Commerce Auto Repair

05/29/2026

Batteries are very sensitive to changes in the weather. Temperature really affects auto battery performance. A battery inspection is an important part of your spring and fall checkups. Next time you're under your hood, take a look at your battery.

- Is it clean and free of residue? A dirty battery will drain.
- Is there corrosion at the terminals where the battery cables attach to the battery? If there is, the corrosion can interfere with how efficiently electricity passes back and forth from the battery.
- Are the cables loose? Make sure they are tight.
- Are the cables themselves corroded? Corrosion can actually eat through the battery cables.

If the battery test indicates that replacement of the battery or cables is in order, you will be lucky to have caught the problem before it becomes a major inconvenience.

05/15/2026

High mileage oil is designed to condition seals and gaskets, reduce wear and avoid premature burn off. Older vehicle engines are dirtier inside - and dirty engines contaminate their oil faster. High mileage oil has special additives that clean the engine, removing sludge deposits over time. The result is less stress on the engine, better fuel economy and excellent wear protection.

Studies have even shown that using high mileage fluids early will actually prevent some of the problems of high mileage vehicles. So once you hit around 50,000 mi/80,000 km, consider stepping up to high mileage formulations. The fluids cost a bit more than standard fluids because of the additional additives, but they can be worth their weight in gold in terms of preventing repair costs down the road.

It does cost more for vehicle owner's to properly maintain a higher mileage vehicle - but it's much cheaper than a new car payment!

04/30/2026

If you hear your engine start to turn over but then it stops and is followed by a grinding sound, some gears may not be meshing the way they should.

There may be many more causes (bad alternator, relay, battery, engine, key fob), so this is when it's time to turn it over to your service facility. Sometimes they can send out their own tow truck or recommend a reputable towing company.

But it's best not to let it get to this point. Starter problems often give you advance warning that there is a problem with "almost" not starting or "almost" not turning over. So when you see that very first sign, "start" on over to talk this one over with your service advisor. The opposite of a "non-starter" is a starter, and that is music to anyone's ears.

04/16/2026

If you've ever felt your vehicle hesitate, go, then hesitate again, you might think there's something wrong with the transmission. After all, it's not moving smoothly down the road. But there are plenty of malfunctions that can cause those symptoms, one of them being something you may have never heard of: the EGR valve.

EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation. It's a system that channels small amounts of exhaust back into the engine to cool down the cylinders and reduce polluting gases.

The symptoms of a malfunctioning EGR valve include:

- Engine losing power
- Engine idling roughly
- Pinging and knocking sounds in the engine
- Stalling and hesitation
- Fuel economy decreasing
- Check Engine light illuminated

04/09/2026

Service to a vehicle's power steering system is part of preventive maintenance for auto owners. This system provides power to the steering wheel so you can turn it with ease. Without power steering, all of the power to turn your vehicle's wheels would have to come from you.

For answers to other questions about your steering system, or for auto advice on any type of vehicle maintenance, check with us. We can steer you in the right direction when it comes to quality car care.

03/27/2026

There's nothing quite like getting in your vehicle on a hot day, switching on the air conditioning and having warm air blow out of the vents. You may have had no problem for months and then, one day, you are driving around in a sauna. You're hot stuff, but not in a good way!

So what goes wrong when the AC isn't working? It could be a lot of things because the system has many different components. One thing that's a common cause is the vehicle is low on refrigerant (it used to be called Freon). If that's the case, it's not as simple as simply adding more. Sure, it may fix it quickly for a short time, but it's more likely than not that the refrigerant will just leak out again.

The good news is that your vehicle's service facility has the special equipment to recover the refrigerant and check the system's pressure, both vital to properly servicing the air conditioning system.

03/26/2026

3 Best Michigan Spring Break Family Road Trips - Metro Parent

Planning a Michigan spring break family trip? Explore Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo & Lansing for fun pit stops, great restaurants and more.

03/17/2026

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03/12/2026

🚗 $20 OFF Any Service Over $200! 🔧

Take advantage of our Repair Service Special at Commerce Auto Repair and save on your next visit!

📅 Expires 04/15/26
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03/05/2026

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