Los Angeles Auto Repair

Sadly, there is no quick fix and no magic cure-all liquid that you can buy bottled in any store or on any website that will repair leaks in your coolant system. These products are designed to seal leaks in the coolant system and while they may work temporarily for a minor leak. Over time the expansion process of stop leak products can restrict the flow in the radiator, heater core, and other components of the cooling system.  Stop leak products can even cause blockages in the cooling system and cause your vehicle to overheat. Products like this make promises but can severely plug up your cooling system and its components, which can lead to catastrophic failure of the cooling system and other major engine parts. These failures are often more costly than the original repair would have been and can even leave you stranded with a broken car on the side of the road. If you think that you are having issues with your vehicle’s cooling system. Call us right away at 310-473-2235 to b ... read more

Wondering which gas to use in your car? The vehicle’s manufacturer makes it easy to decide what to put in your tank. Just look for the fueling info in the car’s manual, or if you don’t want to thumb through all those pages, check inside your gas-tank door. A label there should indicate whether your car needs premium unleaded fuel. Using lower-grade gas than what is required for your car may affect its power, torque, and overall performance. Your fuel economy may decrease as well. But here’s an important question: Does the language in your car’s manual suggest premium gas, or does it say your car requires it? If it’s a suggestion rather than a necessity, your car (and your wallet) will likely be fine with regular unleaded fuel. Premium vs. Regular Unleaded gas is considered “premium” or “regular” depending on its octane level. This determination can vary state to state, but typically, gas with an octane leve ... read more

Even the smallest engine components like your spark plugs can greatly affect the performance of your vehicle. In a four-cylinder engine spark, plugs can fire up to 1600 times, that equals 400 fires per min per cylinder. Worn fouled or damaged spark plugs can damage your engine, reduce fuel efficiency and cause poor performance like misfiring, hard starting, and sluggish acceleration. Check your owner’s manual to see at what intervals your vehicle requires its spark plugs to be changed. The regular maintenance of your vehicles spark plugs can prevent more costly problems from developing in the future. Here is what to look for: Rattling, pinging or knocking sounds The misfiring of spark plugs can cause sounds from the force of the pistons and from the failure of the combustion to not work properly. Pistons move at very high velocities and bad spark plugs that misfire could lead to constant rattling, pinging and knocking sounds coming from your engine compartment. Hard vehicle ... read more

Your smog test can be just as daunting as taking your SATs if you are unprepared. If you don’t pass, you can’t keep legally driving your car and the repairs can get costly. This test ensures that your vehicle is not producing more than its’ share of emissions and that it is contributing to keeping the air as clean as possible. These following tips may just help increase your chances of passing when it comes time to have a Smog Test done. Investigate That Check Engine Light This is the biggest and easiest issue to avoid; if you go into your smog test with your engine light on, it’s an immediate fail. Simply get your vehicle diagnosed and resolve the issues to get one step closer to passing. Make Sure Your Tires are Properly Inflated To The Correct Tire Pressure Most states run a dynamometer test, which forces your car to run at high speeds while staying stationary. When your tires aren’t fully inflated, your engine must ... read more

There are so many components to a car and the regular maintenance all of them might seem overwhelming. Cars are built to last but some car repairs should never be ignored. If you can keep up with some important maintenance, your car is sure to operate reliably and safely for many years to come. Here are 5 car repairs that you should never skip: OilOil is referred to the lifeblood of your vehicle's engine and is what keeps your car engine parts working and rotating correctly. Over time, exhaust gases from the cylinders will contaminate the oil and its effectiveness will be reduced. Oil is also broken down by the heat of the engine. Many current cars can go 5,000 or even 10,000 miles between oil changes. Consult your owner's manual to see how often your automobile's oil needs to be changed. Air FilterWhen you have a clogged air filter with dirt and dust, it can reduce your horsepower, gas mileage, and even cause your engine to stall. The co ... read more