Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

Driving around with your baby should be fun. But it can be challenging for new mothers to figure out the best way to travel with a baby on board. There are enough challenges to parenting without stressing over getting your child from one place to another. Read on for tips to make driving with your baby on board a breeze.         Give Yourself Plenty of Time If you’re going on a longer trip, you’ll need extra time for stops to feed and change your baby, so be sure to factor this into your family t ... read more

The nose knows when something isn’t quite right: the Car Care Council shared this educational infographic which easily outlines six car smells that could mean trouble for your vehicle to help drivers sniff out when something may be wrong with their car. We all love basking in that “new car smell,” but there are other odors we should never ignore. Identifying these suspicious smells early on can help car owners avoid the hassle and expense of an unexpected breakdown, says the Car Care Council. The Car Care Council provides tips like these as part of its free “Be Car Care Aware” education campaign to consumers to help reinforce the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance, and repair. “When you smell any peculiar odor, you should not ignore it. Instead bring your vehicle to a professional service ... read more

Southern California is full of some of the best driving roads around. Whether you enjoy a spirited run in the canyons or a comfortable drive on the freeway, there’s no shortage of fun to be had in So. Cal. for car enthusiasts. These are some of the best destinations for quick road trips in Southern California. Schedule your travel times to avoid rush-hour traffic, and you can get to any of these places within just a few hours (depending on your starting point), making them perfect for day or weekend getaways!     Santa Barbara, Cal ... read more

The summer road trip is right up there with baseball and apple pie.  It’s an iconic American undertaking that’s been memorialized in countless movies and songs, but it also probably has special associations for each one of us who remembers family car trips or hitting the road with friends as soon as we had the freedom to drive. As we gear up for summer, many are planning their routes and checking their tires in preparation to head out on the open road.  What’s important to remember is that safety and fun go hand in hand, so use this list to help you get ready for the perfect summer road trip. Tune-Up & Tunes Safety Tip #1: Tune Up You should  ... read more

When you have a car accident, the first thing you may say is that the accident wasn’t your fault. It's an instinct, which people looking back often don't understand. Unfortunately, the other driver or drivers probably say the same thing. Determining who is at fault in a car accident comes down to one thing: negligence. All drivers have a responsibility to obey traffic rules and not harm pedestrians or other drivers. Negligence is when a driver acts in a thoughtless or careless way that causes harm to someone else. For example, if the driver fails to stop for a red light or yield, he or she behaved in a careless or thoughtless manner. Who Determines Fault? The answer depends on if the cause is litigated or not. If the case goes to court, a judge or jury determines fault in the case. They are ... read more

Winter has finally waned, spring has sprung, and the passing of Memorial Day means summer road trips are just around the corner! If you haven't already done it, now is the time to prepare your car for the summer travel season with the yearly ‘spring cleaning’ ritual.     1. Give it a Bath. Winter was hard on both the exterior and interior of your vehicle, so be sure to give it a thorough wash to get the salt off of the outside. For the inside, just vacuuming may not be enough; power wash the floor mats to ensure all of the salt and winter dirt is gone. Salt removal is important to both the exterior and interior because it can cause scratching and marring as well as premature rusting. And while the topic has been hotly debated,  ... read more

Ignoring the warnings your car sends out could leave you stranded on the side of the road or with a costly repair bill. According to information released by State Farm Insurance, 77 % of the cars on the road currently need service. And ignoring a small service can lead to a more expensive fix later.  "The closer attention you pay to your vehicle, the more likely you are to detect small problems before they become bigger, more expensive problems," says Tony Molla, vice president of communications for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).  ... read more

It only takes a penny to see if your tires are worn or losing tread. Examining your tires for wear and tear, along with checking tire pressure and alignment, are essential to ensuring your vehicle’s safety on the road and helping to improve gas mileage and performance. The non-profit Car Care Council recommends that motorists be car care aware and check tire condition and pressure regularly. “The penny test is a simple, yet effective, way to check tire tread. If you see Lincoln’s head above the tread, you are ready for new tires,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Tires are critical to a vehicle’s handling and traction, and maintaining proper pressure is vitally important to vehicle safety. Underinflated tires are under stress and will wear unevenly, causing them to need to be replaced sooner. Routinely checking tire balance a ... read more

Ask a driver how to control the air conditioning in their vehicle and it’s a safe bet you'll get an answer. Ask that same driver to identify life-saving dashboard warning signals and the chance of a clear answer drops significantly. According to a recent survey conducted by Schrader International, a manufacturer of sensing and valve solutions, only four out of every ten drivers were unable to identify key dashboard warning icons. Now that summer is here and our road trip vacations are underway, it is more important than ever for drivers to be familiar with their vehicle and the systems put in place to warn them of potential danger. When viewing dashboard icons -- and depending on the car you drive,  ... read more

Driving is a daily task for most of us, and staying safe on the road is important. Your car is also likely one of your largest investments, so taking care of it should just be common sense. However, when you spend so much time in your car, it can be easy to overlook even the most basic safety and maintenance issues. These are great habits to get into so that your car will serve you well for years to come, and yet overlooking these simple tasks are some of the most common mistakes drivers make. Check Your Oil Frequently Everybody who drives knows that cars need an oil change from time to time. However, many drivers really neglect this fact. They know what needs to be done, but they don't do it. Why? While you might read that motor oil needs to be changed every 5,000 miles or so, the trut ... read more