Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

AutoAid of Van Nuys and Sherman Oaks pledges $5 of every repair invoice written during the month of October to the Susan G Koman institute for Breast Cancer Research

In our auto video today we'll be talking with Alan Peterson about myths surrounding automotive maintenance. You can lump these myths into the statement that "modern cars are so reliable, they are virtually maintenance free". Any good myth has some elements of truth. No offense to Van Nuys Bigfoot fans, but this maintenance-free myth has more evidence than most. If we look at some isolated areas of auto maintenance, we could conclude that maintenance isn't so important. But other areas would just as easily lead you to believe that maintenance is more important than ever. Here are some examples for our friends in Van Nuys. -Chalk one up for the myth. On the other side, some vehicles come with sophisticated variable valve timing. A lot of complicated parts up in the valve train that didn't even exist not that many years ago. These parts are very vulnerable to oil sludge. -A point to maintenance. -Myth gets a poin ... read more

After 31 years in business I discovered very unusual tire damage to low profile tires that looks like an elongated cut to the sidewall which occurs from the inside of the tire. Apparently, if these tires are under inflated, the inside of the wheel (rim) starts to eat away at the sidewall from the inside and eventually ruptrues the tire. Most low profile tires are very expensive because they go no sports and high end  cars or vehicles with lots of bling. This is a perfect reason to have the tire pressure checked on your vehicle regularly regardless of the tire profile

No need to panic : http://www.asashop.org/tips/check.pdf

Safety Tip of the Week If you are ever in an emergency situation, and have dialed 911 and are placed on hold, do not hang up. If you are dialing from a normal land line, whether or not you are able to speak, the police can retrieve the address and will still respond. While we're on the topic, dialing 911 from a cell phone will first be connected to the CHP - - NOT your local police department. The CHP determines the natrue of the emergency then connects you to your local 911 - - causing valuable time to be lost. Whenever possible, use a land line when dialing

So what is the most distracting food to have in the car while driving around Van Nuys?Is it: A Hamburger; Coffee; A Soft Drink, or Gummy Bears? Well, you may be surprised to learn that all but the gummy bears are in the top ten most distracting foods when you are driving, but if you chose 'coffee', then give yourself an extra two points; coffee is the number one food distraction for drivers in Van Nuys and around the country. Food distractions cause 25 percent of all car accidents; over a million and a half each year! You'll notice that all of the top ten distracting food items are messy. Messy foods are the type of food you might spill (very distracting!), then try to clean up (a safe-driving impossibility!). If you gotta eat on the run, take five-then drive. You'll thank yourself later for two reasons, one being that you can actually relax for just a moment in our fast-paced world, and the other is that you won't have to worry ab ... read more

We find that a lot of Van Nuys service and repair at AutoAid & Rescue are a little tentative when they talk with their automotive advisors. They want to ask questions, but don't want to be embarrassed or to seem pushy. Cars are very complicated and there's more to know about them than most of us have the time to learn. Maybe it's because cars have become so much more reliable that the average person just doesn't need to know as much to keep their vehicle on the road. You know, your local hospital has a Patient's Bill of Rights that they post throughout the hospital. We think our Van Nuys automotive service customers also have a right to ask any question they need to understand what is wrong with their car and what it will take to fix it. They need to feel free to ask the cost and benefits of recommended services. And they certainly have a right to understa ... read more

Local Los Angeles roadside emergencies can range from a flat tire downtown to being stranded in a snowy ravine for three days. So you may want to consider a basic emergency kit to keep in the car at all times and a travel kit tailored to a specific trip. Your close-to-home kit for around Van Nuys would have some basic items to work on your car: everything you need to change a tire, gloves, a couple quarts of oil, some antifreeze and water. A can of tire inflator is a great temporary fix for minor flats. You'll also want jumper cables or a booster box, flares, a flashlight and some basic hand tools. Now for your comfort and safety: a first aid kit, drinkable water, high calorie food (like energy bars), blankets, toilet paper, cell phone, towel, hat and boots. Keep some change for a pay phone, emergency cash and a credit card. People who live in areas with frequent severe weather or earthquakes may want to carry pro ... read more

One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician at AutoAid & Rescue in Van Nuys CA is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed. Cars are made up of a bunch of complex systems. There usually could be a number of reasons for any given symptom. So it's challenging to track down the actual cause of the problem. And it can be frustrating for the vehicle owner because it can take time and money to get to the bottom of a problem. If it's not something obvious, it's easy for the customer to focus on the fixing and not the diagnosing. Let us introduce you to something we'll call Customer Detective Work – that is helping your Van Nuys CA technician find clues to what's wrong. We start with the detective basics: What, Where and When. Play along with me. You come in to AutoAid & Rescue and your car is making a funny sound. Do you see where we're going? You're gathering addi ... read more

You know, at AutoAid & Rescue we get a lot of people asking about how to prepare their car for a trip. That’s a big deal. You could be driving through mountains and deserts in some pretty lonely areas outside of Van Nuys so you may be anxious to know that the car is up to the task and won’t leave you stranded. You really do need to plan ahead for a major road trip – there are a lot of things to get ready. Where should you start? You could start with the tires. Look them over for tread wear and check to see that they are properly inflated. Take a quick test drive around Van Nuys to see if you can feel any vibrations: are the wheels are in balance? Is the car tracking straight? Is the alignment ok? The next thing is a full service oil change to make sure all of your fluids are topped off and you have fresh oil for the trip. And if your car has over ... read more