Clackamas Auto Repair

Tires Near Me: How to Choose the Right Tires for Oregon Roads, Rainy Conditions, and Daily Driving When drivers search for tires near me, it is rarely just routine maintenance. Something feels different. Braking distances seem longer. Wet roads feel less predictable. Highway driving produces vibration or noise that was not there before. Tires are not just another component—they are a primary safety system that directly affects traction, steering, braking, and overall vehicle stability. For drivers throughout Clackamas, OR and nearby communities such as Oregon City, Happy Valley, Milwaukie, Gladstone, Damascus, and the greater Portland metro area, tire selection must account for local driving realities. Frequent rain, cooler temperatures, mixed highway and city driving, construction zones, and uneven pavement all place constant demands on tires. This guide explains what drivers should understand when searching for tires near them—how to choose the right tire type, how Ore ... read more

What Do I Do If My Sunroof Is Leaking? Causes, Risks, and the Right Way to Fix It You get into your vehicle after a rainy Oregon morning, start driving, and suddenly you feel a drip. Maybe you see a dark spot on the headliner. Maybe water streaks down the A-pillar or you notice a musty smell that wasn’t there yesterday. You touch the fabric above you and realize the sunroof is leaking. It’s a frustrating experience—mainly because drivers assume a closed sunroof should never leak. The glass is intact. There’s no visible damage. The seal is there. So what’s going on? Here’s the truth most drivers never hear: Your sunroof is not designed to be 100% watertight. It’s part of a managed water-drainage system, not a sealed barrier like your windshield. Water is expected to get past the outer seal. It’s supposed to enter a surrounding tray, then drain safely out of the vehicle through tubes that run down the pillars. When any part of that con ... read more

Can I Drive With a Check Engine Light On? What It Depends On A check engine light can throw your whole day off—especially when the car still starts and seems to drive “fine.” You’re left with an annoying gray area: is this a small issue you can handle this week, or a “don’t drive it” situation that can turn into bigger damage if you ignore it? Here’s the most honest answer: Sometimes you can drive with a check engine light on. Sometimes you shouldn’t. What it depends on is whether the light is flashing, how the car is running right now, and what system triggered the warning. This guide will help you make a smart decision without guessing. You’ll learn the difference between solid vs. flashing, the symptoms that mean “stop driving,” what to do immediately, and how a real diagnostic process confirms the root cause so you don’t waste time swapping parts.     What the Check Engine Light Actually M ... read more

Is It Safe to Drive With a Steering Wheel Shake? A steering wheel that shakes while driving is one of those symptoms drivers notice immediately—and often try to tolerate longer than they should. Sometimes it’s mild and easy to dismiss. Other times, it’s the first sign that steering or braking control isn’t as stable as it needs to be. The difficulty is that not all steering wheel shakes mean the same thing. Some are relatively low risk and stable. Others are early warnings of issues that can affect safety, reliability, and long-term repair outcomes. This guide explains how to tell the difference, what’s usually happening mechanically, and how to decide what to do next without guessing or rushing into unnecessary repairs.     The clear, honest answer Driving with a steering wheel shake is sometimes acceptable short-term and sometimes not safe at all. The difference depends on when the vibration happens, how it feels, and whether it’s c ... read more

Where Should I Take My Car to Get Fixed? A No-Guesswork Guide for Clackamas, OR Drivers When your car needs repair, the hardest part usually isn’t the repair itself. It’s choosing the right place to take it—especially when you don’t know whether you’re dealing with something minor, something unsafe, or the start of a reliability spiral. Most drivers are trying to answer the same questions: Is it safe to drive right now?   Am I about to pay for a diagnosis—or pay for a guess?   How do I know this shop is solving the root cause?   What happens if I wait?   How do I find a shop I can trust long-term?   This guide gives you a practical framework to pick the right shop in Clackamas and the surrounding Portland-metro area. You’ll learn the difference between diagnosis and parts swapping, what a trustworthy shop does before recommending repairs, what questions to ask, and how local driving conditions (wet weather ... read more