Do you need new brake pads? Most of the time, if you think you do, the answer is yes. While a lot of auto parts stores sell brake pads with lifetime warranties, don’t be misled...brake pads will still wear down.

At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, we have seen our fair share of preventable engine failures. Frequently, engine disaster could have been avoided if the driver had known beforehand what the warning lights or gauges on the dashboard indicated. While some dash lights are fairly benign, others indicate imminent trouble. This guide from Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM will prepare you for the next time your vehicle shows you a warning you shouldn’t ignore.

Fuel Systems are particularly important on diesel trucks, whether you drive a Ford, Chevrolet, or Dodge pickup. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, fuel system maintenance and repair is a service we prioritize, since we know how essential a reliable fuel system is.

At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, we see a lot of the same mistakes that cause a transmission to fail. With our help, you can avoid a preventable transmission failure and keep your car reliably on the road.

Your car’s radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine. A vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used. This is where your car battery comes into play. The battery of your vehicle holds electrical energy while the car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion. Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you allow our team here at Tom Quirk Automotive to perform proper maintenance, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years.

Whether it’s due to damage, or simply old age, leaky trucks are a problem. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, we can fix that for you.

Water leaks are common and hazardous. Not only do they cause rust, rot, and mold damage to your trucks, they also put any cargo inside at risk. No customer wants their boxes and products to arrive water damaged - it not only makes your company look bad but can cost you a lot of money. 

If your transmission isn’t shifting correctly, you’ll want to be careful about how you choose to proceed. The best thing to do is turn the vehicle off and have a professional take a look at it, but if that isn’t an option, there are some steps you can take to ensure nothing gets damaged. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM we can take a look at your issues and also give you some tips on what to do when that option isn't available yet. 

It makes sense that a car that is rarely driven will last longer, right? It may seem counterintuitive, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Vehicles are meant to be driven, and various issues can arise if they aren’t stored properly or driven fairly regularly. If you have a car, truck, or SUV that you only drive occasionally, in the summer, to car shows, etc., this one is for you. Here’s what you need to know, from Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM.

The interior of your car can be difficult to maintain; between you, your kids, and anyone else who gets a ride from you, wear and tear on the interior of your vehicle is constant. Drinks get spilled, burn holes appear, rips and tears happen. Unlike the rest of your car, the interior isn’t made of metal, so it requires special treatment to keep it in good condition.

At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, we know how annoying little quirks and issues can be. A common problem vehicles experience is a cooling fan that doesn’t kick on and off when it’s supposed to. While a fan that won’t kick off is far less troubling than a fan that won’t turn on, it’s still a problem that needs to be fixed for a variety of reasons. Here’s why, and what you should do.

Tires may be the only part of a vehicle that physically meets the road, but your shock absorbers are next in line. Working with the suspension springs, they absorb shocks from bumps and cracks in the road, while simultaneously controlling bounce and body roll.

Tires may be the only part of a vehicle that physically meets the road, but your shock absorbers are next in line. Working with the suspension springs, they absorb shocks from bumps and cracks in the road, while simultaneously controlling bounce and body roll.

Oil changes are integral to the performance, longevity, and reliability of your diesel truck. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, our expert mechanics understand the importance of good quality oil, changed at correct intervals, in allowing you to get the most out of your Cummins, Powerstroke, or Duramax diesel.

There seems to be a common misconception among many that if you have an aftermarket/extended warranty, that your car, truck, SUV, or Jeep must be taken to a dealership. This is not true. Non-dealership / Independent Automotive repair shops like ours here at Tom Quirk Automotive can service and repair your new or under warranty/extended warranty. As a positive, at our shop, you can get fast service and work with highly trained technicians! We'd love to take care of your vehicle for you and can do so right here at our automotive shop. Repairs by highly rated and trained automotive technicians with dealer rated diagnostic tools, at better pricing by a shop that knows you!

A car that brakes well and brakes correctly are just as important as acceleration, handling, or any other aspect of a vehicle’s drivability. A car with brake issues has the potential to be a far more enjoyable ride when fixed.  Your brakes have a lot to do with how your car drives. Brakes are a frequently neglected item on a lot of people’s checklists, and many drivers on the road have subpar brakes and don’t even know it. 

We’ve all been here: You start up your vehicle in the morning and begin to back out of the driveway. Before your hand reaches the volume dial on the stereo to crank up your favorite morning radio duo, you hear a noise coming from your car. A vehicle shouldn’t make that noise, yet yours is. And it sounds bad. But is it?

“Spark plug” is a word you are likely familiar with; it’s one of those car terms that you’ve heard your whole life. You know they’re important, you know sometimes they need to be changed. But how do you know when it’s time to replace them? What do they do, and where do they go wrong? Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque has the answers.

While transmissions are extremely complicated and it takes a professional hand to work on one, taking care of the one you have isn’t difficult. At Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque, NM, we understand the importance of caring for your transmission properly, so that it stays in good condition for as long as possible.

No matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, old or new, it probably has doors. Those doors are heavy, and they see a lot of use. Naturally, from time to time, parts wear out. If your door doesn’t function as well as it should, here’s why, courtesy of Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque.

Keeping the interior of your car, truck, or SUV clean and in good shape is an important part of making your vehicle last. Tom Quirk Automotive in Albuquerque has some tips on keeping your car clean inside, and why keeping it clean matters.