When it comes to transmissions, your fluid level is essential. Too much or too little fluid can affect pressure, cooling abilities, and lubrication. In order to best care for your vehicle, it's important to know what to look for, so from our shop here at Monument Street Auto Center here are a few tips. 

Sluggish. Squealing. Unreliable. Vibrating. If any of these descriptors fit your vehicle’s recent behavior, it just might be trying to tell you something – like it’s time for a tune-up.

Today’s vehicles differ significantly from their decades-old brethren that required a tune-up every 10,000 or 20,000 miles. With newer vehicles, it’s increasingly common for manufacturer-recommended service intervals to stretch to 100,000 miles before certain maintenance items, such as replacing the spark plugs, should be completed. 

Your vehicle's engine needs clean air to burn the fuel – and it needs a lot of clean air. In fact, a typical vehicle needs about 216,000 gallons of air for every tank of gas. All that air passes through a filter that catches the dust and dirt. Eventually, the filter gets completely full, and because the filter can only hold so much, dirt starts getting through. At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, we ensure you get the best air quality in your vehicle and explain the process of where this dirty air is going to our area drivers. 

Your car’s fuel system works with the rest of the engine control system to deliver the best performance with the lowest emissions. Check your car’s fuel system regularly or immediately if you smell gas or suspect a problem.

What does it do? - The fuel system transfers fuel from the fuel tank and passes it through a fuel filter for straining before it arrives at the injectors. A pressure regulator controls fuel pressure to ensure good engine performance under a variety of speed and load conditions. Fuel injectors, when activated, spray a metered amount of fuel into the engine. Some vehicles use a return line system to return unused fuel back to the tank.

Does your clutch go flat, rendering your car useless until you fill the reservoir back up? Are you tired of the spongy feeling in your pedal, and the mess on your driveway? At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, we can fix that for you.

Do you need new brake pads? Most of the time, if you think you do, the answer is yes. While a lot of auto parts stores sell brake pads with lifetime warranties, don’t be misled...brake pads will still wear down.

If you own or operate a fleet or commercial truck, you know how quickly miles rack up and oil changes are needed. At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, our main goal is to keep your trucks on the road - a huge part of that is changing your oil on time.

At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, we understand that the care for your vehicle is in the details. Transmission work, more so than any other type of maintenance or repair, requires a keen eye and specific know-how.

Auxiliary transmission coolers are one of many ways the aftermarket can improve the quality and durability of your vehicle. From Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, here’s some information concerning auxiliary coolers, why you might need one, and what it can do for you.

Like anything else on your vehicle, keeping various systems clean and in good shape is essential to long life and reliability. Your fuel system is especially important - parts are expensive, problems can be difficult to diagnose, and it doesn’t take much contamination to cause a huge issue. It’s much easier to keep your fuel system clean than it is to clean a dirty or problematic system. Performing regular fuel treatment can prove very beneficial to the life of your vehicle.

A good technician will give your vehicle a quick inspection whenever you have maintenance performed. Fluid levels, tire condition, dashboard lights, and a variety of other items typically are briefly explored whenever you bring your vehicle in for maintenance. At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, we're good at noticing things that need repair, but the fact of the matter is that only you know your vehicle. You know when your vehicle feels off when its been serviced last (or that it hasn't been serviced at all,) and have at least some vague idea of what’s going on with your vehicle day to day. Here are some questions you can ask us next time you come by the shop:

At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, we know that in order to keep your car in good shape, it helps to know how it works. Here’s a quick rundown of a system that’s very important, but you take for granted until there’s a problem; your brakes.

These days, it seems like the oil options for your oil changes are limitless - full synthetic, blends, conventional, high mileage, and the list goes on and on. We are frequently asked if it's okay to switch between oils, and how do you know what is okay to use? At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD we're here to help you answer that question. When it comes to engine oil, the answer to this question can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be!

Is your check engine light on? Whether you can tell a difference in the way your car, truck, or SUV is running, your car is trying to tell you something. At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, we can help.

There’s a huge percentage of vehicle on the road, right now, with the check engine light illuminated. Many of them have had it on for years, even. Frequently, a check engine light will illuminate, but pose no immediate problems, so people just get used to it and learn to live with it being on. However, Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD would like you to know that it’s worth having it looked into. Typically, the problem can be diagnosed by simply plugging your car into our computer; the vehicle gives us a code, and we know what the problem is immediately.

At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, we know how easy it is to overlook vehicle maintenance when everything is working as it should - we also know firsthand the toll neglected maintenance takes on a vehicle. Here’s an easy thing you can do yourself, that might save you an engine, transmission, or avoid numerous other problems.

Your vehicle is a vital part of your life; it takes you wherever you need to go and can last you a very long time if taken care of properly. A part of the care it takes to maintain the vehicle is taking it to repair shops in order to receive any necessary maintenance or fix any problems you may be experiencing. By choosing Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, you can rest assured that your vehicle will get the proper care and maintenance required to remain durable for as long as you need it.

At Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD, we work hard to be the maintenance and repair shop your fleet needs.

Coolant is vital to your engine. Without the right type, amount, and proper circulation of coolant, your engine won’t last long. How do you know when it’s time to check it or replace it? Monument Street Auto Center in Baltimore, MD has the answers.