Albert Lea Auto Repair

Hello Albert Lea motorists, let's talk about your often-unnoticed but extremely essential PCV valve. The energy from exploding fuel is what powers your engine. But some of the vapors from the explosions escape into the lower part of the engine, called the crankcase. The crankcase is where your engine oil hangs out. These gases are about 70% unburned fuel. If the gases were allowed to stay in the crankcase, they would quickly contaminate the oil and turn it to sludge. Albert Lea folks know that sludge is one of the biggest enemies of your engine, clogging it up, eventually leading to expensive failures. Also, the pressure build up would cause seals and gaskets to blow out. Therefore, these gases need to be vented out. Pre-1963, gasoline engines had a hose that let the dangerous fumes vent out into the air. In 1963, the federal government required gas engines to have a special one-way valve installed to help ... read more

So you’ve bought a used car in the Albert Lea area. Do you know what you’re getting? It is hard to know what you’re getting because people in the Albert Lea area sell cars for different reasons. Think about why you’ve sold cars. Did you just want something new or were there problems that you wanted to run away from. Maybe it was a little of both. Used cars in MN with 25,000 to 35,000 miles on them are often lease returns, Albert Lea corporate program cars or rental fleet vehicles. Most Albert Lea buyers feel pretty confident about these because they’re newer and may still be under warranty. But how well have they been maintained? Albert Lea auto owners who are planning to own a car for a long time will keep up on auto maintenance so that they can avoid expensive repairs down the road. But, if you know you’re only going to have the car for two or three years, you may not be so committed to maintenance. It would be easy to thi ... read more

Albert Lea drivers love their cars. And one of the most enjoyable things about them is taking a road trip. Freedom from daily schedules, new sights and the open road – it’s great! But there’s nothing like car trouble to bring the fun to a grinding halt. Now Albert Lea auto owners can’t always avoid problems, but you can take steps to reduce the probability of getting sidelined on your trip. The first step is to look at your trip plan from your vehicle’s perspective. What kind of roads will you be traveling – winding MN byways or interstates? Purple mountain majesties or fruited plains? What weather conditions are you likely to encounter? How many miles will you travel each day? How much weight will you be hauling – passengers and luggage. Pulling a trailer, roof top carrier, or ATVs? Will it be dusty? Prepared with answers to these questions, you can schedule a ... read more

When they hear the word 'suspension,' Albert Lea motorists may think back to those energetic days of grade school. Well, your car’s suspension is actually a good thing because it keeps your car up off the road and helps provide a comfy ride around Albert Lea. Its job is to keep your wheels firmly planted over bumps and through curves. Your suspension system has many vital parts. If you look under your car, it’s basically everything that connects your wheels to the pickup’s frame. These are heavy duty parts that do a lot of work. They need to be inspected for damage and excessive wear at least once a year. A good time for this is when you get your annual alignment service at Sanderson Auto. Here are some warning signs of suspension problems: Basically, you just don’t feel in control when you’re driving. Some suspension parts just wear out with use. Shocks and ... read more

What type of technology do you use? Do you prefer an 8-track tape or an iPod? When it comes to winter tires, much of Albert Lea motorists's perception dates back to when 8-track was the best way to listen to the Bee Gees. Twenty years ago in Albert Lea, winter tires differed from highway tires only in their tread design. Albert Lea motorists called them snow tires back then and they had big, knobby lugs that were designed to give good traction in deep snow. They had the same rubber compound as regular tires and they weren't very good on ice, packed snow or wet MN roads. They were not even very good on dry roads. They really helped in deep or loose snow, but they did a poor job the rest of the time. They were loud and rode hard. Albert Lea motorists couldn't wait to get them off in the spring. Then all-season tires started to appear in Albert Lea tire shops. All-season tires are really a compromise between summer and winter performance. They have acceptable hot weather ri ... read more

Whenever they hear the term "exhaust service," most Albert Lea motorists think about exhaust pipes and mufflers. Well, actually, exhaust service at Sanderson Auto is a lot more comprehensive these days. For example, catalytic converters were mandated in 1976 and on-board emission control computers in 1990. Governmental emissions requirements have forced auto manufacturers to come up with much more sophisticated ways to comply with environmental regulations. Exhaust service has really become exhaust and emissions service. High-tech computer controlled emissions devices are now a big part of exhaust service. Because it is so sophisticated, your auto manufacturer recommends you have your emission system checked out by a qualified Albert Lea exhaust technician regularly to make sure everything is working right - usually every 6 months or 10,000 miles/16,000 kilometers. If your Check Engine light comes on, especiall ... read more