Kenvil & Lake Hopatcong Auto Repair

Winter brings unique challenges for your vehicle, from icy roads to freezing temperatures. Preparing your car for these conditions isn’t just a matter of convenience—it’s a safety necessity. A winter vehicle check ensures your car can handle the colder months and helps you avoid unexpected breakdowns during the worst time of the year. Here’s why winter checks are essential and a handy checklist to get your vehicle winter-ready. Safety First: Proper preparation ensures your car can handle slippery roads, low visibility, and freezing conditions. Prevent Costly Repairs: Catching potential issues early saves you from expensive repairs or breakdowns later. Enhanced Performance: Your vehicle operates more efficiently when it’s winter-ready, improving fuel economy and performance. The Essential Winter Checklist Battery Check Cold weather can reduce your battery’s capacity. Ensure the ... read more

As the winter months set in and temperatures drop, it's crucial to keep your vehicle prepared for the challenges of inclement weather. Often, one of the most overlooked aspects of winter readiness is tire quality. While a quick glance might show some tread, this doesn’t necessarily mean your tires are winter-ready. Having quality tires specifically suited for winter driving can make all the difference in unpredictable weather, helping you stay safe and avoid getting stuck. Need Help Evaluating Your Tires? Not sure how to tell if your tires will get you through the winter? Our technicians are available at both of our locations to assess your vehicle's tires and recommend any necessary changes to help you navigate the slippery conditions ahead. We can check your current tires, and help you choose a new set, if needed, to best fit your interest.  We know tires can be expe ... read more

The truth is, your car’s dashboard lights are just trying to communicate important information to keep you and your vehicle safe. Each light has a specific meaning, and knowing what they're trying to tell you could be the difference between a small issue and a costly repair. As winter draws near, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of these alerts to ensure your car is ready for the colder months ahead. Let’s break down some common dashboard symbols, so you can tell whether it’s a treatable issue—or something you shouldn’t ignore. 1. Check Engine Light –  The check engine light is the most dreaded of all dashboard symbols. When this light comes on, it can mean anything from a loose gas cap to a serious engine problem. While it might be tempting to ignore it and hope it goes away, doing so can lead to bigger issues. With winter coming, don’t risk getting stranded in the cold! Bring your car in for a checkup to ensu ... read more

Brakes are fundamental to vehicle safety. They enable you to control your car's speed and stop when necessary, preventing accidents and ensuring safe driving conditions. Without properly functioning brakes, your vehicle's control is severely compromised, posing significant safety risks. Regular inspections and maintenance of your brake system are crucial for ensuring that your vehicle operates safely and efficiently. Signs That Your Brakes Need Attention Several indicators can suggest that your brakes need professional attention: Noise: Squealing or grinding noises when applying brakes often indicate that your brake pads or shoes are worn out and need replacement. Vibration: If you feel vibrations or pulsations in your steering wheel when braking, it might signal warped rotors that need to be checked. Soft or Spongy Brake Pedal: This could indicate air in the brake lines or an issue with the brake fluid, bot ... read more

Causes, Symptoms, and Solutions If you're a Chevy owner, you may have heard of the dreaded lifter issues that seem to be plaguing some Chevrolet vehicles. Based on our experiences, it's a common problem that can cause everything from annoying ticking noises to serious performance issues, and eventually catastrophic motor failure. With so many coming in, we wanted to put a blog together to shine some light on these issues for our clients and anyone else who may not know or want to know more about them. So let's get into it!   What are Lifters? Before diving into the issues, it is important to understand what lifters are and their role in the engine. Lifters are small cylindrical components located in the engine block. They sit between the camshaft and the pushrods or valves. The lifter's primary function is to transfer the movement of the camshaft to the pushrods or valves, which in turn open and close the engine's intake and exhaust valves. Essentially, th ... read more

Our Repair of the Month is based on a Ram 5500 that came in with a heating issue. The customer explained that his heat was not working as efficiently as it used to and was only getting lukewarm. Another thing the customer noticed was that the heat on the passenger side seemed to be blowing warmer than on the driver's side. Based on previous experiences, we immediately knew that this was likely to be an issue with the vehicle's heater core.  The heater core is a part of the vehicle's cooling system that is responsible for heating the cabin when you turn the heat on. It is almost always located between the dashboard and the firewall, making the removal of the dashboard necessary to replace it. The evaporative core, part of the air conditioning system, can also be found behind the dashboard. This customer wanted to take preventative measures and replace the evaporator core too whi ... read more

Ram/General Heater Core Issues Just imagine winter is here, you go outside in the morning to start your car and let it warm up before you head out to start your day. You walk back outside and get in your car only to find cold air blowing out of your vents. “Ughhhhh, why is my car not warming up!?” Our team at Automotive Magic/Magic Lube & Rubber knows there could be a couple of issues that could cause your car to blow cold air instead of heat. Things such as low coolant, a broken blend door, or a stuck open thermostat could all be the culprits of having no heat. But the one we will be focusing on today is heater cores. While often overshadowed by its larger counterpart, the radiator, the heater core plays a vital role in ensuring your car's interior is a comfortable haven when temperatures plummet.  Heater Core Function  Now you may be wondering, what exactly is a heater core and what job does it perform? Here are some of the basics. Imagine the heater c ... read more

Our Repair of the Month for October features a 2017 Jeep Wrangler 3.6L V6 with 85,000 miles the customer reported the vehicle was smoking and overheating, but there was no sign of coolant leakage, even though the coolant level was low. In light of this information, we conducted a chemical test to determine if there was an internal coolant leakage in the engine. The test confirmed the presence of exhaust gas in the coolant, which is typically an indication of a bad head gasket or a crack in one or both of the heads (top half of the motor). When the head gasket is damaged, exhaust gas leaks into the coolant system, and the coolant leaks into the motor, where it mixes with engine oil. We confirmed that the head gasket was defective and removed the motor and removed the heads. We advised the customer to replace the heads with new, fully loaded ones, to avoid future problems as other components such as camshafts, timing components, and lifters could also fail. A ... read more

At Automotive Magic, we prioritize delivering exceptional service and repairs to our clients. To achieve this, we have assembled a team of industry experts who are committed to using the latest technology and establishing strong relationships with our vendors to provide our clients with the best possible pricing. Being one of our current clients, you have likely met Jay, our talented technician who joined our team with an impressive list of certifications and a passion for solving problems. He graduated from Wyotech Automotive and Light Diesel Training and is licensed by the state of NJ and the Motor Vehicle Commission for vehicle inspection and emission repairs. Jay's dedication to his craft is admirable; he is always seeking to improve his knowledge and skills and has earned several certifications, including Master Certified Technician, Light Duty Diesel, L1, Gasoline-Powered Engines, and Advanced Level Sp ... read more

Are you ready to give your vehicle some much-needed TLC? Now is the perfect time to do so because Automotive Magic and Magic Lube and Rubber have partnered with NAPA EasyPay to offer you an exciting deal. When you open a NAPA EasyPay credit card or use your existing card for a purchase at either Automotive Magic or Magic Lube and Rubber, you can get a whopping 10% cash back, up to $100! But, hurry, because this fantastic offer is only valid on purchases made through September 30, 2023. NAPA EasyPay is not just any credit card; it's your ticket to unlocking incredible savings while ensuring your vehicle runs smoothly. Here's why you should consider getting one: With NAPA EasyPay, you can enjoy a generous 10% up to $100 via Visa® Prepaid Card by mail at either of our locations. Whether you need an oil change, an alignment, or any other automotive service, we've got you covered. Up to ... read more