AUTONET TV

Questions to Ask Your Rockford Service Advisor

We find that a lot of Rockford drivers are a little tentative when they talk with their automotive advisors. They want to ask questions but don't want to be embarrassed or seem pushy. Vehicles are very complicated and there's more to know about them than most of us have the time to learn. Maybe it's because vehicles have become so much more reliable that the average person just doesn't need to know as much to keep their vehicle on the road.

You know, your local hospital has a Patient's Bill of Rights that they post throughout the hospital. We think our Rockford automotive service customers also have a right to ask any question they need to understand what is wrong with their car and what it will take to fix it. They need to feel free to ask the cost and benefits of recommended services. And they certainly have a right to understand the financial end of the transaction.

It's all about the communication. It's a little harder when you're trying to find the right service center in Rockford. But once you've developed a relationship, the communication should come easier.

What are some of the barriers to communication? Well, let's go back to the medical example. When your doctor's explaining something to you, it's something that she understands very well and is very familiar with. So she may use jargon you don't understand or that you don't have the education and training that's foundational to understanding what she's trying to explain.

So you fall behind and get frustrated.

It can be the same with your Rockford automotive service advisors. Most of them are very busy trying to service and fix cars to get their customers back on the road. So, just ask when you feel you need more information.

Financial related issues seem to be most frustrating to customers. If you're not sure, ask what the payment policies are. For example, there's a big difference between giving your car a quick once over and doing a thorough inspection. Diagnosing a problem may take quite a while. Make sure you know what's done as a courtesy and what has a fee. Remember, you still have to pay for the office visit even if the doctor says you only have a cold.

Communication is a two way street. If you have some real budget concerns, ask your Rockford service advisor what he can do. He can give you priorities and options. He can tell you what needs to be taken care of right away for safety or financial reasons. Then you can work out a plan for when to get the rest done. He can also help you with options on the parts. The preference is to always use a high-quality part with a reputation for reliability. But if money is tight, he might be able to find a rebuilt or a used part. He should tell you the difference in the guarantee for the part so you can make a good decision.

Ask about warranties for parts and labor. Be sure to get all the paperwork you need to make a possible claim in the future. Your service center and its technicians stand behind their work and want you to understand precisely what that means.

Be sure to ask for and keep a detailed explanation of all the work that's done on your vehicle. These records will help you keep track of service, warranties and document the good care your vehicle has received when the time comes to sell it.

Give us a call.

TJ's Auto Center Inc.
3427 E. State St.
Rockford, Illinois 61108
815-399-2886

Deep Clean Your Fuel System at TJ's Auto Center Inc.

Having trouble with your fuel system? Bring your vehicle into TJ's Auto Center Inc. for a check up.

In today's TJ's Auto Center Inc. auto post, we're talking about fuel system cleaning. The first thing to know is how important it is to have a clean fuel system. Rockford residents need fuel to go, and the cleaner the fuel system, the more efficiently the fuel will burn. That means more power and better mileage .

A clean fuel system saves money for Rockford drivers at Illinois gas stations. We guess you could say it all starts and ends at the pump. One of the most important things Rockford residents can do to keep their vehicle fuel system clean is to buy good quality gas. Major brands have detergents that keep gum and varnish from rapidly building up in the fuel system.

So buying cheaper gas in Illinois can actually be more expensive for Rockford drivers in the long run. Now, most cars on Illinois roads are more than five or six years old. That means they've had time for some dirt and rust to start accumulating in the fuel tank. This junk needs to be filtered out of the fuel before it hits your vehicle engine. That's the fuel filter's job.

When the fuel filter is clogged, the dirty fuel will bypass the filter and go on up to the engine where it can clog fuel injectors and get into the cylinders. So Rockford residents should have their fuel filter changed when recommended. Check your owner's manual or ask your friendly and knowledgeable TJ's Auto Center Inc. service advisor if your fuel filter is due for replacement.

TJ's Auto Center Inc.
3427 E. State St.
Rockford, Illinois 61108
815-399-2886

Air Conditioning Maintenance at TJ's Auto Center Inc. in Rockford

Warm weather or cold, Rockford drivers still need to think about their vehicle's air conditioning. Most Rockford people don't service their air conditioning until after it fails. At TJ's Auto Center Inc., we can advise you on your vehicle manufacturers preventive maintenance schedules for air conditioning service, just as we do for transmission service, oil changes and so on.

Maintaining your air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the vehicle's air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can't cool the air as well. We see that a lot at TJ's Auto Center Inc. in Rockford.

The refrigerant also contains oil that lubricates air conditioning components and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and all Rockford vehicle owners know that air conditioning repairs can be costly. At TJ's Auto Center Inc., we recommended that the air conditioner be run regularly, even during winter months, to keep the parts and seals lubricated.

Rockford drivers need to be aware that there's one more thing that isn't directly related to air conditioning service but does impact the quality of the air in your vehicle. And that's your cabin air filter. This filter cleans dust, pollen, pollution and other impurities in the air that come from the heater and air conditioner. The cabin air filter needs to be replaced when it's dirty. If you don't, it'll start to smell. Not all vehicles have one, so ask your TJ's Auto Center Inc. service advisor to check your cabin air filter at the same time they're doing your air conditioning service.

TJ's Auto Center Inc.
3427 E. State St.
Rockford, Illinois 61108
815-399-2886

Your Well Trained Technician at TJ's Auto Center Inc.

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 Rockford, 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 TJ's Auto Center Inc. 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 Rockford gas prices. They are also amazingly reliable: Kudos to the automotive engineers. But the advances come at the price of simplicity. The modern vehicles driven around Illinois are so much more complex from a mechanical standpoint that it makes your head spin – not to mention the electronics.

Some vehicles have several networked computers controlling most of the engine functions and many other vehicle operations as well. Rockford motorists take all of this sophistication for granted, but somebody has to fix it when it breaks. It's a real challenge for TJ's Auto Center Inc. in Rockford technicians to keep up, but we work hard to stay ahead of the technology. It requires a high level of commitment on the part of the technicians and the Rockford service centers as well.

TJ's Auto Center Inc. technicians receive training through a combination of formal classroom training, training provided at TJ's Auto Center Inc. by parts and equipment manufacturers, online courses and home study courses.

In addition to the expensive training, there's the financial commitment for TJ's Auto Center Inc. to purchase the diagnostic and repair tools.

There are many independent certifications held by the pros at TJ's Auto Center Inc.. The ability to repair your vehicle requires a strong combination of training and resources. No one can know everything, so Rockford auto service centers subscribe to data services, technical libraries and even online communities that can help them when they run into a difficult problem.

It's like those medical diagnosis shows on TV. Here are the symptoms – what's the diagnosis and treatment? Diagnosis is every bit as much an art as a science. At TJ's Auto Center Inc., we want everything to be simple, straightforward and inexpensive – but sometimes it just isn't.

The next time you bring us your vehicle, don't worry. You're in good hands at TJ's Auto Center Inc..

TJ's Auto Center Inc.
3427 E. State St.
Rockford, Illinois 61108
815-399-2886

Keep Your Cool in Rockford: Air Conditioning Services

Most Rockford drivers don't even think about their air conditioner.

Now here's a tip for Rockford vehicle owners: Run your air conditioner every so often during Illinois winters. This circulates the lubricant to help keep the seals from drying out.

The air conditioner actually removes some of the moisture in the air. So if you have trouble with fogging on your vehicle windshield during Illinois winters or during a rain storm, running the A/C on the defrost setting should help. Now on some Rockford cars you can't run the A/C at the same time as the defroster. Don't ask me why, but I suspect lawyers were involved.

Also, air and water can get into the A/C system. That can reduce the efficiency of the system and also lead to corrosion that causes damage. Rockford drivers should periodically purge the system and replace the refrigerant to remove the air and water.

Illinois drivers would be wise to learn the early warning signs of A/C trouble: 1) The air's not as cold as it used to be. 2) It makes unusual noises when the A/C cycles on. Those are signs to get your vehicle into TJ's Auto Center Inc. in Rockford before the damage gets worse.

By following the recommended service intervals in your vehicle owner's manual, you can help prevent mechanical failure of your air conditioning system. Your A/C system contains some components like the compressor, condenser, dryer, etc. Anything Rockford car owners can do to lengthen the life of their A/C is well worth it. 

TJ's Auto Center Inc.
3427 E. State St.
Rockford, Illinois 61108
815-399-2886