Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

Here's an interesting statistic for our friends in Van Nuys CA: Only thirty percent of car batteries make it to forty-eight months. And the life expectancy varies by where you live. It ranges from fifty-one months in extremely cold areas to just thirty months in extremely hot climates. Why is that? It turns out that it's our modern cars with all their electric accessories that are to blame. Things like, GPS, DVDs, and entertainment computers are keeping car batteries from maintaining a full charge. The longer a battery goes with a low charge, the sooner it'll die. So you must recharge your battery. This is the job of the alternator. The problem comes when the car's demand for electricity is high and we are driving in stop and go conditions or short trips around Van Nuys or Encino. The alternator just can't keep up. The result is shortened battery life. So what can we do to improve our battery's health? We need to keep the battery ... read more

With high fuel prices in Van Nuys CA comes lots of gas saving advice. Some of it, like what you hear on AutoNetTV, is really great. Some is myth. And some is just designed to prey on Van Nuys CA people desperate to save some money on gas. When you get one of those e-mails that's going around telling you how to save gas, try to think it through. Does it really make sense? Does it defy the laws of physics? Do some research on the internet or ask your Van Nuys CA service advisor at AutoAid & Rescue. There aren't any magic pills you can drop in your gas tank and the government hasn't suppressed a device you can clamp on your fuel line to make your car run on air. Not even in Van Nuys! So next time you get one of those e-mails, check it out with an automotive professional. You'll get more bang for your buck w ... read more

Let's talk about alternative fuel vehicles. In their quest to reduce the use of fossil fuels and harmful exhaust emissions to our Van Nuys environment, automakers will have a number of alternatives for us very soon. For instance, Flex Fuel vehicles are already available in the Los Angeles area. Flex Fuel vehicles can run on gasoline or on E85 fuel. E85 is a mixtrue of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The ethanol is made from corn. The benefits are in using less petroleum and reduced pollution. The drawbacks are that E85 gets lower fuel economy and that when gas prices are low, E85 can be more expensive than straight gasoline. You should only use E85 if you have a Flex Fuel compatible engine. Flex Fuel vehicles have special seals and gaskets that can stand up to the high alcohol content of E85. Using E85 in a regular engine can lead to gas leaks and fires. Diesel engines have been around the Los Angeles area for a long ... read more

If you're a quart low in your sedan, there isn't enough motor oil to lubricate your engine properly. The extra friction causes drag that reduces fuel economy while you're driving around the Los Angeles area. The same goes for dirty oil; it doesn't reduce friction properly. The result is you get to watch those numbers at your local Los Angeles gas pump rolling higher and higher. The transmission also needs the proper amount of clean fluid to do its work. When it's in need of service, the transmission drags your fuel economy down. So keep it clean and give yourself a fighting chance