Knapp's Auto and Towing Lakewood

Knapp's Auto and Towing Lakewood We are a full service auto repair shop. We service all makes and models and specialize in Subarus. Call us for any auto repair needs! Need a tow?

No job is to big or to small from tire repairs and oil changes to full engine and transmission rebuilds. Our family-operated auto repair shop is your premier source in the area for expert vehicle repair and 24 hour towing. Whether you need brake repair, suspension repair, or major engine and transmission repair, we can handle it all. Allow our ASE Certified mechanics to diagnose and perform qualit

y repairs on your vehicle. Give our 24 hour towing service a call! Give yourself peace of mind and call us today for a quote.

Hi, I’m Jerry Knapp.If you live in Lakewood or anywhere on Cleveland’s west side, I’d like to invite you to stop in and ...
09/09/2026

Hi, I’m Jerry Knapp.

If you live in Lakewood or anywhere on Cleveland’s west side, I’d like to invite you to stop in and get to know us.

Knapp’s Madison Auto and Towing is a second-generation, family-owned business that started back in 1985 as a two-bay service station with two employees.

A lot has changed over the years, but the way we try to take care of people hasn’t.

We service all makes and models, and we specialize in Subarus. That can mean something as simple as an oil change or tires, or it can mean engine work, transmission repairs, or electrical diagnostics.

What I really want people to know is how we approach the repair.

We want you to understand what’s going on with your vehicle, what actually needs attention, what your options are, and what makes sense for you. We’re not interested in just handing you a list of repairs without explaining it.

Qualifying repairs are backed by a 2-year/24,000-mile warranty, but more than anything, we want you to feel comfortable asking questions and making an informed decision about your car.

If you’re in the Lakewood area, stop by and say hello.

We’d appreciate the chance to show you how we do things a little differently.

— Jerry Knapp
Knapp’s Madison Auto and Towing
14588 Madison Avenue, Lakewood

09/08/2026

Changing a battery looks simple. Sometimes it is. Sometimes the important part is what you find once you take it apart.

This one had corrosion built up inside the terminal connection. So before the job is finished, that buildup needs to be cleaned out—not just hidden by putting a new battery in.

It’s one of those little details most people never see, but it’s part of doing the job correctly.

A battery change can be a little more complicated than it looks.

09/04/2026

Your battery can be getting weak long before the car refuses to start.

A slow crank, needing a jump, or a car that suddenly seems harder to start can all be signs that something needs to be checked.

But that doesn’t automatically mean, “You need a new battery.”

Test the battery. Check the charging system. Figure out what’s actually going on before replacing parts.

Because finding out in the shop is a whole lot better than finding out when the car won’t start.

Subaru owners: an oil filter isn’t just an oil filter.That little blue can has an important job beyond simply catching d...
09/03/2026

Subaru owners: an oil filter isn’t just an oil filter.

That little blue can has an important job beyond simply catching dirt.

Subaru oil filters are designed with specific flow and bypass characteristics for the engine they’re going on. That matters because the bypass valve helps maintain oil flow when the filter can’t flow normally, including situations like a cold start.

Does that mean you can never use an aftermarket filter? No.

It means make sure the filter you’re putting on your Subaru is actually designed to meet the requirements for your specific engine, rather than grabbing the cheapest one that happens to screw on.

Sometimes the little details matter.

One of the biggest frustrations with car repair is not knowing what to expect.What’s wrong?How serious is it?What actual...
09/02/2026

One of the biggest frustrations with car repair is not knowing what to expect.

What’s wrong?
How serious is it?
What actually needs to be fixed?

We work hard to make those answers clear.

Kyra has trusted us with everything from routine maintenance to brakes, leaks, exhaust work, and transmission issues. What stood out most in her review wasn’t just the repairs; it was knowing what was happening with her vehicle and having Parker take the time to explain it.

That matters to us.

We want you to understand what we found, why it matters, and what the next step should be without making the process more confusing than it needs to be.

Thanks for trusting us with your car, Kyra. We appreciate the recommendation.

If something doesn’t feel right with your vehicle, give us a call. We’ll help you figure out what’s going on.

09/01/2026

Vehicle of the Week: 1987-ish Toyota Land Cruiser.

You just don’t see many of these rolling around anymore.

Mike Samson from Samson Supply Company has spent the better part of a decade bringing this Land Cruiser back to life — body work, interior, rebuilt engine and plenty more along the way.

It came to us recently because it wasn’t running quite right. We found an issue with the carburetor, got it sorted out, and now it’s back to doing exactly what Mike built it for: a good Sunday drive.

And yes... Jerry did briefly call it “real American steel.” 😂

We’ll give him a pass. That hood does shut with some authority.

We get some pretty interesting cars through the shop, and we figured more people should get to see them.

08/31/2026

The drain plug wasn’t actually the problem.

This Subaru had a small oil leak around the oil pan. Looking closer, we found tiny cracks around the welds near the drain area.

It’s the kind of leak where simply tightening the plug more isn’t going to solve anything — because the leak is coming from somewhere else.

That’s why we’d rather find where a leak is actually starting than guess and start replacing parts.

Seeing a little oil under your car? It’s worth figuring out where it’s coming from before that little leak becomes a bigger problem.

When your car is already giving you enough headaches, the last thing you need is to wonder whether you’re getting the fu...
08/28/2026

When your car is already giving you enough headaches, the last thing you need is to wonder whether you’re getting the full story.

That’s why we try to make the repair decision clear.

We’ll tell you what needs attention now, what can wait, and what your options are so you can make the decision that makes sense for you. And when a qualifying repair is covered by warranty, we stand behind that too.

For Amber, that also meant having towing help when she needed it and, at times, access to a loaner vehicle while more serious repairs were being handled.

We appreciate the kind words, Amber, and more importantly, we appreciate the trust.

If your car has been giving you trouble, give us a call. We’ll help you figure out what’s going on and what actually needs to be done.

08/27/2026

An overheating problem isn’t always just about replacing the part that failed.

On this Subaru, the top radiator outlet had broken off and part of it was still stuck inside the radiator hose.

But we’re also looking at the rest of the cooling system.

The hoses appear to be original and roughly 12–14 years old. When we’re already repairing an overheating issue, we want to look at the condition of those surrounding components too instead of fixing one obvious failure and ignoring everything around it.

That doesn’t mean replacing parts just because they’re old.

It means inspecting the whole system, explaining what we see, and helping you decide what makes sense to address while the vehicle is already apart.

If your temperature gauge starts climbing or you notice coolant leaking, don’t keep driving and hope it goes away. An overheating engine can turn into a much bigger repair quickly.

It’s National Dog Day… so obviously Beef gets the spotlight. 🐶Have you met our shop dog?Now let’s do what Facebook was m...
08/26/2026

It’s National Dog Day… so obviously Beef gets the spotlight. 🐶

Have you met our shop dog?

Now let’s do what Facebook was made for: fill the comments with pictures of your dogs.

Address

14588 Madison Avenue
Lakewood, OH
44107

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

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