Palo Alto Auto Repair

With six more weeks of winter on the way, according to Punxsutawney Phil, you can’t predict if you’ll find yourself stranded like motorists recently were in Atlanta. It’s best to be ready for the unexpected and make sure your vehicle is performing reliably and properly equipped with an emergency kit. When unforeseen events occur, like severe weather or a major accident, your car could become your home for hours. By reviewing a quick checklist, you’ll be better prepared to handle unpredictable winter weather conditions that can leave you stranded. Before leaving the driveway this winter, the Car Care Council recommends you do the following: Be sure the heater and defroster are working properly. Stock an emergency kit with an ice scraper and snowbrush, jumper cables, flashlight, flares, candles and matches. Bring along blankets and extra clothes, bottled water, dry food snacks and essential medication. Check the t ... read more

Winter is pothole season and this year, they are packing a powerful punch. After hitting a pothole, most drivers wonder, “Is my car OK?” While the tires and wheels can be visually inspected, there could be damage to the steering, suspension and alignment systems that you just can’t see. To help determine if hitting a pothole has damaged your vehicle, watch for the following warning signs. Loss of control, swaying when making routine turns, bottoming out on city streets or bouncing excessively on rough roads. These are indicators that the steering and suspension may have been damaged. The steering and suspension are key safety-related systems. Together, they largely determine your car’s ride and handling. Key components are shocks and/or struts, the steering knuckle, ball joints, the steering rack/box, bearings, seals and hub units and tie rod ends. Pulling in one direction, instead of maintaining a straight path, and uneven tire wear. These symptoms mean t ... read more

Wether you are a new driver or a seasoned veteran it is never too late to lean the ABC’s of care care. A - Always follow a preventative vehicle maintenance plan. B - Be sure to have your car inspected when you suspect there is a problem. C - Correct the problem to help avoid the inconvenience and potential safety hazards of breaking down away from home. Most young people can’t wait to drive, but their car care education should begin well before their parents hand over the keys. “Understanding the basics of car care before taking the wheel will help keep new drivers safer on the road.” Check out these 10 car care inspection procedures that are an important part of any preventative vehicle maintenance plan: Check all fluids, including engine oil, power steering, brake and transmission as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant. Check the hoses and belts to make sure they are no ... read more

Why not resolve to be car care aware in the coming year? By spending a little time now on preventive maintenance, drivers can save a lot of headaches in the long run and make for a great year on the road. At Palo Alto Shell we believe regular auto care shouldn’t be one of those New Year’s resolutions that goes by the wayside. Preventative vehicle maintenance pays off all year, every year.To be car care aware, the council recommends incorporating the following service interval schedule items as part of your New Year’s resolution: Perform monthly checks of tire pressure and the condition of tires, lights and windshield washer fluid. The vehicle should also be cleaned monthly. Every three months or per the owner’s manual, check the engine oil and filter, check the levels of other fluids including automatic transmission, power steering and brake, and check the battery and cables, belts and hoses. The exhaust and fuel filter should also be checked at ... read more

Treat your car to a tune-up and get better gas mileage in return. Even today’s modern vehicles need a periodic tune-up and that can save big at the pump. Regular tune-ups are an investment that really pays off. A well-maintained vehicle is not only more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly, but performs better and is safer and more reliable. Palo Alto Shell suggests tune-up during which the fuel, emissions and ignition systems are checked, as well as the battery, charging and starting system, and the engine mechanical and powertrain control systems. Keeping a car properly tuned can improve gas mileage by an average of 4 percent. In addition to performing a tune-up, keeping tires properly inflated improves gas mileage by 3 percent. A clean air filter can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 14 percent on older vehicles and also helps the environment, as do regular oil and oil filter changes. Air filters are usually inspecte ... read more

A simple vehicle inspection before a family vacation can help avoid the short fuses, inconvenience and potential safety hazards of breaking down many miles away from home, says the Car Care Council. A quick vehicle check can give motorists peace of mind and save them from the hassle of a roadside breakdown. In just 10 minutes, drivers can make sure their car is ready for travel and then take steps to have any problems fixed before heading out for vacation. Right in their own driveway, motorists can identify how road-ready their vehicle with this quick inspection. If repairs or maintenance are needed, call Palo Alto Shell for an appointment. Check all fluids, including engine oil, antifreeze/coolant, windshield washer solvent and power steering, brake and transmission fluids. Check the hoses and belts that can become cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or show signs of excessive wear. These are critical to the ... read more

One of the most vital signals of an improperly functioning vehicle is the check engine light and when illuminated, it alerts the driver to a variety of existing potential problems. When the check engine light comes on, it means that a vehicle system, such as the ignition, fuel injection or emission control, is not operating properly, even if the vehicle appears to be running normally. A glowing check engine light doesn’t mean you have to immediately pull the car to the side of the road, but it does mean you should get the car checked out as soon as possible. Ignoring the warning light could result in costly repairs. At the very least, the light could alert you to an engine problem that is negatively impacting fuel economy. Some common malfunctions that can cause the check engine light to illuminate include a faulty oxygen sensor, mass air flow sensor, or spark plugs and wires. If the light flashes, the condition is more critical and must be checked immedi ... read more

We all love that “new car smell”! However as time goes on other smells can pop up, and they can be signs of serious and possibly costly problems Being able to identify these smells can help you act quickly and get your vehicle repaired before serious damage is caused. 1. The smell of burnt rubber could be slipping drive belts or misplaced loose hoses that might be rubbing against rotating accessory drive pulleys. Do not reach in if the engine compartment is hot. 2. The smell of hot oil could mean that oil is leaking onto the exhaust system. To verify the leak, look for oil on the pavement or smoke coming from the engine area. 3. The smell of gasoline is likely the sign of a gas leak in some area of the vehicle such as a fuel injector line or the fuel tank. Any smell of fuel can result in a possible fire hazard, so immediate attention should be given. 4. The sweet smell of syrup may be a sign that your car is ... read more

Halloween is one of the most anticipated times of the year for young children. To help keep trick-or-treaters as safe as possible, Palo Alto Shell reminds motorists to drive slowly, especially through neighborhoods, to be extra careful when entering or exiting driveways or alleyways, and to be car care aware by making sure their vehicle’s brakes, lights and wipers are working properly. 1. Brakes A vehicle’s brake system is the most critical safety item on a vehicle, but brakes wear out and eventually need replacement. Several factors that affect brake wear include driving habits, operating conditions, vehicle type and the quality of the brake lining material. Never put off routine brake inspections or any needed repairs, such as letting the brakes get to the “metal-to-metal” point, which can be potentially dangerous and lead to more costly repairs. 2. Windshield Wipers & Fluid A dirty windshield may look spooky but does not help to ... read more

October is Fall Car Care Month. Why not take a little time to be car care aware and make sure your vehicle is ready for the harsh winter weather ahead? Let Palo Alto Shell show you a few simple steps now can save you the headaches and cost of an emergency breakdown later. 1. Battery - Keep the battery connections clean, tight and corrosion-free. Cold weather is hard on batteries, so it’s wise to check the battery and charging system. Because batteries don’t always give warning signs before they fail, it is advisable to replace batteries that are more than three years old. 2. Heater, Defrosters and Wiper Blades - Check that the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system are working properly as heating and cooling performance is critical for interior comfort and for safety reasons, such as defrosting. Fall is also a great time to check your air filters. Wiper blades that are torn, cracked or don’t properly clean yo ... read more