We know you’re busy. At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we also know that while there are certain issues with your car, truck, or SUV you can ignore for a while, some of them shouldn’t wait. While serious issues are often obvious, sometimes they aren’t - ball joints are one such case.

Does your steering wheel feel like it’s fighting you when trying to drive in a straight line? Does your truck turn too aggressively when you try to go one direction, and poorly when you try to go another? There are a few possibilities as to what it means if your truck resists going in a straight line. ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach has the answers for you.

Good steering is an underrated, and often neglected aspect of driving. At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we believe in making sure you have the best vehicle possible, whether you’re driving across town or traveling long distance.

While keeping your car, truck, or SUV looking nice is important, there are other reasons to keep the exterior of your vehicle in good shape. From ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, here are some tips for keeping your car looking good, and how that keeps it reliably on the road.

It is often the last thing you check and statistically, most people ignore their tires, yet tires are undoubtedly a critical safety component on a vehicle. Here at ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we know where the rubber meets the road affects traction, handling, steering, stability, and braking. Because of this, sudden tire failure can have serious consequences, especially if it occurs when operating at high speeds. We thought it important to share the real facts about tires for our area drivers.

Everyone from mechanics, to your uncle that works on cars, has at some point given you advice concerning engine oil. The fact of the matter is that while we are familiar with words like “synthetic” and “oil weight,” many people don’t know exactly what the terminology means, or why common knowledge about oil exists in the form that it does. At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we keep things clear and simple. The more you know about your vehicle, the better equipped you are to keep it maintained, and we know a thing or two about vehicles. We have compiled a short list of common myths for you, most of which you’ve heard, but maybe never second guessed.

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.

At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we know that the key to keeping a transmission reliable and in shape is taking care to prevent an issue in the first place. Here, we’ll explore a condition that has a lot of potentials to cause your transmission harm; overheating.

At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we see our fair share of warning lights and dashboard notifications. If your ABS light is illuminated, here’s what you need to know.  First, it should be noted that the ABS light is supposed to illuminate for a few seconds after you turn the key, as part of a system test. If the light stays illuminated or comes on again randomly, there’s an issue somewhere that must be addressed.

Road trips are a lot of fun, and often unpredictable. For all the miles you will be driving we always recommend preparing for any situation. With this checklist from ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way.

As cars become more technologically advanced, the importance of your vehicle’s battery becomes more important. In the old days, a car battery essentially worked, or it didn’t; if it was good enough to start the car, it was good enough. Modern vehicles are a different story. A faulty battery can cause a variety of issues, including engine codes, sensor failures, irregular transmission behavior, and the list goes on.

Battery failure often causes issues that are commonly misdiagnosed, and in the hands of the wrong auto repair shop, a mechanic may spend hundreds of your hard-earned dollars chasing problems that don’t exist. At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, our mechanics are familiar with modern vehicles and the problems that accompany them.

At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, cars are our passion, so naturally, we like to keep up with new technology on the market. At the moment, surprisingly the current trend is moving towards a goal you may not expect; self-driving vehicles. You’ve probably heard about self-driving cars a little bit here and there on the news, but it likely still seems somewhere in the realm of science fiction to you. However, the reality is that self-driving cars are on the way and maybe here sooner than you think. Already, almost all major automobile manufacturers are dumping billions of dollars into research and development for self-driving cars, and even companies like Uber are jumping on board. 

At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we’ve witnessed our fair share of burnt out and broken clutches. While clutch failure is an inevitability, there are a variety of ways to make sure yours lasts as long as possible.

At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we understand that you can’t prevent malfunctions all the time, every time. At some point in your driving history, you’ve probably dealt with a flat tire. Sometimes a tire goes flat in a parking lot, but sometimes a tire can fail while driving. Here are some indicators you have a tire that is about to fail, and how to handle the situation.

Fluid levels, tire condition, dashboard lights, and a variety of other items typically are briefly explored whenever you bring your vehicle in for maintenance here at ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, where we are good at noticing things that need repair, but the fact of the matter is that only you know your car. You know when your car feels off when it's 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 ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, we’re not only here to fix your car when something goes wrong...we’re here to help you understand your car, truck, or SUV a little better, too. Here are some tips concerning your thermostat - how it works, what to watch out for, and what to do about it when one fails.

The most important part of your visit to any shop is making sure that your vehicle receives the best repair. While we uphold that standard, the team at ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body will also go above and beyond to ensure that you get only the best customer service along with a competent repair.

At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, our priority is keeping your transmission shifting smooth and running strong for years to come. While proper maintenance, driving habits, and a myriad of other conditions affect the life and reliability of a transmission, there are also ways to increase the overall efficiency of your unit, even above stock performance.

At ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL, we recommend always making it a priority to change your oil on time. Here’s a look into why it’s so important, and what happens if you don’t keep up with oil changes.

Sludge - If oil stays in an engine too long, sludge begins to build up anywhere oil can go. The oil absorbs tiny debris and contaminants, kind of like a liquid sponge - once it’s at capacity, that oil begins to stick, clog, and build up throughout the engine. Small veins that carry oil to components like actuators, turbos, and bearings will become blocked, starving critical components of oil and causing component or engine failure.

You’ve probably heard the term “transmission flush” before at some point in your automotive experience. But what exactly does it mean to have your transmission flushed, and why does it matter? ABC Transmission & Auto Care / Auto Body in Atlantic Beach, FL has the answers.