Diagnostics

  • Have you checked your battery? If it looks like this - It's bad!

    corrosive battery in car image

    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 St Augustine 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 Sargeant Service Center, 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. 

  • If you see steam, pull over!

    Woman checking out under the hood where steam is coming from

    Something will go wrong with your car, truck, or SUV eventually. The important thing is knowing what to do, and how to deal with it. Just knowing what to do in a situation often means the difference between a quick repair and thousands of dollars worth of work. If you see steam coming from under the hood, it’s important to deal with it appropriately and quickly. Here’s what’s going on, and what to do, from Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL.

  • Is it time to replace your engine?

    At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, we know it isn’t always easy deciding what to do next when it comes to major engine repairs. Fortunately, that’s what we’re here for - to help you make the best decision for your situation.

  • Looks Like A Problem? YES!

    Lady with car hood up - steam rising

    Sometimes it is EASY to see if your car or truck needs to come into our shop for professional repairs! 
    1.  You see steam rising from the engine!
    2.  The Check Engine Light is on!
    3.  The engine starts, but there is an odor that is not right.
    4.  You hear grinding or thumping noises.

  • Noticing an Emergency on your Dashboard

    At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, 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 Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL will prepare you for the next time your vehicle shows you a warning you shouldn’t ignore.

  • Recognizing Flood Damage When Buying A Vehicle

    Unless you are confident in your abilities as an automotive mechanic, there is really only one rule when purchasing a flood-damaged vehicle: don’t do it. Unfortunately, sometimes sellers aren’t particularly straight-forward with their used cars. Many will try to hide the fact that it’s been damaged by floodwaters at all or try to convince potential buyers that the car is in fact fine. “It has gone months with no issues” or “technically it is flood-damaged but” are two red flags, and while it isn’t impossible for a flood car to be fine, it’s altogether a good idea to stay away.
  • Reduce Noise and Increase Fuel Mileage

    city of drivers with smog

    While your exhaust system helps reduce noise output from your vehicle, it also significantly reduces harmful emissions from being released into the air. When your muffler and exhaust system are functioning properly, it significantly reduces your vehicle's harmful impact on the environment. It also significantly improves the functionality of your vehicle and improve fuel mileage for your car, truck, SUV or Jeep.

    An exhaust system is made up of numerous parts that work together to rid your car of the exhaust gases that are created during the combustion cycle, as your engine burns fuel. Each part of your exhaust system has an important role to play in removing exhaust gases away from the engine as quickly as possible, allowing another cycle of combustion to begin. The more quickly and efficiently an exhaust system does this the more efficiently an engine can run. The main parts of an exhaust system are an exhaust manifold, catalytic converter, oxygen sensors, exhaust pipes, and the muffler.

  • Sometimes it is obvious, others we have to hunt for it!

    diagnostic machine on an engine

    Here at Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine we often do diagnostics and sometimes the problem is obvious after hooking the car up to the computer and reading the codes.  However, sometimes it isn't obvious during a test drive or after hooking it up to all those computer programs!  You know there is a problem and a Check Engine Light is on with the fleet customer telling you the car has been having issues starting and the light has been going off and on depending on several factors.  No pattern, no simple answer but the problem becomes obvious when you start following the "threads of the issue" thanks to all that ASE Technician training.

  • Specifications of your vehicle for reliable performance

    Performance Car

    If you drive a performance or luxury vehicle, you know that your precision engineered equipment demands precision tuning. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, we specialize in high-end imports and performance vehicles and keeping them up to par.

  • The ABS Light - why is it on, and what should you do?

    abs light on dash lit up

    Have you ever noticed your dashboard ABS icon lit up? If you have it means there is an issue that needs to be diagnosed, ABS issues don’t need to be ignored long. The anti-lock braking system, or ABS, is an important feature on every modern car, truck, or SUV. It has been legally mandated since 2013 in the US but was standard on almost every vehicle even prior to that. Here’s what you need to know to make sure your ABS system doesn’t fail, from Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL.

  • The ABS Light - why is it on, and what should you do?

    abs light on dash lit up

    Have you ever noticed your dashboard ABS icon lit up? If you have it means there is an issue that needs to be diagnosed, ABS issues don’t need to be ignored long. The anti-lock braking system, or ABS, is an important feature on every modern car, truck, or SUV. It has been legally mandated since 2013 in the US but was standard on almost every vehicle even prior to that. Here’s what you need to know to make sure your ABS system doesn’t fail, from Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL.

  • What Does That Check Engine Light Mean?

    check engine light on dash image

    It’s a busy morning, you’ve finally gotten everyone where they need to be and you’re just pulling into the parking lot at work when your dash light starts glaring at you. Your check engine light shines bright, but you have no idea why. Whether you can tell a difference in the way your car, truck, or SUV is running, your car is trying to tell you something. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, we can help!

  • What Does That Check Engine Light Mean?

    check engine light on in car dash

    It’s a busy morning, you’ve finally gotten everyone where they need to be and you’re just pulling into the parking lot at work when your dash light starts glaring at you. Your check engine light shines bright, but you have no idea why. Whether you can tell a difference in the way your car, truck, or SUV is running, your car is trying to tell you something. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, we can help!

  • What Does That Check Engine Light Mean?

    check engine light on dash image

    It’s a busy morning, you’ve finally gotten everyone where they need to be and you’re just pulling into the parking lot at work when your dash light starts glaring at you. Your check engine light shines bright, but you have no idea why. Whether you can tell a difference in the way your car, truck, or SUV is running, your car is trying to tell you something. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, we can help!

  • What Is Your Mechanic Looking for In a Used Car Inspection?

    mechanic checking a list on a clipboard

    At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, 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.

  • What Parts Operate A Turbocharger?

    turbocharger under hood of car

    Turbochargers are intricate and precise components, but not all that complicated or difficult to understand. By knowing the parts of your car’s turbocharger and its functions, you’ll have a much better idea of how one works. Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL has exactly what you’re looking for.

  • When To Run Diagnostics

    911 diagnostics

    Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly complex, and as a result, computer diagnostic systems are becoming a necessity rather than a convenience. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, our state of the art technology and trained technicians are ready to diagnose any transmission issue you may be experiencing with your car, truck, or SUV.

  • When To Run Diagnostics

    911 diagnostics

    Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly complex, and as a result, computer diagnostic systems are becoming a necessity rather than a convenience. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, our state of the art technology and trained technicians are ready to diagnose any transmission issue you may be experiencing with your car, truck, or SUV.

  • When To Run Diagnostics On Your Vehicle

    Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly complex, and as a result, computer diagnostic systems are becoming a necessity rather than a convenience. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, our state of the art technology and trained technicians are ready to diagnose any transmission issue you may be experiencing with your car, truck, or SUV.

  • When To Run Diagnostics On Your Vehicle

    Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly complex, and as a result, computer diagnostic systems are becoming a necessity rather than a convenience. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, our state of the art technology and trained technicians are ready to diagnose any transmission issue you may be experiencing with your car, truck, or SUV.

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