As more car owners opt to keep their vehicles longer and customers tighten their purse strings during this unpredictable season, it is becoming increasingly important to keep up with regular maintenance, including replacing the timing belt.   A timing belt is an essential component of an internal combustion engine. The timing belt is a rubber belt that syncs up the crankshaft and camshaft rotation, which ensures your engine and valves operate correctly. The camshaft operates the valves in your engine to facilitate the movement of air and gas. The crankshaft moves the pistons up and down to help power the engine. The timing belt keeps your engine’s valves moving safely and your engine running. Failing to maintain your timing belt can lead to larger problems and even more costly engine repairs.   Most car manufacturers advise replacing your timing belt every 100,000 miles, although older vehicles may need to replace timing belts every 60,000 miles.   Si ... read more

Before you pack the car for your summer road trip, Mr. Transmission and Milex Complete Auto Care have some tips to help improve your car’s gas mileage, boost efficiency, and ensure a comfortable ride.   Half of Americans are slated to take a trip this summer, according to an online survey of nearly 2,600 adults by The Points Guy and Healthline Media. Of those likely to take a vacation this summer, 49 percent said they are interested in taking a road trip. Last summer, the American Automobile Association forecast that Americans would take 700 million trips as states slowly reopened following closures during the pandemic. As more people are vaccinated and COVID-19 numbers reach record lows, it is likely even m ... read more

With gas prices going up and the threat of shortages on the rise, Milex Complete Auto Care has some tricks of the trade to conserve gas and save money at the pump ahead of the summer travel season.   The ransomware attack that crippled the Colonial Pipeline in May led to increased demand for gas and higher prices for customers. News of the shutdown sparked fear of a gas shortage, resulting in long lines at stations across the Southeast. In states served by the Colonial Pipeline, including Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, demand was up by a collective 40.1 percent, CNN reported. In states where the gasoline supply was strained due to the pipeline shutdown, prices jumped as much as 21 cents in a matter of days.   Combine high fuel prices and more travel in the coming weeks and many people will be looking to ways to save money when they hit the ro ... read more

Electric vehicles have less parts, so they require less maintenance. However it is still important to keep up with routine maintenance for electric vehicles. Your local Milex Complete Auto Care is here to help with all of your electric vehicle maintenance needs to help keep your vehicle Road Ready.   Tires. Every vehicle’s tires need to be rotated and checked regularly, and electric vehicles are no exception. Roads are rough on tires, from trying to swerve between potholes, watching closely for debris in construction zones. Some electric vehicles have larger batteries, which adds extra weight to the car for the tires to support. Every 7,500 miles is the ideal time for routine tire rotations.   Windshield wipers. Windshield wiper blades life span do not change whether you have an electric vehicle or a gas powered vehicle. After a snowy and salty winter, rainy spring or at least every ... read more

Is one of your dashboard lights on but you are not sure what is wrong with your vehicle? Bring your vehicle to your local Mr. Transmission Milex Complete Auto Care for our Computer Diagnostic Service.   What is Computer Diagnostics?Computer Diagnostics is when our mechanics connect our state-of-the-art equipment to your vehicle to scan your vehicle’s computer to help find any internal issues that are happening within your car. A car diagnostic can tell a mechanic information about different parts of the vehicle such as: ignition timing issues, fuel injector performance, engine rpm levels, levels of buildup in the combustion engine, air and coolant temperature, whether the ignition coils are firing, and more. Once the diagnostic test is completed, the computer codes each data point that needs to be fixed, so that mechanics can look at a specific area of your vehicle for the possible proble ... read more

The start of summer is fast approaching, and Milex Complete Auto Care can help you have fun in the sun by getting your car ready for warmer temperatures. Warm weather, hot roads, long car trips, and humidity can damage your vehicle if it isn’t prepared to take the heat. Temperatures this summer are predicted to soar across much of the country, Weather.com reported. While the northeast will be cooler than last year, the northern and central Rockies into the northern and central Plains will be particularly sweltering. Hot temperatures aren’t preventing Americans from hitting the road for vacations. Americans were forecasted to take 700 million trips last summer, according to research by the American Automobile Association. Although that number was down nea ... read more

Milex Complete Auto Care recommends preparing your car for allergy season by changing your cabin air filter to keep you healthy and reduce symptoms this year.   While warmer temperatures are a welcome relief, the blooming flowers and new leaves on trees also signal the start of allergy season. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies.  Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, a nonprofit patient organization for people with allergies and asthma. An allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a foreign substance. Typical reactions are coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, and a sore throat, th ... read more

Don’t be lured in by repair shops offering discount brake service. Getting a good brake job will extend the life of your vehicle and save you money on repair costs in the long run. While you want your car to run smoothly when you step on the gas, it’s just as important for your car to stop properly when you hit the brakes. The leading cause of car crashes in the United States is distracted driving and weather, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Safety Administration reported. However, about 22 percent of crashes caused by vehicle-related problems are due to faulty brakes. The experts at Milex Complete Auto Care recommend staying on top of brake maintenance to prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your vehicle and keep you safe on the roads. How Brakes Work The brakes function by absorbing energy from a moving system to stop motion. When you press on ... read more

  Committing to changing the air filters on your vehicle on a regular basis can prolong engine life, maximize engine power, help the planet, and improve your health.   There are two types of air filters in every car. One filter cleans the air that enters the engine, and another filters the air you breathe inside the vehicle. Both filters are made of paper, cotton, or foam and trap dust, pollen, mold, and debris, preventing it from getting in the engine or in the air you breathe. The experts at Milex Complete Auto Care recommend changing the air filters on your car to keep it performing at the top of its game. Learning how to check your air filters and understanding why keeping them clean is important are key to your health and the well-being of your vehicle.   How to Tell if Your Engine Air Filter Needs Changing   Your car’s engine requires sufficient airflow to run properly. A clogged ai ... read more

A clean fuel filter will prevent unnecessary wear-and-tear on your engine and reduce the chance of having to make an emergency repair.   Located between the gas tank and the engine, the fuel filter is a small cartridge containing paper filters. The fuel filter helps remove impurities, such as dirt, debris, and rust particles from the fuel to keep them out of the engine. Some of the most common impurities in gasoline are water, sulfur, and sediment from underground fuel storage at gas stations. If your filter stops delivering clean fuel, your engine can suffer. In addition, the engines on newer model cars feature tight tolerances and are highly susceptible to clogs, which can be costly to fix. The fuel filter on cars with diesel engines is especially important because it filters out water to prevent contamination, which can lead to corrosion and engine damage.   A survey conducted by the ... read more