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Automotive Tips from Lighthouse Automotive: Knowing When Your Timing Belt Should Be Replaced

The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. Colorado Springs drivers need to replace it on a schedule to avoid failure.Timing belts are very difficult to get to, requiring quite a bit of labor to access. Timing belt replacement is one of the more expensive maintenance services, but the cost at Lighthouse Automotive to correct an engine damaged by a broken timing belt is much, much more.The timing belt has a tensioner to help maintain proper belt tension. The tensioner should be replaced along with the timing belt and any idler pulleys at the vehicle manufacturer’s specified service interval. Your Lighthouse Automotive service advisor can help you with the timing belt.Give us a call.Lighthouse Automotive2499 East Platte AveColorado Springs, Colorado 8090971

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Timing Belt

Problems with Suspension Solved at Lighthouse Automotive in Colorado Springs

A vehicle's suspension system is tough. It can last for years and after lots of driving for Colorado Springs drivers. But it can be damaged quickly by hitting a pothole, curb or rock, and it can wear more quickly if you frequently drive off-road or on bumpy roads. A workhorse vehicle — one that hauls heavy loads — is also going to be hard on its suspension system.Because the useful life of your suspension system contains these elements of unpredictability, it is important for Colorado Springs drivers to have them inspected periodically. Worn, broken and missing parts can be identified during an inspection at Lighthouse Automotive . An ineffective suspension system will decrease the driver's control over a vehicle, so when it is damaged it frequently leads to the worst kind of vehicular damage — dangerous accidents.The suspension system is composed of springs and shock absorbers (or shocks). Springs suspend the weight of the vehicle above its axles. They allow the ... read more

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Suspension

Blind Spot Safety for Colorado Springs Driving

Blind spots may be a good thing when it comes to a spouse's annoying habits, but when driving an automobile in Colorado Springs, they are definitely to be avoided. So, while it's not good marital advice, it's good auto advice to minimize your own blind spots and stay out of other Colorado Springs drivers' blind spots, especially when it comes to large, heavy vehicles like trucks and buses.First, minimize your own blind spots. Do this before you pull out of the driveway or parking space. Adjust your rearview mirror so that you see as much of the area behind you as possible. And, no, this doesn't include the passengers in the back seat. The rearview mirror isn't designed to be a baby monitor.Next, lean to the side until your head almost touches the driver's side window. Now adjust the driver's side mirror so that it just catches the side of the vehicle. Then, lean to the middle of the car and adjust the passenger's side mirror i ... read more

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Safety

Automotive Tips from Lighthouse Automotive: Alignment Inspection

Uneven tire wear, the car pulling to one side or a steering wheel that is off-center are signs for Colorado Springs drivers that their wheels may be out of alignment.When doing an alignment inspection, the service advisor at Lighthouse Automotive will inspect your tires for uneven wear as well as suspension and steering parts for signs of wear or damage. He?ll also compare your current alignment with the vehicle manufacturer?s settings.Your vehicle owner?s manual will have a recommendation for when to check alignment. Of course, this recommendation is based on normal driving. If you have been in a crash, hit a curb/pothole, frequently drive off-road around Colorado Springs, or notice any symptoms of misalignment, have your Lighthouse Automotive service advisor perform an important alignment check.Lighthouse Automotive2499 East Platte AveColorado Springs, Colorado 8090971

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Alignment

Drive Defensively in Colorado

Car care is part of auto safety in Colorado Springs. But the most important thing we can do to improve safety on Colorado roads is to drive safely.Defensive driving begins with the proper attitude. Have in mind that you won't let anyone take your safety away from you. You'll be aware of your surroundings, road conditions, other vehicles and hazards. And the first person to be concerned with is you: start with your own environment.Don't leave without securing all occupants including children and pets. Watch for loose items that can become projectiles during evasive maneuvers.Driving too fast or too slow increases the chance of an accident.Never drive impaired: Alcohol is a factor in half of all fatal crashes. Never drink and drive.Other impairments include being sleepy, angry, daydreaming or talking. If you suddenly wonder how you got where you are – you're not paying enough attention.Keep your windows clean and uncluttered. No fuzzy dice and stickers.K ... read more

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Safety

It's About Time: Following Service Intervals at Lighthouse Automotive

There are a lot of things in life that Colorado Springs residents have to do on a regular basis. We wash dishes every day, do our laundry and mow our lawns every week, and pay the bills every month. We should go to our Colorado Springs dentist twice a year and see our doctor for a check-up once a year. When we don't stay on schedule with these routines, it can lead to embarrassing, painful or expensive consequences. Scheduled maintenance is also part of good vehicle care. Colorado Springs drivers should take their vehicles in regularly for a good check-up. But many folks struggle to remember or actually even ignore this auto advice. When it comes to our vehicles, we're more likely to listen to, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it,” than, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Yet it is the second adage that is the more applicable one.Regular brushing treatments prevent cavities. Filling a cavi ... read more

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Inspection

When Do My Shocks Need to Be Replaced?

A good suspension system gives a vehicle a smooth, even ride while providing Colorado Springs drivers with good handling and control. But like any system on your vehicle, parts of the suspension system can wear out, leading to a lower ride quality and safety concerns. So it's a good idea for drivers in Colorado Springs to remember their suspension system in their schedule of preventive maintenance. Springs do most of the work of the suspension system. The most common types of springs are coil and leaf, but air springs and torsion bars are becoming more common. The body of the vehicle is “suspended” by the springs.If springs were the only working component in your suspension system, however, you'd spend your travel time bouncing up and down like a bobblehead. That's where your shocks come in. They keep the rebound, or bounciness, of the springs under control. Shocks also keep your tires on the road, which keeps the driver in control of the vehicle. Some vehicles have struts ... read more

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Shocks & Struts

Getting the Right Tires and Wheels in Colorado Springs

A lot of people get custom wheels in Colorado Springs. When you do this yourself (over the internet . . .) you could run into trouble if you're not careful. Sometimes, once they're mounted, they just don't fit right. The tires rub in turns or on bumps. You don't want that. Consulting your Lighthouse Automotive tire professional can ensure you get the right fit. First he'll ask you a series of questions about your Colorado Springs driving needs and what you want in your new wheels. Now, not every wheel can go on every car. Care must be taken so that tires and wheels are not too large or that the wheel is centered too far towards the outside or the inside so the tires rub.If you don't want to make any modifications to your vehicle, you would need to focus on the wheels that would fit. With trucks, some people in Colorado Springs like much bigger tires so they need a suspension lift.Also, most Colorado Springs drivers don't realize that you need ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Your Well Trained Technician at Lighthouse Automotive

When your vehicle has a problem or just needs some routine service, you might get a little nervous. Your vehicle's so important to your life in Colorado Springs, you need to get back on the road as soon as possible – with the problem fixed right the first time.If you've ever checked into some of the technician training Lighthouse Automotive professionals receive, you may be surprised at how much specialized knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a modern car. For example: Today there are four cylinder engines that generate more power than the 1980s-era V-8's. I mean a new V-6 Toyota Camry could beat Sonny Crocket's Ferrari in a race to 60 mph/100 kph. Our engines are more and more powerful and at the same time their fuel economy keeps inching up – even with steep Colorado Springs gas prices. They are also amazingly reliable: Kudos to the automotive engineers. But the advances come at the price of simplicity.  ... read more

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Safety

Check Your Shocks and Struts at Lighthouse Automotive

  Today we're talking to Colorado Springs drivers about shocks and struts. They're so easy for Colorado folks to forget about because they last so long and wear out so slowly. But your shocks are really responsible for keeping your tires on the road – so they're very important.Without shocks, your wheels would be bouncing over bumps and lifting on corners. The shocks push the tire down to the road to maximize traction. Good shocks equal good ride quality and safe handling for Colorado Springs drivers. There's a difference between shocks and springs. Springs support the weight of the vehicle, keeping it suspended up off the axles. The shocks moderate the rebound motion as wheels hit bumps. Now a strut combines a shock and a coil spring in one compact unit. It's best to replace all four shocks at the same time. That way you'll have even, predictable handling at all four corners. Anything less could be dangerous. Visit Lighthouse Automotive ... read more

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Shocks & Struts
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