The Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, The ASE, is the only nationally recognized organization in the United States that tests and certifies automotive service professionals.
Technicians and other Automotive professionals test their skills and abilities through the ASE. The ASE then gives them certifications so the public and employers can gauge the expertise of individuals. The certifications are ASE Certified and ASE Master Technicians for the mechanics that service vehicles.
Pinnacle Automotive Service is an ASE Blue Seal of Excellence Repair facility and we employee ASE Technicians and also we have an ASE Certified Master Technician with Advance Automotive Engine Performance. The ASE recognizes businesses that have a high degree of commitment to excellence and training. In the entire State of North Carolina, the ASE has awarded only 149 Auto Repair companies with their highest honors, The ASE Blue Seal of Excellence Recognized Businesses. Keep in mind, there are Tens of 1000′s of auto repair shops, dealerships, and other facilities in the state, so this is a very significant qualification to our abilities to provide service to your vehicles.
Choosing a Repair Shop
Start shopping for a repair facility before you need one.
Ask friends and associates for recommendations; consult local consumer organizations.
Arrange for alternate transportation in advance so you will not feel forced to choose a shop based solely on location.
Look for a neat, well-organized facility, with vehicles in the parking lot equal in value to your own.
Look for a courteous staff, with a service writer willing to answer all of your questions.
Look for policies regarding labor rates, diagnostic fees, guarantees, acceptable methods of payment, etc.
Ask if the repair facility specializes in any specific vehicles or repairs, or if it usually handles your type of repair work.
Look for signs of professionalism in the customer service area such as civic, community or customer service awards.
Look for evidence of qualified repair technicians: trade school diplomas, certificates of advanced course work, and certification by ASE.
How Consumers Benefit from ASE Technician Certification
Finding a competent auto repair technician should not be difficult…and with that guiding principle, the non-profit, independent national Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) was founded in 1972.
The mission was clear: develop a mechanism by which working auto technicians could prove their competency to themselves, their employers, and to consumers. The solution: a series of national certification exams covering all the major automotive repair and service specialties.
The result: an elite group of automotive service professionals at work in repair establishments throughout the nation.
Why Use ASE Certified Auto Technicians?
Consumers benefit from ASE’s certification program since it takes much of the guesswork out of finding a competent technician.
Years ago cars were simpler and less complex. But with today’s high-tech vehicles, the margin for error is less. Mistakes can be costlier. It makes good financial sense to protect your automotive investment through regular, periodic maintenance and service performed by certified professionals.
Because ASE’s program is voluntary, technicians who have taken the time and expense to earn ASE certification can be counted on to have a strong sense of pride in accomplishment, which should be good news for consumers.
How Does ASE Certification Work?
Twice a year at national locations across the country and online, thousands of technicians sit for ASE certification exams. The exams are administered in the field by American College Testing. (ACT.)
Designed by representatives from the automotive service and repair industry, vocational educators, and ASE’s own in-house technical specialists, the exams stress real-world diagnostic and repair problems, not theory.
Technicians who pass at least one exam and fulfill the work experience requirement earn the title of ASE certified Automobile Technician, while those who pass all eight auto exams earn Master Auto Technician status. All ASE technicians are issued personalized credentials listing their exact areas of certification and an appropriate shoulder insignia.
Technicians must re-certify every five years in order to keep current with changing technology and to remain ASE certified.
How to Find an ASE Certified Technician
ASE technicians can be found at every type of repair facility: new car dealerships, independent service centers, service stations, tire dealers, specialty shops, and major franchises. There are about 500,000 ASE technicians at work nationally.
Repair facilities employing ASE-certified technicians usually display the distinctive blue and white ASE sign on the premises and post their technicians’ credentials in the customer service area. Employers sometimes include the ASE logo in their print advertising as well.
The technicians are also issued pocket-sized credentials cards listing their exact areas of certification.
Because ASE offers certification in all major technical areas of auto repair and service, it is wise to ask the shop owner or service manager specifically for a technician who is certified in the appropriate area – say, brakes or engine repair.
We look forward to seeing you at Pinnacle Automotive Service.
Knowing your cars cost per mile will better prepare you to budget for your trips gas usage. With today’s fuel prices fuel efficiency is becoming more and more of a critical factor. Knowing your car’s MPG (how many miles it gets per gallon) can help you determine if it’s is a gas guzzler that’s eating up your wallet or if your not getting the maximum fuel economy for your vehicle it may be time for some routine maintenance to help you achieve the best possible fuel efficiency for your vehicle. Once you figure out the MPG, you can do many useful things, like calculate how much a $.10 rise in gas prices will affect your budget, or how getting a car with better MPG will lower your monthly costs.
Running a car with less than a quarter tank of fuel can shorten the life of the electric fuel pump and running on empty will often destroy the pump.
Odometer Method
MPG can be calculated in four easy steps:
Step 1.
Filling the vehicle’s gas tank completely and writing down the vehicle’s odometer reading (mileage).
Example: The last time the tank was filled, the odometer reading was 32,645.1 miles.
Step 2.
When it’s time to refuel, filling the tank completely and writing down the number of gallons it took to fill the tank and the vehicle’s new odometer reading. Once two odometer readings are taken, MPG can be calculated.
Example: The next time the tank was filled, the odometer reading was 33,001.3. It took 13.5 gallons to fill the tank.
Step 3.
Calculating the distance driven by subtracting the previous odometer reading from the new one.
Example: The distance driven would be 33,001.3 minus 32,645.1, or 356.2 miles.
Step 4.
Dividing the number of miles driven by the number of gallons it took to fill the tank. The result is the vehicle’s MPG for that driving period.
Example: 356.2 miles divided by 13.5 gallons equals 26.4 miles per gallon.
The MPG for that driving period would be 26.4.
Alternate Method
If you use your vehicle’s trip odometer, MPG can be calculated by:
Step 1.
Filling the vehicle’s gas tank completely and re-setting the trip odometer.
Note: Sometimes it’s easy to get the main odometer and trip odometer readings confused, especially if the vehicle is new.
Step 2.
When it’s time to re-fuel
Filling the tank completely
Writing down the number of gallons it took to fill the tank
Writing down the mileage on the trip odometer
Re-setting the trip odometer
Example: It took 9.5 gallons to completely fill the tank, and the trip odometer reads 335 miles.
Step 3.
Dividing the number of miles driven by the number of gallons it took to fill the tank. The result is the vehicle’s MPG for that driving period.
Example: 335 miles divided by 9.5 gallons equals 35.5 miles per gallon.
Most drivers have at some point been frustrated by the Check Engine Light in their car. Your driving along in your car and suddenly a yellow light illuminates on your dash telling you to check or service your engine. If you’re like most car owners, you are not sure what this light is telling you or exactly how you should react.
The “Check Engine Light” is the most misunderstood indicator on your dashboard, and can mean many different things from a loose gas cap to a seriously misfiring engine. The Check Engine Light is part of the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) system which monitors vehicle performance, regulating such variables as engine speed (RPM), fuel mixture and ignition timing. In some cars the computer also tells the automatic transmission when to shift.
When the computer finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct the computer turns on the “Check Engine Light”. In addition to turning on the light the computer stores a trouble code in its memory that identifies the source of the problem such as a malfunctioning sensor or misfiring engine.
The Warning Signs: When to Ignore and When to Take Action
A light that stays on briefly and then goes off can most likely be ignored.
A constant ON Check Engine Light, in the absence of other symptoms, could be an emissions failure which could be anything from a loose gas cap to a bad oxygen sensor or indicate a failure withing your emission system. This condition should be diagnosed as soon as you can get your car into the repair shop.
When the Check Engine Light flashes the problem could be major and result in serious damage to your car. STOP and pull over immediately and get your car to a professional to have the problem diagnosed.
Exactly what your “Check Engine Light” looks like depends on the make, model and year of your car. It may be labeled “Check Engine”, “Service Engine Soon” or “Check Powertrain” or it may even be nothing more than a picture of an engine with the word “Check” .
Pinnacle Automotive Service can diagnose your check engine light and make any needed repairs to get you back on the road quickly and safely. We also offer local towing service in the Greater Raleigh area if you get stranded.
There is a direct relationship between how well you treat your vehicle and how long your vehicle will actually wind up lasting you. Obviously, the sooner you learn how to maintain your car, truck or sport utility vehicle, the better performance you will get out of it, not to mention the fact that you will lengthen the life of your vehicle as well.
The following video provides some excellent car maintenance advice to help drivers keep their car tuned and running efficiently:
For more information about car repair or to find a reputable auto repair shop, contact Pinnacle Automotive Servicetoday at 919.828.3113.
