Diagnostics

  • ABS Lit On Your Dashboard, Here Is What That Means!

    At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we’ve got every answer to your transmission questions and needs, and answers to a lot of things that fall outside of that realm as well. Today, we’re talking about the ABS light - an issue that plagues many modern drivers at some point or another.

  • Dash Warning Lights

    multiple dash warning lights

    It doesn't matter if you are driving a car or truck, jeep or SUV, a diesel 4x4 or a classic when those dash warning lights go off the first thing you do is think "how bad is it?" and "how much will it cost me?" followed quickly by "when was my last service visit?"!!  Driving your vehicle longer safely is all about getting it serviced based on what your vehicle manual recommends and these warning lights are alerting you to a situation that requires your attention. 

    While not all warning lights are a sign that disaster is imminent, no warning indicator light should ever be ignored!

  • Diagnosing Issues with Your Vehicle

    mechanic sitting in vehicle working on a screen

    At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we understand the importance of being on top of the latest in automotive technology. That’s why we invest heavily in top-notch diagnostic and programming equipment, and why we have technicians that know how to use it.

  • Diagnosing Issues with Your Vehicle

    technician running diagnostics

    At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we understand the importance of being on top of the latest in automotive technology. That’s why we invest heavily in top-notch diagnostic and programming equipment, and why we have technicians that know how to use it.

  • Diagnosing the Issues with Your Vehicle

    mechanic running diagnostics on a vehicle

    At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, our technicians have a wide variety of top of the line tools and equipment available to diagnose and repair your vehicle. We utilize equipment at the forefront of technological innovation to best provide for the specific needs of your car.

  • Diagnosing Those Dash Lights

    check engine light

    Since the first automobile, vehicle electronics have become increasingly more complex with every passing era. In the modern-day, your car, truck, or SUV likely depends on an array of modules, sensors, and components that control every aspect of how your vehicle runs and drives. Here’s what you need to know about your vehicle’s electronics systems, from Downtown Automotive in Siler City.

  • 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 Siler City 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 Downtown Automotive, 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. 

  • Is it time to replace your engine?

    At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, 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 Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, 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 Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC 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.
  • Sometimes it is obvious, others we have to hunt for it!

    diagnostic machine on an engine

    Here at Downtown Automotive in Siler City 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 Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, 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 Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC.

  • 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 Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, 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 Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we can help!

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

    mechanic checking a list on a clipboard

    At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, 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.

  • 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 Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, 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 Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, 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.

  • Your Vehicle's Computer Collects MORE Data Than Your SMART PHONE!

    Your car data owned by manufacturers now

    Newer Vehicles Generate as Much As 25GB of Data/Hour according to McKinsey.  Now That is Extremely Interesting!  It is also daunting as we now need to know "what data" right?  You also want to know where it is going if anywhere and who owns the data?  All interesting questions that we never thought about.  Just get in and drive, choose a destination and if a light goes off in the dash you call us here at Downtown Automotive to schedule an appointment.   We want our Siler City drivers to be informed as always and able to make their choices based on having facts.  This is a big change in the automotive-truck service industry and it really has not hit the news at all, so it is up to us to get you up-to-date and informed.  Here are the facts and where you can find more information!

  • Jasper
  • 247towing
  • 24-Hour Dropoff
  • Acdelco
  • Ari Fleet
  • ASE
  • Auto Zone
  • B&W Trailer Hitches
  • BF Goodrich
  • Bosch Automotive
  • Bridgestone Firestone
  • Carquest Direct Hit
  • Cooper Tires
  • Dunlop Tires
  • Element Fleet
  • Enterprise Fleet
  • Goodyear
  • Hankook Tires
  • iATN
  • Loaner Car
  • Michelin
  • Motorcraft Parts
  • NAPA AutoCare Center
  • NFIB
  • Pet Friendly
  • Radiator
  • Reese Hitches
  • State Inspection
  • Tech-net
  • Tires
  • Toyo
  • Valvoline
  • 12 Month Warranty
  • Wifi Available

Downtown Automotive

202 S Chatham Ave
Siler City, NC 27344
Get Directions

location small (919) 742-2365
AFTER HOURS: (919) 842-2606

SHOP HOURS

Weekdays:   8:00am - 5:00pm
Weekends: Closed