Los Altos Auto Repair

When winter approaches in Los Altos CA, we break out the dog sweaters, coats, boots and mittens. We want to be ready for winter conditions. Your vehicle needs to be ready for winter as well. The last thing you want is to get stranded out in the cold. You need your vehicle to be safe and reliable. It's a good idea to get caught up on any neglected maintenance items anytime - but the stakes are higher in the winter.

There are some specific things that we need to do in Los Altos CA to have our vehicle ready for winter. The most obvious is having the antifreeze checked. If the antifreeze level is too low, it can't properly protect your engine, radiator and hoses from freezing. If your car does not seem to be making enough heat to keep you warm, your antifreeze level may be low or you could have a thermostat problem. Get it checked out. If you are due for a cooling system service, now is a perfect time to have it done.

In the cold months around Los Altos we always worry about being able to stop in time when it's slick out. The first thing to remember is to slow down and allow yourself plenty of room to stop. Of course, you want your brakes to be working properly. A thorough brake inspection will reveal if the pads or any other parts need replacing. Check with your service consultant to see if it is time to replace your brake fluid. It accumulates water over time which really messes with your stopping power.

It is a really good idea to have your battery tested. A battery's cranking power really drops with the temperature. If your battery is weak in the fall, it may not be up to winter. There is nothing like a dead battery in a snow storm.

Which leads us to an emergency kit. You should always have a blanket or something to keep you and your passengers warm and extra dog biscuits if you and your dog get stranded. If you will be venturing away from civilization, pack more items such as food and water to help you survive and and extra dog leash. Keeping at least half a tank of gas is a good precaution if you get stuck and need to run the car to keep warm and it will help keep your gas lines from freezing up.

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

Winter in Los Altos CA always makes us think of our windshield wiper blades - usually during that first storm when they aren't working right. That's why it's a really good idea to replace your blades in the fall before the winter storms. If you live where there's a lot of snow and ice, you might want a special winter blade that resists freezing up. And be sure to have enough windshield washer fluid.

The final thing to consider is your tires. Any tire can lose pressure over time - up to one pound every six or eight weeks. For every 10 degrees the temperature drops you lose another pound of pressure. So if it was 80 degrees outside when you checked your tire pressure two months ago and now it's 40 degrees out, you could be down 5 pounds of pressure. That's enough to be a real safety issue and it wastes gas too. You may need special winter tires as well. Your tire professional can help you find the right tire design for your expected road conditions.

If you're getting winter tires, it is always best to put them on all four wheels. If you are only getting two, have them put on the rear - even if you have a front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle.

This is a very important safety measure recommended by tire manufacturers. Sliding or fish-tailing on ice and snow is a matter of not having enough traction at the rear end. That is why your newest tires should always be on the rear.

Well that is all for now, so gear and get ready for winter and tell Allied Auto Works, Cayenne sent you!

Hi from Cayenne and Allied Auto Works,

If you aren’t currently using synthetic motor oil in your Los Altos vehicle, maybe now’s the time to consider it. Need more information? Well, synthetic motor oil is a substitute for petroleum based oil says Cayenne.

Cayenne knows synthetic oil doesn’t gel or gum-up like petroleum based oil and it doesn’t vaporize as easily. "It protects better in severe driving conditions like stop and go driving around Los Altos, as well as in very hot or very cold conditions. More and more new vehicles are being delivered with full synthetic motor oil; with the recommendation to use synthetic for the life of the vehicle." says Cayenne.

Why is this asks Cayenne? Synthetic motor oil maximizes engine power and fuel economy. To see why; we’d need a microscope, so we’ll have to settle for using our imaginations.

The molecules of conventional motor oil are long hydrocarbon chains. Synthetic motor oil, on the other hand, has uniform, round molecules. Which is more slippery, a pile of pencils or a pile of marbles? How about bones?   Hmmm I'll have to look into that says Cayenne.

Synthetic motor oil lubricates better because there’s less friction. That means better wear protection, cooler operating temperatures, more power and better fuel economy. And synthetic oil doesn’t sludge up like conventional oil, so it prevents those small oil passages from clogging up.

Some manufacturers are extending oil change intervals. The added protection of synthetic oil covers you for these longer intervals. Talk with your service advisor about how you drive and see if he thinks you can benefit from synthetic oil. Also ask about the appropriate oil change interval for synthetic, because it may very well be longer than for conventional oil.

Most of us here in Los Altos have a busy life taking care of us dogs and might occasionally miss an oil change; go ahead admit it. Since we’re not perfect, doesn’t it make sense to use a motor oil that’s got your back?

Now synthetic oil costs more. But it lasts longer, protects better and increases fuel economy. You’ll likely save money in the long run. If you’re serious about making your car last longer, start using synthetic motor oil right away.

Give us a call at 650.968.7227 to schedule an oil change, or visit us at our Allied Auto Works website and tell them Cayenne sent you.

Till next time,

Cayenne  

Having trouble with your fuel system? Bring your sedan into Allied Auto Works for a check up.  Tell them Cayenne sent you.
2073 Grant Road  or 1540 Miramonte Ave
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227 (Grant) & 650.947.7227 (Miramonte)

In today's Allied Auto Works auto post from Cayenne, she is talking about fuel system cleaning. The first thing to know is how important it is to have a clean fuel system. Los Altos car owners need fuel to go, and the cleaner the fuel system, the more efficiently the fuel will burn. That means more power and better fuel economy.

A clean fuel system saves money at the pump. Cayenne says, it all starts and ends at the pump.  One of the most important things Mt. View car owners can do to keep their sedan fuel system clean is to buy good quality gas. Major brands have detergents that keep gum and varnish from rapidly building up in the fuel system.

So buying cheaper gas in Los Altos can actually cost more in the long run. Cayenne knows most cars on CA highways are more than five or six years old. That means they've had time for some dirt and rust to start accumulating in the fuel tank. This junk needs to be filtered out of the fuel before it hits your sedan engine. That's the fuel filter's job.

When the fuel filter is clogged, the dirty fuel will bypass the filter and go on up to the engine where it can clog fuel injectors and get into the cylinders. That could do some damage. So Cupertino auto owners should have their fuel filter changed when recommended. Check your owner's manual or ask your personal and trusted Allied Auto Works technician if your fuel filter is due for replacement.

The fuel then goes up into the throttle body. This is another area where varnish and gum can accumulate. A professional fuel system cleaning at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos will use a combination of special cleaning chemicals and old fashioned swabbing to clean out the throttle body. Now, the fuel injectors are the last stop in the fuel delivery system.

Cayenne wants you keep those fuel injectors clean. The fuel injectors need to deliver a precise amount of fuel, at exactly the right time, in a particular spray pattern. They just can't do that if they're dirty. Dirty fuel injectors really rob power and hurt gas mileage.

It is important for the fuel system proper, but there are a couple other things that will help keep your sedan engine clean as well. Of course, air is mixed with the fuel before it's burned. Dirty air means dirt gets into your engine, so you need to replace your engine air filter when it's dirty.

The PCV value routes unburned fuel that escapes into the lower engine back up into the intake system to be burned. A sticky PCV valve needs to be replaced at Allied Auto Works to make sure that system is working properly and the breather filter needs to be replaced if it's dirty as well.

Do all these things and your sedan engine's air and fuel will be as clean as possible. You'll get much better fuel economy and better power.

Till next week,

Cayenne      

Since driving requirements and lifestyles differ among Los Altos motorists, sedan manufacturers publish two auto maintenance schedules: the regular schedule and the severe service schedule. Which schedule should you follow?
Here are some questions to ask yourself:  Says Cayenne.

Are most of your trips less than four miles?  Getting dog biscuits and such.
Are most of your trips less than 10 miles in below-zero CA temps?
Are most of your trips off-highway?  Yes full freedom for us dogs to run.
Do you drive often in dusty areas?
Do you regularly tow a trailer or carry heavy loads around Los Altos?
Do you drive in very hot or very cold CA weather?

Cayenne wants you to think about your typical week. Do you live by your nearest Los Altos freeway on-ramp and enjoy a non-stop commute to Los Altos or Cupertino? Or, do you drive the neighborhood car pool or to your local pet store in stop-and-go traffic on surface streets?

Take a look at your owner's manaual says Cayenne and suppose your owner’s manual says the severe service oil change recommendation is 3,000 miles and the standard recommendation is 5,000 miles. You know that you need to change the oil somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 miles. Analyze your driving patterns and Los Altos weather and road conditions to determine which end of the spectrum you’re closer to.

Why should Los Altos auto owners care about this? Normal condensation causes moisture accumulation in the engine oil. Short trips around Los Altos or winter driving means that the engine doesn’t heat up enough for the moisture to evaporate. The water in the oil turns to oil sludge that clogs up your engine and doesn’t let the oil protect it adequately. That’s why CA drivers need to change their oil more often – to clean the sludge out before it causes problems.

Carrying heavy loads like dog kibble (with or without a trailer) in nice CA summer weather causes your engine and transmission to run at higher temperatures and with more stress. The fluids will break down more quickly. Additives that clean and prevent corrosion will be depleted sooner. Air pollution and dust cause fluids to get dirty faster. Ditto for filters. All of these things can lead to premature wear and eventual repairs, not to mention your gas mileage. If you want some expert advice,Cayenne suggests you talk with your personal and trusted Allied Auto Works advisor. We can help you restore your sedan to good working order and help you know the best schedule to follow.

To learn more, watch our informative AutoNetTV auto video tips at the top of this post.  Thanks again for checking in with me.  

Allied Auto Works
650.968.7227
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024

With the recent focus in Mt. View on improving fuel economy, Cayenne's knows how important it is to maintain our tire pressure.

Los Altos auto owners know that tires wear out, but Cayenne's wants to make them last as long as possible because they're not cheap to replace and she does not want you going into her bone money jar. In addition to saving gas, properly inflated tires last longer. Under-inflated tires will wear out more quickly, Cayenne says they could make a good chew toy.

Some Mt. View auto owners wonder if they should add a few extra pounds of pressure when they fill up their tires.  Cayenne barks "Bad idea!"  In fact, there are very good reasons not to over-inflate your tires. For one, the middle of the tread will wear unevenly because the full tread is not contacting the road properly. That also adversely affects your handling.

Stop by Allied Auto Works to see about tire maintenance for your Los Altos, CA vehicle Cayenne advises.

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

Every vehicle in the Mt. View area has a sticker on the driver's side door jamb that tells you the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure. This recommendation is an integral part of the vehicle's suspension tuning. A lot of engineering actually goes into the recommended tire pressure, so it's important for Mt. View auto owners to follow it.

What else do Los Altos car owners need to know about tire maintenance? Tire rotation and balancing are very important. Let's start with rotation. Because the front tires handle the brunt of turning forces, the shoulders of the front tires wear more quickly than the rear tires. Cayenne says rotate the tires so that they all get to do some duty on the front and they'll all wear evenly over their life.

For most vehicles, front tires are rotated to the rear and vice versa. Others recommend a cross rotational pattern. Some vehicles use an asymmetrical tire so those tires need to stay on either the right or left side – it'll say which on the tire. Some high performance cars have asymmetrical tires and different sizes on the front and rear. These can't be rotated at all. Your owner's manual will have details for your car.  Cayenne says make sure you check that manual.

How often should Los Altos drivers rotate their tires? Your owner's manual will have a recommendation. "My personal and trusted Allied Auto Works tech at  Allied Auto Works in Los Altos can do a visual inspection to let you know if it looks like it should be done. The interval is typically around 5,000 miles." barks Cayenne.

Cayenne barks, "You know, some Los Altos people don't think new tires need to be balanced. What they aren't taking into account is the wheel. Between the wheel and the tire – even a new tire – there's enough variation to require balancing." 

When you add the valve stem and tire pressure monitoring sensors required on new cars, balancing is definitely in order. When a tire's out of balance, it's actually hopping down the road. You'll feel the vibration through the steering wheel if a front tire's out of balance and through your seat if it's a rear tire.

Proper wheel balance promotes tire life and increases safet y says Cayenne. Historically, lead weights have been attached to the wheel to bring it into balance. Lead gives some environmental concern, so steel weights are starting to be substituted.

Also Cayenne mentions, always use the same size tire on an axle. Different size tires on the front or on the back can lead to some real handling problems. And tire manufacturers recommend that when you get two new tires, they be installed on the rear because that's where you need the most traction to avoid spinning-out.  Drive safely and have a great day!  

See you next week!  

Imagine you've left Los Altos and you're up in the arctic on a dog sled.   "It could happen." says Cayenne.

Your dog team is pulling straight and true. You can cover a lot of ground fast. Now imagine what would happen if one or two of the dogs wanted to go their own way and were pulling off to the side.

That would slow you down. You would have to work harder to keep the sled going where you want it. The dogs are all working as hard as before, but you're covering less ground for the same effort.

"You're wasting valuable kibble!" Cayenne barks.

The same is true of your vehicle when the wheels are out of alignment. That wheel that's pulling to the side is dragging down the rest of the car; so you push a little harder on the gas pedal to keep up your speed. You're wasting gas.

So have your wheel alignment checked at least once a year. Get it checked right away if you feel the car pulling to one side.

Sometimes we bump a curb or hit a pothole and knock our wheels out of alignment. An accident can take the wheels out of alignment as well.  Cayenne invites to schedule an appointment today if wheel alignment is an issue for you.  Because well you never know when you might have to drive to Alaska.

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227

So make sure you're tracking straight. You'll save gas and your tires'll last longer. Now, mush!

Cayenne wants to know if you have found yourself in the following situation: You go to get your oil changed and the service adviser at Allied Auto Works recommends you get a new engine air filter. You say yes, but because you didn't know what an air filter is or what it does, but you were too embarrassed to ask.

First of all Cayenne wants you to know, you did the right thing by getting a new one. And, you should never be too embarrassed to ask for more information from any of our Allied Auto Works staff. It's your money and you have a right to understand what you're paying for.

"Let's review what an air filter does" barks Cayenne:  

Air is the focus of this discussion. What is the air like outside in Los Altos right now? Can you see any smog? Is it full of pollen? How about dust? Anyone in CA with hay fever can tell you that there's plenty in the air that you can't see. Well, it's the engine air filter's job to clean that air before it goes into your engine, to mix with the fuel and be burned. Without an engine air filter, the inside of your engine would be extremely dirty from all the gunk that was burned in the cylinders.  

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227

In fact, for every gallon of gas you burn, your engine needs 12,000 gallons of air. That little filter does a very big job. It's no wonder that the air filter gets dirty and needs to be replaced. Think about a vacuum cleaner. When the bag gets full of dust and dirt, the vacuum doesn't clean as well. It can't move enough air to create good suction. A clogged engine air filter is the same way - the engine can't get enough air to burn the fuel efficiently. That means less power and wasted gas.

That's why your manufacturer has recommended that you change your filter at regular intervals. Of course the conditions you drive in will affect how quickly the filter gets dirty. If you drive where it's very dusty or where there's lots of pollen or pollution, you may need to change the filter sooner. The filter is easy to check visually, so your service technician can quickly make the call. He might recommend immediate replacement, or simply let you know that it is getting close and that you'll need to replace it soon - like at your next oil change.

Because a severely dirty air filter hurts your fuel economy, many people find that a new air filter pays for itself in gas savings before the next oil change. They also make premium air filters that have been proven to increase your horsepower and torque. If more power is important to you, a high performance air filter is some of the cheapest horsepower you can buy.

The better your car breathes, the better it runs - kind of like dogs and people. And don't worry - if you have a question or don't understand a recommendation just Cayenne or better yet stop by Allied Auto Works and talk to Matt or Travis.

Welcome to Cayenne's Weekly Blog. Before the recession hit, the median age for cars in the Los Altos CA area (zip code: 94024) was over nine years. And two-thirds had over 75,000 miles. Cayenne and  Allied Auto Works hear reports that those numbers continue to rise.

Cayenne recommends if you have a high-mileage vehicle in the Los Altos area, bring it in for high-mileage maintenance:
Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227

Many people in Los Altos are keeping their vehicles longer. The economy has influenced that, but the fact that modern sedans are more durable and reliable means that owning a high mileage vehicle doesn't have to be a painful experience.

Local car owners in Los Altos with over 100,000 miles on their vehicles often ask Cayenne which service intervals they should follow. Cayenne's advice starts with the special needs of the older vehicle...

The reality is that time and mileage will take its toll. The engine and transmission will have more sludge. The fuel, steering and brake systems will have gum and varnish built up. There'll be more dirt and contaminants in the fuel tank. Corrosion and deposits in the cooling system. And seals and gaskets will start to dry out.

All of this, plus normal wear and tear, means that the engine might not be as strong as new, so it just has to work harder to get the job done.

So we need to compensate. Consider high-mileage formulations for oil changes, transmission service, etc. These special formulations contain additives that condition the seals and gaskets to prevent leaks. They also have more detergents to clean sludge and other deposits. They cost a bit more, but they're worth it.

In general, if an auto service was recommended every 15,000 miles when the car was new, you should continue to get the service done every 15,000 miles.

Cayenne recommends talking with your Los Altos service advisor at Allied Auto Works about the condition of your engine. See if he thinks you should adjust your auto service intervals for oil changes or other auto maintenance to account for the older engine working harder.

Expect the oil filter to get dirty faster. Same goes for the fuel filter. And some leaks are to be expected so you need to keep a closer eye on fluid levels.

If anything, following recommended service intervals for your sedan is more important in a higher mileage vehicle. Skipping oil changes or other services can lead to problems much more quickly than with a newer vehicle.

So, have your Los Altos auto service advisor at Allied Auto Works help you with an assessment of your older car or truck. If you haven't gotten around to a fuel system cleaning, or replacing power steering or brake fluid, a differential service or transmission service – it's time to start taking care of those things. It'll help keep you on the road for many more happy miles and happy dogs hanging out of the window Cayenne's says.  "We love our car rides!"

From Cayenne's point of view in very simple terms, a fuel injector is a valve that squirts fuel into your sedan engine. Your engine control computer tells the fuel injector how much fuel to deliver as well as the precise time it should be delivered. Of course, Cayenne wants you to know this happens thousands of times a minute in every single fuel-injected car driving down Cupertino, Sunnyvale, and Mt. View interstates.  Cayenne's knows as she loves car rides.

Cayenne says fuel injectors for gas engines are known in the Los Altos automotive community as port fuel injectors because they deliver the fuel to a port just outside the cylinder. The fuel pump provides pressure needed to squirt the right amount of fuel into the engine.

Cayenne has noticed a few auto makers have recently introduced gas direct injection systems on some engines. They are now available at some Los Altos dealerships. These systems inject the gas directly into the cylinders under very high pressure – many times the pressure of port injection systems.

Although more complicated, direct injection technology promises greater power with improved gas mileage for gas-poor Cupertino, Sunnyvale, and Mt. View car owners. CA motorists can expect to see more of it in the future.

High temperatures under your sedan hood and variations in Los Altos gas quality cause fuel injectors to be fouled with wax, dirt, water, additives and carbon. Injectors can become partially clogged, preventing them from delivering the proper amount of fuel at the correct pressure.  You do not want this says Cayenne.

When injectors are dirty, the fuel doesn’t burn as efficiently resulting in poor fuel economy and loss of power. So it’s important for Los Altos car owners keep their fuel injectors clean.  

Cayenne recommends Allied Auto Works service center where they can perform a fuel system service for you in which the fuel injectors are cleaned so that they operate properly and deliver the right amount of fuel at the right time.

Proper maintenance of your sedan fuel system means that you will spend less on gas, enjoy strong performance and prevent costly Los Altos repair bills down the road and Cayenne says that extra money you will save on gas can go towards a nice bone for your dog.

Cayenne wants you to make an appointment with Allied Auto Works to have your on board diagnostics analyzed.
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227

Today Cayenne's going to talk about on-board diagnostics and the questions she hears from folks around Los Altos CA who need answers about diagnostic services. They want to know what diagnostics are, what's involved and what the benefits are. They really want to understand the value of diagnostic scans by a trained technician in Los Altos CA.

Cayenne's knows these are valid concerns. If you don't understand something it's really hard to know its value. Let's start with some history.

Cayenne did some research and since 1996, all cars and light trucks in Los Altos CA have been required to use a standardized diagnostic system to help repair technicians determine what's wrong with your vehicle. The diagnostic system works with the vehicle's Engine Control Module – the computer that controls many engine functions.

The computer monitors dozens of components and processes. Depending on what the sensors read, the computer will make adjustments to compensate for conditions and minor problems. When there is a condition that it can't adjust for, the computer will turn on the check engine light.

It is also called the 'service engine soon' light on some vehicles. The warning light signals you to get into your Los Altos CA service center so that the trouble code can be read and the problem can be fixed. Your service center will have a scan tool and powerful software that will help the technician diagnose the problem.

If you've searched for check engine light on the internet, you may have seen that you can buy an inexpensive scanner or go to an auto parts store to have the trouble code read to tell you exactly what's wrong.

That's a common myth. The code itself doesn't tell you what's broken. It starts you looking in the right place. It tells you what engine parameter is out of range – but it won't tell you what's wrong or how to fix it.

Let's say you think your daughter has a fever. You take her temperature and it reads one 102 degrees. You've confirmed a fever, but you don't know what's causing it. Is it a 24 hour flu, an infection, appendicitis or leukemia? A fever is a symptom of all of these medical problems, but it takes a skilled physician's examination and additional diagnostic tests to find out what is actually causing the fever.

An example of a trouble code could be: P0133, which reads 'Bank 1 sensor 1 circuit slow response'. This means that the front oxygen sensor has a slow response time to changes in the air-fuel mix. If that's all you knew about cars, you would think your oxygen sensor was broken and would replace it. Now, it could be the oxygen sensor – but it could also be a bad or contaminated airflow sensor, exhaust leak, electrical problem, an intake manifold leak or any of a number of other things.

Cayenne imagines a lot of oxygen sensors have been replaced because of that code. So the on-board diagnostics point the way to where the trouble lies, but it takes some skill and high-tech equipment to actually pinpoint the problem. The cheap scan tools that a consumer can buy do not have the ability to retrieve some of the operating history that's stored in the engine control computer. That history's very helpful in diagnosing the problem. Service centers like Allied Auto Works invest a lot of money in high-end diagnostic tools to help solve the mystery and get you back on the road as soon as possible without replacing a lot of parts that don't need replacing.

So, on-board diagnostics provide a powerful starting place for a highly-trained, well-equipped technician to get to the bottom of your problem. When your check engine light comes on, get it checked at Allied Auto Works. If the light burns steady – don't panic. Get in to Allied Auto Works soon to have the engine scanned. A flashing check engine light means that there is a severe engine problem. Get in as soon as you can – waiting too long can lead to very expensive damage.

And try to not drive at high speed or tow or haul heavy loads with a flashing check engine light.  Cayenne strongly recommends this needs to be attended to as soon as possible.