Boulder Auto Repair

The brake rotors are the large discs that you see behind the wheel of the car. They spin along with the wheel so that the brake pads clamp them and stop the wheels when you press the brakes. This process involves lots of friction and heat. They also swiftly dissipate the heat to allow brakes to function with rapid pedal presses. Unfortunately, the disc surface may become uneven from wear and tear, causing the braking to become less effective and bumpy. This is called warping. For the warping to happen, the brake discs must be defective, and a tremendous amount of heat is present. The heat alone may not cause warping as rotors can withstand lots of heat. Here are some of the major causes of rotor warping. Glazing the Rotor with the Brake Pad Material Brake pads are made of a softer material than rotors. If they get very hot from high-speed braking or pressing the brakes hard for a long time, they tend to get too soft and cake-in some material on the rotors. The rotors are then unable ... read more

Why is my Check Engine Light on? That is a great question! It’s a question that may have a million answers and that’s only a slight exaggeration. Modern vehicles have sophisticated engine and body control modules that monitor and control virtually everything that happens in your vehicle. When something is amiss, it may trigger the Check Engine Light. If the issue is serious and warrants immediate service the Check Engine Light will flash.  If certain combinations of fault or error conditions occur the vehicle may go into Limp Mode. This allows the vehicle to be driven a short distance at low speed to ensure you are able to get the vehicle to a safe location, i.e., out of the flow of traffic.  Sometimes all the lights on the dash will light up. Some refer to this as a Christmas Tree. One thing is certain: When it looks like all the lights are on, your vehicle needs to visit a quality automobile repair shop as soon as possible.   Answering why the check engi ... read more

Zero to sixty is a fine measure of a vehicle’s performance. Braking performance may well be equally important, if less popular. Early cars had hand bakes. Soon enough cars had mechanical brakes. The basics of braking systems didn’t change dramatically until the advent of anti-lock brakes.  Brakes pads are pressed against rotors or drums to slow the vehicle. Worn components can squeak or squeal. Severely worn brakes may grind or whine. Some brakes alert vehicle owners the pads need replacing by chirping.  Much of the braking energy is converted to heat which is why brake parts are made of materials that can withstand high temperatures. Please note braking too much, especially when going down steep grades can quickly overheat even the best brakes. Downshift and let engine braking maintain a safe speed. Asbestos was commonly used in brake parts until recently, making exposure a risk for anyone working with brakes; a compelling reason to consider having brake mai ... read more

What about the parts of your car you never see?  The smallest ding or scratch will catch your attention, but a bent steering control arm?  If you’re like most people, you’d never see it.  You wouldn’t see it without a comprehensive Vehicle Health Assessment like Haglin Automotive’s customers get.  Our ASE Certified Technicians apply their knowledge and troubleshooting skills to carefully inspecting the major components and systems.  The suspension is responsible for passenger comfort and vehicle integrity, true, but one of the most important reasons for the suspension system is to keep the vehicle in contact with the road. Imagine hitting a bump and bouncing down the road until the energy is dissipated. The tires must stay on the road for the car to effectively speed up, slow down or turn.  Many people are shocked (pardon the pun) when they replace their shock absorbers or struts and find their vehicle rides so much better! One ... read more