Spanish Fork Auto Repair

If your car overheats while sitting at a stoplight or idling in traffic—but seems to cool down once you start driving—you’re not alone. This is a common issue and usually points to a problem in the cooling system that shows up when airflow is limited. Let’s break down the most common reasons your car overheats at idle and what you should do about it.   How Your Cooling System Works at Idle When you’re driving, air flows naturally through the radiator to help cool the engine. At idle, your vehicle relies heavily on cooling system components—like the radiator fan and coolant circulation—to regulate engine temperature. If any of these parts aren’t working properly, heat can build up quickly while the vehicle is stopped.   Common Reasons a Car Overheats at Idle1. Cooling Fan Not Working Properly One of the most common causes of overheating at idle is a failing or non-opera ... read more

  What Does the Water Pump Do? The water pump is a crucial part of your vehicle’s cooling system, it’s hard to find a car without one. This week, we replaced the water pump on a 2005 Toyota Avalon, which got us thinking: What exactly does the water pump do, and how common are failures? The pump circulates coolant (antifreeze) through the engine block, absorbs heat, then sends that hot coolant to the radiator where it’s cooled and recirculated. If the pump fails or leaks, coolant may not circulate properly, leading to engine overheating. Today, we’ll dive into common Toyota water pump issues, though these problems can occur on all makes and models. Why Does a Toyota’s Water Pump Leak? There are several common causes of water-pump leaks. Here are the main ones: 1. Seal and Gasket Wear or Failure Over time, the shaft seal (which surrounds the impeller shaft) or the mounting gasket can wear out, bec ... read more

The last thing you want is to damage your car while driving. But if you're in the middle of a highway and the check engine light comes on, what should you do? Will you damage the engine if you drive a few miles further to the next gas station? The answer to this question can be tricky. It's useful to know what kind of check engine light your car has. Is it just an orange light or is there a red one as well? Does the light flash when the situation is dire? Does the light stay constant when the issue does not require your immediate attention? Knowing how the check engine light functions in your car can help you understand what the car's diagnostic system communicates whenever it flashes or lights up. Check your car's manual to make sure you're familiar with its language. When the frightful check engine light does comes on, stay calm. Reduce your speed and inspect how your vehicle is performing. Use all your senses to reassess if there is something strange or dist ... read more

Too much heat presents a great challenge to motor vehicles. Thankfully, all vehicles have a measure to keep themselves cool. The car's engine has a cooling system aided by a coolant, a fluid that runs in the engine and transmits heat away from it. The coolant should remain clean for it to function effectively. Dirty coolant must be flushed out and replaced with a fresh one. But how do you know when your coolant needs flushing? To know this, be on the lookout for the following symptoms. Your Vehicle Overheats As stated above, the role of the coolant is to keep your engine temperatures low. If your temperature gauge is always on the higher side, it means the coolant is no longer performing its duty and needs flushing. An overheating engine can easily break down, resulting in costly repairs. A Maple Syrup Smell From Your Car (Engine) One sure sign that your coolant needs flushing is the smell of maple syrup, butterscotch, or pancakes coming from your engine. The ethylene glycol ... read more