Straight answers
Questions drivers ask at the counter.
These are the six questions Guaranty Auto Sales & Service answers most, written out in full rather than shortened for the website. If a repair, a warning light or a noise from the car isn't covered below, call the shop at (978) 365-7070 and someone at the counter will walk you through it.
All frequently asked questions
Plugging in gives the technician a diagnostic trouble code (DTC). The code points to the general area the trouble came from and a place to start, but it rarely pinpoints the exact fault. The technician then has to physically and visually examine that area to find the problem.
Estimates are written for ideal conditions. Small incidentals like a clamp, a bolt or the exact amount of fluid can add to a job, and in New England rusted or frozen parts such as brake bleeder screws sometimes break and have to be replaced. If a repair is going to vary by more than $50 from the estimate, every attempt is made to contact you before going ahead. You should know that under Massachusetts law, the actual repair bill may vary up to $50 from the estimate received for incidentals.
A sensor has told the vehicle's computer there is a problem somewhere. It does not necessarily mean a breakdown is coming. If the car seems to be running fine it probably is, and it is not an emergency, but have the trouble code read in a timely manner so a small problem does not turn into a more costly repair.
Until the car is looked at, nobody can tell you for sure, and noisy brakes do not always need repairs. A high-pitched squeal can be a pad wear sensor. Grinding metal on metal means the pads are gone and the rotors or drums are being damaged. A soft pedal, pulling to one side, pulsing at speed or a burning smell each point to different parts of the system.
No. Federal law, the Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975, prohibits a new car dealer from denying warranty service, or implying it will be voided, because servicing or repairs were done somewhere else. New car owner manuals also state that maintenance, replacement or repair of the emission control devices may be performed by any automotive repair establishment without invalidating the manufacturer's warranty.
The term dates back to Henry Ford's ignition coils, which had to be adjusted to buzz in tune. Today's cars do not need tune-ups in that sense. The word now means routine maintenance, and each manufacturer publishes its own schedule for spark plugs, filters and other items.
Still have a question
Call the shop, or send a service request.
The counter is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. A service request sent through the site gets a reply from a Guaranty Auto Sales & Service representative the same business day.