Fangio Auto Service - Hermanus

Windscreen wipers not working? A blown fuse, poor earth, faulty switch, failed motor or seized linkage can all cause similar symptoms. Our Hermanus guide explains how the fault should be diagnosed before parts are replaced. Read the guide: https://fangioauto.co.za/car-repair-blog/windscreen-wipers-not-working/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=windscreen_wipers_not_working&utm_content=hermanus

Fangio Auto Hermanus

We always say we do our best to build long-term relationships with our clients. A review, a referral, a word to a friend, that already means everything for a small workshop like ours to grow. But this was far beyond anything we expected, and it was special all the same.

When we opened in Hermanus, we opened at the same time as the franchises. We got a bit worried. Who is Fangio, and how do we stand out? So we focused on the one thing clients kept telling us mattered most: service. We pushed for it and we demanded it from ourselves. Yes, here and there we dropped the ball. We tried to fix it, and we learned from it.

Our clients are what make Fangio amazing. We remember. I remember you calling your little car Gino. I remember calling yours Frankenstein, because the VIN is wrong and I can never tell which parts to order. I remember you telling me you worked on a submarine, or that your birthday is next week so I can wish you happy birthday. Those conversations stay with us, because Fangio is a family. We look after you when we can, however we can.

And to be clear, nobody needs to take out an advert to thank us. A word in the workshop is more than enough. This one just floored us.

So thank you Marike, who works at Toyota (shout out to the crew there too, they are also amazing). And thank you to every one of our clients. Without you, Fangio does not exist.

How often does a Fiat 500 need servicing? It is one of those questions where the most confident answer online is usually the wrong one.

There is no single interval that covers every Fiat 500. Fiat writes the maintenance schedule per vehicle, not per badge, so two cars wearing the same 500 boot lid can sit on different plans. Generation and model year, engine, transmission, the market the car was built for and how it is used all move it.

The part that catches most owners is that servicing is set two ways at once, by distance and by time, and the car is due when it reaches either one. A 500 doing short trips around Hermanus can take years to reach a distance trigger while quietly passing the time trigger more than once. Oil absorbs moisture, brake fluid picks up water, hoses and belts harden, and coolant additives lose their protection whether the car is driven or not.

So where does the real schedule live? Your owner's handbook and service booklet first. Then Fiat's own technical information and aftersales documentation services. Then your stamped or digital service record. Then a workshop with the appropriate manufacturer data access, which can look it up from your VIN and vehicle details. Search results are not on that list.

Our new guide also covers how to pin down exactly what you own, what to have ready before you book, the warning signs that mean do not wait for the next scheduled service, and the shape of a routine Fiat 500 service.

Send us these and we will confirm the correct schedule before we quote:
1. VIN or model year, engine and transmission
2. Whether the car is petrol, diesel or electric, because a 500e sits on its own schedule
3. Current mileage
4. Date and mileage of the last service, and anything you know of the history

Fangio Auto Service Hermanus
RMI approved
13A Steenbras Road, Hermanus Industrial
Phone 087 164 1041
WhatsApp 060 616 2948
Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00

Read the full guide: https://fangioauto.co.za/car-repair-blog/fiat-500-service-intervals-south-africa/

Your ABS light is on and the first question is always the same. Can I still drive it?

Usually the everyday brakes still work. What you have lost is the part that stops the wheels locking during a hard or emergency stop. On many cars the same wheel speed information also feeds traction and stability control, which is why those warnings often appear together. It is normally not three faults. It is one shared signal that has gone missing. Check what your handbook says about that light on your model.

The answer changes the moment something else joins it. A red brake warning. A soft, long or spongy pedal. The car pulling under braking. Braking that feels weak. Brake fluid you can see or smell. A new noise from a wheel. Any of those and you stop driving and arrange help, because they point at the braking system itself rather than the electronics watching it.

Our new guide covers what actually turns that light on, and the list is longer than most drivers expect. A wheel speed sensor. Damaged wiring or a corroded connector at the wheel. A dirty or damaged tone ring. A worn wheel bearing letting the hub move. Low brake fluid or a hydraulic fault. A supply, earth or fuse problem. Or the control module itself.

It also walks through how a workshop narrows it down before replacing anything. Symptoms and lights, fluid and brake condition, a scan for stored codes and freeze frame data, live wheel speed compared across all four corners, then a physical inspection of the suspect corner and a proper circuit test. A fair number of ABS jobs turn out to be wiring rather than the part the code named. That is also why clearing the code repairs nothing. If the cause is still there, the warning comes back.

Send our Hermanus workshop these and we will test before quoting parts:
1. Make, model and year
2. Which warning lights are on, and whether they clear on restart
3. What the brake pedal feels like
4. Any noise from a wheel that changes with road speed

Fangio Auto Service Hermanus
13A Steenbras Road, Hermanus Industrial
Phone 087 164 1041
WhatsApp 060 616 2948
Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00

Read the full guide: https://fangioauto.co.za/car-repair-blog/abs-brake-repair-near-me/

In the 1950s, Juan Manuel Fangio became a five-time Formula One World Champion, famous for his speed, skill and precision.

We may not be racing around a track, but we bring that same sense of urgency to looking after you and your vehicle.

Fast responses. Quality service. No playing around.

We’re called Fangio for a reason. 😁🔧

What a game

Please note that we will be closed due to the protest action taking place in the area. To avoid putting our staff or customers at risk, and to stay clear of any potential trouble, we feel it is safest to close for the day.
We apologise for any inconvenience and will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.

we're open again on Wed

Wowow!

how blessed we are, we are truly thankful for the wonderful clients who trust us with their cars! We might not be perfect but we will keep trying again and again. Thank you for your trust and thank you for keep coming back, we are truly blessed with amazing clients🙏

Are your brakes trying to tell you something?

Squealing, shuddering, longer stopping distance or a soft brake pedal can all point to worn pads, discs or drums.

Fangio Auto Service has put together a simple guide to brake replacement and the warning signs to watch for.

Read it here:

fangioauto.co.za

Not sure if your brakes are due for replacement?

Fangio Auto Service has put together a practical guide on brake pads, discs and drums, plus the signs that your braking system may need attention.

If your car is making grinding noises, taking longer to stop, vibrating when you brake, or showing brake warning lights, it is worth understanding what could be happening before it becomes a bigger issue.

Read the brakes replacement guide here:

fangioauto.co.za