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FAQs For answers to some of the more common questions we receive, please
browse the frequently asked questions section below. If the answer you seek is not there, please give us a call at one
of our locations or just drop by anytime during our normal business hours.
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“You Deserve Our Five-Star
Service”
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1. Who or what is ASE (and what does it mean to you)?
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, (ASE) is widely known for its industry certification program for automotive professionals. It was founded in 1972 as a non-profit, independent organization dedicated to improving the quality of automotive service and repair through voluntary testing and certification of automobile technicians. ASE voluntary certification is a means by which technicians can
prove their abilities not only to themselves and their employers, but also to you – the consumer. ASE certification
is recognized internationally throughout the automotive repair industry as the most valuable credential technicians can earn.
And because ASE certification is voluntary, it means technicians wearing ASE logo on their shirts have made the time, investment,
and effort to earn certification, which means they can be counted on to have a strong sense of pride in accomplishment and
commitment to excellence in their profession. ASE certification means that a person has passed tough, industry-developed exams.
2. Does your current repair shop have ASE-certified technicians actually working on customer cars? AASTRO Transmission is open six days a week. Our ASE-certified technicians are available to offer you full-service repairs on your vehicle during all hours of operation. Repair shops that advertise longer hours or open on Sundays may have limited services available since they do not have all their technicians working and many parts departments/stores are also not open. 3. What does AAA Approved Auto Repair mean to you? American Automobile Association (AAA) performs an inspection of the facility, makes sure that the shop has the necessary equipment to perform their indicated services and repairs and that there is a current ASE Master Technician employed at that facility. 4. How long has the repair facility been in business? That’s a great question and here’s why. There are too many good shops in the Tucson area to run the risk of choosing one that’s been in business for a short while. Although time isn’t the only measure of a good business, it sure can give you the expectation that they’ll be around tomorrow to take care of you. By the way, we’ve been in business, with many of the same people, since 1987. 5. What are shop supplies and EPA Fees and why are they on by bill? A shop supply represents the additional cost for miscellaneous parts and labor that are used for servicing and repairing customer’s vehicles. These costs are not itemized because they cannot be purchased on a job by job basis. A few examples of shop supplies are: solvents, cleaners, the paper floor mats that are used to protect in interior of customer's cars from getting dirty, shop towels, oil dry, grease, etc. At AASTRO, we are committed to maintaining our environment. We do this in many ways like all of our mop water is recycled, shop towels are cleaned as opposed to disposable, the uniforms we wear, when laundered the water is recycled, oil and solvents are recycled, etc. 6. What are diagnostics and why are they not waived if I approve the necessary repair? A diagnostic service is a process that a technician must perform to determine the root cause of a problem a customer is experiencing with their vehicle. This requires the use of various sophisticated diagnostic equipment, which also require specialized training. The labor time the technician uses during the diagnostic process are mutually exclusive of the labor time required to actually fix the problem. Diagnostics are also specific to the problem a customer is experiencing
with their vehicle. Example, if a customer was experiencing a problem with the vehicle hesitating at a specific speed, the
diagnostic service would not uncover a problem with the air conditioning not working.
7. What is the difference between electronic diagnosis, tests and inspections? An electronic diagnosis, as explained above, may point to a particular problem but it may require a test(s) to confirm or eliminate a particular component or area for repair. For example, the electronic diagnosis of the on board computer may indicate a possibility of an engine related problem. The engine may need to have a compression test run to determine if the rings are bad. Some inspections require very little technician time, like to remove
the wheels from the car and visually check the brake parts. The cost of the inspection may be waived because the labor to
do the inspection has reduced the time to do the actual repair.
However, with transmissions, transaxles, differentials, clutches
and sometimes engines they may require a removal, disassembly and a detailed inspection to determine the actual internal damage
and its associated cost to repair. There is no way to determine these repair costs without this type of inspection. Otherwise,
you may have the whole component replaced, unnecessarily, and with a much higher cost.
8. What is the difference between OEM and After Market parts? AASTRO Transmission only uses either (the) Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts or after market parts that meet or exceed the manufacturer’s specifications. OEM parts are the same parts that were supplied to or manufactured
by the manufacturer for use in the assembly of the vehicle. “After Market” parts are made by companies that may
or may not have supplied the manufacturer. Some after market parts are actually better than the OEM part. These parts meet
or exceed the OEM design and usually carry a longer warranty period. There are also after market parts that are lower in quality,
which are sold at a lower price and have a lower service life expectancy.
9. What is the difference between rebuilt and remanufactured? Rebuilt is the process of restoring a part to its previous state before failure by replacing the faulty or damaged parts of the component as well as those parts that are severely worn. The term ‘remanufactured’ is sometimes used interchangeably with rebuilt. To remanufacture would mean to replace all of the parts in a component. If that were the case, then in most instances, the sum total of the parts would be greater than buying a completely new component. Don’t be fooled with a justification for the higher cost to a component based on the explanation that it was “remanufactured rather than rebuilt.” 10. How often should the hoses and belts be replaced in my car?
Some people believe in waiting until something is “broken” before replacement. With belts and hoses especially, always follow your manufacturer’s recommendations as outlined in the owner’s manual. This will serve to avoid not just the inconvenience associated with a break down but in many instances there is collateral damage as a result of these items breaking which will drive the cost of repair up. 11. How often should the engine coolant be flushed? Always follow your manufacturer’s recommendations as outlined in the owner’s manual. Typically the cooling system should be flushed out at least once every two years or 30,000 miles. The best time to have this service performed is in the spring or fall. A flush should never be done as a repair for an overheating problem. A coolant flush is recommended, after the repair, to clean the entire system and replace it with the proper anti foaming agents, rust inhibitors and water pump lubricants. 12. How often should my brake fluid be flushed? Every 30,000 miles or as indicated by a “litmus” test. Brake fluid gets extremely hot and it does “break down.” When this happens, the brake fluid will start to negatively effect the seals in the brake system. The debris from the seals then starts to impact the brake system operation, etc – It’s a “Domino Effect” that can be avoided by routine brake fluid flushes. 13. How often should I have my transmission serviced and should I have it flushed? The transmission industry recommends that in the Southwest, the transmission should be serviced every 12 months or 12,000 miles. This is due to the extreme under-hood temperatures common in Arizona’s extreme heat and driving conditions. All manufacturers state that this type of service include a road test of the vehicle, remove and clean transmission fluid pan, remove and replace filter, remove and replace pan gasket and fill with the appropriate automatic transmission fluid. Those shops that advertise or offer to flush your transmission do
it primarily because it’s easier, their cost is less (making it more profitable) and they have limited exposure to leaks
as a result of their service. The fact, that it does not comply with the manufacturer’s recommended service or that
there is limited benefit to their customer, apparently, does not concern them. There’s usually no test drive, the filter
is not changed, and the debris that the pan and “magnet” hold remains and the pan gasket isn’t replaced.
Not much value for a service that normally costs more than an AASTRO’s (manufacturer recommended) service.
NOTE: Only under very specific circumstances
should your transmission have a “transfusion” (not a flush) performed. The transfusion is only done after a manufacturer
recommended service is completed on the transmission.
14. I just had my car serviced because the “check engine light”
came on and shortly after the repair the light is on again. Did my repair shop make a mistake?
Maybe - maybe not. Because the check engine light/service engine soon light illuminates for many different reasons (I.E. A bad sensor, a bad computer, a vacuum leak, a bad fuel pump, a bad spark plug, a plugged fuel filter, a broken, pinched or disconnected wire, a loose gas cap, or engine overheating, etc,). The vehicle must be rechecked by a trained and experienced technician to determine the actual cause. Make sure your service advisor provides you a printout of the “codes” or other findings that indicated the need for the associated repairs when the check engine light came on. This way you will know, if the light comes on again, if it is related to the previous repair or is it a completely new problem with the vehicle. 15. My vehicle has noticeable or excessive smoke coming out the tail pipe, what does that mean? If the smoke is gray or black in color it typically means the vehicle is running rich (to much gas and not enough air). If you only have experienced this when the car is started it is typically an issue with the settings of the fuel injection system. If you get black smoke all the time, there are additional problems with the fuel injections system that need to be checked. For example, oxygen sensors, map sensors, fuel injectors, fuel pressure regulators, air filter, etc. If this condition is allowed to continue, it could cause damage to the catalytic converter as well. If the smoke is blue in color it means the vehicle is burning oil.
This can be caused by bad pistons and rings, damaged cylinder walls, or other internal engine damage. If the smoke is white
in color it is a sign of a coolant leak or coolant being forced into the cylinders and being burned. Typical causes of white
smoke are faulty head gaskets, a cracked head or broken a cylinder wall.
16. Why should I replace the spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor? Spark plugs, wires, distributor caps and rotors break down and fail over time due to exposure to moisture, oil, grease and under hood temperatures that can reach as much as 550 to 700 degrees. Worn spark plugs cause higher voltage requirements, forcing the
ignition module and coil to produce higher and higher voltages to over- come the resistance. The higher voltage breaks down
the spark plug.
17. What if My Vehicle Fails the Arizona Emission Test? If your vehicle fails the Arizona Emissions test, AASTRO has a full staff of highly skilled and Certified Emissions Technicians ready to serve you. All you need to do is bring the paperwork that was given to you by the person at the test station to any of our five AASTRO locations. We then will inspect your vehicle and perform our emission diagnostic service, which takes about two (2) hours to complete and includes:
This testing will determine what repair or service you need. We will discuss these results which will inform you of the
problems we found and recommend the repair that will bring the exhaust pollutants to acceptable levels. With your approval,
we will then do the necessary repairs to assure passing the “emissions test.” Return to top
18. Should I just get another car, rather
than fix this one? 19. Should I look around for ‘better deals’ for my repair needs?
We don’t think so . . . but then we might be prejudiced. But don’t just listen to us; read what Tom Torbjornsen, a professional with over 27 years in the automotive business and a decade as a radio talk show host in New York state. Click here for his article titled, “The Only 'Real Deal' Lies in Competent Auto Service.” |
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