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Car Care Articles Get the answers you need from ASE, the industry expert in vehicle repair. The most common question we hear from consumers is, “What do I need to do to take care of my car and avoid big repair bills?” Fortunately, the answer is simple: Establish and follow a regular vehicle maintenance plan. A maintenance plan is essential for protecting your automotive investment and maximizing the reliability and safety of your vehicle. Start with reading your vehicle owner’s manual, where you’ll find the automaker’s recommendations and maintenance schedules based on your driving patterns and habits. Next, you’ll need to find a good repair shop. Whether a shop is connected to a new car dealership, part of a national chain or an independent service provider, the most important thing to look for is whether they have ASE-certified technicians on staff. You’ll also need to know how to communicate properly and effectively to avoid misunderstandings that can incr...

Finding A Quality Auto Repair Shop New to your town or city? Looking for a good auto repair shop? The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), the non-profit organization that tests and certifies the competence of individual automotive repair technicians, knows a thing or two about selecting a vehicle repair facility. Whether you are new in town or you are just looking for a new shop, the experts at ASE offer some guidelines to help take some of the anxiety out of your search: Look for a repair facility before you need one; you can make better decisions when you are not rushed. Ask friends, co-workers and associates for recommendations. Consult local consumer organizations, such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and chambers of commerce, about the reputation of the shop. Inquire about the number, nature and resolution of complaints. Search online for business reviews and visit the shop’s Facebook page if one is available. You can learn a lot about a...

Don't Let Car Troubles Ruin Your Holiday Travels Fall presents ideal time for car service and maintenance As the holidays approach, motorists should make certain their vehicle is up to the rigors of winter travel. Autumn has traditionally been a busy time for carcare activities. Whether you do your own maintenance or depend on the pros, fall service let's you undo the wear and tear of summer's tough conditions while getting ready for colder weather ahead. The following tips from the experts at the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) should give you a road map to fall car care. According to officials at ASE, "Cold weather will only make existing problems worse. A breakdown, while never pleasant, can be deadly in the winter." First things first Read your owner's manual and follow the manufacturer's recommended service schedules. Engine Performance Get engine driveability problems (hard starts, rough idling,...

ASE: Certifying the Automotive Professional ASE: Certifying the Automotive Professional Finding a competent auto technician need not be a matter of chance. Much of the guesswork has been eliminated, thanks to national program conducted by the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). ASE tests and certifies automotive professionals in all major technical areas of repair and service. With nearly 400,000 currently certified professionals, the ASE program is national in scope and has industry-wide acceptance and recognition. ASE-certified professionals can be found at every type of repair facility, from dealerships, service stations, and franchises to parts stores, independent garages, and even municipal fleets. Certification Benefits Motorists ASE certifies the technical competence of individual technicians, not repair facilities. Prior to taking ASE certification tests, many technicians attend training classes or study on their own in order to...

Stopping and Steering are Keys to Driving Safely There are more vehicles on U.S. roads than ever before. With an estimated 240.5 million cars and light trucks crowding our roads as of 2011, your safety and that of others is at risk when your vehicle isn't stopping and steering at its best. Reducing your vehicle's stopping distance by just an inch or so could make the difference between a minor scare and a major fender bender. Crowded roads aren't the only concern. The roads themselves are often in a sorry state of repair. Portions of our highway system (including many bridges) haven't seen much in the way of maintenance or repair since they were built. In cold climates, the freeze/thaw cycle enlarges cracks and holes in the pavement. In sunnier spots, the heat, heavy cargo hauling and years of neglect take their own toll on roads. The result can be a moonscape of potholes that can affect the handling of your vehicle. Bad roads can cause suspension components,...

ASE: What's in It for Car Owners ASE Certification Program Helps Take the Guesswork Out of Finding a Good Technician Finding a competent auto technician need not be a matter of chance. Much of the guesswork has been eliminated, thanks to the national program conducted by the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). ASE tests and certifies automotive professionals in all major technical areas of repair and service. With more than 300,000 currently certified professionals, the ASE program is national in scope and has industry-wide acceptance and recognition. ASE-certified technicians and parts specialists can be found at every type of repair facility, from dealerships, service stations, and franchises to parts stores, independent garages, and even municipal fleets. Certification Benefits Motorists ASE certifies the technical competence of individual technicians, not repair facilities. Before taking ASE certification tests, many technicians att...

Springtime Auto Tips Spring is one of the prime times for auto maintenance. That first wash-n-wax on a warm Saturday afternoon is liberating. Winter's gloom (to say nothing of grit and road salt) is literally washed away. Take out the snow shovel, the gloves, and heavy boots and store them 'til next season. Surely summer can't be far away. Some preparation now will help ensure that your summer driving plans go as smoothly as you envision then now. ASE offer the following tips on getting your vehicle ready for summer. Read the owner's manual and follow the recommended service schedules. Have hard starts, rough idling, stalling, etc. corrected before hot weather sets in. Flush and refill the cooling system (radiator) according to the service manual's recommendations. The level, condition, and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, look for repair facilities that employ ASE-certified automotive tech...

End of Summer Marks Perfect Time for Car Care Preventative maintenance now can help ensure worry-free driving this winter The vacations are over, the kids are back in school and cooler evenings have begun. Take advantage of the lull to prepare your vehicle for the winter ahead, advise the pros and the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Breakdowns, never convenient, can be dangerous in cold weather period. The following tips from ASE should give parent and student alike a road map to fall car care. First things first Read your owner’s manual and follow the manufacturer’s recommended service schedules. There are usually two schedules listed: normal and severe. Engine Performance Have engine driveability problems (hard starts, rough idling, stalling, diminished power, etc.) corrected at a good repair shop. Cold weather will make existing problems worse. Replace dirty filtersair, fuel, PCV, etc. Fuel Put a bottle of fuel de-icer in...

Ten Tips for SUV Owners It's a rare motorist who doesn't have strong feelings about today's sport utility vehicles. Love 'em or hate 'em, one thing is certain-just like their automobile cousins, SUVs last longer, operate more efficiently, and command a higher resale value when they are properly maintained and serviced. For those too busy or too overwhelmed by modern vehicles to perform their own maintenance, the pros at the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) offer some advice on choosing a repair establishment: Start shopping for a repair facility before you need one. Ask friends and associates for recommendations; consult local consumer organizations. Arrange for alternate transportation in advance so you will not feel forced to choose a shop based solely on location. Look for a neat, well organized facility, with vehicles in the parking lot equal in value to your own and modern equipment in the service bays. Look for...

National Standards Help Consumers Locate Qualified Automotive Technicians Car owners know they should keep their vehicles in good operating condition, but often they do not know where to turn for dependable service or what to look for in a repair shop. Some choose a repair shop based solely on its convenient location or an advertised special. Not the best move, according to officials with the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, also known as ASE. “Look for the ASE sign,” says Tony Molla, vice president of communications at ASE. “It indicates the repair shop employs one or more ASE-certified technicians.” Molla emphasizes that finding a competent auto technician need not be a matter of chance. Much of the guesswork has been eliminated, thanks to a national program conducted by ASE: “Qualified technicians are the backbone of any repair establishment,” he adds. ASE tests and certifies automotive professionals in all major technical areas of repair an...

Auto Service Goes High-Tech Increasingly, automotive repair and service is becoming a high-tech profession, note officials with the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Old images die hard, but yesterday's mechanics have become today's technicians, complete with hand-held computer diagnostic tools and a wall full of credentials attesting to their abilities. In a recent poll of ASE-certified automotive technicians, over four-fifths said they used a computer on the job, more than two-thirds said they owned a computer at home, and over half said they had access to the Internet. "The profession is being revolutionized," notes ASE President Tim Zilke. "Brute force has been supplanted by brain power. If you don't think so, just look under the hood of one of today's sport coupes or SUVs. This is rocket science-or very close to it. Today's auto technicians need to be master diagnosticians, well versed in electronic...

Don't Scrimp on Vehicle Maintenance Technician certification organization ASE surveys show a well-maintained vehicle not only lasts longer, it retains more of its resale value. With a sluggish economic recovery and today’s consumers watching their finances carefully, it’s no surprise that the average age of vehicles in the United States is more than 11 years old, according to automotive research firm R.L. Polk and Co. With motorists holding on to their vehicles longer than ever before, maintenance takes an even greater importance in keeping roads — and people — safe. The cost of neglect “It’s tempting to avoid car maintenance in tough economic times, but that’s not a financially sound method to manage the big investment you’ve made in your vehicle,” notes Tony Molla, vice president of communications for the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). “Surveys of our certified technicians show that a well-maintained vehicle lasts longer, retain...

Don't Overlook Automotive Technology as a High-Tech Career Path Parents and students should take a second look at automotive repair, a high-tech career that is always in demand and can’t be outsourced overseas. Parents, if becoming an automotive technician is not high on your list of career choices for your child, perhaps it’s time to look again. Officials with the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) — the independent group that tests and certifies the competence of auto technicians nationally — note that automotive service and repair has changed dramatically in just the span of a generation. High-tech systems unheard of 30 years ago are now standard equipment on much of the nation’s fleet of vehicles: stability and traction control systems, adaptive cruise control and variable valve timing, just to name a few. And more changes are on the way: hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles are commonplace; hydrogen fuel cell and other alte...