Services
What we fix, and how you'll know it's fixed.
Every job below can be done where your vehicle is. Each one lists the symptoms customers actually describe — if yours is on the list, you are in the right place.
01
Diagnostics
We bring the scan tool to you, pull codes, and then keep going — because a code points at a circuit, not at a part. Live data, voltage drops, fuel trims and a look at the thing itself are what turn a P0301 into an answer. You get told what we found and what it will take to fix it before any work starts.
Our diagnostic fee is $100, which is the same as one hour of labor. If you have Critter Performance & Automotive complete the repair, that $100 is applied directly toward the labor for your repair.
So if a repair books 1.5 hours of labor, you pay for the remaining 0.5 hour — the first hour is already covered by the diagnostic fee.
- Check engine light, steady or flashing
- A shop replaced a part and the light came back
- Runs rough, stalls, or hesitates under load
- Warning lights with no obvious cause
- Intermittent problem that never happens at the shop
02
Electrical Troubleshooting
Electrical work is where guessing gets expensive. We trace circuits with a meter and a wiring diagram — grounds, connectors, chafed harness sections, aftermarket wiring done badly — and repair to the wire rather than throwing modules at it. Trailer plugs, lighting, power accessories and battery drains all fall here.
Request electrical troubleshooting- Battery dead after sitting a few days
- Lights, windows or accessories work intermittently
- Trailer lights partly working or not at all
- Fuses that keep blowing
- Melted, corroded or previously spliced wiring
03
Brake Service
Brakes are the one repair we will never talk you out of doing properly. We measure rotor thickness and pad life rather than eyeballing it, check the caliper slides and boots, and show you the old parts. Seized hardware and torn boots are the usual reason a brake job comes back early.
Request brake service- Squealing, grinding or a metallic scrape when stopping
- Pedal goes soft, low, or slowly sinks
- Steering wheel shakes under braking
- Vehicle pulls to one side when you brake
- Parking brake won't hold on a slope
04
Oil Changes
The cheapest repair on this page and the one that prevents the most expensive ones. We use the viscosity and specification your engine actually calls for, replace the filter and crush washer, and check the rest of the vehicle while we're under it. Old oil goes with us and gets recycled.
Request oil changes- Oil life monitor or maintenance light on
- Overdue, or you have lost track of when it was last done
- Oil looks black and thin on the dipstick
- Ticking on cold start
- You'd rather not spend a Saturday in a waiting room
05
Routine Maintenance
Scheduled maintenance on your manufacturer's interval, not on an upsell chart. Engine and cabin air filters, spark plugs, transmission and differential fluid, coolant, belts and hoses. A cabin filter is a ten-minute job that most people have never had done — and it is usually the reason the A/C smells.
Request routine maintenance- Approaching a mileage interval and unsure what's due
- Weak airflow from the vents, or a musty smell
- Rough idle or poor fuel economy
- Squealing belt, especially when cold
- Bought the vehicle used with no service records
06
Cooling System
Heat is what kills engines in an East Texas August. We pressure-test the system to find the leak instead of guessing, check the fan operation and the thermostat, and use the correct coolant type for your engine — mixing them is its own repair later.
Request cooling system- Temperature gauge climbing, especially in traffic
- Sweet smell, or green/orange/pink puddles under the front
- Heater blows cold at idle
- Coolant reservoir keeps needing topping up
- Steam from under the hood
07
Suspension & Steering
Worn suspension shows up as tire wear and a vague steering feel long before anything makes noise. We inspect under load, check for play at each joint, and tell you what is worn versus what is merely dirty. Anything that affects steering control gets called out plainly.
Request suspension & steering- Clunk over bumps or when turning into a driveway
- Uneven or cupped tire wear
- Vehicle wanders, or wheel feels loose on centre
- Sits lower on one corner
- Bounces more than once after a dip
08
Batteries
A battery that fails a load test gets replaced; a battery that tests fine means the problem is somewhere else, and we keep looking. We check the charging output and clean or replace corroded terminals, because a good battery on a bad connection behaves exactly like a bad battery.
Request batteries- Slow crank, or a click and nothing
- Needs a jump more than once
- Corrosion built up on the terminals
- Battery is over four years old
- Dash lights flicker at idle
09
Starters
A no-crank is not automatically a starter. We check battery condition, voltage at the starter under load, the ignition switch circuit, neutral safety switch and grounds before condemning the part — a starter is a labour-heavy job on a lot of vehicles and worth being sure about.
Request starters- One loud click, then nothing
- Grinding or whirring when you turn the key
- Starts if you tap the starter
- Cranks sometimes and not others
- No crank in Park but starts in Neutral
10
Alternators
We test charging output and ripple, and check the belt, tensioner and the main charging cable before replacing anything. A failing alternator will take a new battery down with it, so both get tested together.
Request alternators- Battery light on while driving
- Headlights dim at idle and brighten when you rev
- New battery went flat within weeks
- Whining that rises with engine speed
- Vehicle dies while driving after a warning light
11
Vehicle Inspections
Before you buy a used vehicle, or before you drive it to Colorado, we go over it and give you a written list with photographs. Fluids, brakes, tires, suspension, leaks, stored codes and previous repair quality. No repair is assumed — you get the report and decide what to do with it.
Request vehicle inspections- Looking at a used vehicle and want a second opinion
- Long trip coming up
- Just bought it and want a baseline
- Seller says it 'just needs a sensor'
- Family member's vehicle you'd like checked over
12
Performance Work
Intake and exhaust work, ignition and fuel upgrades, cooling for vehicles that see track or towing duty, carburetor and distributor work on older engines, and sorting out builds that were assembled but never made to run right. We'll tell you honestly when a modification won't do what the internet said it would.
Request performance work- A build that runs but doesn't run well
- Parts bought and never installed
- Carburetor or ignition tuning on a classic
- Cooling or braking that hasn't kept up with the power
- Wanting a plan before spending money on parts
Tell us what it's doing
Pick the closest service — if you're not sure, choose 'Not sure' and describe the symptoms. Working out which one it is is our job, not yours.