Commonly Replaced Cadillac and Chevy Parts
How to Spot Signs of Wear and Tear
Below we have listed numerous auto parts that we most often replace at our dealership in Oshawa. Give us a call or email to get a parts quote. Need something repaired? Book your service appointment online here.
Air Conditioning Compressor: Compressors compress refrigerant or cooling fluid in your car, reducing the fluid’s boiling point to help make the cold air for your car’s AC. When to check: Check when your air doesn’t feel cold enough or if you hear clicking during A/C operation.
Air Conditioning Hose: Air conditioning hoses transfer refrigerant between your car’s evaporator and condenser, recycling it to create cold air. Sign of wear: When your AC stops working altogether, it’s likely due to a worn or broken hose.
Alternator/Generator: Alternators and generator systems charge your battery while your car is running or idling. When to check: Check when you lose battery power, your engine won’t turn over, or when electrical components like lights or radio seem weak.
Battery: Your car’s battery stores energy generated by your alternator, using that energy to help start the car and keep electronics running when the car is not. When to check: Check when your car’s electronics will not work, or if systems crank slowly when starting.
Catalytic Converter: Catalytic converters are a part of your car’s exhaust system that helps remove pollutants from your emissions. When to check: Worn or broken cat converters produce noisy, foul-smelling exhaust.
Clutch: In manual cars and trucks, the clutch engages and disengages components in the transmission to switch gears. When to check: Misuse or slippage can cause wear on your clutch, making switching gears impossible.
Control Arm: Control arms link your chassis and axles to keep wheels aligned. When to check: Worn or disconnected control arms cause steering to wobble or veer and your tires to wear unevenly.
Differential: Your rear axle delivers power to your car’s rear wheels. When to check: Often, vehicles that produce a rough humming or grinding noise at steady speeds may need to have their differentials checked.
Engine: Your GM engine is what powers your car. Internal combustion engines ignite air and fuel to drive mechanical components. Engines have many parts, each of which need to be monitored. When to check: Check your engine if your car burns through oil and fuel quickly or immediately if your engine begins to smoke.
Engine Air Filters: Not to be confused with cabin or oil filters, engine air filters prevent dangerous debris from penetrating your engine. When to check: Replace your engine air filters if your car won’t accelerate or you notice poor fuel economy.
Engine Cooling Fan: The engine cooling fan, located behind your radiator, draws cool outside air through the condenser and radiator at low-speed operation to cool the engine. When to check: Check when your engine overheats or you suffer from poor AC performance.
Fuel Injector: Your car’s fuel injector supplies the cylinders or intake manifold with the air/fuel mixture necessary for combustion. When to check: Your “Service Engine Soon” light typically illuminates if your fuel injector malfunctions or breaks, but a worn fuel injector also causes poor or slow engine performance.
Ignition Coil: Engine coils help create the spark inside your engine that causes combustion. When to check: Check when your engine misfires or won’t start. Ignition coils often crack visibly.
Internal Sensors: Your Chevy or Cadillac contains many sensors that measure things like internal temperature, humidity, oxygen levels, etc., and help time the functioning of other components. When to check: Malfunctioning sensors generally cause your Check Engine and Reduced Power lights to turn on and can be detrimental to your fuel economy.
Muffler & Tailpipe: Your muffler and tailpipe make up the visible end of your car’s exhaust system. Mufflers alter the noise produced by your exhaust, often dampening sound. When to check: Check your muffler if your exhaust becomes unusually noisy. You can check your tailpipe with a glance, but loose tailpipes often clank against your car and the ground when driving.
Oil Filter: Dirty oil grinds your engine’s components, but your oil filter removes impurities. When to check: Change your oil filter when you spot oil leaks or your car smells like burning oil.
Power Steering: Power steering is a hydraulic pump system that makes steering your car easier. When to check: Simply enough, check power steering if steering is difficult or turning causes a grinding or whining noise. Additionally, your car may leak power steering fluid.
Radiator: Radiators keep engines the right temperature by flowing outside air over hot engine coolant. When to check: Check if your engine starts to overheat. Radiators sometimes leak a bright green fluid, causing a slightly sweet smell.
Radiator Hose: Radiator hoses transfer hot coolant from your engine to your car’s radiator and back again. When to check: Check your radiator hose if your engine runs too hot or you spot a leak. Replace brittle or cracked hoses immediately.
Serpentine Belt: The important serpentine belt delivers power from the crankshaft in your engine to a number of internal components like your alternator and power steering. When to check: Check your serpentine belt if your lights dim while driving or your battery won’t charge. Slipped or cracked belts make a squealing noise.
Shocks & Struts: Shocks and struts bear your vehicle’s weight on the wheels, helping to create a smoother ride. When to check: Worn shocks and struts show in a number of ways. Check for leaking oil on your shocks, broken or worn mounts, uneven tire wear, and a bumpy ride.
Spark Plug: Engines mix fuel and air for combustion, and your spark plug provides the ignition spark. When to check: If your car’s fuel efficiency is suffering or acceleration is weak, check your spark plug.
Timing Chain/Belt: The timing chain in your Chevy or Cadillac synchronizes the movements of critical components in your engine. When to check: A slipped or broken timing chain causes engines to stop or backfire.
Transmission (rear wheel drive) or transaxle (front wheel drive): These components use gears and hydraulics to transfer power from your car’s engine to the wheels. When to check: Drivers can generally feel when transmissions begin to slip. Transmissions are expensive to replace, so book a service appointment if your car has trouble changing gears or you smell a burning odor when driving.
Wheel Bearing: Wheel bearings reduce friction between your wheels and their axles, giving you more control and making acceleration easier. When to check: Drivers can feel worn bearings easily, as they grind, vibrate, make noise, and make steering harder.