Allen Auto Repair

Some LUCAS vehicle owners wonder why Craig's Car Care Inc and other LUCAS auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics. Receiving a diagnostic charge at Craig's Car Care Inc for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the LUCAS area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your vehicle brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy TX road, you pull off at the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you're having an intermittent problem with your vehicle engine, however, a Craig's Car Care Inc diagnosis may be much more involved.Much of the LUCAS driver's confusion comes when the problem involves the Check Engine light. The Check Engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem. There's a common misconception among TX drivers that the trouble code tells the Craig's Car Care Inc technician exactly what's wrong. They wonder w ... read more

We find that a lot of LUCAS drivers are a little tentative when they talk with their automotive advisors. They want to ask questions but don't want to be embarrassed or seem pushy. Vehicles are very complicated and there's more to know about them than most of us have the time to learn. Maybe it's because vehicles have become so much more reliable that the average person just doesn't need to know as much to keep their vehicle on the road.You know, your local hospital has a Patient's Bill of Rights that they post throughout the hospital. We think our LUCAS automotive service customers also have a right to ask any question they need to understand what is wrong with their car and what it will take to fix it. They need to feel free to ask the cost and benefits of recommended services. And they certainly have a right to understand the financial end of the transaction.It's all about the communication. It's a little harder when you're trying to find the right ... read more

Today we're going to talk about on-board diagnostics and the questions we hear from folks around LUCAS, TX, who need answers about diagnostic services. They want to know what diagnostics are, what's involved and what the benefits are. They really want to understand the value of diagnostic scans by a trained technician in LUCAS.These are valid concerns. If you don't understand something it's really hard to know its value. Let's start with some history.Since 1996, all cars and light trucks in LUCAS, TX, have been required to use a standardized diagnostic system to help repair technicians determine what's wrong with your vehicle. The diagnostic system works with the vehicle's Engine Control Module – the computer that controls many engine functions.The computer monitors dozens of components and processes. Depending on what the sensors read, the computer will make adjustments to compensate for conditions and minor problems. When there is a condition that it can't adjust for, the compu ... read more

A big part of the service we provide at Craig's Car Care Inc for our LUCAS customers is education. We want you to feel confident with your service decisions. And we're always open to questions from our valued LUCAS area customers. Even though we try to be proactive in our Craig's Car Care Inc automotive education, we sometimes get busy fixing vehicles and need a reminder. Please, just ask. We've found our LUCAS customers like the service reminders. They've grown to trust that our recommendations are based on the vehicle manufactures’ published maintenance schedules and that Craig's Car Care Inc is not just pulling them out of the air. We know that people in LUCAS live a busy life with a lot more to think about than wondering if it's time to replace the PCV valve on their vehicle. Part of our Craig's Car Care Inc service process is checking the vehicle manufacture's schedule to make sure we don't overlook service. We hope TX drivers appreciate ... read more

One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician at Craig's Car Care Inc is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed.Cars are made up of a bunch of complex systems. There usually could be a number of reasons for any given symptom. So, it's challenging to track down the actual cause of the problem. And it can be frustrating for the vehicle owner because it can take time and money to get to the bottom of a problem. If it's not something obvious, it's easy for the customer to focus on the fixing and not the diagnosing.Let us at Craig's Car Care Inc introduce you to something we'll call 'Customer Detective Work' –  helping your technician find clues to what's wrong.We start with the detective basics: What, Where and When. Play along with me; You come in to Craig's Car Care Inc and your car is making a funny sound... Q: Where's the sound? A: Around the right front wheel. Q: What kind of sound? A: Kind of a clunk, clunk sou ... read more

About 80% of the vehicles on LUCAS roads today are behind on their preventive maintenance schedules. That translates to about 160 million vehicles in the United States that aren't performing as well as they could be - thousands right here in TX. Some of the maintenance issues are minor. Others represent serious safety concerns. There are many reasons LUCAS drivers neglect their routine car care. Some of the more common ones are complacency, lack of confidence, lack of trust and budget issues. Modern vehicles are amazingly reliable compared to their older counterparts. They can run for years without any repairs, and we sometimes translate that to mean they don't need any maintenance. The trouble is that without maintenance, parts in the vehicle are gradually wearing out, fluids are getting dirty, oil is developing sludge — a lot of stuff is happening that we can't see, and it is destroying the vehicle. The first time we learn there is a problem, w ... read more

We've all seen drivers do crazy things while driving to or from LUCAS. A guy shaving in the rear-view mirror, a woman applying makeup, people talking on their phones, texting or drinking from an enormous coffee mug. It's a wonder we even dare drive on TX roads.The truth is that all of us are distracted when we drive. Unfortunately, traffic, road construction and other external factors are beyond our control. The distractions inside our car, however, are things we can often control.Here's some things that'll give you more control in your car, and help keep your attention on the roads around LUCAS. LUCAS drivers who are 16 to 20 years old tend to be more distracted by the radio, CD or MP3 player. LUCAS drivers who are 20 to 29 are more distracted by passengers in the car, including small children. Those over age 65 tend to be more distracted by objects or events that are outside of the vehicle. Other factors like fatigue, stress and lack of sleep make it harder to pay attention to dri ... read more