Vehicle Inspection

A vehicle inspection is more of a general inspection that covers the maintenance requirements of your vehicle. These inspections are meant to look for any maintenance items that require attention to keep your vehicle on the road and all road users safe. While these may be an out of pocket expense, t really saves you money and time in the long run.

Twin Cities Automotive carries out a general vehicle inspection with every service. This ensures that any problems can be addressed before they become really big problems..

Airbag Repairs

Airbags are important safety features that are included on all new vehicles that are hitting the market. Airbags are often the one factor that protects a person in the event of a crash. However, there are times in which these airbags need repairing. In situations in which these airbags have been deployed, such as if the vehicle was involved in a crash, it requires that the airbags be replaced back into the dashboard and steering wheel. Along with the side areas of the vehicle in those vehicles equipped with side airbags as well.

How is this done? It cannot be done by just anyone. The proper tools must be utilized, and the right expertise to ensure that they will deploy when they are meant to, and operate correctly to avoid deploying when not expected. Thus, this is not a job in which you should give to anyone, only a trained mechanic can do this for you.

There are also situations in which airbags or their sensors simply need to repaired for faults. There are several components that go into making an airbag work as it should, including sensors and modules. If one of these modules or sensors were to go bad, it would mean that your airbag would not deploy when it was needed, leaving you vulnerable.

When it comes to your safety, you cannot put any repair off. If your airbag light in the instrument cluster is on, Twin Cities Automotive has the knowledge to get your airbag system repaired. So that you always feel protected while behind the wheel.

Maintain your log book service.

A log book service that is recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. These services are to preserve your vehicle’s new car warranty and keep your car the best condition.

A log book contains all the service information for your vehicle. It outlines to your mechanic on exactly what needs to be done at that specific service interval. It is recommended that You as the car owner also familiarise themselves with their log book so that you understand what is required in servicing your vehicle.

Twin Cities Automotive can look after your log book servicing of your vehicle. We have on-going training,  keeping technicians up to date with modern vehicle technologies. We also invest heavily in computerized equipment that is required to service many vehicle today. Only quality products are used by Twin Cities Automotive, which are subject to our quality standards to make sure only good quality parts are fitted to your vehicle. Genuine parts are fitted at the owners request if required.

New car – Warranty

Many people are told that they must go back to the manufacturer for log book servicing to maintain the warranty. You can  have your log book service carried out by any professional workshop of your choice. The workshop can’t carry out and warranty repairs on behalf of the manufacturer. Twin Cities Automotive will be able to carry out your Log Book Service using only quality or genuine parts and protect your new car warranty at the same time..

Air Conditioning Service

Feeling the heat this summer, Imagine hot, humid temperatures outside and when stepping into a vehicle, it is not cool. Instead, it is almost 20 degrees higher in temperature compared to what it is outside. This is the reality for those who are having air conditioning issues.

In most cases, a vehicle is often much warmer than what it is outside, due to the vehicle attracting the Sun’s rays, producing more heat inside of the vehicle. Having an air conditioner that does nothing or even blows out hot air can be a huge negative.

Running your AC during winter can help maintain the system seals and hoses in good working order. Air conditioning systems have seals and hoses that can dry out or crack when not used, which leads to A/C gas leaks and poor performance.

Why put yourself through this? When it comes to air conditioners on your vehicle, we can service these so that they are running efficiently and produce that cool air that you so desperately want on those hot days in North Queensland.

There are several reasons why an air conditioner may need service:

•  The A/C gas may simply need to be refilled, which usually means that there is a leak somewhere
•  The compressor or a multiple of other components may not be working correctly, meaning that the air    conditioner blows hot air through the vents into the vehicle
•  There may be cabin filters that may be blocked and require changing

When you visit Twin Cities Automotive, licenced air conditioning mechanics will perform a series of checks, repairs and replacements to get your air conditioner working efficiently again.

If your car air conditioner hasn’t been serviced for a long time, now is the time..

General Service

Car servicing is a necessity when you own a vehicle. You need to look after  your vehicle to ensure that you get the best life out of your investment. At Twin Cities Automotive you get the service your vehicle requires.

Many vehicles are very reliable these days with only general services required. General services are the basic maintenance repairs that are required to keep your vehicle on the road. These services are:-
– Changing oil, filter and other fluids in the vehicle
– Vehicle safety inspections to ensure that the vehicle has no other problems
– Tyre inspection such as rotating tires to checking Tyre pressures
– Wheel alignment checks
– Small repairs such as changing bulbs,wiper blades, fan belts

Log Book servicing is when your vehicle is serviced as per the manufacturers recommended services. These services are generally carried out to maintain new car warranty while the vehicle is in the warranty period. While many people may ignore these suggestions and only carry out general servicing after the warranty period has expired.
If you overlook those general service appointments you will most likely find yourself at a repair workshop with very costly repairs at a very inconvenient time. Making a small investment into preventative maintenance can help to save you from a world of pain later, and has your vehicle running in good condition..

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Key and Fob Programming

For vehicles that have keyless entry, there are times in which these key fobs need reprogramming. For those who have the ability to use a keypad lock system, they can still get into their vehicles, but they are going to find that the fob becomes useless. In other cases, the loss of a key fob results in having to purchase a new one, which will be required to be programmed to unlock and lock your vehicle. For those who have a computer chip in their keys, they are also going to find that there many times in which this must be reprogrammed to properly run the vehicle.

Key Fob Programming

Why do these items often have to be programmed again? There are several reasons ranging from loss to a computer chip error in the key that has malfunctioned. When these issues occur, most people are surprised. The reason being is that they may not show any sign of having issues. There are those few people who find that the key or fob may stop working properly a few days before they stop. However, in most cases, people simply write this off as a one-time issue.

So how do we fix these problems? We have the tools and technology to go into these keys and fobs to ensure that they are working properly. If the key and fob is the issue, when they reprogram to what the manufacturer had these initially programmed at. When these are correctly programmed it allows for your vehicle to work flawlessly, meaning less headaches and ensuring that you are on your way when you need to be. When you first start noticing issues, be sure to stop by and see what our trained mechanics can do to ensure that you never must worry about being locked out or your vehicle not starting.

Safety Certificates

When purchasing a used or 2nd hand vehicle in Queensland, you require a current Safety Certificate to register or transfer ownership. The exact requirements of each certificate are going to depend upon the vehicle that is being registered or transferred.
Safety Certificate Inspections look at the safe working conditions of the vehicle on the road.

Few of the basics inspection items:

– That all the lights work and don’t have broken lenses
– That the steering and suspension has no worn components
– The brakes must work to a prescribed standard (testing done by brake tester)
– All wheels and tyres must suit vehicle and be in good condition
– The windscreen must have no cracks or stone chips
– All the seat belts must work correctly
– Engine must not leak any fluids onto the ground
– Exhaust systems must have no leaks

This is only an inspection for safety related items on your vehicle. This is not an inspection for the ongoing maintenance of the vehicle.

All Safety Certificates are now online, which sends a copy to Queensland Transport when completed..

Auto Electrical Repairs

One of the difficult points in today’s automotive compared to those vehicles of the past is the electrical system and components that are seen within these vehicles today. When these electrical components start to go haywire, it can cause numerous issues with the vehicle. When this issues happen it can render your vehicle unusable. When this happens, you have no other choice than to let a professional mechanic handle these auto electrical repairs so that you can be up on and on the road again.

The signs of a repair being needed for auto electrical issues are numerous, and they differ from vehicle to vehicle, based on the electrical system in which the manufacturer has utilized. However, here a few signs that auto electrical failure may be in the future:

• Dashboard lights may flicker on and off, or they may all come on and stay on for some time
• The car won’t start
• Your fuel economy has suddenly changed
• The car is not performing as it should
• Warning lights on

When these signs start, you need to have your vehicle looked at immediately. Why is this? When it comes to electrical issues, this can cause the vehicle to become unreliable, and this can happen at an extremely fast pace. There are those who will find that their vehicle will start acting up and a few days later be completely out of commission. This shows the importance of vehicle servicing and maintenance.

With our diagnostics service, we can easily find the electrical issue that is present. Our fully trained mechanics will then do whatever is needed in order to correct these electrical issues. Remember, a vehicle that is well maintained is a vehicle that is reliable and will give you good service for many years.

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Fuel Injection Repairs

When servicing engines, fuel injection repairs are a common repair that is needed by many who drive into our shop. When your entire fuel injection system goes bad, you will find yourself unable to drive the car. In fact, the car will not even start for most people. With this being said, there are some signs that you can watch out for that indicate there could be an issue present. This can help you to get this vehicle into the garage before the fuel injectors completely go bad. The most common signs include:

– Odor in the vehicle that smells like gasoline or diesel
– You may notice that the vehicle does not have the get up and go that it once did
– The engine may stutter when the accelerator pedal is pushed down
– The check engine light often comes on

When any of these signs are present, this vehicle needs to be checked as soon as possible. The injector testing will tell us what the problem is and then help us to solve it. In most cases, fuel injectors must be replaced, along with fuel filters in many cases. In fact, fuel filters are often the first thing to change, as these are the cheaper alternative, and these can go bad in a variety of ways, such as if you were to get dirty fuel, or if the fuel tank has a lot of sludge and debris that has clogged the filter.

We provide fuel injector servicing to a variety of vehicles. We even have provided racing injectors in those vehicles simply meant for recreational or professional use as well. You can rest assure that your vehicle is in good hands and will get repaired in a timely manner so that you can get back on the road.

Transmission Servicing

The transmission of any vehicle is a necessity to ensure that the vehicle is running properly. A transmission with issues results in the vehicle not driving correctly and can eventually lead to the vehicle stalling and simply stopping. Therefore, when you first start to see signs of transmission trouble, you bring this to our local mechanics who are certified with working with this issue. The problem is that many people see the signs in their vehicle but simply think these signs are just the vehicle getting older.

The Signs of Transmission Trouble

There are three main signs that showcase our transmission is in trouble and needs repairing.
These signs are:

1. Feeling vibrations or hearing noises from the transmission. When the transmission shifts into a new gear if you feel this vibration in the steering or even hear a grinding noise, this could be one of the first signs that there needs to be a repair completed to stop this issue.
2. If you see stains on the ground or puddles of fluid underneath your car, this could be transmission fluid. If the stain is red in color, this is transmission fluid. This can lead to the noises and vibrations getting worse. Thus, it is best to bring it into the shop to be checked out.
3. If the vehicle is overheating and you have the above symptoms too, then it is often too late to do a simple repair on the transmission. This may require the transmission to be complete rebuilt as many elements may have already gotten too hot and are not functioning as they should.

Servicing your vehicle should be an enjoyable and affordable experience, which is what we offer. Our trusted mechanics can check for transmission issues and repair these so you do not get to the point that you are without a vehicle permanently.

Currently being updated

Your car always feels better after a service. We are experts in vehicle servicing.

Services carried out at regular intervals will keep your car in perfect working order. The first thing you will notice is how much fuel you are saving and how smother it runs after a service. (more…)