Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

If you drive a car, you know about dashboard warning lights. Of these, the Check Engine light is one of the most infamous, and here at AutoAid we get daily calls from perplexed drivers with this mysterious light. “Check engine light” is also ranked among the most popular internet search terms for anything car care related. Modern cars, however, have a variety of warning lights you may catch a glimpse of when you start your car. These are lights for tire pressure, cooling system warnings, engine oil warnings, and more. So, if one of these lights illuminates, what should you do? Keep driving? Panic? Call a tow truck? Should you stop driving where you are, or is it okay to to “limp home?” Could you keep driving for a few more days, or weeks? Let’s tackle some of the most common warning lights below. Check Engine – Flashing vs. Solid We have all seen the dreaded Check Engine Light. This warning light can be an indicator of many different problems, whic ... read more

The Road Ahead Graduates... Congratulations graduates of 2017. Whether it's High School or College, it's a milestone to be cherished for a lifetime. To High School grads, like my son Max it's the beginning of a journey into adulthood, self reflection and taking responsibility for ones actions and choices. For the College Grad it's embarking on a lifelong career path and relationships that lead to future building of family friends and community. The "Road" I speak of is not only paved with life centered challenges, adventures, mystery, fun and bumps but is literally offset by mundane events like a car not starting when racing to the birth of your first child. Like an alternator failing on a cold snowy night on a dark mountain road. This actually happened to a close friend upon returning from a ski weekend. Preparation and a proactive approach to car care or any life situation for that matter helps smooth out those bumps in the road. For the Graduating class of ... read more

What? No Spare Tire?       The TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) light came on the dash of my late model Chevy Volt, indicating loss of air pressure in the right rear tire. It turned out that a sharp blade cut a 3 inch gash in the tread causing a rapid loss of tire pressure and inadequate time to save the tire, which only had 10,000 miles on it. So naturally, I open my trunk, lift the floor covering to access the spare tire and jack, but to my surprise, I found neither. That's when it hit me. I'm driving a newer car engineered in Washington DC to be lighter, be green and emit fewer emissions. As a result, No Spare, No Jack. Just a Tire Fix-IT-Kit with a small air compressor and a container of sealant neatly packaged and secured in the trunk next to the battery. Unfortunately, given the extent of the tire damage, the Kit was useless. So If you're driving a late model vehicle, check your trunk and become familiar with the equipment prov ... read more

Uzma A.Porter Ranch, CA  6 friends  27 reviews 3/22/2017 By far the greatest auto body shop known to man! I called in from a recommendation from a friend, and was not disappointed at all. I got my side mirror fixed and an oil change in one day. I was very worried they wouldn't find the mirror parts, but thankfully they did. They even gave me a ride back to my office after I dropped off my car.  I dealt mostly with David S., who was such a great gentleman! When I first talked to him, I knew right away that he would do everything possible to help get my mirror fixed. And he did! I like that they respected me rather than judged me. Most mechanics up their prices just bec ... read more

There’s no more an important time to talk about potholes in LA. The cost, the danger, the unsightliness of them. You know, the ones Mayor Garcetti promised to fix in his first Mayoral run in 2013. Oh, and by the way, he’s running again today. Yes there is an election in L.A. today March 7, 2017. Also, the much needed rain amped up the pothole problem by making existing ones worse and new ones ample. The Laurel Canyon Sinkhole may have started as pothole. The danger to drivers is obvious. Blown tires, bent wheels, broken shock absorbers and struts, bent suspension, detached bumpers, broken mufflers and exhaust pipes and on the extreme side, accidents and sinkhole swallows. At AutoAid we’ve addressed all but the sinkhole vehicle damage and we’ve directed clients to recover the cost of the damage to their vehicles from the City of L.A. https://claims.lacity.org/Home/BasicClaim

As we all need to navigate through our daily driving - work, school, doctors appointments, etc. - especially in heavy rain, here's a number to call to check the road conditions to and from your destination: 800-427-7623. This is the CalTrans Road Conditions Hotline. Plan your route carefully, take your time, avoid flooded streets and watch the short video for important safety tips

There's a new Donut in Town. Dunkin Donut opened a new store in Van Nuys and celebrated it's Grand Opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony supported by the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce. As active members of the Chamber, I attended and enjoyed a hot cup fo bold coffee and a delicious French cruller. Welcome to Van Nuys Cuppy

Anti-Lock Brake systems were introduced to assist drivers in maintaining control of their vehicle during emergency braking in all weather conditions. Especially in rain, snow, ice and slick conditions. Simply stated, The ABS computer senses when a wheel locks up  when applying the brake pedal and electronically compensates for it by equalizing the brake pressure to all the wheels, thereby  avoiding a skidding and out of control vehicle. If you've never experienced the ABS engaging, the brake pedal will pulsate, the brakes will make unfamiliar and sometimes strange growling noises, but not to fear, the system is doing what it's designed to do.