Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

So, when are your tires actually worn out? This is a question a lot of us in Van Nuys CA ask ourselves. For many, the answer is 'when they no longer pass a safety inspection'. But waiting that long can have a serious impact on your safety. The U.S. Federal government doesn’t have any laws for tread depth, but 42 of the states, and all of Canada, do have regulations. They consider two-thirty-seconds of an inch to be the minimum legal tread depth. Two other states, including California, consider one-thirty-second to be the minimum and six states have no standards at all. Call us at AutoAid & Rescue (just call 818-901-1113) to find out what your requirements are in the Van Nuys CA area. Since 1968, U.S. law has required that a raised bar be molded across all tires. When tires are worn enough that this bar becomes visible, there’s just 2/32” of tread left. But does that older standard give you enough safety? Well ... read more

Something you’re going to be hearing a lot about around Van Nuys, CA is diesel engines. We’re not talking about semi-trucks and buses – We’re talking about diesel engine cars, pick-ups and SUVs. Most people in Van Nuys, CA are surprised to learn that around half the cars on the road in Europe have diesel engines. Nearly all import auto manufactruers offer a range of diesel engines abroad – even the ultra-luxury brands like Mercedes and BMW. For the most part, these diesel engines haven’t been available in Van Nuys, CA. But that’s about to change. In the past, North American diesel fuel has had a much higher sulfur content than European fuel. Recent environmental laws have required changes in diesel formulation and emissions standards here in Van Nuys, CA so we are now ready to start seeing more diesel options offered over the next few years. Why are so many interested in ... read more

New car dealership closings are all over the news. Nearly 800 Chrysler dealerships canceled. About 1,100 GM dealers’ contracts will not be renewed after October 2010. And record numbers are just shutting down because they aren’t selling enough cars and trucks to stay in business. It’s estimated that some 40,000 dealership service bays could be taken out of service in the next year or so. Of course, this is a tragedy for those who work at our local Van Nuys dealerships and the owners that risk losing much of their life’s work. Our Van Nuys communities will lose some of our best corporate citizens. Think of all the youth sports team, service clubs and Van Nuys community events that have been sponsored by our local new car dealers. One question we hear a lot at AutoNetTV is, 'Who will service my car?' Van Nuys folks are concerned that they will not get the care and attention they need. They're wondering where th ... read more

Sometimes when we talk about exhaust service in Van Nuys, we think about exhaust pipes and mufflers. And if you can see smoke, or if it’s too loud. But, exhaust service at a place like AutoAid & Rescue is really a lot more comprehensive these days. For example, in the U.S., the federal government mandated catalytic converters for all cars in Van Nuys in 1976 and on-board emission control computers in 1990. CA and federal emissions requirements have forced manufactruers to come up with much more sophisticated ways to comply with environmental regulations. Cars sold in Canada follow the same guidelines. So, exhaust service has really become exhaust and emissions service. High-tech computer-controlled emissions devices are now a big part of that. And because it’s so sophisticated, your vehicle manufactruer recommends having your emission system ch ... read more

Our cars have to operate in a wide range of Van Nuys, CA temperatrues and our engine coolant must be able to perform 'no matter what'. Think for a moment about the environment where the coolant works. Very hot, high pressure, corrosive... And all the while, it has to protect the components of the cooling system from corrosion. These components are made from steel and aluminum, plastics and rubber. The coolant has to be formulated to protect against corrosion for all of these different materials. That’s why different manufactruers recommend different types of anti-freeze for our Van Nuys, CA vehicles. There are several different 'families' of anti-freeze available to us here in Van Nuys, CA. Your owners’ manual will tell you what kind you should use. Of course, AutoAid & Rescue will know what to put in your car. It’s important to stay on top of this because coolant system failure is the most common mechanical ... read more

What is a cabin air filter? Is it: Clever you, it’s C. A cabin air filter cleans the outside air before it comes into the passenger compartment. It filters out common Van Nuys air particles like dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, pollutants, exhaust gas, odors and even sparrows. These high tech filters can block particles larger than 3 microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns. Not all vehicles in Van Nuys have cabin air filters. They are fairly new on the scene. About forty percent of new vehicles sold in Van Nuys come with cabin air filters, but the number is growing every year. Cabin air filters can make for a very nice driving environment. Your car can be a haven during our Van Nuys allergy season with very little dust and pollen getting into the cabin. However, the filter eventually gets clogged. When this happens, your heating and air conditioning flow can become restricted. The filter can even get kind ... read more

Most folks around Van Nuys have had a flat tire. You know it’s inconvenient and a pain. Our tires are important. Keeping them in good working order isn’t just a big safety issue – it also has a financial impact. With high gas prices, we’ve all heard about the importance of keeping proper tire pressure to save on gas. In addition, proper inflation promotes even tread wear so your tires last longer. There’s another danger to under-inflated tires. Low tire pressure puts added stress on the structrue of the tire itself, causing it to break down prematruely. Also, under-inflated tires generate more heat which also reduces tire life. So get those slow leaks fixed quickly – don’t just keep airing them up every few days. You want to avoid serious tire damage. Tires can also be damaged by road hazards in and around Van Nuys. Punctrues, cuts and impacts on curbs or potholes can also cause damage that could lead to tire failure. Sometimes, it’s so ... read more

This is something really amazing: For every gallon of gas your Van Nuys car burns, it uses 12,000 gallons of air. All of that air has to be filtered to keep your engine clean. That’s like a hundred gallons of air every block! The engine air filter is just another example of a very inexpensive part that has to do a tremendous amount of work. And when it works, everything goes well. But, when it doesn’t, well, it can lead to costly problems. Of course, your manufactruer recommends intervals for changing your air filter. But like most service intervals, where and how you drive your car affects when your filter needs to be changed. Dusty conditions in and around Van Nuys or polluted city driving means you’ll need to change your filter more often. Your AutoAid & Rescue technician can check your filter for ... read more

So you’ve bought a used car in the Van Nuys area. How do you know what you’re getting? It is hard to know what you’re getting because people in the Van Nuys area sell cars for different reasons. Think about why you’ve sold cars. Did you just want something new or were there problems that you wanted to run away from. Maybe it was a little of both. Used cars with 25,000 to 35,000 miles on them are often lease returns, corporate program cars or vehicles that have done duty in rental fleets. We feel pretty confident because they’re newer and may still be under warranty. But how well have they been maintained? If you plan on owning a car for a long time, you’ll keep up on the maintenance so that you can avoid expensive repairs down the road. But, if you know you’re only going to have the car for two or three years, you may not be so committed to maintenance. It would be easy to think that skipping an oil cha ... read more

We live such busy lives nowadays: work, social events, running the kids all over Van Nuys. Some days it’s all we can do to keep track of everywhere we need to be. That’s why you’ve gotta be organized. Lists, PDA, calendar- we have to keep track of it all. So let’s talk about schedules. Specifically, automotive service schedules. And particularly, the scheduled services that are sometimes forgotten. We have a list of 10 service items that are often overlooked. They’re all very important and need appropriate attention. So here we go, in no particular order. 1. Power Steering Service Be honest; have you ever thought of this on your own? Your power steering fluid gets dirty and builds-up moistrue over time. Cleaning out your power steering system means that dirt and gum are removed and your power steering parts are protected from corrosion. Ask your service advisor if it’s time for a power stee ... read more