Albert Lea Auto Repair

Albert Lea Auto Repair

(507) 473-4134
Mon - Fri: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Category Archives: General

Should I warm my vehicle up in cold weather

Should I warm my vehicle up in cold weather

Should I warm my vehicle up in cold weather? Warming up a vehicle before driving it in cold weather has been a topic of debate for a long time. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this. The determining factors have also changed a bit with modern vehicle designs. Let’s explore this topic and see what the correct answer is for your situation. The first question we should ask is, what is considered cold weather? For the sake of this discussion, we will call cold weather anything below 32°F or freezing. Very cold will be any temperature in the single digits or below. Properly maintained vehicles with multi-port or direct fuel injection systems start much better in cold and very cold conditions. As the temperature decreases, the fuel does not mix with the air as efficiently. Fuel injectors are better at getting fuel to atomize (mix) with the air than carbureted systems. Carbureted vehicles require a much longer warm-up period in cold weather due to this fact ... read more

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General

LED Lights and the Law

LED Lights and the Law

It’s time to climb up here on this soap box and hold up a big red and white target.  Time to dip my toes in the muddy water of LED lights.  Just to clarify, this article is a matter of opinion, with some facts thrown in for good measure.  Let’s get started. Are LED lights legal? Yes, no, and sometimes both.  Usually if there is some doubt, we can refer to federal and/or state laws for clarification.  FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) section 571 explains motor vehicle requirements and is currently about 1200 pages.  SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and DOT (Department of Transportation) all have some input and regulatory oversight to those standards.  What’s clear is that any modification to a vehicle that changes the way it was released from the manufacturer would be considered a violation of federal law.  Unless those modifications meet the safety stan ... read more

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General

The four-wheel drives and when to use them.

The four-wheel drives and when to use them.

The four-wheel drives and when to use them.  Maybe you have always owned four-wheel drive trucks?  Maybe this is your first four-wheel drive vehicle?  Four-wheel drive gives the driver options.  Knowing how to best use those options is the key to success. Does four-wheel drive allow you to get through anything?  Not even remotely close!  Sometimes it just allows you to get more stuck and broken.  To understand how to best use your four-wheel drive options we need to go over a few basic principles.   First, the drive axle differential.  All vehicles use a differential on the drive axle to allow for smooth turns.  When a vehicle goes around a corner the outside tire needs to cover more ground than the inside tire.  Power from the engine/transmission comes into the center differential and is distributed to the drive tires via the drive axles. The differential allows for the difference in wheel speeds while provid ... read more

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General

Drive Defensively In Minnesota

Drive Defensively In Minnesota

Car care is an important part of auto safety in Albert Lea. But the most important thing we can do to improve safety on Minnesota roads is to drive safely. Defensive driving is safe driving. And defensive driving is all about attitude. You have to decide that you will be a safe driver in Minnesota, no matter what anyone else is doing. Albert Lea drivers can start with awareness. Always maintain awareness of your surroundings, the road conditions, other vehicles on the Albert Lea road or interstate and road hazards. Have you ever suddenly realized that you have arrived somewhere, but you don’t really remember driving there? That is unsafe driving. Never assume that other Albert Lea auto owners are paying attention. You be the one on alert. You be the one to take initiative to stay out of the way of other Minnesota drivers. And don’t let familiarity dull your alertness. Remind yourself to pay as close attention while driving on the roads near your Albert Lea home as you wo ... read more

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General

Back to School Savings!

Back to School Savings!

Make sure your vehicle is ready for the school year! Like us on Facebook for additional offers and a special offer of $10 OFF Any Service or Repair! Click here to go to our Facebook Page!  

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General

Air Conditioning Service In Albert Lea

Hey Albert Lea! Let's talk about one of our MN summertime must-haves: your car A/C. It's real easy for Albert Lea auto owners to take their car's air conditioner for granted. Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air. But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool. Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your air conditioner? Do you only get cool air sporadically? If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked at Sanderson Auto in Albert Lea.  When most Albert Lea folks hear the words "air conditioning problems", it sends a shiver up their spine. That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it's broken, it's costly to repair. What things can Albert Lea and Clarks Grove auto owners do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns? A common cause of a ... read more

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General

Braking News: Keep Your Stopping Power

Richard Petty once told AutoNetTV, “You’ve gotta have good brakes. If you’ve got good brakes you can keep yourself out of a lotta trouble.” That’s why a regular brake inspection is on every Albert Lea driver's maintenance schedule. An inspection at Sanderson Auto will check your brake system and let you know if there are any problems. Of course, if you’re having trouble with your brakes, get your car into Sanderson Auto in Albert Lea right away. Here are some important symptoms for Albert Lea car owners to watch for: If you are experiencing any of these, it’s time to get your brakes checked. To to your cheerful Sanderson Auto service specialist. There are two types of brakes: disc and drum. Disc brakes have a rotor that’s attached to the axle. Calipers straddle the rotor, kind of like the brakes on a bicycle. Drum brakes are most common on back wheels. Both types have pads or shoes that ... read more

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General

Sanderson Auto Radiator Service

The coolant system is a vital part of your vehicle. It is also the second most common cause for vehicle failures. Even though coolant system failure is fairly common in Albert Lea, it is easy to prevent. Sanderson Auto 131 West College Street Albert Lea, MN 56007 507.377.3320    507.377.3320 The most recognizable part of the coolant system to Albert Lea car owners is the radiator. It is connected to the engine with hoses and is filled with coolant. The coolant draws heat off the engine and then passes into the radiator. Air passes through cooling fins to reduce the temperature of the coolant and then it's back to the engine again. There are several ways for the cooling system failure. Most common is with the coolant itself. Coolant is comprised of water and antifreeze. The proper ratio keeps the coolant from either boiling away or freezing. Understan ... read more

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Power Steering Service In Albert Lea

Most Albert Lea motorists are too young to remember life before power steering - cranking those great big steering wheels! It was a pretty good workout. Now power steering is standard. Let's look at how it works. The heart of any power steering system is its pump. The pump pressurizes the power steering fluid that provides assist for steering. Most pumps are driven by a belt that is run by the engine - a few are electrically powered. A high-pressure hose passes fluid from the pump to the steering gear. A low pressure hose returns the fluid back to the pump. These hoses can develop leaks, so it is a good idea fir Albert Lea motorists to have them inspected at every oil change. Low fluid can damage the power steering pump. That is why fluid level is on the checklist for a full-service oil change. The fluid needs to be compatible with the hoses and seals, so check your owners ... read more

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General

Differential Service At Sanderson Auto

Here at AutoNetTV, we have national viewers, like your neighbors in Albert Lea, who write to us with questions or feedback. One common question we're asked is: "What is a differential and what does it do?" You may have been told by your Sanderson Auto service advisor that your differential needs service, or seen it as an option up on the service menu. Differential service at Sanderson Auto covers a lot of things, so let's first talk about what a differential does. As you drive through a turn, your outside wheels and inside wheels turn at different speeds. Kind of like the cars going around a race track - the ones driving in the outside lanes have a greater distance to travel than the cars in the inside lanes. The differential is what allows the outside and inside drive wheels to rotate at slightly different speeds so that the tires don't hop or skip while taking ... read more

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General
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