Los Altos Auto Repair

Hi Cayenne here and warm weather or cold, Los Altos drivers still need to consider their vehicle's air conditioning. Most Los Altos people don't service their air conditioning until after it fails. At Allied Auto Works, we can advise you on your vehicle manufacturers' preventive maintenance schedules for air conditioning service, just as we do for transmission service, oil changes, and so on.

Maintaining your air conditioning system means always having enough refrigerant to do the job properly. Small leaks in the vehicle's air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can't cool the air as well. We see that a lot at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos.

The refrigerant also contains oil that lubricates air conditioning components and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and all Los Altos vehicle owners know that air conditioning repairs can be costly. At Allied Auto Works, we recommended that the air conditioner be run regularly, even during winter months, to keep the parts and seals lubricated.

Los Altos drivers need to be aware that there's one more thing that isn't directly related to air conditioning service but does impact the air quality in your vehicle. And that's your cabin air filter. This filter cleans dust, pollen, pollution, and other air impurities from the heater and air conditioner. The cabin air filter needs to be replaced when it's dirty. If you don't, it'll start to smell. Not all vehicles have one, so ask your Allied Auto Works service advisor to check your cabin air filter while they're doing your air conditioning service.

And as we leave Summer and enter into Autumn, I leave you with this,

Autumn leaves don't fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar

Cayenne

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
6509687227
http://alliedautoworks.com

Duke here and organization is the key to managing a busy life in CA.  I wake up in the morning, go out and do my business, eat, take a nap, go on squirrel patrol, nap again, and then go for my afternoon walk.  Your vehicle also has routines that need to be followed, so today, we will bark about ten services you do not want to overlook.  Let's get barkin'!

Setting up an annual calendar for vehicle care can keep Los Altos residents on top of preventive maintenance. But you can't just write “oil change” every few months on the calendar. Modern vehicles have many systems that are vital to the safe operation of a vehicle, and they all need to be inspected. Los Altos residents can't afford to overlook any of them.

The following is a list of preventive maintenance services that vehicle owners often overlook in the Los Altos area. They are not presented in any particular order.

1. Duke's Power Steering Service. Moisture gradually builds up in your power steering fluid, which can lead to corrosion in your steering system. The fluid also gets dirty, which can gum up your steering system. The fluid needs to be replaced periodically.

2. Duke's Wheel Alignment. Wheels that are out of alignment will cause a vehicle to pull to one side. This is dangerous for Los Altos residents and can lead to accidents. Also, it causes uneven and rapid tire wear, which means tires must be replaced more often.

3. Duke's  Differential Service. They are part of the drive train system that transfers power from the engine to the wheels. Damage or wear in this system can make a vehicle undriveable.

4. Duke's Cabin Air Filter. Your vehicle may or may not be equipped with a cabin air filter. Its job is to remove dust and pollen from the air that enters the passenger compartment of the vehicle. If this filter clogs, it can stink. So check your owner's manual to determine if your vehicle has a cabin air filter. If so, visit us at Allied Auto Works and get it changed according to the recommended schedule.

5. Duke's Timing Belt Replacement. Most passenger cars and some vans and trucks have timing belts. Los Altos residents can check their owner's manual to determine if their vehicle has one. If so, you can't drive without it. And if it breaks while on the road, you may be looking at thousands of dollars of repairs. So it is essential to inspect it occasionally. If your vehicle has close to 60,000 miles/100,000 kilometers or more on it and you haven't had your timing belt replaced, then you need to find out the recommended replacement interval NOW.

6. Duke's Transmission Service. Transmission fluid gets dirty and has to be replaced. If not, you risk repairs.

7. Duke's Air Conditioning Service. The refrigerant in your air conditioner needs to be replaced periodically. This fluid doesn't just refrigerate air; it provides lubrication to the air conditioning system and conditions seals. Lack of fluid can damage components.

8. Duke's Brake Service. Even if your brakes are quiet and working well, the brake fluid still might need to be changed. Over time, moisture builds up in brake fluid. Water has a different viscosity than brake fluid, so the brakes can't compress properly when there's too much moisture in the fluid — and you shouldn't need to be told how it is to drive with brakes that are compromised. Moisture in your brake fluid can also corrode parts in your brake system, causing it to fail altogether.

9. Duke's Coolant System Service. Antifreeze is another fluid that needs to be changed regularly. If not, it actually becomes corrosive and begins to damage your cooling system. Eventually, it can eat holes in your radiator.

10. Duke's Fuel System Cleaning. Over time, your fuel system gets gummed up, which can interfere with the flow of fuel in several ways.

Of course, your next question should be: How often do I need to get all of this done? Well, the answer varies depending on which service we're talking about, the make and model of your vehicle, the climate where you live in CA, your usual driving conditions and your driving habits.

But don't lose heart. Your owner's manual will give you a recommended service schedule for most of the service items listed. You can get quality auto advice from your friendly and knowledgeable Allied Auto Works service advisors to help you meet the service intervals that suit your vehicle.

I leave you with this quote for the week,

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt

Duke

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
6509687227
http://alliedautoworks.com

Hi Cayenne here and today we will breathe new life into your MAF sensor.  So take a deep breath and let's get barkin' on this subject!

If you’ve noticed your vehicle is hard to start, stalling, or has lost power, the culprit may be a part with an odd name: the MAF sensor.  You may have never even heard of a MAF sensor, but it’s essential that it be working correctly, or you may be experiencing some reasonably significant engine issues.

All vehicles bring in air and direct it through an air filter before it goes into your engine, where it mixes with fuel to provide power to get you going. A tube-like device with a sensor inside it measures how much of that mass of air is passing through. That’s why it’s called a mass air flow sensor, or MAF sensor.  If the MAF sensor isn’t working right, the engine’s computer can’t determine the right amount of fuel to mix with it, and your engine may hesitate or stall.  Sometimes, this will cause your Check Engine Light to come on, and any time it does that, make sure you have your vehicle checked by a professional so you’ll know what’s going on.

When you take your vehicle into your service facility, a technician will thoroughly check the system to see just where the problems are.  If your air filter is dirty, your MAF sensor may get dirty too, which might be causing the problems.  You may find your fuel economy isn’t what it used to be either.

Other things can cause the same symptoms, too, such as a leak in a vacuum hose or a broken electrical connector between the MAF sensor and the engine. 

The technician can use electronic diagnostic equipment to help pinpoint the exact problem or problems, replace worn parts, and test drive your vehicle to make sure it’s working correctly.

It’s also a good idea to change your air filter regularly. A dirty air filter can contribute to an MAF sensor failure. One of the big benefits of having your vehicle regularly maintained at one facility is that they know your vehicle. So, they keep track of which of your vehicle’s parts should be periodically replaced before problems develop. 

Keeping clean air heading into your engine can help it work efficiently and with the power it was engineered to deliver. Isn’t that a breath of fresh air?

Breathe in, breathe out
Breathe in, breathe out
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe in
Got a machinehead, it's better than the rest ~ Bush

Cayenne

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
6509687227
http://alliedautoworks.com

Good Day, Duke here, and you know Los Altos drivers may feel intimidated when they take their vehicles to a service center. They have questions but aren't sure how to ask. They don't want to feel embarrassed about their lack of knowledge. They don't want to make the service technician feel they don't trust him.

If your service advisor at Allied Auto Works uses a term you don't understand, just ask him to explain. Remember, they are the auto service experts. If they came to your place of work, they probably wouldn't understand the jargon, either. When you take your vehicle to be serviced, ensure you know the financial issues up front. Ask about payment policies, warranties, and, of course, the cost of the work being done.

It helps to understand the essential services your vehicle needs. Know the difference between a quick check-up and a thorough inspection you are getting and asking for. Understand that diagnosing a problem takes time, and time isn't free. If you have concerns about cost, negotiate your limits before service is done. Don't be afraid to ask your service advisor for auto advice on keeping your vehicle on the road within your budget. He can help you prioritize your vehicle's needs. Some repairs are for the safety and future health of your vehicle. Others can wait. Your Allied Auto Works service advisor can help you set up a plan to get all the work done as you can afford it.

It may be tempting for Los Altos drivers to save money with budget parts. Your service advisor can help you to sort through the options to work within your budget. High-quality parts are always preferable for any auto repair. Your service advisor will ensure the parts won't compromise your vehicle's safety.

Don't leave your Los Altos service center without your paperwork. Ask about warranties for parts and labor. You may need these for claims or if there is a problem in the future. Get detailed explanations of the work done on your vehicle. These records will help you keep track of repairs, services, and warranties.

Those records may also help close a deal when it comes time to sell your vehicle. After all, the biggest concern most people in Los Altos have when buying a used vehicle is that they are inheriting someone else's problems.

Records of repairs and service give a good picture of your vehicle's condition and performance and what problems a new owner can expect. People are always happier to purchase a well-maintained vehicle. Whenever we climb into a vehicle, we entrust our health and safety to it. Perhaps it's time to take our vehicles' health a little more seriously. Open up; ask and learn.

Remember, you still teach an old dog new tricks,

Duke

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
6509687227
http://alliedautoworks.com

Hello, Cayenne here. Did you know that dogs have better night vision than humans? That's because dogs have a high number of light-sensitive rods within their retinas.  Today, we will bark about how, when driving at night, high and low beams work for night vision or lack of vision for other drivers.  

It's happened to all of us.  We're driving down a highway at night and over a crest appears a car with its high beams blazing.  You are momentarily blinded, hoping the other driver will switch them to their low-beam setting and restore your vision.

Not only do we not appreciate being blinded, face it; we don’t want to be that other driver, either.  You know, the one who forgets to turn down their high beams.

Why do we want high beams in the first place? When used correctly, they can improve safety, giving drivers more reaction time since they can see farther down the road. However, research has found that many drivers either don't use them or, when they do, frequently forget to switch to low beams. Enter the automatic high-beam dimmer.

The quest for the perfect one began in the 1950s when General Motors invented what it called the "Autronic Eye." It was a phototube that sat on the dashboard and turned down your beams when it saw other headlights. While touted as the biggest advance in night driving safety in 30 years, it didn't work all that well. But as technology advanced, systems improved.

Today's automatic high beam dimmers usually have a camera in the rearview mirror (pointing forward).  When the camera sees lights, software in the system's computer attempts to determine the source of the light, whether it is an oncoming vehicle, taillights, ambient city lights, street lights or the reflection off of a street sign.  It then adjusts the headlights to operate high beams if appropriate or a less-blinding mode if they’re not.

Some automakers strive to make their headlight systems more intelligent and safer by developing lamps that can avoid blinding oncoming drivers by means other than simply dimming them. One idea? Splitting the beams so they will block just the portion that shines into the eyes of oncoming drivers.

It's a long way from the Autronic Eye. 

I leave you with this fun quote about light,

A day without sunshine is like, you know, night  ~ Steve Martin

Cayenne

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
6509687227
http://alliedautoworks.com