Los Altos Auto Repair

Air Conditioning advice in the Winter, Yes says Cayenne. Working up a sweat is a great thing to do in a gym around Los Altos, but not in your car. When Los Altos motorists' car's AC System has a problem, they'll often feel it right away. The question is, how long do you put up with it? You know, the old comfort versus cost dilemma. But a more comfortable drive around Los Altos has a lot of benefits, and keeping the AC System well maintained can help prevent pricey repairs.

A common cause for AC failure is water and air in the system. The system does not work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the A/C components. Also refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system, making it work harder to try to cool the air. That is why periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system for Los Altos drivers so it cools better and lasts longer.

Los Altos drivers should also run the air conditioner regularly, even in the winter, so that it lubricates itself and keeps the seals from drying out. The seals can crack and that leads to leaks. Your auto manufacturer's owner's manual will have recommendations for how often to service your air conditioner. Some service centers also have this information as part of their computer databases. Your personal and trust Allied Auto Works service advisor can give you more information.

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road & 1540 Miramonte Ave.
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227 (Grant)  650.947.7228 (Miramonte)

Of course, if your AC currently isn't working right, then now is the time to get it checked. Many service centers in Los Altos such as Allied Auto Works can inspect and test your air conditioning and offer evacuation and recharge services. This goes a long way to avoiding having to bring your air conditioner in for pricey repairs.

Recent environmental laws have stopped the manufacture of Freon, a refrigerant that was common in cars made before 1993. There is a very limited supply of Freon so the price is very pricey in CA. It may not be worth its weight in gold, but it probably is worth its weight in silver. If you have an older vehicle that uses Freon, you may want to consider having it retrofitted to use the new EPA-approved R134a refrigerant. It will pay for itself in the long run.

Well I hope you learned something about Winter A/C Service,  this is Cayenne and til next week!

      It's Cayenne and today it's urgent!     When accidents occur in Los Altos, CA, the victims' emergency contacts are extremely important. Too often, those involved aren't able to provide rescuers with phone numbers and critical medical information.

When CA police and rescue workers must sift through pockets, glove compartments, wallets, purses and cell phone directories they waste precious time.

In the unfortunate event that you are involved in an accident, you have people in the Los Altos, CA area who you'll want to be contacted to arrange help, give consent to treatment, and inform Los Altos paramedics of medical conditions, allergies or medications.

A brilliantly simple solution is now spreading through Los Altos and around the globe: ICE. ICE – standing for In Case of Emergency, is a way to identify emergency contacts in your cell phone directory.

Simply put 'ICE' before a contact name in your cell phone, like 'ICE – Dad', 'ICE – Nancy', or 'ICE – Doctor Roberts'. Rescuers will be able to quickly identify your emergency contacts, saving valuable time.

Bob Brotchie, a Cambridge, England paramedic came up with the idea and created a promotional campaign in England in 2005. This dynamic idea is gaining attention in Los Altos, CA and in other countries. Los Altos rescue workers all know of how many times they are unable to find a wallet or purse on an accident victim, yet most Los Altos area folks over fourteen years of age are seldom without their cell phone.

There are national and worldwide disaster databases, but participation can cost up to two hundred dollars a year. 'ICE' is free to the 276 million cell phone users in the U.S.

It is easy for Los Altos car owners and their families to designate some ICE contacts in their cell phone. Remember to keep the listings current.

Please join Cayenne &  Allied Auto Works in getting the word out. Help us put Los Altos, CA on ICE!

Thanks,

Cayenne

Cayenne here and hello Los Altos, let's talk about brakes. Braking, as all CA drivers know,is slowing or stopping your vehicle. As you can imagine, brakes are engineered to work well on a particular vehicle application. For example, you would expect more powerful brakes on a heavy-duty pickup that routinely hauls big loads and pulls trailers, than you would on a compact car. And a Corvette that can go over 180 miles per hour would have much different braking needs than the family mini-van you drive around between Los Altos, Los Altos and Mt. View.

But the mechanical aspects of the brakes themselves are just one issue. There’s also the power brake pump and brake fluid. And then there are the tires, which are critical to the effectiveness of the brakes.

Let’s step back. A new sedan or truck rolls off a local Los Altos showroom floor. It has brand new brakes with brand new brake pads. The brake lines and pump are filled with fresh fluid and are completely clean inside. And the tires are brand new, with full tread. It is ready to go.

Naturally, braking power is at its peak performance. Now the miles start to add up on the sedan. Los Altos auto owners tend to focus on the brake pads. In the automotive business, the pads, and shoes on drum brakes, are called the friction material. That’s because they provide the friction used to stop the vehicle. The pads are designed to be effective throughout their useful life – it’s not until they are worn so thin as to be out of manufacturers' specs that they lose their ability to stop.

The mechanical parts of the brakes have pistons and springs that get quite a workout while breaking. Over many miles around CA, these wear and get gummed up. They start to lose effectiveness gradually and could even fail - a scary possibility That’s why a regular brake inspection at Allied Auto Works is important for your sedan and your family's safety. At Allied Auto Works we can test the operation of the brakes and see if any parts need cleaning or replacing.

That leads us to brake fluid service at Allied Auto Works. Some of the critical additives in the fluid that lubricate and clean the sedan fluid system are depleted over time. That and moisture building up in the system reduce the performance of the brake fluid. A brake service at Allied Auto Works cleans out deposits, water and dirt. Then the system is filled up with fresh fluid.

The tires are what connect the sedan to the road. Stopping force all comes down to traction. The better the tires grip the road, the quicker you’ll stop.

This is especially important on wet Los Altos area expressways and surface streets. Studies have shown that wet stopping distance increases significantly as tires wear down. CA auto owners need to understand that they can have brakes that are operating at peak efficiency and yet still be in danger because their tires are worn out.

Well time to go for my daily run,

Cayenne

Good Afternoon, Cayenne here and today we are leanring the basics of batteries.

It's important for Los Altos drivers to know battery basics. First, let’s talk about which is harder on a battery – hot or cold CA weather. Most Los Altos drivers think it’s cold weather because that’s when we call on our batteries to have enough power to start a cold sedan engine.

However, heat does more damage to a battery than cold. Truth is, our batteries start to die a little from day one. Keeping a full charge slows the process, which is hard with short Los Altos trips because the alternator doesn’t have time to fully recharge the battery from starting the engine. Los Altos drivers can top off the charge with a computer controlled battery charger – say, once a month in the CA summer and every three months during the winter.

As far as how long a battery will last, statistics show that 70% have given up the ghost within four years. By that time, they aren’t capable of taking a full charge like they used to, and your sedan alternator has to work overtime to keep up. This causes your alternator to wear out early.

If you’re pushing 4 to 5 years on your battery, see your personal and trust Allied Auto Works tech for a battery test to see if it’s recommended to replace it. Not only can you avoid getting stranded with a dead battery, but you’ll save unnecessary wear and tear on your sedan alternator.

Give us a call

Allied Auto Works
650.968.7227 or 650.947.7228
2073 Grant Road & 1540 Miramonte Ave.
Los Altos, CA 94024

See you soon!

Cayenne 

Happy Holidays, Cayenne here and today we will be discussing fuel injection systems.      All modern Los Altos vehicles come with fuel injection systems, so it’s a topic Los Altos motorists need to know something about. The mighty fuel injector is a valve that delivers the gas or diesel fuel to the right place, in the right amount, at the right time; to be mixed with air and burned in the engine.

So how many fuel injectors does your car have? There’s one for each cylinder. So four, six or eight for most folks in Los Altos, CA. Some vehicles have 10 or 12 cylinders. The engine control computer makes adjustments to the fuel injector as it monitors the engine and other sensors. Fuel injectors are a pretty high-tech.

Allied Auto Works can help Los Altos motorists with a fuel injector cleaning service. What’s the benefit? In order to work right, the fuel injectors have to deliver the fuel at a precise pressure at a very precise time. It's important that the fuel is sprayed in a particular pattern as determined by the engine design.

Over time, varnish can start to build up in the fuel injectors, effecting the pressure, pattern and timing of the fuel charge. The result is that the fuel doesn’t get burned as efficiently as it could. That robs performance and hurts fuel efficiency.

What about dirty fuel – how does that affect the fuel injectors? The fuel injectors are the last stop in the fuel system. It starts at the fuel tank. Frankly, the best way to keep your fuel injectors working well is to use high quality fuel. It's tempting to shop for bargains in  Los Altos with fuel prices as high as they are, but major brands in the Los Altos, CA area have better detergents and additives and deliver consistent quality.

What about a good fuel filter? The fuel filter is a vital component of the fuel system. Its job is to filter out the dirt and rust that collect in the fuel tank. If it’s clogged up, the dirt will bypass the filter and head upstream to the fuel injectors.

It’s vital to replace the fuel filter when your automobile manufacturer recommends it. That’s part of a comprehensive fuel system cleaning.

There are different kinds of fuel injection systems. Port fuel injection systems, the kind most gasoline engines have, operate at 60 pounds per square inch. The injectors for the new gas direct injection engines Los Altos drivers are starting to see require 10 to 30 times as much pressure. And some diesel engines for passenger vehicles have injectors that operate at 30,000 pounds or more per square inch. There’s no room for dirt and gum in a precision part like that.

There are a lot of good products available in Los Altos, CA that can clean fuel injectors. They’re best used by Los Altos car owners to prevent fouling in the fuel injectors. Many can’t clean a seriously gummed up injector – that requires a professional deep cleaning, like those we offer at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos. But putting the cleaner in the fuel tank after you’ve had Allied Auto Works take a look at your fuel system will help keep it clean. Be sure to read the label for directions.

Give us a call if you think your sedan may be ready for a fuel injector cleaning.

Managers: Matt Ahern & Travis Damberger
Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road & 1540 Miramonte Ave
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227 (Grant- Matt) 650.947.7228 (Miramonte-Travis)

Have a joyous holiday,  Cayenne

Cayenne here again and Los Altos car owners want their tires to last as long as possible. Two ways to extend tire life are wheel balancing and tire rotation.

When wheels are out of balance, they wobble and vibrate. That makes the tires wear in a cupping pattern. If a front wheel is out of balance you’ll feel it in the steering wheel. If it’s a rear wheel you’ll feel it through your seat. To fix this, your tech at Allied Auto Works puts weights on your wheels to balance them out.

That brings us to tire rotation. The front tires on a sedan wear out faster than the rear tires. As they push through turns from Los Altos to Mt. View, the shoulders of the front tires wear down. So rotating front and rear tires allows them to all wear at about the same rate over the life of the tire.

Proper tire inflation will also help Los Altos folks' tires last longer. Under-inflated tires wear more on the shoulder and may even overheat. This could cause tire damage or a blow out. Over-inflated tires wear too fast in the middle.

Four wheel drive trucks and SUV’s tend to wear their tires more unevenly so rotation is even more important with them. Give Allied Auto Works a call to get our recommendation for your sedan.

See your owner’s manual or ask your service specialist at Allied Auto Works for your recommended tire rotation schedule. It’s usually every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.

Tires are pricey and they are one of the most critical safety components on your vehicle. Take care of them and they’ll take care of you.

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road & 1540 Miramonte Ave
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227 (Grant)  650.947.7227 (Miramonte)

Have a great week,

Cayenne

Hi Cayenne here and today we are talking balance. So you love your job, your dog, and your family life is great. Congratulations! You have achieved balance. But can you say the same for your wheels? Los Altos auto owners can tell if their tires are out of balance by vibrations at higher speeds on CA highways. If one of the front tires is out, you feel the vibration in the steering wheel. If it's a back tire, you'll feel the vibration in your seat.

Tires and wheels are pretty heavy. When a tire is mounted on a wheel at Allied Auto Works, it is usually not perfectly balanced. So the service professional will spin the tire on a machine to determine where it's too heavy. He will then place weights on the wheels in strategic locations to balance it out. When a tire is out of balance, it actually bounces down the road instead of rolling smoothly. Since the average size tire rotates at about 850 revolutions per minute at 60 MPH, it is actually slamming into the pavement 14 times a second. That's where you get your vibration.

Most Los Altos drivers are surprised at how smoothly their car rides after balancing all four wheels.

Most high-quality tires sold in Los Altos hold their balance pretty well for auto owners. They just get out of balance gradually with normal wear and tear. If you suddenly feel a vibration, it is probably because you lost a wheel balancing weight along the way. Definitely get a balance at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos if you feel a vibration, change your rims or have a flat repaired. Putting off a needed balance job leads to excessive and harmful tire wear, wear to your shocks, struts, steering and suspension parts. Wheel balancing not only improves your ride and handling, but also can save you some costly repair bills and possibly an accident. Additionally, you will get better gas mileage.

Some Los Altos motorists have their tires balanced at every rotation. Others do it every other time. Check your owners' manual for your requirements, or ask your personal and trust Allied Auto Works service professional. Doing this will put you on the path to mechanical wheel balance.

Hello Cayenne here and with front-wheel drive being so common these days in Los Altos, CA, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Los Altos motorists don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of mind for our Los Altos customers. So it's not uncommon for drivers to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.

Call Allied Auto Works in Los Altos at 650.968.7227 or 650.947.7228 for information about differential service, or stop by our Los Altos, CA auto center at 2073 Grant Road 94024 or 1540 Miramonte Ave.

To better understand what a differential does, think about our local Los Altos high school track. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That's to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.

The differential compensates for the difference in speeds between the inside wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.

It's a very important function for us Los Altos auto owners. When you think of it, all the power to get a vehicle moving goes through the differential. Most cars in the Los Altos, CA area weigh between three and six thousand pounds – trucks even more. The power from the engine goes through the transmission and then through the differential to the drive wheels.

That's a lot of work and requires very heavy duty parts. And those critical parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool.

The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that breakdown over time. So auto makers recommend intervals for replacing your differential fluid.

Your personal and trust Allied Auto Works service professional will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. Then he'll replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.

Your Allied Auto Works service advisor can look up the auto maker's recommended service interval or you can check your owner's manual. Give us a call at 650.968.7227 or 650. 947.7228 for more information about your differential service.

Until next week, this Cayenne

Cayenne knows there are a lot of things in life that Los Altos residents have to do on a regular basis. We wash dishes every day, do our laundry, give our dogs a bath and mow our lawns every week, and pay the bills every month. We should go to our Los Altos dentist twice a year and see our doctor for a check-up once a year. When we don’t stay on schedule with these routines, it can lead to embarrassing, painful or expensive consequences.

Scheduled maintenance is also part of good car care. Los Altos drivers should take their sedans in regularly for a good check-up. But many Los Altos folks struggle to remember, or actually even ignore, this auto advice. When it comes to our cars, we’re more likely to listen to “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” than “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Yet it is the second adage that is the more applicable one.

Regular brushing treatments prevent cavities. Filling a cavity prevents a more painful and more expensive root canal. In the same way, replacing coolant/antifreeze, for example, vehicle can prevent cooling system leaks. Repairing leaks can prevent engine failure. So why do we procrastinate?

One reason might be that “ignorance is bliss.” We can see dirty dishes on the counter and how long our grass is getting; we can smell how dirty our clothes are; but we don’t notice how dirty our transmission fluid is getting. However, trouble in our sedans is like trouble in our bodies—ignorance is not bliss. High blood pressure can lead to heart damage, and inadequate coolant can lead to engine damage. However, we can’t know about either one unless we take the time for a diagnostic check-up at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos.

Another reason us Los Altos drivers put off scheduled maintenance for our vehicles may be that we are simply intimidated by automotive care. After all, we understand how to take care of clothing, dishes, lawns, etc. Most of us have a basic working knowledge of our bodies and feel qualified to explain how we feel. But our vehicles? What exactly does routine, preventive maintenance involve? Most Los Altos drivers don’t know.

Of course, our sedans come with owner’s manuals that do a good job of explaining what routine maintenance is and how often our vehicles need it. But how many Los Altos car owners actually read them?

The good news is that all Los Altos drivers have to do is remember to take our vehicles to a reputable, service center like Allied Auto Works in Los Altos. Like a good doctor, your personal and trust Allied Auto Works service advisor will be able to tell you what maintenance and service your car needs and when. The service center can track your car’s maintenance records—just as a doctor maintains your health records—so that your vehicle is getting the service it needs in a timely manner.

Here are some guidelines to help Los Altos auto owners understand the basics of preventive maintenance: Fluids. If it’s a liquid, it has to be replaced regularly. Your owner’s manual will tell you how often. Liquids include oil, transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid and differential fluid. There may be others. Check with your owner’s manual or your service center for specifics on your vehicle.

Tires. They need routine, scheduled care to wear well. Primarily, they need air. But they also need to be rotated, balanced and aligned.

Brakes. Brakes and shock absorbers wear out. There’s no way to avoid it. Worn parts need to be replaced.

Fuel. Obviously your sedan needs gas on a regular basis. But the fuel system also needs periodic maintenance. Air filters and fuel filters get dirty and need to be replaced. The fuel system needs to be kept clean.

These are the basics of car maintenance. Of course, there are other parts of your car that need to be inspected regularly, such as the battery, exhaust system, belts, etc. These parts have longer life cycles than your fluids, tires, brakes and filters, and so don’t need to be replaced as often.

If you are taking your sedan in for the basics, then your Los Altos service center will let you know when it is time for an inspection of these other things. Or they may notice a problem when doing routine maintenance and let you know. Either way, you’ll get a heads-up when your vehicle needs more attention.

If you’re not convinced yet that your sedan needs regular service, consider this: not doing so will cost you in decreased fuel economy, lower performance and compromised safety. These could lead to costly repair bills and costly accidents.

Just like a good dental check-up, a good auto check-up at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos can save you from experiencing embarrassing, costly and painful situations.

So remember to take care of that car and it will take you far, this is Cayenne.

Hi Cayenne here and we are talking one of my favorite things, rubber, I mean the rubber found on tires.

There are so many tire choices in the Los Altos, Sunnyvale, and Mt. View area, selecting the right one can be a bit overwhelming for Los Altos drivers. And even though it’s kind of fun to have new tires on your sedan, they’re a significant investment for most Los Altos folks so you want do it right.

Tip: talk with your personal and trust Allied Auto Works tire professional. He’ll help you sort through the choices.

Here are some of the essential issues you’ll talk about: One is size – you know, all those numbers on the side of the tire. The right size is vital. All new vehicles are required to have stability control which, along with other important safety systems, is calibrated to work with specific tire sizes. Your Los Altos tire professional can help stay within auto makers' specifications or program a different tire size into your sedan’s computer.

And you’ll want to discuss how and where you drive in Los Altos to determine the type of tire you need: summer, winter,  all season tires or all-terrain. There are tires for every Los Altos auto owner's needs.

Like we said, tires are a big investment, so you want to get a good value on tires. Now that doesn’t always mean the cheapest tire. A top tier tire from Allied Auto Works will last a long time and give Los Altos motorists good performance throughout its life. Tires sold in Los Altos bargain tire shops may not live up to that promise. Again, your personal and trust Allied Auto Works tire professional can give you options that offer the best long-term value within your immediate budget.

Last, with a 2-wheel drive vehicle, it's essential to always replace both tires on an axle. Modern sensors and computer safety systems for sedan brakes, stability and traction control need both tires to have the same amount of wear to work properly. And always put the new tires on the rear so you don’t fishtail in a turn. With all-wheel drive you should replace all four tires at the same time.

Schedule a tire inspection at Allied Auto Works to see how much life is left in your sedan tires and seek the help of a professional when choosing new shoes for your vehicle.

Give us a call and tell them Cayenne sent you,

Allied Auto Works
650.968.7227 & 650.947.7228
2073 Grant Road & 1540 Miramonte Ave.
Los Altos, CA 94024