Pleasanton Auto Repair

When winter approaches, we break out the sweaters, coats, boots and mittens. We want to be ready for winter conditions. Your vehicle needs to be ready for winter as well. The last thing you want is to get stranded out in the cold. You need your vehicle to be safe and reliable. It's a good idea to get caught up on any neglected maintenance items anytime - but the stakes are higher in the winter. There are some specific things that we need to do to have our vehicle ready for winter. The most obvious is having the antifreeze checked. If the antifreeze level is too low, it can't properly protect your engine, radiator and hoses from freezing. If your car does not seem to be making enough heat to keep you warm, your antifreeze level may be low or you could have a thermostat problem. Get it checked out. If you are due for a cooling system service, now is a perfect time to have it done. In the cold months we always worry about being able to stop in time when ... read more

One Pleasanton automotive service issue that doesn't get much attention is driveline service. Drivelines don't get talked about very much around Pleasanton, but they're very important. First let's define what the driveline is: Taking a small step back, the power plant is comprised of the engine and transmission. The driveline starts there and includes all of the components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. That's not really a lot of components, but they handle the full force of the engine. Without the driveline you're not moving. So we need to take good care of it. The driveline components differ depending on whether your vehicle has front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all wheel drive or four wheel drive. For purposes of our discussion, we're going to have to over simplify a bit. Let's start with front wheel drive. The point where the transmission stops and the driveline begins ... read more

Your vehicle manufacturer 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 Pleasanton always needs to follow the severe service schedule – but its wishful thinking to say that the regular schedule is always good enough for your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus. At Precision Auto Repair we’ll give you the definitions and explain the issues, and you can be the judge. Most manufactures 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 temperatures 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 week. Do you live a block from a Califor ... read more

The function of the fuel filter is pretty self-explanatory. It filters your fuel. The fuel filter is in the fuel line somewhere in between the fuel tank and the engine. Both gas and diesel vehicles around Pleasanton California use fuel filters. Generally speaking there's not a lot of dirt in our Pleasanton California auto fuel supply, but there is enough that you want to screen it out. The problem actually gets worse the older your vehicle becomes. That's because dirt, rust and other contaminants will settle out of the fuel and onto the bottom of the fuel tank. After your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus is five years or older, it can actually have a fair amount of sediment built up. That just means that the fuel filter has to work harder as your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus ages. It'll get clogged sooner and need to be replaced more often. A symptom of a clogged fuel filter is that the engine sputters at highway speeds or under hard ... read more