Spanish Fork Auto Repair

  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

Why Won’t My 2018 Toyota Sienna Power Sliding Doors Open? If you’re having trouble with your 2018 Toyota Sienna’s power sliding doors, you’re not alone. These doors are convenient, but they can sometimes malfunction due to electrical or mechanical issues. Here are some common reasons why your Sienna’s sliding doors won’t open and what you can do about it. 1. Child Safety Lock Engaged Before assuming there’s a major issue, check if the child safety lock is engaged. If it is, the doors won’t open from the inside. You can disable this by flipping the switch near the door latch. 2. Power Sliding Door Switch Turned Off Toyota Sienna’s have a power sliding door control switch, usually located on the dashboard near the steering wheel. If this switch is turned off, the doors won’t operate automatically. Try toggl ... read more

What's the Best Oil for My Car? To sum it up in two words, CLEAN OIL. Check out this case study: The photos are of two identical Toyota engines with approximately 110,000 miles on each of them. One has obviously been hit or miss on its oil changes, the other has obviously had its oil changed on a regular basis. These engines are capable of 300,000 miles plus with proper maintenance. The more consistent you are with following a regular maintenance plan the longer your car will last. That goes for all of the fluids in your car. Over time the chemical composition of the fluids in your car will change and not for the better. As far as what type of fluid or oil is best is generally a matter of opinion. Just be sure that the oil or other fluid being put into your car meets the manufacturer requirements. You will be fine, don’t let this very costly experience happen to you. Invest money into maintenance and your overall cost of ownership will be much less. We help people set ... read more