Los Altos Auto Repair

Good day!  Cayenne here, and you know, some days it is hard for me to get my legs going and myself out the door for a walk at 16 years of age. I'm an old dog. It takes more effort.  Your brakes are sorta the same way.  At first, it's nice and easy when you put your foot to the pedal but one day you notice it takes alot more effort to make the brakes stop, you have to push down really hard......why is that?  Well, let's get barkin' and answer that question.

When you push on your brake pedal, you should find your vehicle easy to stop.  But at some point, you might notice stopping takes much more pressure on the pedal than it used to.  When it gets to that point, it becomes a safety issue, and you should bring your vehicle in so we can track down what’s not working correctly.

Brake pedals that are stiff mean there’s something wrong with one or more components of your entire brake system.  For example, it could be moisture has contaminated your brake fluid, making it harder to push the pedal down.

Many vehicles use hydraulics to amplify your pedal pressure to a force strong enough to stop your vehicle.  Certain problems can develop with your hydraulics, such as a faulty master cylinder, a kink in one of your brake lines, or a failed proportioning valve, which regulates pressure to your rear brakes. Vacuum leaks can also make your brake pedal hard to push. Another cause could be a problem with your vehicle’s brake booster or its check valve.

Because your vehicle’s braking system is made up of many different components, one of our technicians will look at several different possible causes in yours.  Your vehicle may not have enough brake fluid, so they’ll check the level.  A visual inspection of your hoses, brake lines and vacuum line to the brake booster may turn up the root cause of your issues.   

Because there are many different causes of a hard-to-push brake pedal, solutions may involve one or more different steps.  Keep in mind, this is one problem that needs to be fixed for you to drive safely.  That’s why it’s important to have a professional track down the issue, or issues, and take care of the problem(s) so you can be back on the road, safely going and stopping.

I leave you with this push joke for the week

The Envelope: No matter how hard you push the envelope, it will always remain stationery.

Cayenne

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

Hello Duke here, and have you ever wondered why dog treats can vary in cost when they are very similar in size and ingredients?  Well, maybe you don't, but I do. It's kinda like your vehicle, why does it cost so much more to fix a similar problem in two different vehicles? Let's say you now own an SUV and before that, you owned a car.  Your SUV's air conditioning system needs a new evaporator, but the cost for the new one is way more than you remember it was for your car.  How can there be that big of a difference?  Well let's get barkin" and discover why.

There are many reasons.  For one thing, vehicles aren't all the same.  Yes, they have engines, steering wheels, and suspensions, but engineering and design can vary widely across styles and brands. 

When replacing the evaporator, the one in your former car may have been located in a spot the technician could easily access.  Plus, the part may have been simpler and therefore cheaper.  Your SUV may require the entire dashboard to be removed, using special tools, to detach the A/C lines from the evaporator.  Plus, since it supplies cool air to a larger cabin, it may be more complicated and the part itself may cost quite a bit more.

But you're not an expert, so how do you know the price is fair? This is where it helps to establish a good, long-lasting relationship with a reputable service repair facility.  They know you, they know your vehicle and they value keeping you as a customer. A facility that doesn't care about repeat business may suggest more repairs than are needed or inflate its prices.  But those shops are unlikely to stay in business for very long, since word gets around. 

If you've been taking your vehicles to the same shop for several years, you've had experience with them and know their policy on labor costs and parts prices.  At some point, you may wonder if it's worth it to keep putting money into your vehicle, and if you know your service advisor, you may have developed trust in their advice. 

Keep this in mind, too.  Vehicle designers and engineers have made significant progress in areas such as powertrain technology and rust prevention.  That means today's vehicles are meant to last longer.  One study in a major consumer magazine shows that if you keep your vehicle on the road for 200,000 miles (320,000 km) over an average of 15 years, some vehicles can save you up to $30,000. Investing in repairs can make a lot of sense. 

I leave you with my joke of the week on how much something costs.

How much did Santa pay for his sleigh?
Nothing—it was on the house!

Duke

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

Hey, it's Brandy and you ever wonder what one of the best things is to ever happen to your vehicle's engine?  It's the little thing that usually looks like a can, the oil filter.  Just like your kitchen sink strainer filters out errant food particles that could clog your drain, the oil filter cleans out small particles that could harm your engine.

Your engine operates in a dirty, hot environment and gathers a lot of tiny contaminants like dirt, dust, little metal shards and unlucky bugs that get sucked in.  Get those things circulating in your engine and those little particles can cause friction, which starts wearing out those finely machined metal parts. 

You know how important it is to change your oil regularly.  It's vital that you change your oil filter at the same time to keep the oil as close to brand new as possible.

Most oil filters look like a metal can with some holes in the bottom.  Inside, there are carefully chosen materials that can screen out the contaminants while at the same time allowing the lubricating oil to pass through.  Early oil filters had steel wool, metal mesh or actual screens.  Then they tried fabric filters using materials such as linen and cotton.  Finally, a less expensive disposable filter using paper and cellulose did the trick.

Cellulose or other synthetic media are used in most oil filters today.  Cellulose is inexpensive and effective.  Fibers filter out particulates and let the oil flow.  The other synthetic media can screen out even tinier particles without significantly restricting the oil from passing through.  Engineers continue to work on even more advanced filter materials.

Choosing the right oil filter is something our pros at Allied Auto Works can help you with, since there are a lot of them out there.  Factoring into that decision are your driving habits, how far you drive and the temperatures to which your engine will be subjected.  While some filters cost more than others, they may be worth it to extend your engine's life. 

But most important is remembering to have your oil changed at Allied Auto Works regularly, at the intervals recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer. Just like you wouldn't want to have a plumber come over to fix a clogged kitchen drain, you certainly wouldn't want to have to pay for major engine repairs if they could be prevented by regular oil and filter changes.

Today I am going to leave you with a filter joke,

Just been in to Starbucks and the barista was wearing a face mask

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

Vroom! Cayenne here today.  Have you ever been driving along, your exhaust system's rumbling so loud that people turn and stare to see if it is a Hot Rod as you pass by?  You're wondering when the police are going to pull you over for illegal noise. Your mind immediately thinks, aha! A broken muffler. Well, your exhaust system is composed of many more parts than just a muffler.  So today we are going to make some noise and find out what all the racket is about.  Let's get barkin'!

Your engine makes power because of thousands of tiny explosions from detonating fuel.  Those explosions make a racket, so engineers came up with a system that acoustically dampens that sound in addition to getting rid of harmful exhaust.

In the engine is the exhaust manifold that looks like several pipes that join up into one pipe.  It directs exhaust to the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter converts harmful gases into less harmful gases using certain chemical reactions.  Then comes the muffler that has baffles inside to quiet the sounds of your engine noise.  Finally: the tailpipe.

All of those pipes and parts are joined together by clamps and held up by brackets, and they ride over some pretty bumpy roads.  They are also exposed to the elements, like salt, water, rocks and grit.  Chances are that one of those clamps or brackets has been weakened by corrosion.  When you hit a bump, bingo! The crack widens into a gap and there's a spot for the engine noise to come roaring out instead of being directed into the muffler's quieting chambers.

You might be surprised to know that the exhaust system can rust from inside out.  How? Moisture is one component of exhaust, and moisture on the inside can do the same kind of damage as moisture from the outside. 

It's a good idea to have your exhaust system looked at regularly by a technician.  He or she can evaluate the condition of the metal and recommend when it might be time to replace parts before they break.

Then you'll have a decision to make.  Newer exhaust systems are made out of stainless steel that is much less prone to corrosion issues.  Others are made of aluminized steel that also fights rust.  You've probably already guessed that they can cost more, but the extra price up front may give you an exhaust system that will last much longer. 

Sure, with a repaired exhaust system, you won't have quite the head-turning vehicle you once had.  You'll just have to live with all the quiet.

I leave you with this thought this week,

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough" — Mario Andretti

Cayenne

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