Your vehicle's belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning and charging systems, and the engine. Don’t take these routine replacement intervals for granted because they can break down and leave you stranded.

What is the purpose and importance of your belts and hoses? The timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft mechanically synchronized to maintain engine timing. Whether serpentine, V-belt, or fan belt (the belts on the outside of the engine), they all transmit power from the front of the engine to accessories that need to be driven, such as the air conditioning, the charging system, and fans. Radiator and heater hoses carry coolant to and from the engine, radiator, and heater core.

Coolant leaks can be a pain - they’re elusive and have a lot of damage potential. Fortunately, at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, our technicians know exactly how to diagnose and repair a coolant leak, no matter where it is. Knowing more about where these coolant leaks appear and why they're a problem will help you to recognize a problem and get it repaired before it does further damage.

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!

Your brake master cylinder is an integral part of your brake system. When one fails, some odd symptoms may arise, and it may be difficult to diagnose. Here’s some information to help you decide if yours has gone bad. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID we want you to know what to look out for so that you can be safely on the road.

Every car, truck, van, and SUV on the road today has headlights. However, you've probably noticed an increase in different types of headlights in more recent years - gone are the days where every vehicle on the road had the same bulb. Here is some information on headlights, from Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID.

If you’re ever in a situation where you must remove the battery from your vehicle, it’s important to know what you’re doing. It seems pretty straightforward, and it is. However, there are some important things to remember when disconnecting the battery in your car, truck, or SUV. Here are some tips on disconnecting a car battery, from Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID.

While some keys or key fobs can only be obtained from dealerships, most cars can be programmed to accept a new key or key fob without expensive dealer intervention. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we often provide such services, at a fraction of the cost.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, it’s important to us that your car, truck, or SUV is ready for any condition. Coolant flushes are an important part of getting your vehicle ready for winter - here’s why.

Your brakes have a lot to do with how your car drives. Brakes are a frequently neglected item on a lot of people’s checklist, and many drivers on the road have subpar brakes and don’t even know it. A car that brakes well and brakes correctly are just as important as acceleration, handling, or any other aspect of a vehicle’s drivability. A car with brake issues has the potential to be a far more enjoyable ride when fixed.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, transmission maintenance and repair is our specialty. Here’s some information on your transmission pump - what it does, and how to know if yours needs to be replaced.

Your car’s belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning, and charging systems, and the engine. Here at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, our team takes them seriously as we understand that ignoring the routine replacement intervals will result in a costly breakdown that could leave you stranded. There are so many components tied together with your belts & hoses that it isn't just a simple belt or hose requiring repairs when you allow things to progress to the stage where your car or truck has a breakdown due to a faulty belt or hose.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we know how irritating an issue with your car, truck, or SUV can be, even if it doesn’t immediately affect your vehicle’s performance. One such problematic issue, the excessively loud radiator cooling fan, is a common plague many automobile owners will experience.

An engine can last anywhere from 50 to 500,000 miles depending mostly on how well you maintain it. While some engines are certainly more reliable than others, all of them depend on maintenance to fulfill their greatest potential. Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID has provided for you some of the determining factors of engine lifespan, to help you make sure your engine lasts as long as it possibly can.

Nobody knows your vehicle better than you; if you suspect it isn’t driving the way it used to, there’s a good chance you’re correct. The truth of the matter is there are countless reasons and remedies for such a broad subject, but Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID has compiled a list of a few common problems that can cause a vehicle to drive poorly.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we know that some of the most elusive issues with any car, truck, or SUV are often caused by the simplest of malfunctions. While you might consider a gas cap fairly innocuous, it can actually malfunction too, prompting a check engine light on your dashboard.

Good gas mileage is something we all want. In fact, many drivers purchase certain cars solely for gas mileage, and almost all of us at least take it into consideration when purchasing a vehicle. While it is true that gas mileage is by and large determined simply by the type of car, there are actually a variety of things you can do to increase the gas mileage of any automobile. The tips Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl want to provide you here are simple and effective steps you can take to increase your gas mileage, often more considerably than you think.

Are you driving around with a loud scraping sound coming from beneath your vehicle? Chances are, a piece of your splash shielding has come loose under your car. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we can have that annoying sound taken care of in no time.

We all love the sunshine but getting into that HOT car isn't always so wonderful even when you have a remote start it will take the breath out of you when the temperatures are soaring. Makes you want to pack your lunch instead of meeting friends for lunch! We decided that you should meet friends for lunch! So we got together and found some quick ideas for you. It isn't much but enjoy the sunshine on us here at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust here in Buhl! Call it our fun day fact!

Your drive belts are simple but integral components to the function of your car, truck, or SUV. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, belts are one of the first things we assess when looking over a vehicle, as they alone are in charge of operating your AC, water pump, alternator, and power steering.

Your drive belts are simple but integral components to the function of your car, truck, or SUV. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, belts are one of the first things we assess when looking over a vehicle, as they alone are in charge of operating your AC, water pump, alternator, and power steering.