Graham Auto Repair

When to Change Brake Pads Watch this Video on YouTube: What Are Brake Pads? Brakes are one of the most important parts of any vehicle! They help to ensure that you and your passengers are safe on the road. That is why it's so important to know When to Change your Brake Pads. The easiest way to find out is by scheduling a Brake Inspection. Most of us wait until something breaks before we actually look into fixing it. With an Automobile this can often be a mistake! Especially with something so vital as your Vehicle's Brakes. The last thing that any of us wants is: to find out that our Brakes are bad in an emergency, when it's too late! If someone runs out in front of our car while we're driving; if someone slams on their brakes in front of us unexpectedly - those are both times that we really need to be able to depend on our Brakes. What Ar ... read more

Stay Safe in the Sun! July is UV Safety Month. Now that we are fully into the Summer Season it's important that we are all practicing safety in the sun!       Here are 15 tips for Sun Safety:   1. The first (most obvious, but also forgotten) tip is to wear sunscreen! And of course our kids will complain (and sometimes so will we) but it’s so important!!!   2. Don’t forget: Sunscreen is only a filter; it does not block all UV Rays. Even with proper sunscreen use, some UV Rays will still get through. It’s important to remember that Sunscreen doesn’t make you invulnerable and able to spend unlimited amounts of time in the sun.   3. Sunscreen is available in many forms: lotions, creams, ointments, lip balms. Make sure that you check the label and know how much protection your sunscreen has. Sunscreens with broad spectrum protection, against both UVA and UVB Rays, and with an SPF value of 30 or higher, are recommende ... read more

Summer is here! It's during this time of year that most of us are getting ready to go on our next big Road Trip. The kids are out of school, and it's time to take that Big Family Vacation that you've been longing for all year. When the weather is nice we are ready to put the windows down and get out on the Open Road! Most of us take the time to do a lot (or at least some) planning ahead for Road Trips. Unfortunately, many of us forget to make sure that our car is ready for that big Road Trip! For that reason, we want to give you a few tips on Preparing Your Car For Your Road Trip. Quick Note: At Graham Auto Repair, when you come in for an Oil Change Service we always perform a Courtesy Check on your vehicle, every time. Make sure that you plan ahead before your Ro ... read more

At Graham Auto Repair we have options while you wait for us to service your vehicle. Who likes to sit in a boring, uncomfortable waiting room for hours while they get their car worked on? Or worse yet---what if the Auto Repair Shop doesn't have a waiting room? Then you end up standing or walking around, hoping the work will be finished quickly.   We Have a Comfy Waiting Room Sit back and relax while you wait! At Graham Auto Repair we have comfortable seats where you can relax. We also have a Charging Station where you can plug in your phone! Do you have work to do on your computer? Pull up a chair at our bar and plug in your computer. Are you thirsty? Hungry? We have complimentary coffee, tea, water, cookies, and other snacks for you too. We want you to feel at home while you wait. There's Fun For The Kids Too! It's not always ideal when you have to bring your kids along with you on your errands. But isn't it nice when there is a convenient place for them too? With ... read more

Why Does My Car Overheat?   Are you having problems with keeping your car cool? This becomes even more of an issue when the temperature outside starts climbing, in the Summer months. So let's discuss some common problems that can cause your Vehicle to Overheat. We want to help make sure that you can keep your car cool!   Possible Reasons Your Car Overheats   1. A Leak in your Cooling System   One of the major causes of a vehicle overheating can be caused by a leak in the cooling system: The Radiator, Water Pump, Head Gasket, Hoses, Thermostat Housing. Take a look under the hood to see if you notice any leaks. Any leak in one of these areas will stop your engine from being able to cool properly, which will cause your vehicle to overheat. If you can locate the leak, you may be able to seal it up yourself. But don't hesitate to call us if you're uncomfortable with doing something like this on your own.   2. Not Enough  ... read more

How often should I change my oil? Many people ask the question, "How Often Should I Change my Oil?" The standard saying that we’ve always heard is, “Change Your Oil Every 3,000 Miles or Every 3 Months.” But is that still true? The answer may surprise you: YES! A quick Google Search and you will find conflicting information. Many articles will tell you that the best thing to do is to consult your Owner’s Manual. Some articles will tell you that Auto Repair Shops are lying, telling you to change your oil too often. Let’s stop and consider something for a moment: if you wait 10,000 or 15,000 miles (or even more!) to get an Oil Change, your car will break down faster! Who is benefiting from this the most? The Car Sales Industry would surely benefit, by selling you a new car. Even Auto Repair Shops would benefit from your car breaking down! We would make a lot more money on repairs that happen when you don't change&n ... read more

If you've ever had a dead battery then you've probably found yourself asking the question:   "How Do I Jump Start My Car?"   The first thing that you need to know is if your battery is actually dead. If you need help with this, check out our other post, “Why Won’t My Car Start?”   If you’ve already verified that you have a Dead Battery, it’s time to Jump Your Car.   Caution: If either vehicle has an Electronic Ignition System or is an Alternatively Fueled Vehicle, the use of Jumper Cables may damage it. Also, NEVER allow any of the Jumper Cable’s Clamps to touch each other while they are being used. This could result in an Electric Shock!   9 Steps To Jump Your Car   Step 1: Find a Vehicle With A Good Battery ... read more

Why Won’t My Car Start? or Why Won’t My Car Turn Over?   It can be pretty scary when Your Car Won’t Start or Turn Over! Thank goodness that today we can rely on a quick Google Search to find out some possible answers for why, or to find out what’s going on.   Here are some questions you can ask if you want help determining the problem yourself:   1. Can you turn the key in the ignition? If not, try one of these things:   - Make sure that your car is in park - Make sure that your foot is on the break - If the steering wheel won’t move, try jiggling the steering wheel back and forth to release it. - Try a different/spare key, in case the one you’re using is worn out.   Note: If you still cannot turn the key in the ignition, give us a call. We would love to help you diagnose your problem.   ... read more