When it comes to transmissions, your fluid level is essential. Too much or too little fluid can affect pressure, cooling abilities, and lubrication. In order to best care for your vehicle, it's important to know what to look for, so from our shop here at R & M Automotive here are a few tips. 

Sluggish. Squealing. Unreliable. Vibrating. If any of these descriptors fit your vehicle’s recent behavior, it just might be trying to tell you something – like it’s time for a tune-up.

Today’s vehicles differ significantly from their decades-old brethren that required a tune-up every 10,000 or 20,000 miles. With newer vehicles, it’s increasingly common for manufacturer-recommended service intervals to stretch to 100,000 miles before certain maintenance items, such as replacing the spark plugs, should be completed. 

At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, it’s important to us that you see the value in the work we do. Over the course of the past decade, depending on what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, it may seem like oil changes have gotten more expensive, and there’s a lot of differentiation in pricing at different locations. What’s going on?

If you own a Ford vehicle you may be affected by this recall. According to CBS News, Ford recently announced a recall that affects over 1.3 million vehicles that are primarily located in North America. The recall was issued mainly due to problems with rear suspension and transmission control software.

There are a few things that matter when mounting new tires on your vehicle. First, you want it done right. Second, you want it done fast. For both, R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN has you covered.

A good technician will give your vehicle a quick inspection whenever you have maintenance performed. Fluid levels, tire condition, dashboard lights, and a variety of other items typically are briefly explored whenever you bring your vehicle in for maintenance. At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, we're good at noticing things that need repair, but the fact of the matter is that only you know your vehicle. You know when your vehicle feels off when its been serviced last (or that it hasn't been serviced at all,) and have at least some vague idea of what’s going on with your vehicle day to day. Here are some questions you can ask us next time you come by the shop:

At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, we’re in the business of quality. Quality work, quality parts, and quality service keep a business going. Here is a quick rundown on why it’s important to install components that will perform reliably, and keep you taken care of in the event that they don’t.

At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, we know how easy it is to overlook vehicle maintenance when everything is working as it should - we also know firsthand the toll neglected maintenance takes on a vehicle. Here’s an easy thing you can do yourself, that might save you an engine, transmission, or avoid numerous other problems.

It doesn't matter if you are driving a car or truck, jeep or SUV, a diesel 4x4 or a classic when those dash warning lights go off the first thing you do is think "how bad is it?" and "how much will it cost me?" followed quickly by "when was my last service visit?"!!  Driving your vehicle longer safely is all about getting it serviced based on what your vehicle manual recommends and these warning lights are alerting you to a situation that requires your attention. 

While not all warning lights are a sign that disaster is imminent, no warning indicator light should ever be ignored!

Every car, truck, van, and SUV on the road today has headlights. However, you've probably noticed an increase in different types of headlights in more recent years - gone are the days where every vehicle on the road had the same bulb. Here is some information on headlights, from R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN.

At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, our goal is to keep your car, truck, or SUV reliable and in great shape. To us, it’s important that we’re paying attention to both your needs and the needs of your vehicle. When it comes to oxygen sensors, sometimes it seems a bit nebulous on what they actually do and why they’re important; we’re here to clear things up for you.

If you’ve owned a vehicle long, particularly one with a few miles on it, you have probably encountered a peculiar smell that grabbed your attention. Scents that you encounter while driving (emanating from your vehicle, not the horse farm down the road) are indicators of your vehicle's health and often the first warning that something may be wrong. R & M Automotive in Rockvale has assembled this list to prepare for you for the next time you smell something odd, so you’ll know what’s going on next time you notice a funny smell.

At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, it’s important to us that your car, truck, or SUV is ready for any condition. Coolant flushes are an important part of getting your vehicle ready for winter - here’s why.

Every year, vehicle electrical systems get a little more complicated. These days, many cars on the road contain up to a mile of wiring, running throughout every corner of the vehicle. With all those wires, there’s bound to be an issue at some point; R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN is here to help you recognize a potential electrical issue, and know what to do about it.

Exhaust issues are extremely common, no matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive. At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, we can get your exhaust back in shape in no time.

Exhaust issues tend to be neglected, and we get that; there are just other parts of your vehicle that you'd rather focus on. Besides a clogged catalytic converter, there isn’t much risk of damage from a bad exhaust system - it negatively affects your gas mileage, and the sound is annoying, but other than that, it’s an issue many people learn to live with. 

When you are having trouble with your car or truck starting and you open the hood up to take a peek to see this....you'll see what an overly corroded battery looks like. This happens naturally over time on vehicle battery terminals.  If you are like 99% of normal Rockvale drivers, you don't check your oil or your battery so you don't keep an eye on the amount of corrosion that's building up on your car or truck battery.  Here at R & M Automotive, we do and there are solvents that we can use here in the shop during a battery maintenance service that will help slow the corrosion process but nothing that can prevent it 100%. Way before it gets to this point, we will be suggesting you consider replacing the battery. 

At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, we know that transmissions are witchcraft to most people. More often than not, if major damage has occurred, it’s a lot more time and cost-effective to just replace the entire unit and get a fresh start. Our trained technicians at R & M Automotive want to keep you informed so you are aware of what to look out for.

Your transmission mounts keep your transmission in place and suppress vibrations coming from the drivetrain. How do you know when to replace them or when they’re going bad. At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, our goal is to educate you about your vehicle so that you can drive it safely and prolong its life. 

Transmissions are complex pieces of equipment. Systems and components rely heavily on one another, and everything needs to be in working order for proper function. When one thing fails, there’s a snowball effect, and malfunctions and damages begin to occur. What can you do to make sure you keep it working? At R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN, we want to help when you need it, but we also want to teach you how to maintain your vehicle on your own. Good maintenance is the single largest contributing factor to how long your transmission will last and how well it will continue to work. Here are a few key points on maintenance from the R & M Automotive technicians.

Your car, truck, or SUV is equipped with various filters that keep the air going into your engine clean, the air you breathe in the vehicle, the fuel that supplies your engine, and the oil that keeps it going. How often should you have them replaced? It depends on the filter, the vehicle, and the environment. Here’s what you need to know, from R & M Automotive in Rockvale, TN.