Automotive News & Information - Nick's Automotive

When you are having trouble with your car or truck starting and you open the hood up to take a peek to see this....you'll see what an overly corroded battery looks like. This happens naturally over time on vehicle battery terminals. If you are like 99% of normal Reno drivers, you don't check your oil or your battery so you don't keep an eye on the amount of corrosion that's building up on your car or truck battery. Here at Nick's Automotive, we do and there are solvents that we can use here in the shop during a battery maintenance service that will help slow the corrosion process but nothing that can prevent it 100%. Way before it gets to this point, we will be suggesting you consider replacing the battery.

Your drive belts run everything - your AC, power steering, alternator, and water pump are all dependent on the belts that turn them. At Nick's Automotive in Reno, NV, our goal is to keep your truck maintained, so you’re never stuck out on the road. Drive belts are a critical part of that goal.

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.

If you’re reading this, you probably not excited to be here; the time has come for a new transmission. Fortunately, we at Nick's Automotive are here to offer you solutions, and let you know that it’s not all bad. Replacing a tired and worn transmission will truly bring your car back to life, and you’ll probably be glad you did it.

Your drive belts are simple but integral components to the function of your car, truck, or SUV. At Nick's Automotive in Reno, NV, belts are one of the first things we assess when looking over a vehicle, as they alone are in charge of operating your AC, water pump, alternator, and power steering.

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 Nick's Automotive in Reno, NV, our mechanics are familiar with modern vehicles and the problems that accompany them.

At Nick's Automotive in Reno, we understand that safety and driving comfort are largely dependent on truck maintenance. Driving in the rain can be a hassle, especially if your vehicle isn’t prepared.

Essentially, there are a few things you can do to ease the burden of driving in the rain. Keep good quality windshield wipers installed, maintain a clean windshield, and regularly coat your windshield with Rain-X or comparable water-resistant chemicals. If applied properly, water-resistant coatings will dramatically increase visibility on rainy days. Quality windshield wipers, in good condition, are equally effective.

If your wipers don’t completely wipe away water with each pass, get them replaced. Driving in the rain is hard enough; inadequate equipment to deal with the situation only makes it that much more difficult. A clean windshield also goes a long way...rain won’t wash off the dirt that has had adequate time to adhere to your glass.

If you need new wipers, bring your truck to Nick's Automotive and let one of our experienced technicians get you fixed up. No matter your repair or maintenance needs, our team has you covered.

Fuel economy isn't far from the minds of our Reno drivers and we hear these questions daily such as: Why can certain cars zip along at close to 40 mpg while others are lucky to get anywhere near 20? As it turns out, there are as many factors that go into how well your ride does at the pumps! Here are the 10 factors that have the greatest impact on fuel consumption that we would like to share with you.