Maintenance Archives - Page 3 of 10

Monitors And Drive Cycles

Recent repairs to your vehicle’s “Check Engine Light” have included a reset of the On Board Diagnostic (OBD) system. This process has also reset the OBD readiness monitoring system. The readiness monitors now need to re-test the computer system before verifying that all systems are functioning as designed and working properly.

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Car speedometer dashboard. Speed meter panel with odometer, miles counter and urgency dial isolated vector concept

Drive the car normally. All OBD systems self-test the computer while you are driving, and you will never know it. Depending on the manufacturer of the vehicle, there are 5 to 10 readiness monitors that need to be tested.

To allow your vehicle’s readiness monitors to perform their tests and reset the OBD system to a “ready” state, and to determine that all systems are working properly, your vehicle will have to be driven through a drive cycle.

(Who knew my car had to pass a test to work properly?)

Your vehicle’s specific drive cycle can depend on the vehicle’s make and model. A normal drive cycle is 5 miles of city, stop and go driving and 5 miles of steady 60 MPH of freeway driving in the same key cycle.

Keep in mind that repairing a check engine light for one system or code may unlock another hidden pending code of another system while the drive cycle tests are being performed.

If the Check Engine Light illuminates on the dash again, don’t be alarmed. It means the system failed the test. This may happen because when the original check engine light was on, all OBD monitoring stops. Just stop in and we will re-check the system.

NOTE: A flashing check engine light should be corrected immediately.

Thank you for your trust in us and please ask if you are not clear on the computer readiness monitoring system. We will be glad to help you.

Certified Auto Specialists: the friendlier and more helpful auto shop! Feel free to call 626-963-0814 with any questions and we will be glad to help, or visit our website at CertifiedAutoCa.com

Hometown Service You Can Count On!

On Board Diagnostics

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Drive the car normally. All OBD systems self-test the computer while you’re driving and you will never know it. Depending on the manufacturer of the vehicle, there are 5 to 10 readiness monitors that need to be tested.

(Who knew my car had to pass a test to work properly?)

Your vehicle’s specific drive cycle can depend on the vehicle’s make and model. A normal drive cycle is 5 miles of the city, stop and go driving, and 5 miles of steady 60 MPH of freeway driving in the same key cycle.

Keep in mind that repairing a check engine light for one system or code may unlock another hidden pending code of another system while the drive cycle tests are being performed.

So, if the Check Engine Light illuminates on the dash again, don’t be alarmed. It means the system failed the test. This may happen because when the original check engine light was on, all OBD monitoring stops. Just stop in and we will re-check the system.

NOTE: A flashing check engine light should be corrected immediately.

Thank you for your trust in us and please ask if you are not clear on the computer readiness monitoring system. We will be glad to help you.

Keeping Your Vehicle Physically Fit!

After the holidays, our television sets and other devices seem to be taken over by ads brought to us by diet and exercise gurus. They tell us that the New Year is the right time to restart our bodies to be at peak efficiency! I suppose during the busy holiday season we can overdo on the food and at the same time have less time to exercise.

The same can be said of our cars. We often get so busy running here and there (in our cars) during the holidays that we neglect old faithful! Here are a few resolutions to keeping your car fit! We can inspect it and make sure to remind you when it is time to bring it to us in order to:

Keep your car’s fluids clean and don’t let them run low.
Keep your car’s filters clean.
Keep your car’s tires properly inflated.
Keep your car’s wipers in good working order.
Keep your car’s lights lit.
Keep your car’s brakes stopping when they need too.
Keep your car’s charging system ready to go.
Keep your car’s exhaust system healthy.

A Team of Experts

Your car has many components and it is our pleasure to keep them physically fit for your driving pleasure. If your car has been a little neglected over the holidays, give us a call and we’ll get it back in tip-top shape!

Certified Auto Specialists: the friendlier and more helpful auto shop! Feel free to call 626-963-0814 with any questions and we will be glad to help, or visit our website at CertifiedAutoCa.com.

Ten Good Reasons to Invest in an Annual Car “Physical” and Needed Maintenance

Is Your Automotive Service and Repair Shop Certified?

CUT REPAIR COSTS – Discovering a worn component before it creates major problems can save big money.

SAFETY – A poorly maintained vehicle can drive you into a serious accident.

BETTER PERFORMANCE – This translates to improved fuel economy as well as “driveability.”

SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT – Under-maintained vehicles are a serious contributor to air pollution.

IMPROVED TRADE-IN/RESALE VALUE – A well-maintained vehicle can be worth two to three times as much as one that has been neglected.

BETTER HANDLING – Incorrect wheel alignment, worn suspension components and/or tires cause poor ride and handling.

ABILITY TO PLAN AHEAD – When a check-up indicates future need for replacement of a part, you can budget accordingly.

DEPENDABILITY – A well-maintained vehicle is less likely to stall, fail, or otherwise leave you stranded.

DRIVING ENJOYMENT – It’s more comfortable and more fun to drive a car that holds the road and rides well.

PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP – It’s said that your car is an extension of our personality. Keep it looking like you care!

Certified Auto Specialists: the friendlier and more helpful auto shop! Feel free to call 626-963-0814 with any questions, and we will be glad to help, or visit our website at CertifiedAutoCa.com.

Hometown Service You Can Count On!

Monitors And Drive Cycles

Recent repairs to your vehicle’s “Check Engine Light” have included a reset of the On Board Diagnostic (OBD) system. The on-board computer of your vehicle must now perform various self-tests referred to as “monitors” that may take up to a week of driving to complete. (1996 to 2002 cars require more time to complete the checking of monitors by the cars computer system).

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Drive the car normally. All OBD systems self-test the computer while you’re driving and you will never know it. Depending on the age and make of your vehicle it needs to be driven in various situations such as freeway travel, 10-30 minutes of continuous driving, sitting over night and having various levels of gasoline in the tank.

The original concern that caused the check engine light to come on may have suspended or locked out some of the vehicles other self-tests that it needs to perform. Now that all of the tests are enabled and can complete the cycle, there may be a possibility of hidden issues that may cause the check engine light to come back on. Therefore, a code that did not show up previously may now set indicating a new, hidden, intermittent or remaining problem.

At Certified Automotive Specialists we do as much as we can to ensure that your vehicle is repaired properly, is safe and dependable for our customers. There are some instances that require extensive driving in order to complete tests that we cannot perform here in the shop. Therefore, if the check engine light does come on, please call or return to the shop at your convenience to have the system rechecked at no cost. In most instances, we can retrieve the code within a few minutes. Always use your best discretion if the vehicle is not operating properly. Warning: If the “Check Engine Light” is flashing, this requires immediate action.

Certified Auto Specialists: the friendlier and more helpful auto shop! Feel free to call 626-963-0814 with any questions and we will be glad to help, or visit our website at CertifiedAutoCa.com

Hometown Service You Can Count On!

2020 X Monitors and Drive Cycles

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

(Who knew my car had to pass a test to work properly?)

Your vehicle’s specific drive cycle can depend on the vehicle make and model. A normal drive cycle is 5 miles of city, stop and go driving, and 5 miles of steady 60 MPH of freeway driving in the same key cycle.

Keep in mind that repairing a check engine light for one system or code may unlock another hidden pending code of another system while the drive cycle tests are being performed.

NOTE: A flashing check engine light should be corrected immediately.

Thank you for your trust in us and please ask if you are not clear on the computer readiness monitoring system. We will be glad to help you.

Unnecessary Service

I hear the phrase “unnecessary service” and wonder what that means. We visit the doctor for physicals, we visit the dentist for cleanings, we have our home air-conditioning unit cleaned and checked, a yearly eye exam and of course, the car needs a checkup too.

All of these professionals recommend some kind of service or checks to keep everything working properly. Most shops recommend services on cars that come in to their bays using the guidelines set out by the manufacturers or from the shops’ experience of early component failures. Sometimes there are a few recommendations and sometimes there are many service recommendations.

What Do We Suggest?

We recommend service to keep your car safe and reliable, just like the dentist tells you about issues developing with your teeth and gums. We know no one likes to spend hard-earned dollars on maintenance services, especially when after these services are performed, the car seems to run as usual with no noticeable differences.

I have found there are basically two types of philosophy on maintenance. The people who believe in maintaining and those who believe it’s better to wait until it breaks, then fix it. There are at least 30,000 parts on the average new car and over 5,000 of them are moveable parts. All moving parts require a clean source of lubricating oils, coolant, or greases along with filters set in place to catch harmful materials. In addition, we have electronic parts that can be affected by poor maintenance habits. The simplest of new cars have more computing power than the Apollo Moon Lander. In fact, you could get to the moon with just 1/10^th of the computing power found in the modern car! Today’s electronics are so sophisticated that cars may run well even when there are serious failures in progress. The systems have enough authority to mask developing problems. By the time you have a detectable malfunction, one that you can feel or sense, you may have damaged expensive parts. The only outward indication the driver may get is a warning light on the dash.

Certified Auto Specialists: the friendlier and more helpful auto shop! Feel free to call 626-963-0814 with any questions and we will be glad to help, or visit our website at CertifiedAutoCa.com

Hometown Service You Can Count On!

Why My Vehicle Needs an Inspection

There are a lot of questions about inspecting a car when it comes into a shop for service.

In years past vehicle manufacturers suggested you change your oil every 3,000 miles. That meant you visited a service facility 3-4 times a year; that was 3-4 times a year that your technician had the opportunity to look over your car and catch potential failures in your vehicle’s tires, wipers, brakes, fluids, leaks or any other concerns.

Today, the vehicle manufacturers are now extending oil and servicing to 7, 10, and even 15 thousand miles. This also extends the time your technician gets a look under the hood of your vehicle. This gives your technician less times per year to inspect and identify issues with your vehicle.

Consider air transportation; a jetliner goes through a safety inspection before each flight. In fact, all public transportation including planes, trains, and city busses all go through a certification and regular inspection process to find, identify, and fix potential problems before they happen.

Benefits of an Inspection

Our personal vehicles, on the other hand, usually see their technician for oil changes and maybe get a check over every few years. Just as regular oil changes keep your car healthy, having a professional inspection done on a regular basis will save you time, money and avoid the headaches of major mechanical repairs.

A basic inspection can be simple, fast, and efficient. It will allow the technician to fill your tires, top off your fluids and give you peace of mind when you are on the road.

Talk to your service professional about a scheduled inspection program to supplement your vehicle’s service plan.

Certified Auto Specialists: the friendlier and more helpful auto shop! Feel free to call 626-963-0814 or contact us online with any questions and we will be glad to help!