Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

So you have some exciting plans for the CA weekend. You’re going to take some of your Van Nuys, CA friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you’ve gotten the boat all ready. And you haven’t forgotten about your tow vehicle. You’ve gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. But you want to make sure that your sedan maintenance is up to date. Think about it – heavy traffic on the way out of Van Nuys. There’s hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads – and its going to be pretty hot in Van Nuys this weekend. And all the time you’ll be towing around several thousand extra pounds. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes and transmission. Let’s just consider the transmission. It’s going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperatru ... read more

Screeching tires, crunching metal – it’s an accident! If you’ve ever been in a car accident in Los Angeles, even a minor one, you know how upsetting it can be. It’s hard to think straight and know what to do. Let’s review what you should do in case of an accident: When an accident occurs, you should always stop. Leaving the scene of an accident in Van Nuys is considered a crime - even if it’s not your fault. And hit and run penalties are fairly severe, possibly resulting in steep fines, loss of your CA driver’s license or even jail time. Your jurisdiction may require that you try to help someone who is injured by calling for help or performing first aid if you are able. Warn other Encino and Tarzana motorists by putting out flares, using your flashers or lifting your hood. Call Los Angeles emergency services as soon as possible. Tell the operator if medical or fire help ... read more

Summer vacation times are nearly here! Whether you're planning for long distance summer travel, or just running errands on a hot day, you don't want to be left stranded in the summer heat.  Now is the time to "summerize" your car and make sure the entire family is ready for any journey. Jody DeVere, President and CEO of AskPatty.com, knows what it's like to take a road trip with the kids buckled up in back. "If you've ever driven more than a few hours straight with kids in tow, be prepared for anything that can happen on the road. To help reduce the stress of summertime travel, here are some planning tips to help you get organized ahead of time." 1) Plan your route ... read more

http://caradvice.askpatty.com/ask_patty_/2010/05/five-tips-for-preparing-for-summertime-car-travel-.html

Here are some great ideas on having a fun and safe road trip with your pet:http://caradvice.askpatty.com/ask_patty_/2010/06/safe-auto-travel-with-your-pet.html

Having trouble with your fuel system? Bring your sedan into AutoAid & Rescue for a check up. 14526 Erwin Street Van Nuys, CA 91411 818-901-1113 Today we're talking about fuel system cleaning. The first thing to know is how important it is to have a clean fuel system. You need fuel to go, and the cleaner your 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. We guess you could say, it all starts and ends at the pump. One of the most important things you can do to keep your 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 can actually cost you in the long run. Now, most cars on the road are more than five or six ... read more

David took the plunge last week and proposed marriage to Taryn. Congratulations Son

There was a man in Los Angeles who learned that most car accidents occur within a mile of home – so he moved. (Just Kidding!) When we think of defensive driving, we often focus on our local CA highway situations. The fact of the matter is we need to be just as careful close to home in Van Nuys, because that's where we do most of our driving. We can't let our familiar surroundings keep us from driving defensively. Defensive driving begins with the proper attitude. Have in mind that you won't let anyone take your safety away from you. You'll be aware of your surroundings, road conditions, other vehicles and hazards. And the first person to be concerned with is you: start with your own environment. Don't leave without securing all occupants including children and pets. Watch for loose items that can become projectiles during evasive maneuvers. Driving too fast or too slow increases the chance of an accident. Ne ... read more

Your vehicle manufactruer publishes two auto maintenance schedules. The regular schedule and the severe service schedule. It’d be wrong for us to tell you that everyone in Los Angeles always needs to follow the severe service schedule – but its wishful thinking to say that the regular schedule is always good enough for your sedan. At AutoAid & Rescue we’ll give you the definitions and explain the issues, and you can be the judge. Most manufactrues list the following as severe conditions: Most of your trips are less than four miles. Most of your trips are less than 10 miles and outside temperatrues are below freezing. The engine is at low speed most of the time – not on the highway. You operate your vehicle in dusty areas. You regularly tow a trailer or carry heavy loads. Driving in very hot or very cold weather. So think about your typical wee ... read more

Have you ever had an experience like this in Van Nuys CA? You drive through the one of those automatic car washes. When you get to the end, where the dryer is blowing, your check engine light started flashing! You fear the worst, but within a block or two, the light stopped flashing, but stayed on. By the next day, the light was off. You wonder; "What was going on?" Well, it's actually a good lesson in how the Check Engine light works. Your air intake system has a sensor that measures how much air is coming through it. When you went under the high-speed dryer, all that air was blasting past the sensor. Your engine computer was saying, there shouldn't be that much air when the engine is just idling. Something's wrong. Whatever's wrong could cause some serious engine damage. Warning, warning! It flashes the check engine light, to alert you to take immediate action. It stopped flashing because once you were out from ... read more