Minneapolis Auto Repair

Car battery replacement in newer European vehicles is more complicated than you might think!  Some customers may try to install their own battery without having a qualified shop program the battery to their car's computer. While initially the car may work and warning lights such as the "check engine" or "service engine soon" may not be triggered, attempting to do your own car battery replacement can cost you a lot more than you were bargaining for in the long run. The electrical systems in today's newer import vehicles such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Mini Cooper, Land Rover, Jaguar and other makes, are so sophisticated that they tailor the electrical charging to both the age and type of battery in the car.  There is a computer module inside the car that controls the alternator.  When you replace a battery, this computer needs to know that the car battery replacement has occurred, and also whether the battery is a traditi ... read more

BMW water damage is a common problem that we see at DJ Foreign Auto Care. Water damage can occur when sunroof drains become clogged with debris, body seams between body panels lose their seal in locations such as the roof or trunk, door seals lose their seal, also water can splash up into the engine when the car is driven though a flooded area, especially at speeds above idle speed. Another problem that can contribute to BMW water damage is accidents. Some accidents result in the car's body and frame warping. If body work is performed, the body shop may shim parts to make them look right instead of straightening them (which may be impossible). This may leave a gap in the seals that is not visible, allowing BMW water damage to occur. Water leaks in cars can be very expensive to fix if the water leaks into the electrical system. This can result in short-circuits, damage to control modules and other damage that can be hard to find and repair. Many times the place where the water ent ... read more

Headlight maintenance may not be the first thing that comes to mind of when you think of maintaining your car, but your car's lights are very important for your safety. Headlights and tail lights illuminate the road for the driver and make the vehicle visible to other drivers on the road. As well as being an important safety feature, keeping on top of your headlight maintenance can help you avoid getting pulled over and getting a ticket! Drivers should start to perform headlight maintenance by checking that all their lights are working, including low beams and high beams, and also by checking the lenses for fogginess or yellowing. Over time the plastic lenses can cloud over and become foggy, due to abrasive dirt and grime. Cloudy lenses should be replaced or a headlight restoration product can be used to clean, polish and restore the existing lenses. Headlights need to be checked regularly and aimed correctly by professional mechanics, to make sure the driver can safely see the ro ... read more

European auto repair technical training is very important for our technicians.   Sending our technicians to training gives them a greater understanding of European vehicles and enables them to complete repairs more efficiently.  We send our experienced mechanics to technical training classes for BMW, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Jaguar & Volvo - we know your import!  Keeping on top of the constantly evolving service technology is essential for providing top-notch European auto repair and maintenance to our customers. Our technician recently attended classes such as: BMW CIP Coding and Programming, Mercedes-Benz Coding and Programming, Mercedes 272 Engine Repair - Live Demonstration, and MINI N14 Engine Repair - Live Demonstration.  Using state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and software, you can trust the mechanics at DJ Foreign Auto Care have t ... read more

Tweet If you are replacing your engine, the process is not as simple as removing the old engine and dropping in a new one.  Replacing your engine can be a long and difficult process; since as well as being big and heavy, engines are made up of a lot of little parts.  Also an engine connects and works with several other systems including the electrical system, exhaust, transmission and cooling system. Since most people are not going to pay extremely high prices for a brand new or remanufactured-rebuilt engine, the general process for replacing your engine starts with your car repair shop finding a used engine that fits your car.  The "new" used engine should have a warranty on it, should be free from damage, should have good compression and relatively low mileage, if possible. Once the right engine is found, the old engine must be disconnected and removed from the vehicle and the ... read more