New Orleans Auto Repair

   Knowing if your brakes are bad is critical. Your brakes are possibly the most important safety system on your vehicle because brakes need to work properly every time!  Brake Repair or Replacement is needed when: 1) A  brake warning indicator is lit 2) A squeal or grinding noise is heard when stopping  3) A shake is felt when applying brakes  4) Measuring at or below 3 mm of friction material Brake Warning Indicator If your brake warning is illuminated on your instrument cluster we recommend not driving your vehicle until the brake fluid level is checked. The BRAKE warning can come on for several reasons, but a particularly dangerous and common reason for the light is low brake fluid. If your brake fluid is low that is an indication that you either have worn brake components somewhere in the system or you may have a brake fluid leak. After topping off your brake fluid we strongly recommend having your vehicle checked ... read more

Figuring out what kind of tires your vehicle needs can be confusing. Tires are a major wear item on your vehicle and they not only wear by use but also by age. Buying tires is often a cost vs. benefit decision, so the tires you choose for your vehicle should: 1. Be the proper speed rating and size for your vehicle 2. Fit your road condition needs 3. Fit your mileage needs 4. Fit your budget needs     Size Every vehicle has a white and yellow sticker inside of the driver’s door jamb. This sticker is called the tire placard and it states the acceptable size / sizes of tires, the required speed rating and the recommended tire pressure. We recommend following your vehicle's guidelines for tires. Having the right size, type and air pressure in your tires will not only ensure your vehicle performs as designed, it will also help make sure your traction control system works and will help you as much as possible during emergency maneuvers ... read more

   The automotive repair industry is an essential part of our economy. Helping people safely travel in reliable transportation is one of the things that keeps our country moving. For as large as the automotive repair industry is there is often no clear path for people who want to start careers as Mechanics. Trade schools offer degrees, different manufacturers and associations offer certification processes, and many businesses will not hire without real world experience. Many potential new Mechanics find themselves not knowing where to start. In our opinion the best place to start a career as a Mechanic is to find an Auto Repair Shop that is focused on providing a positive work environment and on the job training. Starting your career as a mechanic working as a helper with an experienced mechanic or group of mechanics is the best way to gain a large amount of real world experience in a short period of time. Auto Repair Shops are much more likely to hire a trainee with a good ... read more

We know that you rely on your vehicle for transportation, that is why we try to expedite all repairs and keep down-time to a minimum. While our mechanics are busy repairing your car, we will give you a ride in our Courtesy Shuttle – a fully electric Nissan Leaf. At Tim’s our shuttle drop off service is Monday-Thursday from 8am-2:30 pm.  We offer complimentary pick up service Monday-Thursday from 10am-2:30pm. Our shuttle service area covers most of New Orleans and Metairie so chances are we can get you where you need to go! Our Complimentary Shuttle Service is just another way Tim’s helps with making your experience as trouble free and customer focused as possible. When making an appointment for service be sure to reserve your shuttle ride. 

    A change in the feeling of your vehicle's brakes can be alarming, and can be an indication of a potentially unsafe problem. Your vehicle's braking system is based on hydraulics. High pressure brake fluid traveling through lines to each wheel creates pressure inside of the brake calipers or wheel cylinders causing your brake pads and shoes to clamp on the rotors or drums causing your vehicle to slow to a stop. Brakes feel soft because of a brake fluid leak, air in your hydraulic brake lines, or a failing brake hose. If your vehicle is low on brake fluid because of a leak or if there is air trapped in your braking system your brakes will feel soft or spongy because the air in the lines will not compress like brake fluid. If you notice spots under where you park your vehicle that is an indication of a leak. If you have a failing brake hose sometimes the rubber hose will inflate with brake fluid like a balloon instead of transferring pressure to the brakes. Tim&rsquo ... read more

We see many vehicles that are having drivability problems. It is inevitable that most vehicles will have a failure sometime in their life that will cause them to run poorly. A very common symptom that vehicles give is a shake on acceleration. When your car shakes on acceleration you will often feel a bucking / rough driving sensation while accelerating in your vehicle. A shake on acceleration may be more than an annoyance, it may be an indication of a larger problem developing. Shakes on acceleration could be caused by an engine management, engine, transmission or driveline failure.      A good way to start with determining the source of your shake is to see if you have any indicator lights on your dash. A check engine light, or service engine soon light if on would be the best place to start looking for the failure. A light would be an indication that your problem lies in either the engine management system or an electrical / mechanical failure in the engine or transm ... read more

Have you noticed your vehicle needs to be jump started after sitting overnight? The chemical reaction inside of your battery that makes it able to hold a charge can weaken over time, causing it to not be able to start your vehicle. Extreme cold and hot can also cause an internal failure in your battery. Battery failures may not be caused solely by the battery. A faulty starter, alternator or a parasitic draw can be some other causes of a failed battery. All batteries should be tested before being replaced. We also highly recommend a full starting and charging system check to ensure that another lingering problem is not present. Batteries are wear items, the national average life for 12 volt car batteries is 30 months. All batteries at Tim’s come with a 36 month full replacement warranty with unlimited mileage. Let the mechanics at Tim’s help check your battery, starting and charging system and get your vehicle back to being reliable

Oil changes are the single most important investment you can make for the long term health of your engine. Over time engine oil breaks down, absorbs contaminates and in most vehicles a small amount burns off. Engine oil breaks down whether the vehicle is being used or not. Solvents and additives in your oil evaporate as well as the oil begins absorbing water from humidity. While many manufacturers are recommending extended oil change intervals of 10,000 miles or longer it is important to read the fine print. While under optimal conditions engine oil may last longer than 5,000 miles, but it is important to realize most of us do not operate our vehicle under optimal or normal conditions. Most drivers in the United States, especially those of us that live in colder or warmer climates operate our vehicles under “severe conditions.” Honda Motor Co. defines severe driving conditions as: Frequently drive less than 5 miles per trip in above freezing or 10 miles p ... read more

Tires are part of the regular maintenance of your vehicle. Since proper tire rotations, balancing, alignment and inflation will help you get the full life out of your tires, we recommend purchasing tires at the shop you use for regular maintenance. That way they can take care of your tire maintenance and repair while taking care of your vehicle’s other needs. Buying tires from a repair facility that is familiar with your driving habits will also help choose the right tires for your needs. For example, If you drive your vehicle 10,000 miles per year or less, in five years you will have no more than 50,000 miles on your tires. If you had bought 80,000 mile tires, in five years you would be left with tires that still had a large percentage of usable tread left, but it would be too old for us to recommend using. Another thing to consider is the level of expertise of the company installing the tires. Most big box stores do not inspect your vehicle's suspension for safety and wea ... read more

Have you ever driven a vehicle that shakes when the brakes are applied? Many times the shake becomes more violent at higher speeds. While every vehicle needs to be inspected to determine the source of the problem, many times the cause for a shake while slowing down is out of true (warped) brake rotors. Brake rotors are the metal disc that you can see behind all four of your wheels. Your brake pads clamp down on the brake rotor to stop your vehicle. Brake rotors can become out of true from being exposed to excessive heat or from being exposed to large amounts of water when they are hot. Many times the fix for your car shaking when stopping is replacing brake pads and rotors and servicing the calipers. Sometimes calipers and brake hoses need to be replaced as well. Fun fact! You can often determine the axle that is causing the vehicle to shake by paying attention to how the vehicle shakes. If the shake is coming from the steering wheel but the rest of the vehicle feels steady the front b ... read more