Universal City Auto Repair

Are you hearing a squeaking or squealing sound whenever you apply the brakes? Depending on how often and when you’re hearing the squeaking/squealing, this could be a sign that it’s time to service your brakes. It’s not uncommon to hear a squeaking or squealing noise when you first start up your vehicle or after a shift in weather/temperatures- like rain, snow, or humidity (we know humidity far too well here in Texas). This is a result of moisture and dirt being scraped off the surface of the rotors by the brakes pads whenever you apply the brakes. Once your brake pads and rotors are at work and heat up, and the noise stops you’re in the clear but we still advice to have your brakes inspected once a year! A constant squeaking or squealing, or an increase in noise may be your vehicle telling you it’s time to inspect your brake system to see what’s going on and also, it may be time to replace parts in your brake system. Here at Victory Lane  we d ... read more

Does your vehicle veer or pull to the right/left? Does your steering wheel sit cockeyed? Does your vehicle vibrate? Did you recently replace the tires? If you answered yes to any of these, we recommend checking your vehicle’s alignment! Your vehicle has preset angles to specify the manufacturer’s ideal measurements, positioning your tires to align with one another and to the road-- when misaligned (meaning one or more wheels are pointing in different directions) your vehicle will not maneuver smoothly!  Alignment issues may arise naturally as a result of car parts aging and normal wear and tear on the vehicle.  Other leading causes maybe- impact from hitting a curb/pothole, or from an accident. Items that affect the alignment are tires, Ball Joint(s), Tie Rod(s), Control Arm(s), Bushings, Idler Arm, Pitman Arm, Center Link, Gear Box, Rack & Pinion Steering, Struts, and Shocks.  A correct alignment improves drivability, prevents ... read more

With Spring upon us, it’s the perfect time to check your cabin air filter! For starters let’s clear the air about what a cabin air filter does. (Pun intended!) The sole purpose of the cabin air filter is to reduce airborne particles such as pollen, dust, dirt, smoke, mold spores, exhaust gases, smog, and odors from invading the cabin of your vehicle. Now, it’s not to be confused with an engine air filter! Both are similar, one just covers a different area of the vehicle. Simplest way to remember this is that the engine air filter-filters the air in the engine, the cabin air filter does the same but for the cabin of the vehicle. The inexpensive cabin air filters are made up of paper and a mixture of other fibrous materials. The filters have pleats to better catch and hold the contaminants. However, the high-end filters, most times have charcoal embedded in them and or enhanced with antimicrobial which protects against mold, mildew, odor and bacteria- as well as produc ... read more

As most adults do, we have a routine. . .what’s not part of that routine is a dead car battery. To avoid an auto nightmare, first let’s get into what exactly your car battery does. It is a storage unit that supplies power to all the electrical components throughout your car, such as the starter, radio, power windows etc.   Your car also has an alternator that is designed to maintain the battery and keep it fully charged.  All the different electrical components are put to work by the zap of electricity your car battery provides which in turn delivers the power to your starter.  In other words, your battery is the beating heart of your vehicle, as you may have figured out the hard way at some point, without it your vehicle will not start.  So, when is the right time to change out your battery?  The most obvious answer is when it’s dead, but the most effective answer is every 3-5 years. The best tip to avoid any dead battery issues is to h ... read more