Colorado Springs Auto Repair

We often take our cars for granted, but owning a vehicle is a big responsibility. Whether you bought a cheap used car or have an expensive vehicle that you got brand new, it needs regular maintenance to keep it running right. At LightHouse Automotive, we call it "preventative maintenance" because it is done to help prevent major automotive damage while improving vehicle performance and driver safety. Here are 8 of the most important vehicle maintenance tasks that need to be done regularly, according to our top mechanics at LightHouse Automotive: 1. Oil Changes Motor oil is the lifeblood of the engine. Without enough clean oil flowing through all the different fast-moving engine components, major internal damage can happen. That's why it is so vital to change the oil and the oil filt ... read more

Charissa's car was due for an oil change. Rather than one of the quickie lube places or the expensive dealership, she decided to give LightHouse Automotive a try this time. She couldn't have been happier with the experience. Just check out her recent online review! "I got my oil changed at LightHouse Automotive, and all around, it was a wonderful experience," Charissa says. "I really appreciated the job well done, but also the staff is so kind and thoughtful." Whether you are visiting LightHouse Automotive for major auto repair needs or a preventative maintenance service like an oil change, tire rotation or brake service, we treat you and your vehicle with the respect and care you deserve. We want to get you in and out of the shop as quickly as we can, so you can get ... read more

Though it's something we hope you never experience, there's no worse feeling than when you try to start your car and it won't fire up. Whether it's struggling to start up or the engine won't turn over all, it's time to seek professional help from a mechanic that can diagnose the problem and make the necessary repairs. Sometimes it's a simple part that needs to be replaced. Other times, it's something more significant. Here are some of the most common reasons why a car won't start, according to the Colorado Springs auto repair experts at LightHouse Automotive: 1. Starter/Ignition System There are different types of ignition and starter systems found in vehicles made throughout the years, and each has different components that can fail. Problems to look for may be a failing ignition switch, starter motor, ignition coil, distributor cap or spark plugs. The ... read more

Other than maybe the engine itself, there is nothing more important in a car than the transmission itself. It transfers the power from the engine to the wheels, essentially controlling all forward or reverse motion. To put it simply, your vehicle wouldn't move at all without a working transmission. Transmission Service That's why your transmission needs regular maintenance just like everything else in the vehicle. The most common transmission maintenance procedure is what we'd call a standard transmission service. It is often referred to by auto shops as an "automatic" transmission service, as well. However, it applies to all types of transmissions, including manual, automatic and continuously variable transmissions (CVTs).  A standard transmission se ... read more

Steven bought a used 2012 Dodge Ram 5.7 Hemi from a local car dealership in Colorado Springs. Unfortunately, they neglected to tell him about certain mechanical issues that the truck was having. It was still under warranty, but Steven still experienced problem after problem and nothing was ever quite fixed properly. "I took my truck in several times throughout the warranty length, but they fixed nothing," Steven says. "I brought my truck to LightHouse and Rylan [Blair, owner] made sure everything was taken care of from there." We do not want to put any local dealerships or other auto repair shops down, but this is not the first time something like this has happened to one of our customers. Sometimes, someone else just isn't able (or willing) to get to the root of the proble ... read more

Though they are small and relatively simple in design compared to other automotive components, spark plugs play a very important role in the overall health and performance of your vehicle. If any of the spark plugs are dead or not working right, your engine will struggle and it may not fire up at all. Spark plugs need to be changed out periodically and tested regularly to ensure they are doing what they are supposed to do. Here are 5 of the most common signs that you need new spark plugs, according to the Colorado Springs automotive repair specialists at LightHouse Automotive: 1. The Car is Struggling to Start This is an obvious problem that you will want to get looked at. It may be a failing spark plug or something wrong with the ignition, fuel system, alternator ... read more

With Labor Day Weekend behind us, it's hard to believe the summer is officially over and kids are already back in school. Hopefully, you enjoyed a fun and active summer season with your family. Whether you took a family road trip or just stayed around town shuttling them to and from sports and other activities, odds are your family car has been through a lot this summer. Now that things are getting somewhat back to a normal school year routine, it's actually a great time to take care of any automotive needs that you may have been putting off the past few months. If you are in the Colorado Springs area, LightHouse Automotive is here to help. Automotive Repairs Obviously, if you know that your vehicle is in need of repairs—big, small or you aren't quite sure—you probably shouldn't want ... read more

Shanna was enjoying her family vacation until their car's air conditioner went out while they were visiting Colorado Springs. It's been a warm summer around here and a healthy A/C system makes all the difference when it's so hot outside. Shanna called around to a number of local auto repair shops, but none of them had any appointments available until the following week. That's not how we do things at LightHouse Automotive. We always try to make time for customers in need. "Very grateful we found this repair shop," says Shanna, "Temperatures were triple-digit and needless to say we were miserable. Finally we found LightHouse Automotive. I was totally prepared to be given a ridiculous price to fix our A/C since we were traveling and needed help fast. That was not the case at all. They got us in that same morning we called and gav ... read more

Do you own a classic car? Whether it's an old cruiser, a rare import or a brawny muscle car, we all dream of having a cool older vehicle to drive around in and tinker on in the garage. Classic Car Care It takes a lot of love and effort to care for a classic car like this, and it's really easy to get in over your head. Replacement parts can be hard to track down and working on the old school mechanical components can bring unique challenges. You'd think the simpler the mechanics, the easier things would be to troubleshoot and fix. However, it's not always that way. The LightHouse Automotive Difference That's why a lot of classic car owners throughout the Colorado Springs area count on Rylan Blair and his team at LightHouse Automotive. From preventative maintenance services to major repairs, we deal with a number of older vehicles and we know what it ta ... read more

The brakes in our car are often something we take for granted as drivers. We know that when we need to slow down or come to a stop, we can press on that little brake pedal and the vehicle will do what it's designed to do. Unfortunately, a lot of car owners ignore their brakes and let them get really worn out before finally doing something about it.  What Happens if Your Brakes Are Bad If your brakes aren't working properly or the brake pads/rotors are getting too worn out, it can be cause for concern. Your vehicle won't handle right and you might find it difficult coming to a quick stop when you need to. That puts your safety at risk. You may also hear unpleasant sounds like screeches and squeals. Last but not least, you could be doing damage to other a ... read more