Most Rochester area car owners don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. Maintaining your minivan air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can’t cool the air as well.

Along with the refrigerant, a special oil circulates in the system. The oil lubricates air conditioning components, and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and we all know that air conditioning repairs can be costly in Rochester.

Air conditioning service at Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester starts with a visual inspection of the components for signs of damage or leaks. The compressor is driven by a belt from the engine, most often the serpentine belt, so it’s inspected for cracks or wear.

The air conditioning compressor and other components are checked for proper operation by your Joe’s Auto Care service advisor. Then comes the leak test. If a leak is detected, often in a hose or connection, it’s repaired and the minivan system is retested. Your Joe’s Auto Care technician will also perform a temperature drop test.

If needed, the old refrigerant is evacuated and the system is recharged with clean, fresh refrigerant. A final test insures that the air conditioner is working, and you’re on your way.

How often this should be done at Joe’s Auto Care varies from vehicle to vehicle. Your minivan owner’s manual will have the manufacturer’s recommendation and, of course, your personable Joe’s Auto Care service advisor can tell you. It’s typically every two years.

Give us a call

Joe’s Auto Care
923 Sixth Street NorthWest
Rochester, MN 55901

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

When all of a vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Hitting a road hazard in Rochester or even just the normal bumps and bounces of everyday MN driving can cause your minivan wheels to be out of alignment. This can lead to expensive premature tire and suspension wear.

Here are some alignment basics from Joe’s Auto Care:
The first angle is called toe: do the wheels point in towards each other or away from each other at the front of the tire.
The next angle is called camber: do the wheels tip in or out at the top.
And finally, there is castor. Castor measures the angle where the front axles attach to the vehicle.

The ideal alignment for your minivan was designed by its engineers. Joe’s Auto Care alignment service starts with an inspection of the steering and suspension – so see if anything’s bent, broken or worn out. Then the Joe’s Auto Care technician will look at tire condition. From there, the minivan is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading is taken. The wheels are then aligned to manufacturer’s specifications.

Your owner’s manual probably has a recommendation for how often your minivan alignment should be checked – usually every couple of years. If you suspect an alignment problem with your minivan, get it checked at Joe’s Auto Care before you suffer expensive tire or suspension damage.

Give us a call

Joe’s Auto Care
507.281.7944
923 Sixth Street NorthWest
Rochester, MN 55901

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Dodge Center auto service centers have a menu board that lists the services they provide. Some Dodge Center auto owners may not be familiar with all of the items on the board so here is a quick description of some of the typical services that might be listed.

Joe’s Auto Care fuel system cleaning: Over time, the minivan fuel system gets gum and varnish built up. A fuel system cleaning gets rid of that and cleans out the fuel injectors. Saves gas, by the way.

Joe’s Auto Care headlamp replacement: Halogen and standard headlamps gradually fade. It’s usually good to change them every year or so.

Inspections: Dodge Center drivers get inspections for many reasons. Maybe they’re leaving Dodge Center and going on a trip or just want to make sure their minivan’s ready for summer or winter. Maybe they just bought a used car in Dodge Center and want to give it the once over. An inspection may reveal some things that are broken or are getting close to having a problem.

Joe’s Auto Care oil change – there are several options: Some Dodge Center centers offer just an oil change and new filter as an option. Most will also check and top off all of your other fluids and do a quick visual inspection with a full service oil change. In my way of thinking, the full service option is best because it makes sure you have adequate fluids in your minivan and may uncover an emerging problem. There may also be options for higher mileage fluids or an upgrade to synthetic oil.

Joe’s Auto Care PCV valve service: PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve. It’s a little part that releases pressure from the engine. It can get gummed up and that can lead to engine damage. Just needs to be changed now and then.

Joe’s Auto Care power steering service: Often overlooked. The Dodge Center auto technician will evacuate the old fluid, clean out the system and replace it with clean fluid. Keeps the system running well for a long time.

Serpentine belt: That’s the belt that powers the minivan’s engine’s accessories like the alternator, air conditioner, power steering and brakes. You’ll want to replace the serpentine belt before it breaks, because that’ll shut you down.

Shocks and struts: This starts with an inspection of the suspension components in your minivan. Shocks last a long time and wear out slowly, so many Dodge Center people don’t notice when it’s time to change them. If they’re worn or leaking, they need to be replaced.

Dodge Center transmission service: This involves removing the transmission fluid and replacing it with clean fluid. It’s like an oil change for your transmission.

Tire rotation and wheel balancing: The minivan tires are rotated from front to back using the recommended rotation pattern. This helps tires wear more evenly. Wheels need to be balanced from time to time to keep them turning without any wobble or bounce. Helps the ride and saves tire wear for Dodge Center car owners.

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Car batteries wear out just like any other battery and need to be replaced. There are a couple of things Rochester minivan owners should know when looking for a new car battery: one is cold cranking amps and the other is reserve capacity.

Let’s start with cold cranking amps. This can be thought of as the power output used to start a cold minivan engine. The number of cold cranking amps you need depends on your vehicle and where you live around Rochester, specifically how cold it is where you live. The two factors are that the colder an engine is, the more power it takes to turn the minivan engine over to get it started. It has all that cold, sluggish oil to contend with. The other factor is that the chemical reaction in the battery that creates electrical energy is less efficient in the cold.

So the colder it gets in Rochester, more power is needed, but the available power drops.

If you live where it’s cold, you need a battery with more cold cranking amps than you do where it’s moderate or hot. You should always get at least as many cold cranking amps as the manufacturer recommends, but may want to upgrade at Joe’s Auto Care if you live where it gets real cold.

An important note: Batteries may also list the Cranking Amps – CA – number. It is the Cold Cranking Amps – or CCA – that is the important number here. CCA is the number to use in your comparisons.

Now with all this talk of cold temperatures in Rochester, it’s important to note that heat is the real enemy of long battery life. In other words, the damage that’s done over the hot summer months in Rochester shows up with the increased demands on the minivan battery when the weather turns cold.

Now on to reserve capacity: It’s a measurement of the number of minutes of reserve power the battery has at a given load. The number is more important these days because of parasitic drain. Parasitic drain is the battery energy that’s used when the key is off. So the power drawn by the minivan security system, the remote start system, even the power the minivan computers require to maintain their memory.

Reserves are also needed when you make very short trips around Rochester. You’re not driving long enough for the battery to recover the energy it used to start the minivan engine.

So go with the minimum recommended by your manufacturer and upgrade if you need more. Talk with your personable Joe’s Auto Care service advisor about options. If you need more from your battery, a larger capacity battery may be called for.

Batteries are a big ticket item for most Rochester motorists, so the warranty gives peace of mind. Be sure to ask about the car battery warranty at Joe’s Auto Care so you know what you’re getting. At Joe’s Auto Care, we have been providing quality auto service in Rochester for 3 years.

Give us a call

Joe’s Auto Care
923 Sixth Street NorthWest
Rochester, MN 55901

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

You may not be familiar with all of the items on Joe’s Auto Care’s menu board so here is a quick description of some of the typical services that might be listed. Remember, the board is there for reference; speak to your Joe’s Auto Care Service Adviser about other possible needs or services.

Joe’s Auto Care Fuel System Cleaning: Over time, the fuel system gets gum and varnish built up. A fuel system cleaning at Joe’s Auto Care gets rid of that and cleans out the fuel injectors. Saves gas as you drive around Rochester and on Rochester freeways, by the way.

Joe’s Auto Care Headlamp Replacement: Halogen and standard headlamps gradually fade. When one burns out, replace both so they’ll have the same brightness. Also, if your headlamp lenses are yellowed or cloudy, you can have them professionally restored to like new-condition. As your personable Joe’s Auto Care advisor for information.

Joe’s Auto Care Inspections: Rochester drivers get inspections for many reasons. Maybe they’re going on a trip or just want to make sure their vehicle’s ready for summer or winter in Rochester. Maybe they just bought a used car and want to give it the once over. An inspection at Joe’s Auto Care may reveal some things that are broken or are getting close to having a problem.

Joe’s Auto Care Oil Change Service – there are several options: Some Rochester auto service centers offer just an oil change and new filter as an option. Most will also check and top off all of your other fluids and do a quick visual inspection with a full service oil change. There may also be options for higher mileage fluids or an upgrade to synthetic oil.

Joe’s Auto Care PCV Valve Service: PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve. It’s a little part that releases pressure from the engine. It can get gummed up and that can lead to engine damage. Just needs to be changed now and then.

Joe’s Auto Care Power Steering Service: Often overlooked. Your Joe’s Auto Care technician will evacuate the old fluid, clean out the system and replace it with clean fluid. Keeps the system running well for a long time.

Joe’s Auto Care Serpentine Belt Replacement: That’s the belt that powers the engine’s accessories like the alternator, air conditioner, power steering and brakes. You’ll want to replace the serpentine belt at Joe’s Auto Care before it breaks or wears down too much, because that’ll lead to other problems.

Joe’s Auto Care Shocks and Struts Replacement: This starts with an inspection of the suspension components. Shocks last a long time and wear out slowly, so many Rochester motorists don’t notice when it’s time to change them. If they’re worn or leaking, they need to be replaced.

Joe’s Auto Care Transmission Service: This involves removing the transmission fluid and replacing it with clean fluid. It’s like an oil change for your transmission.

Joe’s Auto Care Tire Rotation and Wheel Balancing: The tires are rotated from front to back using the recommended rotation pattern. This helps tires wear more evenly. Wheels need to be balanced from time to time to keep them turning without any wobble or bounce. Helps the ride and saves tire wear as you drive around Rochester.

Give us a call

Joe’s Auto Care
507.281.7944
923 Sixth Street NorthWest
Rochester, MN 55901

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

The crankcase is the bottom area of the engine that holds the oil. When the minivan engine’s running, fuel is burned to generate power. Most of the exhaust from combustion goes out through the exhaust system. But some exhaust blows by the pistons and goes into the lower engine, or crankcase.

These hot gases are about seventy percent unburned fuel. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause engine corrosion in your minivan. At high speeds, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak.

Byron car owners need to know that over time, the vented gases will gum up the PCV valve and it won’t work well. That can lead to all of the problems I’ve already described, oil leaks, excessive oil consumption and wasted gas.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to test the PCV valve and quick and inexpensive to replace it at Joe’s Auto Care. Even so, it’s often overlooked because many Byron drivers don’t know about it.

Check your minivan owner’s manual or ask your Joe’s Auto Care advisor. If this is the first time you’ve heard of a PCV valve, you might be in line for a PCV valve replacement.

Please ask us about your PCV valve. For the price of a couple of burger combo meals, you can avoid some very expensive deep engine repairs.

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

In addition to just wearing out, Joe’s Auto Care customers need to know that suspension components can be damaged in an accident or by a hard impact – like a pothole, hitting a curb or a rock in the road.

Because the life span of shocks can vary so widely, your minivan manufacturer and Joe’s Auto Care recommend periodic inspections. During an inspection, your Dover service technician will check for worn, broken or missing parts.

Signs that shocks or struts are wearing out: The tires may have a cupped wear pattern. This is from the shocks bouncing unevenly as you drive around Dover. You may notice a floaty or drifting sensation when cornering. If the front of your minivan dives excessively when stopping, or rocks back and forth after you stopped, your shocks may be worn out. And if they are leaking fluid, it’s definitely time to replace them.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, come into Joe’s Auto Care for a suspension inspection. Same if you’ve been in an accident that involved one of your wheels. Worn or broken shocks can cause premature wear or failure on other minivan suspension parts such as ball joints and other steering components as well. If your suspension actually fails, it could lead to a serious accident, so let us take care of your suspension components at Joe’s Auto Care.

When you replace your shocks, it’s usually a good idea to replace all four at the same time. That’ll give you more even handling. Talk with your service advisor at Joe’s Auto Care because you don’t want a big difference between the performance of your shocks from wheel to wheel, and replacing all may be the safest bet.

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Now when you hear “severe service”, you may think it doesn’t apply to you because you don’t feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it’s just normal everyday driving around Rochester. At Joe’s Auto Care, we discuss the conditions that manufacturers classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving.

• Most trips are less than four miles
• Most trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing in Rochester
• You drive in very hot MN weather
• Driving at low speed most of the time (under 55 mph)
• Stop and go driving
• Operating your vehicle in dusty, polluted or muddy conditions
• You tow a trailer, regularly carry heavy loads or carry a car-top carrier on your minivan

Most Rochester drivers operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How do you know which schedule to follow for your minivan?

Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or the regular recommendation. Of course, your Joe’s Auto Care advisor can help you with your decision.

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Let’s focus on stopping in wet Rochester conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can’t move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

That’s called hydroplaning. At Joe’s Auto Care we want our customers to know that if it’s really bad, you can actually spin out of control. At best, you won’t stop as fast.

So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at a tire and you’ll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They’re designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop on wet Rochester roads.

So that’s why it’s so important for Rochester drivers to replace the tires on their minivans when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.

By comparison, you’ve probably seen the wear indicator that’s molded into tires. When tires are worn 3/32 of an inch, the tread wear bar is visible. So the recommended standard has twice the tread depth as a completely worn out tire.

And that little bit of additional tread makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet roads. A safe stop from MN freeway speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.

There’s an easy way to tell when a tire’s worn to 4/32 of an inch. Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline, it’s time to replace your tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

You’ve probably heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln’s head. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount.

Of course, tires are a big ticket item for Rochester car owners. Most of us want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there’s a real safety trade-off. It’s your choice.

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

First, the serpentine belt drives your air conditioning system. Next, the belt powers the alternator.

The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. In some minivans, power steering may have an electric drive and power brakes can be vacuum driven.

And, on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump (on some cars, the water pump is powered by the timing belt).

Your Joe’s Auto Care service technician can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and will measure the amount of belt material to make sure there is enough.

Rochester drivers should be aware that there’s a special, spring loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley and sometimes an extra pulley call the idler pulley. Their job is to make sure there’s a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn’t slip. The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight. That’s why it’s often recommended that the tensioner, and the idler pulley if so equipped, be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.

All in all, the serpentine belt’s an important part for the function of your minivan. And it’s not that expensive to replace at Joe’s Auto Care – so it’s good to do so before it fails.

At Joe’s Auto Care in Rochester MN (55901) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 507.281.7944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.