Auto Repair at Johnny's Automotive
Something's wrong and you're not sure what. We start by finding out, send the photos and measurements to your phone, and let you decide what gets fixed.
Something's wrong with my car and I don't know what. Where do I start?
We figure out what's wrong before we touch a part.
A noise, a warning light, a shudder at highway speed. That's usually everything a driver knows when they call us, and that's fine. Finding out what's actually wrong is its own job, separate from fixing it, and we treat it that way. Guessing at parts gets expensive fast, and it's the reason people stop trusting shops.
So every vehicle gets a digital inspection. The technician goes through the car and documents what they find with photos and measurements, and that report goes to your phone. You see the pad thickness, the seeping gasket, the belt with cracks in it. Not a description of it. The actual picture, taken on your vehicle, that day. Then you decide what gets done and what waits.
Repair or replace is the harder conversation, and we'd rather have it with the numbers in front of both of us. Sometimes the smaller fix is the right call. Sometimes it's money you'll spend twice. The answer depends on mileage, on the condition of everything around the part, and on how long you plan to keep the vehicle. We'll tell you which way we'd go and why, and if a repair doesn't make sense on a car anymore, we'll say that too.
What we work on covers most of what actually goes wrong: brakes, engines and head gaskets, timing belts and chains, cooling systems and radiators and water pumps, heating and air conditioning, batteries, alternators and starters, wiring and the electrical problems nobody wants to chase, exhaust, fuel systems, steering. If it's a repair rather than bodywork, it's usually us.
Central Florida is hard on a few things in particular. Heat is the big one. It cooks cooling systems, shortens battery life, and turns an air conditioning system that's merely weak somewhere else into a real problem here. Stop-and-go running up and down US 27 works brakes harder than open highway does. And rainy season finds every electrical connection that isn't sealed the way it should be. We see the same failures often enough to know where to look first.
The work carries a 36 month, 36,000 mile nationwide warranty, so a repair we did here still holds up if something acts up while you're out of state. Brian and Johnny started this in 2006 out of a race car garage with one rule: put the customer over the money. Six shops later, that hasn't changed.
Our auto repair services
Choose from our range of auto repair services.
Brake Repair
Squealing or grinding brakes? Complete brake inspection, pad replacement, rotor resurfacing, and fluid service for safe stopping power.
Signs you need this
- Grinding when you come to a stop
- Steering wheel shakes under braking
- Pedal sits lower than it used to
Battery Service
Avoid getting stranded with professional battery testing, terminal cleaning, and replacement using reliable, warranty-backed batteries.
Signs you need this
- The engine cranks slow, then starts
- Dead every Monday morning
- White or green crust on the terminals
Engine Repair
From minor fixes to major overhauls, our ASE-certified mechanics diagnose and repair engine problems of all types and complexities.
Signs you need this
- It shakes when I stop at a light
- There is a spot on the driveway where I park
- The check engine light is on and it feels down on power
Exhaust System
Loud exhaust or failing catalytic converter? We repair and replace mufflers, pipes, catalytic converters, and exhaust manifolds.
Signs you need this
- The car got loud all at once
- It ticks on a cold start, then quiets down
- Something rattles underneath over bumps
Alternator Repair
Alternator Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- The battery light came on while I was driving
- Headlights dim at idle and brighten when I rev
- A whine or growl that follows engine speed
Starter Repair
Starter Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- One loud click, then nothing
- Fast repeated clicking when I turn the key
- Starts fine cold, will not start after driving
Cooling System Repair
Cooling System Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- Temperature climbs in traffic, drops back on the highway
- Coolant level keeps dropping with no puddle underneath
- Sweet smell after you shut the engine off
Radiator Repair
Radiator Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- Colored puddle under the front of the vehicle
- White or crusty residue along the top or bottom seam
- Engine overheats with full coolant and working fans
Heating And AC Repair
Heating And AC Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- Cold on the highway, warm at every red light
- It was cold for a few weeks after a recharge, then faded
- A musty smell for the first minute after the AC comes on
Electrical Repair
Electrical Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- The battery is dead every morning
- A power window or door lock quit working
- The same fuse blows every time I replace it
Fuel System Repair
Fuel System Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- It cranks for a while before it finally fires
- The engine sputters or hesitates under load
- A whine or hum from the back of the car
Timing Belt Replacement
Timing Belt Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- I bought the car used and nobody can tell me if the belt was done
- The car is old but barely has any miles on it
- I am past the mileage in the maintenance schedule
Timing Chain Repair
Timing Chain Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- It rattles for a second or two when I start it cold
- The check engine light is on for camshaft position correlation
- The engine has run low on oil more than once
Water Pump Replacement
Water Pump Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- Drip or dried coolant stain below the front of the engine
- Growl or low whine that changes with engine speed
- Engine overheats while the radiator stays cool
Serpentine Belt Replacement
Serpentine Belt Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- Squeal on startup or when you turn the wheel
- Rhythmic chirp that comes and goes while driving
- Battery light on with the engine running
Head Gasket Repair
Head Gasket Repair addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- The temperature gauge climbs but I cannot find a leak
- White smoke keeps coming from the tailpipe after it warms up
- The coolant reservoir keeps going empty
Engine Replacement
Engine Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- There is a deep knock that changes with engine speed
- The oil light came on and I kept going for a few miles
- It overheated badly and it has never run right since
Catalytic Converter Replacement
Catalytic Converter Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- A rotten egg or sulfur smell from the tailpipe
- Check engine light with a P0420 code
- The engine feels choked and won't pull
AC Compressor Replacement
AC Compressor Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- The AC quit all at once instead of fading
- A growl or rattle that only happens with the AC on
- The belt squeals or the engine bogs when the AC kicks on
Evaporator Core Replacement
Evaporator Core Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- The system loses refrigerant and nothing under the hood is wet
- A musty smell every time the AC starts up
- An oily sheen at the AC drain tube
Heater Core Replacement
Heater Core Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- A sweet, syrupy smell inside the car
- A greasy film on the inside of the windshield that keeps coming back
- A damp or soaked passenger side carpet
Rack And Pinion Replacement
Rack And Pinion Replacement addresses diagnosed damage, wear, or system faults related to this service.
Signs you need this
- The steering feels loose or vague on center
- The car wanders and I'm always correcting it
- A clunk from the front over bumps
Why choose Johnny's Automotive for auto repair
We are your trusted partner for all auto repair needs.
We find it before we fix it
Diagnosis is treated as real work here, not a formality on the way to selling parts. We'd rather spend the time up front than hand you a bill for something that didn't fix the problem.
The whole inspection lands on your phone
You get photos and measurements from the vehicle itself, so nothing rides on your ability to picture what a technician is describing. You approve what gets done, line by line, and you can put off what can wait.
Technicians who had to pass a test
ASE certification isn't a sticker somebody buys. Our technicians sat the exams and keep them current, which is why the diagnosis you get is a measured answer instead of a guess dressed up in confidence.
Auto Repair questions, answered
Common questions about our auto repair services.
Do I need an appointment just to have something looked at?
It helps, and it's the fastest way to get on a lift. Call the shop closest to you and tell us what you're hearing or seeing, and we'll get you a time. If the car isn't safe to drive, say so on the phone and we'll work around it.
Do you work on my make and model?
Almost certainly. Our ASE certified technicians work on domestic, Asian, and European cars and light trucks every day, gas and diesel. If something needs a dealer-only tool or procedure we don't have, we'll tell you up front instead of taking your money and finding out later.
Is the 36 month, 36,000 mile warranty really good anywhere?
Yes. It's a nationwide warranty, not a come-back-to-us warranty. If a covered repair gives you trouble while you're traveling, it's honored at participating shops around the country. Keep your paperwork or just call us and we'll help you sort it out from here.
How do estimates and approvals work?
You get the inspection results with photos before you get a number, so you can see what we're talking about. Then we price the work and you approve what you want done, item by item. If we open something up and find more than we expected, the work stops and we call you before anything else happens.
Can I bring you a diagnosis another shop already gave me?
Sure, and bring the paperwork. We'll take it seriously, but we'll still verify it ourselves before we sell you a repair based on it. Sometimes it confirms exactly what they found, and sometimes it saves you from replacing a part that wasn't the problem.
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ASE Certified Technicians
ASE certified techs working on your vehicle
Flexible Drop-Off Hours
Convenient service options
20+ Years
Decades of trusted service