Pleasanton Auto Repair

Today’s report from Precision Auto Repair is on car batteries, why they die and what we can do to lengthen their life. Most of us have had a dead battery at one time or another. In fact, it would be very unusual if you hadn’t. You may be surprised to learn that only 30 percent of Pleasanton vehicle batteries last for 48 months. Now that’s an average. How long a battery lasts depends on many factors. You may not know that one of the biggest factors is the temperature where you live and drive around Pleasanton. You might suppose that cold weather was harder on batteries because it takes more power to crank a cold engine, but the opposite is actually true. Batteries in very cold climates have a life expectancy of 51 months as opposed to 30 months in very warm climates. The reason is simple: batteries are chemically more active when they’re hot than when they’re cold. A car battery will actually start to discharge on its own within 24 h ... 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 Pleasanton 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 Pleasanton have cabin air filters. They are fairly new on the scene. About forty percent of new vehicles sold in Pleasanton 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 Pleasanton 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 of smelly. Chec ... 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 Pleasanton dealerships and the owners that risk losing much of their life’s work. Our Pleasanton communities will lose some of our best corporate citizens. Think of all the youth sports team, service clubs and Pleasanton 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?' Pleasanton folks are concerned that they will not get the care and attention they need. They're wondering where they will find trained technicians in the Pleasanton area. Will the ... read more

Most people in the Pleasanton area are aware that automotive manufacturers have recommended service intervals. Following recommended service intervals is very important. The engineers that design our vehicles have tested the various systems and components to meet durability and safety standards. Some of these standards are self-imposed and others, like those for emissions components, are government mandated for the areas around Livermore, San Ramon and Dublin in California. The maintenance schedules are designed to achieve the standards. Think of the benefits of following recommended intervals as falling into three general categories: Protection, Efficiency and Safety.Protection. Let's start with motor oil. First of all, the engineers recommend a particular weight and type of motor oil for your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus. All of their oil change recommendations ass ... read more