Los Altos Auto Repair

Hey, it's the Duke and from time to time, I can get a little squirrely chasing after squirrels.  Off-center, that is, but if I keep my focus and a straight line, I usually catch them in the end.....lol  But seriously, Los Altos drivers may have an alignment problem if their car drifts or pulls to one side, the steering wheel's off center, they notice uneven tire wear, or the car doesn't feel like it handles right as they drive down Los Altos, CA, streets and roads. So today, we will bark about wheel alignment and making it straight down the road!

When all of a vehicle's wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Running into potholes, smacking a curb, or other objects around Los Altos are great ways to knock a car out of alignment. Then one or more of your wheels start pulling in a slightly different direction and the problems begin.

The team at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos wants you to know that driving for an extended time when your car is out of alignment causes your tires to wear unevenly and excessively. Sometimes the tire can be worn so badly that it will fail.

At the very least, those who drive with wheels out of alignment will have to replace their tires sooner. You could end up with premature wear to your suspension system, which can be expensive. The front wheel alignment is adjustable on all vehicles, and the back wheels are also adjustable on some cars.

Now, let's discuss some alignment basics. Wheels are adjustable for toe, caster and camber. The ideal alignment for your car was designed by its engineers.

So, what is involved in an alignment check at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos? First, there's an inspection of the steering and suspension to see if anything is bent or broken. Tire condition will also be evaluated.  Next, the vehicle is put on an alignment rack and we take an initial alignment reading.

If all four wheels are adjustable, they are lined up perfectly parallel with the vehicle's centerline. If the back wheels aren't adjustable, the direction they push is determined and the front wheels are aligned to match.

Like most things, vehicle manufacturers have recommended a mileage interval for having alignment checked. But if you run into a curb, pothole, or something else that's given you a big jolt, pay attention to whether your vehicle is pulling to one side when you drive around the Los Altos area. Vehicle owners should have their alignment checked before waiting to see if there is uneven tire tread wear; by then, the damage is done.

Getting your alignment checked at Allied Auto Works when necessary is a great way to extend the life of your tires and suspension parts. It also makes sure that your tires meet the road properly for maximum performance and safety in CA.

Come see us at for more information about your tire alignment. We look forward to serving you.

I leave you with this thought for the week,

"If everything comes your way, you are in the wrong lane."

Duke

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

I love fresh air blowing in my face when I go for a car ride, be it cold or hot.  Hi Cayenne here and I know you humans like to feel comfortable inside your vehicles.  So what do you do when there is no air flowing out of your air vents?  Well, let's flow into the answer and start barkin'!

You climb inside your vehicle, start the ignition, and reach for the fan control for the heating or air conditioning.  But when you try to crank it up, no air comes out of the vents. It can make for a very uncomfortable trip, whether it’s hot or cold outside.

It’s important for the comfort of you and your passengers to regulate the temperature in your vehicle’s cabin.  Not having air coming through the vents can also be a safety issue when you’re trying to defrost the windshield and front windows when they fog up and your visibility is affected.  

There can be many reasons why the air isn’t blowing through your vents.  The blower motor may have failed or the switch that controls it may have worn out.  It could be as simple as a blown fuse, or perhaps an electrical component that regulates the fan speed may have stopped working. One of the ducts that direct the air from the outside to the cabin may have broken.  Or the air intake where the outside air is collected may be clogged up with leaves or other debris.

If your vents aren’t blowing air, it’s time to bring in your vehicle to have one of our technicians diagnose and repair it.  They will examine the electrical and mechanical components to see where the problem is.  The remedy can be something simple, or it may involve a more extensive repair.  

Keeping the cabin temperature temperate and having good airflow are vital to your comfort, especially when the weather outside is extremely hot or cold. 

My air quote for this week and look him if you do not know who Evel is,

"I love the feeling of the fresh air on my face and the wind blowing through my hair."  ~Evel Knievel

Cayenne

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

Hi Brandy here and with the price of fuel here in California ($5.25 per gallon-regular as of July 14), I thought we would bark about how to save on fuel. 

Weight is the enemy of fuel economy. Everyone from Los Altos knows this makes sense.  

Some of us in the Los Altos area carry a bunch of unnecessary weight, and I'm not talkin' what you see in the mirror.

Guys: sports equipment and tools. Ladies: well, just take a look around the passenger compartment and trunk. I think my car has about 45 pounds of French fries on the floor.

All that extra weight wastes gas as you drive between here and there, and everywhere else.

Lose the junk and save some money.

...And you really only need one of those spare tires.

I leave you with this thought,

"Beer is now cheaper than gas. Drink. Don't drive."

Brandy

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

Duke here on this beautiful summer day!  Today we will bark about getting in some sticky situations. We've all been there.  You park your vehicle on a steeper-than-usual hill and worry about it rolling down while you're running your errands.  So you decide you'll use the parking brake.  When you get back, you release the parking brake, hit the ignition, put it in gear and—uh, oh—you can feel the parking brake is still on.  It's stuck.  What do you do now?

Welcome to the world of infrequently-used parking brakes.  Yes, they do stick for several reasons. It's common for components to corrode and get locked up.  Sometimes if you have applied it extra hard, it can jam.  Could be a rusty cable, or it could be a spring that doesn't return the brake to its disengaged position.  Some pieces just break when they're stressed for the first time in a while. A caliper or the pivot arm it's on can also stick.

There are a few things you can try to unstick it.  Carefully rock your vehicle by putting it first in drive and then reverse.  You have to be careful doing that, though, because sometimes you can damage the transmission.  You can try working the parking brake control a few times to see if that will loosen the corrosion.  If you can't unstick it, you can try driving slowly a short distance to a repair facility near you.  Sometimes it won't cause damage to the brakes, but it depends on how tightly the parking brake was applied and what was stuck.  You may also have to have your vehicle towed to a repair facility.

In any case, once you've seen these symptoms, have your vehicle's brakes looked at by a professional who can fix the root of the problem.  Better yet, don't let your vehicle get in this condition; regular maintenance and inspections by a trained technician should prevent you from getting in a jam somewhere thanks to a stuck parking brake.  You could use a "brake" like that.

I leave you with this sticky situation quote,

"If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging."
— Will Rogers

Duke

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