Do you need new brake pads? Most of the time, if you think you do, the answer is yes. While a lot of auto parts stores sell brake pads with lifetime warranties, don’t be misled...brake pads will still wear down.

At Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO, we understand that the care for your vehicle is in the details. Transmission work, more so than any other type of maintenance or repair, requires a keen eye and specific know-how.

Failed engine mounts are an irritating issue to live with causing your car or truck to vibrate and you don't know why. At Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO, we can help, no matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive and it is an easy issue to detect on a test drive.

There are a few indicators your engine mounts need to be replaced. For one, you can do a visual inspection, if they’re accessible enough - if they looked cracked, smashed, or dry-rotted, it’s probably time for new ones.  If the engine visibly shakes while it’s running, engine mounts are also likely the culprit.  However, if you are like most drivers you simply get in and drive on down the road until something is different or a light comes on!   Then you call our shop for help!

So, you’ve determined your transmission is bad. What next? Choosing what to do can be overwhelming, and you need someone you can trust to help you decide what work needs to be done. Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO is here to help you make the right decision when it comes to your transmission. There are a few things to consider when your transmission goes out. You might feel inclined to just get a new car, but should you? 

There is a reason we check your brake fluid when you come in for a service check.  Maintenance pays big dividends and we want to avoid high repair costs for our St Charles drivers.  Did you know that brake service isn't just all about the brake pads, drums & rotors?  That we have found low brake fluid to be the cause of a large percentage of brake issues here at Rhodes Engines?  Seriously, brake fluid is an important part of your braking system and with your service intervals being less frequent on the newer vehicles 5,000-10,000 more miles this has become an issue!  Why?...

Obviously, your brakes are pretty important. Your brake system is made of many components that all have to work correctly for your brakes to operate seamlessly. If one thing needs to be repaired, the whole system is compromised. Brake pads, rotors, hoses, calipers, and metal lines all play a part in stopping your car. At Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO, we’re here to make sure your car, truck, or SUV stops as it should.

If you’ve owned a vehicle long, particularly one with a few miles on it, you have probably encountered a peculiar smell that grabbed your attention. Scents that you encounter while driving (emanating from your vehicle, not the horse farm down the road) are indicators of your vehicle's health and often the first warning that something may be wrong. Rhodes Engines in St Charles has assembled this list to prepare for you for the next time you smell something odd, so you’ll know what’s going on next time you notice a funny smell.

Obviously, your brakes are essential. However, it’s easy to neglect or ignore brake issues, and even miss them altogether; as long as the car, truck, or SUV still stops, many people don’t see the need to have their brakes serviced. From Rhodes Engines in St Charles, here are some common brake issues, and why you should fix them.

There are many parts and systems outside of the car’s transmission that is equally as important as the parts and systems inside the transmission. Without them, the transmission won’t do much. There’s no way to transfer power from the engine to the shafts, disengage it to shift the gears, or power the differential without them. Just in case you need us, at Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO, we can help keep your transmission in top shape, but here’s what you need to know.

At Rhodes Engines in St Charles, 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.

When you are having trouble with your car or truck starting and you open the hood up to take a peek to see this....you'll see what an overly corroded battery looks like. This happens naturally over time on vehicle battery terminals.  If you are like 99% of normal St Charles drivers, you don't check your oil or your battery so you don't keep an eye on the amount of corrosion that's building up on your car or truck battery.  Here at Rhodes Engines, we do and there are solvents that we can use here in the shop during a battery maintenance service that will help slow the corrosion process but nothing that can prevent it 100%. Way before it gets to this point, we will be suggesting you consider replacing the battery. 

At Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO, a big part of our job is helping you make decisions that are right for you, your car, truck or SUV. When it comes to replacing a transmission there are a lot of options out there, and we’re here to help you make the right choice. Our technicians can help you decide based on your budget, vehicle and lifestyle. We're here to get your car going again and earn your business in the future.

Manual transmissions are generally more reliable than automatic transmissions. They don’t have as many parts, aren’t as complex, and can take a lot more abuse. However, if an issue is allowed to persist, more and more damage to surrounding components on your manual transmission will occur. Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO can help you take care of your car as soon as you notice a problem.

If your car, truck or SUV is experiencing major engine issues, the technicians at Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO have you covered. You hear the engine knocking when it decides to start? Is there smoke pouring from your truck’s exhaust pipe? Whether you’re burning oil, your engine is on it’s last leg or has simply given up altogether, we can help. And if you’re not sure what you need, we can help with that too.

At Rhodes Engines in St Charles, we know there’s a lot of conflict on when you should maintenance certain things on your truck. We also know there are consequences to neglecting maintenance; the difference between a truck that breaks down all the time and a truck that has covered over a million miles virtually trouble free all boils down to maintenance.

At Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO, we know there’s a lot of conflict on when you should maintain certain things on your truck. We also know there are consequences to neglecting maintenance; the difference between a truck that breaks down all the time and a truck that has covered over a million miles virtually trouble-free all boils down to maintenance.

As your vehicle ages, it not only gains sentimental value but a number of maintenance measures arise as well. Trucks from previous decades have the potential to keep their value and functionality for many years. Here are some tips from Rhodes Engines to keep your older truck running for a prolonged time.

At Rhodes Engines in St Charles, MO, we understand that maintenance is the difference between a truck that makes it to the million-mile mark and a truck that doesn’t come close. Here are some tips to keep your truck in shape for many miles to come.

If you drive a vehicle with more than a few miles on it, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed an occasional drip underneath it that leaves spots wherever you park. Identifying what is leaking from your car will help you determine whether or not it’s a cause for concern, and what to do about it.

There are seven liquids a car can possibly drip: oil, gas, brake fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil, water, and coolant. How do you tell the difference? This article aims to help your know-how.