At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, we know that the first and most important step toward keeping your car, truck, or SUV reliably on the road, is knowing how to properly care for it. Here are a few tips on how to keep your vehicle in shape.

Judging by the number of near-rear-endings we witness on our morning commutes, the typical attitude toward brake maintenance appears to be, “Brakes: Don’t let them stop you!” This puzzles us because monitoring your braking system’s health is one of the most straightforward aspects of car ownership. You do have to know what to look for, though, or rather, what to listen and feel for. So let us, uh, break it down for you. Here are the top three signs that your brakes need fixing.

At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, we’re not only here to fix your car when something goes wrong...we’re here to help you understand your car, truck, or SUV a little better, too. Here are some tips concerning your thermostat - how it works, what to watch out for, and what to do about it when one fails.

Fleet operators know that a day’s work can burn through a lot of fuel. When it comes to multiple vehicles, even a slight change in the way vehicles are used can make a huge difference towards saving fuel, and money as a result. Whether you manage diesel trucks, fleet cars, or both, a little bit of effort can sometimes go a long way.By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, NM has a few tips you can use to keep fuel consumption low, that you may be interested in implementing throughout your fleet.

Losing a belt on the road can turn a small problem into a big one instantly. At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, we know efficient and cost-effective operation begins with preventative maintenance.

If you drive a car, truck, or SUV with a manual transmission, the pressure plate is an integral part of your vehicle. From By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, here’s what you need to know.

Have you always wondered what a spark plug does? Our team here at By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair is here to help you out. It's simple in theory but does quite a lot of work for such a small piece of equipment. Your spark plug forces electricity to arc across a gap like a bolt of lightning at high voltage and fits into your engine's cylinder head, where it “sparks” to ignite the fuel and creates combustion within your engine. Without it, you wouldn't be able to drive your car or truck. 

Many cars, particularly models produced between the 1970s and the 1990s, utilize cable clutch designs instead of hydraulics to operate the clutch. Here’s a brief explanation of clutch cable systems, from By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque.

Do you hear a funny clicking sound when you turn the wheels of your vehicle? It could be your car or truck's CV or Drive Axle, and it may be in need of repair. Safety is the number one priority for our customers here at By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair, and it is our goal to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Driving around with a damaged CV Joint or Drive Axle problem can be extremely dangerous. The axle is a structural component that bears the weight of the vehicle, any cargo, and the acceleration forces between you and the ground. It is so important to have your vehicle inspected regularly by a trained automotive repair professional here at By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair to ensure its safety.

At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, routine maintenance and repair isn’t the only thing we do. For custom parts installation, you can also count on us. Common modification enthusiasts do is swapping to a short-throw shifter; but what actually is a short-throw shifter, and what does it do?

“Transfer case” is a term you may have heard in discussions about transmissions. But what is it, and what does it do? By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque wants to keep you up to date and knowledgeable in your vehicle. Different aspects of your vehicle provide different issues and solutions.

You may occasionally hear the term “transaxle” used in place of “transmission” for your car or SUV. Is there a difference, and if so, what is it? By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque is here to help.

At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, NM, we know buying a used car, truck, or SUV can be a gamble. While there are no guarantees, there are key points of inspection that tell us a lot about the condition of a vehicle and how it has been maintained. There are some important points of the inspection we verify when checking out a used vehicle.

At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, we know that few problems are simultaneously as simple and confusing as a bad ground connection on your car, truck, or SUV. Here’s a look at some symptoms of a bad ground, and what you can do to correct it.

At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, NM, we believe it’s important for you to know how different systems in your car, truck, or SUV operate. Whether you want to know what to watch out for, or you’re just curious about how things work, we’re here to supply the answers.

At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, NM, we know how annoying a faulty fuel gauge can be. Never knowing how much gas you have in your car, truck, or SUV, and constantly running the risk of stranding yourself on the road somewhere, takes its toll after a while. Luckily, we can fix that.

We’ve all been there: You start your car in the morning and begin to back out of the driveway. You hear an unusual noise coming from your car, and it sounds bad. How do you know if it's something you should bring in to us here at By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair to get looked at? 

It’s likely you’ve been exposed to conflicting opinions about having your transmission fluid replaced. You may have heard that cars over a certain mileage should not have the transmission fluid flushed and replaced, because it could damage the transmission, or you may have had someone tell you the first thing you should do at any sign of trouble is have your transmission flushed. At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, our expert mechanics have the answers you’re looking for.

Vehicle belts aren’t that different than the belts that hold up your trousers. They need to fit properly and stay in place, and if they break, sag, or wear out, you’ll probably wish you were wearing a different belt that day. The same goes for the belts in your car. Your engine compartment is a punishing environment, and while all auto belts are made of materials designed to be both flexible and tough, even the toughest materials will eventually wear out due to the extreme temperatures under the hood.

If you own or manage a fleet or commercial truck, you know what a headache it can be to take the same vehicle in for maintenance over and over, wasting valuable time. At By The Book Diesel & Auto Repair in Albuquerque, NM, we have the technology, equipment and technicians necessary to get the job done fast, and get it done right.