You woke up late and are rushing to get out of the house. The kids get in the car and you set-off to start your day, when you hear it. There’s a loud noise coming from under the hood of your car.

Automobiles have 1000s of moving parts and your vehicle is bound to make a noise at some point during your ownership of it. It’s important to know when the sound you’re hearing needs immediate attention to reduce the risk of further damage to your car or poses a safety concern for you or your family. One of the first things to do when you hear an unusual sound from you car is check the dashboard to see if there are any warning lights on.

The more information that you can give to your car service agent when you talk with them, the easier it will be for them to determine what the problem could be. When you hear a noise from under the hood, try to recall what you were doing when the noise began. For example, if you hear a squealing noise when you hit your brakes, chances are that you need new brake pads. Also, try your best to determine how to accurately describe the sound.

When you schedule an appointment with Hillmuth Certified Automotive and bring your car in, one of the first things that we will do is to try to recreate the sound that you are hearing. This is one of the best ways for us to diagnose a problem. With your help explaining what it sounds like and what was happening when you heard it, we can try to quickly determine the cause and get you back on the road again.

Contact Hillmuth today if your car is making an unusual noise and have one of our professionals take a look.

Well, the weather might not feel like it yet, but spring is only about a month away. And since neither Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog and his cousin in Potomac saw their shadows, springtime will be here even sooner than you think. That means, it’s about time to start thinking about the spring maintenance for your vehicle.

Winter can take its toll on your car, especially if you park it outside. So the spring maintenance is an important one, and can make the difference with how the summer and the rest of the year goes. One of the reasons why summer car sales are popular is due to negligence in the springtime.

If you bring your car into one of Hillmuth Automotive’s convenient locations — either in Clarksburg, Gaithersburg, Glenwood, or Columbia — we’ll get you fixed up just right and ready for the springtime with our maintenance care service. We can get your oil changed back to the warmer viscosity, your snow tires back to regular, and get a multiple point inspection done. Spring is a great time to get a clean off the exterior of salt and wintry mix and tune up or replace those parts that may have been weathered by the cold.

Remember, your car, SUV, or truck needs more than just oil changes and emergency repairs. Proper maintenance can prevent problems and prolong the life of your vehicle. Read here for more service tips and bring it on in to the experts at Hillmuth Automotive soon for a spring checkup. Click here to schedule your maintenance or call us at the location nearest you.

How often do we hop in the car and drive off in a mad dash to get somewhere? All the time, it seems, right? Does anyone really walk fully around and check their car like you’re supposed to before getting in? How do you know that a car thief didn’t come in the night and steal a wheel before your morning commute? What about broken glass in the parking lot near us, or trash in the driveway? We are lucky to even check the gas before we scramble off for the day.

The point is, how do you know your car is running well and healthily if you don’t have a professional check on it regularly? Just as doctors recommend getting a routine physical exam, your complex, fragile, and taken-for-granted vehicle needs routine checkups for keeping its operable health up to snuff. And keep in mind, your car’s health can directly relate to your own, and the safety of every passenger inside, if certain parts break or malfunction.

At Hillmuth Automotive, we believe that a well-maintained car is a safer car. Our experienced mechanics can perform seasonal checkups and tune-ups and preventive care, diagnosing issues and spotting potential threats before they cause damage or lead to an unsafe situation. Keeping your vehicle regularly maintained is also the best way to extend the life of the whole and the parts. In the long run, it not only keeps you safer, but can also save you money from buying a new car sooner than you’d like or spending on heavy repairs that could have been prevented if spotted earlier.

Contact Hillmuth Automotive today or stop by a location near you!

Most people buy things for their car to add functionality, style, or comfort. GPS systems. Radios. Subwoofers to pump that bass up. We get excited about fancy chrome rims and airbrushed flames. But when it comes down to taking care of the basics–like tires–we tend to forget that we need new ones every once in a while.

Well, there’s no season like snow season for new tires.

New tires are great for maximizing fuel efficiency, maintaining driveability in the snow, and protecting the life of your vehicle–and the passengers inside.

The average lifespan of a tire varies widely, depending on the manufacturer, vehicle, load, speed, inflation, weathering and terrain involved. That said, there are three measurements to determine if you need new tires. The first is age. Check the “DOT” birthdate on its side, with the first 2 numbers designating the week of the year and the last 2 showing the year. Then, if you’ve been driving on the tire for 5 or 6 years, you should get a new one–a new set, really, to wear all 4 evenly. The second factor is mileage. If you’re an average driver, some tires may last you up to 70k, 30k, or others far less.

But what it really comes down to is tread. Remember, racecars go through tires in a matter of laps. When you’re checking your tire pressure each month, check your tread depth, too. If it’s less than 1/16 of an inch, it’s unsafe and high time for new tires.

At Hillmuth Automotive, you can find snow tires or all-season tires for the winter, along with a variety of other passenger, touring, or ultra-performance treads. Our tire services also include mounting, rotation, and alignment. Contact us today.

You wouldn’t let a whack job surgeon open you up without a PhD., would you? And you’d never let someone who can’t even spell “CPR” lifeguard for your kids either, right? The same requirements apply to getting the right care for your vehicle. Demand a higher standard of auto care and get it serviced by someone with certification. Someone you can trust—like a Hillmuth Automotive technician.

Our Hillmuth mechanics are ASE certified and receive ongoing training to keep up to date with the latest and greatest technology in the field. Why? Because we care about our customers and adhere to a higher standard of reliability and quality service. Carrying the seal of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) is not only a benefit to our customers, but a testament to our dedication to our work as well.

So don’t bother taking the risk with non-certified companies. Without the expertise and knowledge base, their work may be shoddy or unnecessarily expensive, and you may be coming back in for even more repairs soon. When you weigh that dreaded possibility against the tried and tested 34+ years that Hillmuth Automotive has been in business, the competition just doesn’t stack up. And that’s not even counting the combined experience that our full team of seasoned technicians has altogether.

At Hillmuth, you get efficient, effective, and knowledgeable service. And you leave here a satisfied customer. To us, our reputation is more meaningful than our credentials, but it’s that satisfied smile on your face that is the most important badge of all.

Get the auto care you can trust by bringing in your car to a Hillmuth near you today.