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Tito's Auto Care Maintenance information and guides.
Fuel System Cleaning
Industry standard is to get this done every 3 years / 30,000 miles, but no longer than every 5 years / 50,000 miles.
- Fuel Injector Cleaning: Special chemicals are run through the injectors to break down buildup that affects spray patterns.
- Intake/Combustion Cleaning: Deposits inside the intake manifold, throttle body, and valves are dissolved.
- Complete System Cleaning: Some services use pressurized machines or direct-rail cleaners to flush the entire system.
🚗 Benefits
- Restores lost fuel efficiency
- Improves throttle response and acceleration
- Reduces engine knocking/pinging
- Helps lower emissions
- Extends injector and engine life
Brake Fluid Service
A brake fluid flush is the process of removing old, contaminated brake fluid from the system and replacing it with fresh fluid. Brake fluid is hygroscopic so, over time, the brake fluid absorbs moisture, which lowers its boiling point and can cause brake fade, corrosion, and damage to components like calipers, master cylinders, and ABS modules. The industry recommendation is getting a flush every 2-3 years or every 30,000 miles.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Safety: Maintains consistent brake pedal feel and stopping power.
- Prevention: Reduces corrosion inside brake lines, calipers, and ABS valves.
- Performance: Keeps boiling point high to avoid brake fade under heavy use.
- Longevity: Protects the master cylinder and ABS pump (costly parts to replace)
Coolant Flush
A coolant flush (also called a radiator flush) is the process of draining the old antifreeze/coolant, cleaning out contaminants, and refilling the system with fresh fluid. Over time, coolant breaks down and loses its ability to prevent overheating, freezing, and corrosion inside the engine and radiator. Industry recommendation is every 30,000-50,000 miles or every 2-5 years. Frequent towing or extreme temperatures require more frequent flushes.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Prevents Overheating: Fresh coolant keeps the engine at the right operating temperature.
- Stops Corrosion & Rust: Protects radiator, water pump, and heater core from internal damage.
- Maintains Freeze Protection: Ensures coolant doesn’t freeze in winter or boil in summer.
- Extends System Life: Protects hoses, gaskets, and seals from premature wear.
Spark Plug Replacement
A spark plug replacement involves removing old, worn spark plugs and installing new ones to restore proper ignition. Spark plugs are small but critical — they ignite the air-fuel mixture in the engine. When worn, they can cause misfires, poor fuel economy, and engine damage. Industry recommendation is every 30,000 miles or up to 100,000 miles for platinum or iridium plugs.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Restores Performance: Smooth acceleration, no hesitation or misfire.
- Improves Fuel Economy: Worn plugs cause inefficient combustion = wasted fuel.
- Protects Engine: Prevents damage to ignition coils and catalytic converters.
- Cleaner Emissions: Reduces unburned fuel and excess exhaust pollutants.
Transmission Fluid Flush
A transmission flush is the process of using specialized equipment to remove nearly all of the old automatic transmission fluid (ATF), debris, and contaminants from the transmission system. The machine cycles in new fluid while pushing out the old, ensuring the system is completely refreshed.⚙️ Note: This is different from a drain & fill, which only replaces 30–50% of the fluid (since much remains in the torque converter and cooler lines). Industry recommendation is every 2 years or every 30,000 - 60,000 miles. However, for frequent stop-and-go traffic or heavy-duty vehicles it is every 15,000 to 20,000 miles
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Smooth Shifting: Restores proper hydraulic pressure for crisp gear changes.
- Prevents Wear: Removes metal shavings and clutch material that can damage internal parts.
- Extends Transmission Life: Fresh fluid lubricates and cools moving parts.
- Protects Against Costly Repairs: Replacing a transmission can cost $3,000–$6,000+. A flush is preventive maintenance.
Differential and Transfer Case Flush
Industry recommendation is every 30,000 miles for stop-and-go city driving, towing, or off-roading. Otherwise, 40,000 to 60,000 miles
- Differential Fluid Flush: Replaces the gear oil in the front and/or rear differential(s). This oil lubricates the ring & pinion gears that transfer power from the driveshaft to the wheels.
- Transfer Case Fluid Flush: Replaces the fluid in the transfer case (on 4WD & AWD vehicles). This fluid lubricates chains, gears, and bearings that distribute power between front and rear axles.
Both fluids break down over time due to heat, moisture, and metal wear particles, leading to noisy, rough, or even failed drivetrain components.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Prevents Costly Repairs: Replacing a differential or transfer case can cost $1,500–$4,000+.
- Ensures Smooth Operation: Fresh fluid helps gears engage quietly and efficiently.
- Protects Against Wear: Removes metal shavings and contaminants that can grind down gears and bearings.
- Extends Lifespan: Keeps 4WD/AWD systems reliable for years to come.
Engine Flush
With modern cars, you don't necessarily need an engine flush, unless you've neglected maintenance or gone for prolonged periods between oil changes. It should also be done when switching from traditional oil to synthetic oil. This service is beneficial for older cars or cars over 150,000 miles.
An engine flush is a chemical cleaning process performed before an oil change. A specially formulated cleaner is added to the old engine oil and run through the system for a short time at idle. This dissolves sludge, varnish, and carbon deposits inside the crankcase, oil galleys, and valve train. Afterward, the old oil and contaminants are drained, and fresh oil + filter are installed.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Cleans Internal Components: Removes sludge that restricts oil flow.
- Restores Oil Circulation: Helps fresh oil reach all critical areas.
- Improves Performance: Reduces lifter noise, sticking rings, and poor lubrication.
- Extends Engine Life: Keeps internal parts lubricated and reduces wear.
- Prevents Costly Repairs: Protects timing chains, VVT solenoids, and turbos from sludge-related failure.
Brake Adjustment
A brake adjustment involves inspecting and fine-tuning the clearance between brake shoes/pads and the drums or rotors. On most modern cars with disc brakes, this is rarely needed since they are self-adjusting — but on drum brakes, parking brakes, and some older vehicles, manual adjustment ensures proper brake engagement.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Restores Braking Performance: Ensures brakes apply evenly and with proper force.
- Reduces Pedal Travel: Eliminates “low” or “soft” brake pedal feel caused by mis adjustment.
- Improves Safety: Ensures full stopping power is available when needed.
- Extends Brake Life: Keeps wear even across shoes/pads, reducing premature replacement.
Wheel Alignment
A wheel alignment (also called a tire alignment) is the adjustment of the suspension angles — camber, caster, and toe — so that all four wheels point in the proper direction. Specialized alignment equipment is used to measure and adjust these angles back to factory specifications.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Extends Tire Life: Prevents uneven wear that can destroy a set of tires prematurely.
- Improves Handling: Keeps the vehicle tracking straight and stable, especially at highway speeds.
- Boosts Fuel Efficiency: Reduces rolling resistance caused by misaligned wheels.
- Safety: Ensures maximum contact patch for effective braking and control.
Throttle Body Service
A throttle body service involves cleaning the throttle plate and housing where air enters the engine. Over time, carbon, oil vapors, and dirt build up inside the throttle body, causing the plate to stick or airflow to become restricted. Cleaning restores smooth airflow and proper idle control.
Industry recommendation is around every 60,000 miles, or sooner if you notice elevated idle speeds, rough or unsteady idling, inconsistent or sluggish acceleration, or stalling.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Restores Idle Quality: Prevents stalling, rough idle, or surging.
- Improves Throttle Response: Eliminates hesitation when pressing the gas pedal.
- Boosts Fuel Economy: Ensures the right air-fuel mixture for combustion.
- Prevents Costly Repairs: Protects sensors and electronic throttle actuators from sticking or failure.
Prepurchase Inspection
A Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) is a comprehensive evaluation of a used vehicle before buying it. The inspection covers the car’s mechanical, electrical, cosmetic, and safety systems to uncover hidden issues that may not be visible during a test drive.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Protects Buyers: Helps customers avoid buying a “lemon.”
- Saves Money: Identifies potential costly repairs before purchase.
- Negotiation Power: Inspection results can be used to lower the purchase price.
Preventative Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is the routine care and servicing of a vehicle to keep it running safely, efficiently, and reliably. Instead of waiting for breakdowns or costly repairs, preventive maintenance focuses on catching issues early and replacing fluids/parts before failure.
🚗 Why It’s Important
- Saves Money: Avoids major breakdowns and expensive repairs.
- Boosts Safety: Ensures brakes, tires, steering, and suspension work as intended.
- Maximizes Performance: Keeps engine and transmission running smoothly.
- Extends Vehicle Life: Regular care helps cars last longer with fewer problems.
- Protects Resale Value: Well-documented maintenance history increases resale or trade-in value.
🚗 What Maintenance & When?
- Every 5,000-7,000 miles: Tire rotation, oil and oil filter changes ( we recommend Purolator BOSS oil filters)
- Every 15,000-30,000 miles: Air Filter Replacement, fuel system cleaning, and transmission fluid check and flush.
- Every 60,000 miles: Brake fluid flush, timing belt or chain inspection, spark plug replacement, and coolant flush
- Every 30,000 miles: Major inspections and replacements including oil, tire rotations, brake inspections, and fuel system service.
- Every 90,000 miles: Timing belt and transmission fluid changes.
- Every Month: Visual inspection of headlights, turn signals, and brake lights.
- Every 6 months (summer and winter): Check fluid levels and other components to ensure your car is ready for the upcoming extreme temperature changes.
- Every 12 months: Cabin air filter check
- Follow manufacturer guidelines for tire rotations and oil changes as needed.