Orangevale Auto Repair

Say you're driving home from work on a Friday afternoon. You're looking forward to getting home, having dinner, perhaps a refreshing beverage and a little relaxation. You're daydreaming about the pleasures that await you, and all of a sudden the car in front of you comes to a dead stop. In that split second, what are you going to rely on to save your weekend (and maybe your life)? You guessed it... Your Brakes! The brake system is your car's most important safety system. Brakes are a normal wear item on any vehicle. They periodically need to be replaced for safety reasons and performance. The entire brake system should be checked every year. The most wearable parts of the braking system include the brake pads/shoes, rotors/drums, calipers, and brake fluid. Speaking of brake fluid, the brake fluid should be changed every 30,000 miles, or as directed in your owners manual. Contaminated brake fluid may lead to corrosion ... read more

Do you drive in stop-and-go traffic, or idle for extended periods? Do you make a lot of short trips? Do you drive on dusty/dirty roads, or tow a trailer? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are considered a "severe driver". This has nothing to do with your driving skills, it's just a measure of how hard your driving habits are on your car's oil. The engine's oil level should be checked often and changed every 3k-5k miles. If you are a "severe driver", you should stick to changing it every 3k miles. Most vehicles should have the oil and filter changed every 3,000 miles or every 3 months. Critical parts of your engine are lubricated, cooled, and cleaned by your car's oil and filter. If you hardly drive the vehicle you should still replace the oil regularly, because the oil will deteriorate after time and lose its lubricating factors. Every other oil change, or every 6,000 miles we recommend performing a 6k servi ... read more

April is national care care month! So take some time to take care of that car that gets you where you need to go every day. Your vehicle is one of the biggest and best investments you will make in your life. Proper maintenance will help ensure the longevity of that investment. There are certain preventative maintenance services that should be performed at certain mileage intervals. Of course, every vehicle is different so you should also refer to your owners manual to be sure of when to have these services done. Services that should be performed every 30,000 miles are: Transmission fluid service Engine coolant drain and fill Brake fluid flush If you have a four wheel drive or all wheel drive vehicle: Transfer case service Front and/or rear differential service A fuel injection service should be performed every 12 months. Other components such as your spark pl ... read more

We all know that sizzling season is coming. You know, the one where we all search for that shady spot to park the car! As you drive around on those hot summer days, spare a thought for your car and its cooling system working hard to keep you cool. Are you doing what you can to help your car keep up with all that heat? Here we have listed a few important tips to help you out! If you would like to check your coolant level, always make sure the vehicle is cooled off before attempting to remove the radiator cap. ( Did we say always? YES, ALWAYS!) Not following this important safety steps could give you your own personal scalding hot steam geyser under your hood... and a nice ride to the hospital. When the vehicle is hot, a lot of pressure builds in the radiator and associated systems, so you should wait at least an hour for the system to cool down and depressurize. If you find the coolant level ... read more