. We love staying ahead of repairs for you.
Symptoms
Brown or tan coolant, coolant drips under the car, plastic coolant reservoir empty, engine overheating, and/or heater fan blows cool air
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How often should I get an oil change?
Oil needs to be changed depending on how many HOURS the engine has been running, not how many miles the car has driven. We get this wrong all of the time. Oils take on abrasives like dirt and dust from the air outside. It doesn't matter whether or not a car is driving or standing still at an intersection, the engine oil is taking on contaminants and needs to be changed. In northern climates vehicles spend time idling (not in motion) due to cold temperatures. These hours are hard to measure. We recommend that vehicles get three oil changes per year: Fall (August-October) Midwinter (December-January) Spring (April-May). Stick to this schedule and your vehicle will thank you with lasting performance.
Why does my vehicle need a coolant flush?
Coolant keeps your vehicle from overheating. The temperature-regulating and lubricating properties of coolant break down over time. Coolant essentially turns sour and loses its ability to flow evenly throughout engine passages and pumps. A complete flush of the cooling system should be as routine as an oil change. Come in for an inspection today and we will let you know the condition of your cooling system.
What should I do when my Check Engine Lights come on?
When your check engine light comes on, there could be a number of issues. It could be something basic, like a loose gas cap, or it could be something serious. The best way to ensure that you are safe behind the wheel is to bring your vehicle into our shop for a multi-point inspection. We can find the issue and make you aware of it so you can choose whether or not you want to take the next steps to getting your vehicle back to peak conditions.
How do I know it's time to change my timing belt?
Most people ask Google about the "maintenance interval" for their specific engine's timing belt. However, manufacturer-specified maintenance intervals don't usually take into account "harsh duty environments" like Interior Alaska. Let's look at the maintenance interval for a Subaru timing belt. The recommendation is for this repair between 60,000 and 100,000 miles. Because of the harsh climate here in Fairbanks, we recommend they be done between 60-75K. If your timing belt breaks, it will cause extensive damage to the engine resulting in thousands of dollars of repair cost. The best way to answer this question though, is to take your car to a mechanic who cares and get them to inspect your timing belt.
Certified Mechanics
Contact Our Fairbanks Car Maintenance Experts
Let one of us on the METRO team become your Fairbanks mechanic. We love what we do. We love seeing cars three times per year for scheduled maintenance because it allows us to track and predict failure, and to create a tailored maintenance strategy. Repairs are a part of vehicle ownership, but if you keep a careful maintenance schedule, your car or truck will need minimal repairs down the road. Drive your car, don't fix it! Become a part of the METRO family and let us take care of you! Please call or fill out a contact form to schedule an appointment and get started!