Brooklyn Auto Repair

There are several potential reasons why a car's AC may not be functioning properly, including: Low refrigerant levels: This is a common reason why the AC may not be blowing cold air. Low refrigerant levels can be caused by leaks in the AC system. Faulty compressor: The compressor is a key component of the AC system, and if it is not working correctly, the AC may not function properly. Clogged or dirty air filters: If the air filters are clogged or dirty, this can restrict airflow, which can lead to reduced cooling performance. ​Electrical issues: Electrical problems such as faulty wiring, blown fuses, or a malfunctioning thermostat can also cause the AC to malfunction.​ At MINH's Automotive, we recommend bringing your car in for our qualified technicians to diagnose the issue with your car's Air Conditioner system. Once diagnosed, we will recommend the necessary repairs, which may include fixing any leaks in the AC system, replacing faulty components, or cleaning/repl ... read more

Volkswagen Audi engine timing chains come in many variations specific to the vehicle but have the same responsibility to keep mechanical synchronization within the engine to ensure smooth operation. The engine in question is a 2.0 CAEB TFSI. Here are some insights:   What is a timing chain? It is a metal chain that wraps around sprockets within the engine that are attached to crankshaft and camshafts to synchronize the stages of intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust for the engine to produce power. What are symptoms of a bad timing chain? Some may include: CEL Light- The check engine light is on and may have timing codes stored in the ECM module. Hesitation- Vehicle is having trouble starting or may not start at all.  Rattling sound- A rattling sound can be heard from the engine with accordance to applying gas.  Misfire-  ... read more

The piston rings, on the 2.0 and 1.8 TFSI engines pre-dating 2012 (majority of the reports being from the 2.0), let little oil seep through to the cylinders. Once there, they result in high oil consumption due to burning. As the driver, this issue will come to your attention by way of the ‘add one litre of oil’ notification. If and when this does happen, we recommend that you add a litre of the right grade oil as soon as possible, though you don’t need to stop the vehicle as soon as you see it. If left unattended, this problem will exacerbate. Thick smoke from acceleration, damage to the cylinders, etc. To get out ahead of the problem as an owner of a 2008–2012 2.0 or 1.8 TFSI engine, we suggest that you fill your oil to maximum capacity and then proceed to reset the odometer. The way you will know whether or not you’re affected by this problem will be the ‘add one litre of oil’ notification after having driven your Audi less than 1,200 m ... read more

As a dealer-alternative European auto repair shop serving Bay Ridge Brooklyn, we have over a 25 year track record of exceeding customer expectations. We provide general repairs and maintenance on all domestic and import cars and offer specialization services for BMW, MINI, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz and Porsche vehicles. The three things which set us apart: Unparalleled level of protection Dealer quality service, for less than the dealer price Customer service that goes above and beyond 1. Unparalleled level of protection - 3 Years – 36,000 Miles Nationwide warranty on our service. A job well done in conjunction with a piece of mind. We are one of very few shops in al ... read more

THE PROBLEM This BMW equipped with the N63 engine had an oil consumption issue where 1qt had to be added every 4 days and was blowing smoke from the tailpipe with a blue tint when accelerating post-warmup. This is caused by the aged rubber on the valve stem seals that hardens and cracks which will lose its ability to seal the valve guide. Bad valve stem seals will cause excessive oil consumption and can be identified by recording the level of oil loss. This is unfortunately a common problem that has carried over from the N62 to the N63 BMW engine. The models affected are vehicles from 2003-2008 with N62 V8 engines such as the  E60 545i, E63 645i, E65 745i, E53 X5 and vehicles from 2009-2013 equipped with N63 engines such as F10 550i, F12 650i, F01 750i, and E70 X5. HOW WE FIXED IT We fixed it the only way you can fix this problem when it arises: by replacing the valve stems with new ones. First and f ... read more

Your Audi is a big, powerfully engineered investment. Such an investment needs to be vigilantly protected, and below are a couple of helpful articles we've published that will arm you with valuable knowledge that should help prevent costly repairs, extend your Audi's lifespan, and keep it in peak condition. 1. Carbon build up on Audi Engines Affecting Your Audi Fuel Economy & Audi Engine Performance Carbon build up in your Audi is an inevitability because over time carbon deposits will build up on the intake valves. This then leads to reduced performance & fuel economy by your Audi engine, which you can read about in more depth in this article. And when you drive Audi, the last thing you want is reduced performance & increase in money you have ... read more

For the past few years, as an auto repair shop in Brooklyn specializing in European cars, we’ve leveraged our 25 years of experience to publish a lot of helpful content for owners of European cars looking to keep their car in prime condition. In this article we will circle back to important advice we’ve published for BMW owners in particular. So below, we’ve rounded up 5 important nuggets of advice -- served in bite sized pieces -- we have shared along the way (in no particular order), with links to the original post. 1. Failing Water Pump Warning Signs Has your BMW passed 50,000 miles or has it been 50,000 miles since the last time you replaced your electric water pump? Is your BMW's yellow engine temperature light turning red? If your answer is yes to either/both, we highly recommend that you ... read more

Do you have steam coming from the engine? Is your temperature gauge going to the red zone? Are your engine warning lights coming on? A likely cause is that your car is overheating and its possible reasons could be: Air entering the cooling system caused by a leak leading to antifreeze levels to drop; sucking in and disseminating air. Insufficient antifreeze circulation to the radiator due to some sort of blockage, such as a foreign object somehow lodged in the cooling system. Components in the water pump failing for various reasons like wear and tear. There are preventive measures you can take to avoid these symptoms and their underlying problem. They are as follows: Follow the manufacturer’s recommended interval for flushing the cooling system. Repair ... read more

As we discussed in an earlier post, the Volkswagen Audi 2.0 TSI engines from 2008-2012 with engine code CCTA, CBFA, CAEB and CPMA originally came with an inferior chain tensioner. The aforementioned article discusses what the failure of this component entails and our recommended actions in order to avoid potential catastrophic engine failure that could cost you thousands of dollars. In this article, we'll narrow our focus onto one of the persistent problems often associated with these TSI engine issues and discuss a specific part: the cam bridge. What a cam bridge is The cam bridge's relationship to the camshafts is that it's accountable for dispensing oil lubrication to them. Inside the cam bridge lies a very small aperture with a component, the purpose of which is to regulate oil pressure to the c ... read more

In the event of a malfunction, serious damage can be prevented and mobility preserved by means of “limp home” programs initiated by the transmission control module. In addition, there are also protective functions, which protect certain components against overload. The transmission is controlled by a newly developed Mechatronic system. It enables precision control of gear engagement speed and force when changing gears. This means that regardless of the driving situation, rapid gear shifts are also smooth. The Mechatronic system acts as the central transmission control module. It combines the electro-hydraulic control module (actuators), the electronic control module, and some of the sensors into a single unit. ATF oil is subject to a fixed replacement interval (refer to maintenance). PCB Circuit board malfunction. The gearbox is controlled by a ... read more