Automotive Industry News & Information - Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust

Unless you use your vehicle to tow every day for work, odds are you haven’t paid much attention to your truck, SUV, or crossover’s towing capacity. Maybe you’re looking to buy a boat for some summer fun or just need to rent a trailer to get your belongings from one dwelling to the next. Whatever the reason for pulling something behind your vehicle, it’s important to get a firm grasp on what exactly your towing capacity means. Understanding how each of the components in your vehicle contributes to your overall tow rating can keep you from putting undue stress on your rig and keep you and your family safe.

Exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, and mufflers are exposed to heat, emissions, and road damage. While your exhaust system is fairly simple and straightforward, these conditions mean it is inherently prone to rust and damage. As a result, this system is often one of the first systems you will have trouble with inside your car. The exhaust system is complex and completely necessary for your vehicle to run efficiently.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, we believe it’s important for you to know how different systems in your car, truck, or SUV operate. Whether you want to know what to watch out for, or you’re just curious about how things work, we’re here to supply the answers.

When you get in your car, truck, SUV, or minivan to drive and the A/C does not work what could be wrong? Here at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust, we have some simple answers to help you understand how your vehicle A/C system works. The first question we are asked is "Why isn't my air conditioner blowing cold air?" Let's talk about what could be happening.

Here at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl 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.

Ah, windshield wipers. Like so many indispensable things in life, we tend not to appreciate them until they’re gone. But what if all drivers had a basic understanding of the wonderful world of wipers, enabling them to identify problems early and choose replacements wisely? We like that idea. Accordingly, we’ve put together a crash course that should bring your knowledge up to speed. Your automotive windows to the world require dependable wipers, so let’s learn more about these unsung heroes.

separated ball joint that needs to be replaced

We know you’re busy. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, we also know that while there are certain issues with your car, truck, or SUV you can ignore for a while, some of them shouldn’t wait. While serious issues are often obvious, sometimes they aren’t - ball joints are one such case.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, we know how annoying little quirks and issues can be. A common problem vehicles experience is a cooling fan that doesn’t kick on and off when it’s supposed to. While a fan that won’t kick off is far less troubling than a fan that won’t turn on, it’s still a problem that needs to be fixed for a variety of reasons. Here’s why, and what you should do.