August 2020 - Turning Wrenches

Solve Your Mercedes’ Noisy Struts at the Best Garage in Louisville

by turningwpuser | Aug 22, 2020 | Mercedes Repair

Despite the careful craftsmanship of Mercedes vehicles, your strut components will eventually wear down from use over time and need replacing. Sometimes you will not even notice the gradual changes in your Mercedes’ driving performance until you start to hear odd sounds coming from the struts.

The Importance of Struts

The struts are one of the main components of your suspension system and help your vehicle stay balanced and flat to the road. The struts incorporate many suspension assembly parts that include a coil spring and a shock absorber.

The struts are like the bones of your suspension system, and their main job is to support the weight of the vehicle and ensure a smooth ride. Worn out struts bottom out your suspension, as they can cave in towards the ground, causing assembly parts to contact one another.

Struts in need of repair will often negatively affect your car’s steering, alignment, tire wear, and even prevent your vehicle from braking correctly.

When to Replace Struts on your Mercedes

The manufacturer recommends replacing your struts every 50,000 to 100,000 miles, depending on your driving conditions and habits. Along with your struts, the other components of your suspension will also need to be checked for wear and tear every 40,0000 miles.

Ensuring preventative maintenance is done on all of the parts associated with your suspension will keep your Mercedes in working order. You can prevent future problems by having the struts conveniently changed as part of your vehicle’s routine maintenance.

Noises in the Suspension and Wheels

When a car’s struts are worn and do not hold your vehicle up from the road as intended, they will make contact with other metal parts. Metal-on-metal will sound like knocking coming from the front and/or rear wheels.

You may also find extra noise coming from your vehicle when going over bumps if your car is bouncing around too much from your worn-out struts.

These are common signs of struts that need replacement:

Hydraulic fluid is leaking from one or more of your vehicle’s struts. This is a sign that the seals have broken and your vital strut fluids are leaking out.
When you push down on the hood of your vehicle, it bounces several times before settling back into position. This is a sign that your struts are bottoming out and have lost the ability to support the weight of your vehicle properly.
There is uneven tire wear, showing high and low wear patterns on your tires. Your ride may feel If you find that your tires are excessively bouncing after hitting a slight bump, your struts are not firmly holding your car’s suspension in place.
You are having steering and/or braking problems. You may end up finding that the front or back end will dip down or tilt-up slightly, impeding your vehicle’s ability to stop efficiently.
Your vehicle “tips” to one side as it turns. When making a sharp turn, you may feel like your vehicle tips more to one side than usual, over-tilts, or feels wobbly as you corner. This can feel like you are no longer in control of the vehicle.
A feeling of instability at high speeds. You may feel like your vehicle is constantly bouncing on the road imperfections. This may be a noticeable difference in your normally-smooth ride. You may even have to keep both hands on the wheel and may need to constantly correct the steering to keep it straight within your lane.

Turning Wrenches Repairs Struts

At Turning Wrenches European Auto Repair in Louisville, KY, we specialize in premier European vehicles. All of our services and repairs come with a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty so that you can focus on enjoying your luxury vehicle worry-free.

By specializing in Audi, BMW, MINI, and Mercedes since 2013, we are able to provide the best and most affordable dealership-alternative services for your benefit. Our team of certified technicians will assist you with maintenance and repairs for your struts and get you back on the road in no time.

If you’re looking for reliable and trustworthy vehicle repairs and maintenance, please contact us today with any questions or to talk to one of our friendly technicians. We look forward to earning your trust for your vehicle’s longevity, performance, and maintenance needs.

* Mercedes-Benz Car image credit goes to: y_carfan.

Issues that can Affect the Automatic Transmission of a MINI

by turningwpuser | Aug 6, 2020 | MINI Repair

Your transmission is a critical component of your engine. While it isn’t as explosive as the cylinders or as visible as your tires, it still is required for your car to safely motor on the road. When you experience transmission issues, not only do you have to consider safety concerns, but your car’s ability to get you from Point A to Point B.

Preventing Transmission Issues in your Mini Cooper

The automatic transmission of a Mini Cooper typically has problems in particular circumstances, such as when your vehicle reaches a set age or high mileage. Driver habits can also play a large part in how well a vehicle’s transmission functions. That’s why it’s important to drive safely, such as by following speed limits, taking corners safely, and going easy over potholes and bumpy roads.

While there is no surefire way to ensure your transmission never fails, there are steps you can take to minimize damage over time. Furthermore, bringing your vehicle in to a mechanic for regular maintenance and inspections can help you catch issues before they’re engine-ruining.

Catching automatic transmission issues early is the key to avoiding an expensive repair bill in the future. By extension, knowing what to look for before your transmission fails is essential in catching problems before they ruin your engine completely.

Common Signs of Transmission Failure

There are several common symptoms of transmission failure. While many of these can mimic other issues as well, experiencing two or more of them in conjunction is a good indicator that your Mini is having issues in the automatic transmission.

If you suspect any of these issues in your Mini Cooper, make an appointment to see a trusted mechanic as soon as possible.

Your Mini Vibrates

If your vehicle vibrates, shakes, or shudders when you accelerate or your engine shifts, this is a sign that your transmission is experiencing issues. As one of the more severe and dangerous transmission concerns, you should bring your Mini in immediately if you notice your car vibrating or shuddering.

Transmission Fluid Problems

If your transmission fluid is low, this may be a sign that you have a slow leak in your engine. This can be indicative of other problems, but more importantly, it can lead to mechanical failure of your transmission.

Alternatively, if you find a bright red puddle beneath your vehicle after it’s been parked for a while, this is a sign that your vehicle has a major leak somewhere in the transmission system. Either way, a transmission fluid leak is a sign it’s time to have your vehicle inspected by a mechanic.

Gear Shift Issues

One of the more common signs of a transmission failure is gear shifter issues. These include staying in low RPMs after you shift, problems revving to the appropriate RPMs to shift, or your vehicle prematurely shifting gears. You may also notice that your car jolts or shudders when it shifts.

Overheating Engine

If your engine is overheating, one of the more probable causes is a transmission failure. The strain of broken or worn out transmission components can serve to increase friction in your engine. This friction can then in turn cause your engine to run hot and overheat. In a worst can scenario, this could lead to catastrophic engine failure.

Check Engine Light Illumination

Your check engine light can be indicative of several mechanical and electrical issues in your vehicle. If it occurs in conjunction with any of these other issues, it’s time to bring your vehicle to a respected Mini Cooper mechanic immediately for diagnostic testing.

Turning Wrenches Can Help

If you notice any of the above signs of a failing transmission, or if you suspect that your Mini Cooper has other engine problems, bring it to Turning Wrenches of Louisville, KY as soon as possible.

Our experienced, certified mechanics will make sure that your vehicle is in the best of hands for diagnostics and repair from the time you drive onto the property until you leave again.

Furthermore, all vehicles come with a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty, so you can be sure that your vehicle runs smooth and safe.