Experience The Difference
We are one of the leading auto repair shops serving customers in Orfordville WI, Brodhead, WI, Janesville, WI, and surrounding areas. All automotive repair and mechanic services at McDermott Automotive LLC are performed by highly qualified mechanics. Our mechanic shop works on numerous vehicles with the use of quality truck and car repair equipment. Whether you drive a passenger car, medium sized truck, mini-van, or SUV, our mechanics strive to ensure that your vehicle will be performing at its best before leaving one of our service bays. Our auto repair shop is capable of servicing a variety of makes and models. Our superior standards show that our mechanics always have the best interests of our customers in mind. Looking for a one-stop automotive repair shop? Look no further than us, and allow our mechanics to give you a reliable estimate of any automotive repair issue you might be facing.
Our number one goal has always been complete satisfaction for customers in Orfordville WI, Brodhead, WI, Janesville, WI, and surrounding areas. Our car repair shop has a longstanding reputation for quality repairs. Whether you need routine auto maintenance services or necessary car repairs, contact us online or visit us during business hours.
Brake Repair
A fully functioning brake system is crucial to your safety, the safety of your passengers, and the safety of other drivers on the road. Your vehicle’s brake system involves highly engineered parts and precise movements that stop your vehicle by converting kinetic energy into thermal energy. When you press down on the brake pedal, the master cylinder pressurizes a system of hydraulic brake lines leading to each of the vehicle’s wheels, where brake pads or shoes press against a disc or drum and create the necessary friction needed to slow the vehicle to a complete stop. Over time, this friction and heat has the potential to wear down the brake shoes, brake pads, calipers, brake rotors, and other braking components. While the components comprising each brake system may vary, the warning signs for impending brake repairs are the same.
Cooling System Repair
The cooling system consists of a cooling fan, water pump, thermostat, radiator, heater core, heater valve, and various other parts that primarily work together to dissipate and remove heat from a vehicle’s engine. Your vehicle’s cooling system is responsible for reducing the temperature inside your engine and preventing possible overheating. Excess heat can build in a variety of places in your vehicle’s engine. When the engine reaches maximum operating temperatures, the thermostat opens and releases antifreeze from the engine to the radiator, which initiates the circulatory flow to absorb excess heat. The antifreeze is also responsible for keeping other engine fluids from boiling or freezing. After the antifreeze flows through the engine, it cycles back to the radiator, where the excess heat escapes through the radiator’s walls. The antifreeze is cooled by the cooling fan and readied to be re-released into the engine to dissipate additional heat.
Diesel Engine Repair
Built with durability, reliability, and optimization in mind, diesel engine systems are designed to use their own compression to ignite fuel. In gasoline engines, the fuel is mixed with air, compressed by pistons, and ignited by a spark plug. The rate of compression in a diesel engine is more than three times that of a regular gasoline engine system. In a diesel engine system, the air is compressed at a high compression ratio, which introduces a great amount of heat. Following this compression, fuel is directly injected into the cylinder, where the fuel vapor is ignited. Diesel engines are built without spark plugs. Instead, diesel systems use glow plugs to start and run more efficiently in colder temperatures. Glow plugs have two heating elements that allow them to get very hot very quickly for fast starts. Turbochargers increase the compression ignition by quickly compressing the air flowing into the engine, allowing for more air to flow into the chamber. More air in the combustion chamber means more fuel can be added to the combustion process. Turbochargers provide diesel engine systems with improved efficiency, and ultimately, more miles per gallon of diesel fuel.
Engine Diagnostics and Performance
Every vehicle built since 1996 has been equipped with an On-Board Diagnostics System that monitors engine performance. Discrepancies in performance levels are reported through your vehicle’s computer system. Once the “check engine” or “service engine” light is displayed, your next step should be to seek out an engine diagnostic service or an engine tune-up. Engine diagnostics allow our staff to gather helpful information about the operating condition of your engine. The insights obtained during an engine diagnostic will determine the extent of suggested engine repairs. The most common diagnostic trouble codes are generated in response to malfunctions in the powertrain. Ultimately, regular engine tune-ups are necessary to optimize engine performance. A tune-up is also one of the most effective ways to prevent unexpected engine trouble. During an engine tune-up, our staff may replace the spark plugs, spark plug wires, air filter, fuel filter, and distributor cap and rotor in your vehicle. Our experts will also check emission levels, fuel lines, and belts and hoses. Engine diagnostics and regular engine tune-ups can help extend the life of your vehicle and improve the health of your engine.
Exhaust System Repair
Located on the underside of your vehicle, the exhaust system is responsible for collecting and directing harmful emissions away from the vehicle, reducing the amount of pollutants released into the environment, and minimizing engine exhaust noise and force. The exhaust system is composed of pipes and tubing designed to streamline vehicle operation while maximizing vehicle performance and efficiency. Engines produce dangerous gases as a byproduct of the combustion process. The exhaust manifold collects the emissions from the engine and funnels the gases through the front pipe to the catalytic converter. The converter transforms these harmful gases, like carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxide, into less harmful ones, like oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, and carbon dioxide. The muffler helps cancel out the noise created by the engine. The muffler dissipates sound waves while the tailpipe releases the converted gases into the atmosphere.
Lube, Oil & Filter Change
An oil change and filter replacement is one of many preventative maintenance services that help promote maximum vehicle performance while extending the life of your vehicle. Oil is responsible for lubricating the working components inside your vehicle’s engine while reducing the amount of friction between them. Because the engine generates a substantial amount of heat, oil acts as a cooling agent as it circulates through the engine. Oil also absorbs other harmful particles created during the combustion process and directs them to the oil filter, which filters out the debris and contaminants for clean, free-flowing oil. Together, the oil and oil filter keep your vehicle’s engine operating at optimal levels of performance. During an oil change, we will replace your engine’s old oil with new oil and replace the oil filter. We will also lubricate the chassis components of the vehicle according to the standards of the manufacturer. At the end of every lube, oil and filter change, our staff will have ensured that your engine oil is clean and the working parts of your engine are properly lubricated.
Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is the care and protection of your vehicle against potential major auto repairs. Negligence is the most common and costly way to see money wasted on repairs that could have easily been prevented through regular service intervals. Depending on your vehicle’s manufacturer, avoiding preventive maintenance on certain parts and components has the potential to void warranty coverage. Car maintenance intervals have been designed to improve the reliability, durability, and resale value of your vehicle. Based upon your driving conditions, these service intervals may arrive sooner than you expect. For example, short commutes can actually hurt a vehicle because most engines thrive during long drives. Driving short commutes, experiencing stop-and-go traffic, and carrying heavy cargo are all aspects of severe driving. However, severe driving can also be reinforced by your environment. Hot or cold weather, mountainous or rough roads, and dusty or salty environments can all affect your vehicle. Because of these innumerable factors, adhering to a rigid service schedule can keep your vehicle operating at maximum efficiency for years to come.
Starting, Charging & Batteries
Your vehicle’s starting and charging system is involved in regulating multiple electrical processes to start your vehicle’s engine and keep it running. The starting system consists of the battery, a starter motor, and a starter solenoid responsible for starting the engine, while the charging system consists of an alternator and voltage regulator. The charging system is responsible for routing energy throughout the entire electrical process while sustaining the battery’s charge. The battery supplies the electric power necessary to start the vehicle. This process starts when you turn the ignition. Then, the starting system sends power from the battery to the starter solenoid to the starter motor, which turns the engine in order to begin the internal combustion process. The alternator powers the other electrical components in your vehicle while the regulator controls the voltage supplied to each component. The regulator also ensures that the alternator maintains the battery’s charge so that the entire cycle can continue.
Steering and Suspension System
The steering and suspension system on your vehicle is responsible for maintaining comfortable riding conditions and driving performance. The steering and suspension system also helps drivers remain in control of their vehicles at all times. The suspension system converts forward energy created by bumps in the road into vertical energy that travels up into the vehicle frame. Suspension system components, like coil springs and shock absorbers, help to dampen the impact of this road force. While the individual components comprising each suspension system may vary, all suspension system components will weaken over time through stress applied during normal driving conditions. Similarly, off-road driving and erratic driving can wear down suspension components more quickly. Regardless of your driving preferences, we have the necessary equipment to identify and correct any issue plaguing your steering and suspension system. Our staff is trained to inspect the steering and suspension components in order to determine whether your service will entail a minor adjustment or a replacement.
Tire Services
Tires are the connection between your vehicle and the surface of the road. A critical part of your vehicle’s suspension system, tires are responsible for transmitting the forces of driving, steering, and braking to the surface of the road. Although tires are easily maintained, they are often overlooked. The air inside your tires and the design of the tire influence vehicle performance, tire tread life, and ride comfort. Tire maintenance is vital for getting the most out of your tires by maximizing mileage and tread wear. Our staff will help you understand the basics of tire care and maintenance, like when you should seek tire rotation, balance, and alignment. Our staff will also help you understand tire sidewall markings, teach you the best time to purchase a new set of tires, and show you how to choose the right set of tires for your vehicle.
Transmission Repair
The transmission is the link between the engine and the wheels of your vehicle. Whether you drive a manual, automatic, or semi-automatic vehicle, the transmission plays a crucial role in the performance and reliability of your vehicle. The transmission keeps engine output matched with speed and load conditions. Because engines operate at high rotational speeds, the transmission reduces engine output speed and transmits torque through the differential, driveshaft, and wheels. As engine speed varies, the transmission switches between the gears that influence the amount of torque applied to the wheels. Transmission fluid performs a variety of duties, depending on the type of transmission. Transmission fluid acts as a cooling agent and protects the transmission by lubricating the internal gears and preventing corrosion and rust. In a manual transmission, clutches and gear shifts provide pressure and force—like engagement and disengagement—while in an automatic transmission, transmission fluid provides these same operational functions of force and pressure.
Wheel Alignment
A wheel alignment consists of adjusting the wheels of your vehicle so that all wheels are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. Three basic angles contribute to proper wheel alignment: camber, caster, and toe. Camber is the measure of the degree of perpendicular offset from the road surface. Caster is the angle of your wheel’s pivot, which is attached to the suspension, and when this angle is out of alignment, straight-line tracking is affected. Toe refers to the angle of directional difference between the tire and the centerline of the vehicle. The front and rear wheels on your vehicle should always be perpendicular to the ground and parallel to the tire beside it. Routine wheel alignments have the potential to save you money in the long run while promoting optimal vehicle performance.
