Automotive News & Information - Dirk's Auto Clinic

Your car’s belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning, and charging systems, and the engine. Here at Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, our team takes them seriously as we understand that ignoring the routine replacement intervals will result in a costly breakdown that could leave you stranded. There are so many components tied together with your belts & hoses that it isn't just a simple belt or hose requiring repairs when you allow things to progress to the stage where your car or truck has a breakdown due to a faulty belt or hose.

You’ve known someone at some point that has a seemingly impossible amount of keys, keychains, and other accessories hanging from their key ring. You might even be guilty of that yourself. At [BUSINESS_ NAME] in Crystal River, FL, we’ve seen our fair share of these loaded down car keys, and also the damage it can cause. Here’s what you need to know.

Starter issues don’t necessarily indicate a bad starter; sometimes a transmission related issue is at fault. If you are experiencing starter difficulties, Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River has the information you need.

Car enthusiasts would argue that "those were the days". Everything you drove was built like a tank and had the chrome on it so you enjoyed washing it but NO power steering. For most of us, it is hard to remember life without power steering – cranking those great big steering wheels? It was a pretty good workout. Now power steering is standard. The heart of any power steering system is its pump. The pump pressurizes the power steering fluid that provides assistance for steering. Most pumps are driven by a belt that is run by the engine – a few are electrically powered. A high-pressure hose passes fluid from the pump to the steering gear. A low-pressure hose returns the fluid back to the pump. Here at Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, FL we know that you depend on that power steering and check your fluid & hoses religiously!

At Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, FL, we know buying a used car, truck, or SUV can be a gamble. While there are no guarantees, there are key points of inspection that tell us a lot about the condition of a vehicle and how it has been maintained. There are some important points of the inspection we verify when checking out a used vehicle.

Part of maintaining your vehicle is keeping its safety devices in good working order, especially when there are kids in the car. Seat belts, window locks, and airbag sensors work together to keep children safe in an automobile. Though safety components are generally very reliable, they do occasionally fail. Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River is here when they do; here are some things to watch out for.

If you drive a car, truck, or SUV with a manual transmission, you may have heard the term “pilot bearing” or “pilot bushing” before. At Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, we know that the first step to keeping your vehicle maintained is knowing something about how it works. Here’s some helpful information on the pilot bearing, and how to know if yours needs to be replaced.

If you drive a car with a manual transmission, you’ve undoubtedly been told that you’re supposed to downshift to slow down, instead of relying completely on the brakes. But what is the science behind that, and does it matter? Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River explains.