I recently read the results of a poll with the question: "Do you trust your mechanic?" And I was surprised to see that 46% of those who responded said no, they don't. If you don't trust your mechanic, why do you bring your car back to him? If you didn't trust your doctor, you would find another doctor. Your mechanic is very much like your doctor. He has to diagnose and treat your car. Today’s cars with all the electronics and computers can tell your mechanic where it hurts but can’t tell him why.  In fact if you want to take it a step further your mechanic has to be better than your doctor because your car isn’t like every other car, each system in each make is different.  American Auto Air & Repair has one of the top diagnosticians in the Reno area.  Don’t feel good about your current auto repair facility give American Auto Air a try.

Believe it or not, a loose gas cap really can make your check engine light come on. Why? Because gasoline vapors are considered to be emissions, and a loose gas cap allows gasoline vapors to leak into the atmosphere. Your car’s ECU can detect this and considers it to be a problem with your car’s emissions system, so it turns on the check engine light. The good news is that it’s an easy problem to fix – just make sure to tighten your gas cap properly each time you fill up.
If your gas cap is just loose because you’re negligent, then it shouldn’t cost you anything to tighten it. What you do is, get out of your car and tighten it (when the vehicle is stopped). However, if your gas cap is damaged and needs to be replaced, you’re looking at spending a few bucks. A messed up gas cap situation accounts for over seven percent of the situations that a check engine light goes on, which is actually quite a bit higher than a lot of other reasons. You should hope, just hope, that the gas cap is the problem. A lot of other problems will hit your wallet much harder. We recommend you try tightening it first and then see if the light goes off.

If it's not your gas cap have this checked as soon as possible. If your check engine light flashes when driving, reduce the vehicle speed immediately until the light illuminates constantly. If it continues to flash, avoid heavy acceleration and high engine speed, stop the vehicle and have it checked immediately. Never ignore a continuing flashing check engine light! (In some vehicles, the light turns red.) If it is safe to do so, try stopping the vehicle, turning off the engine, waiting several minutes, then restarting the engine to reset the engine management system.

The cold of winter brings it own stress on your car.  Here is some great information on what can go wrong and how you can prevent it.  Your investment in preparing your vehicle for winter can save you money, time, premature wear & tear on you vehicle, as well as preventing you from becoming a roadside Popsicle.

1  Spark plugs, Wires, Fuel filter, and air filter

For dependable cold starts and good fuel mileage, you have to maintain these.  At American Auto Air and Repair we use a computer scan tool to make sure that there are no trouble codes logged in the systems memory.  Sensors such as those for coolant temperature, air temperature and oxygen can go bad resulting in poor performance and mileage.

2  Rubber, anything exposed can also be damaged by the cold

Anything that is exposed to the elements and dirt can get damaged.  Road grime and salt are two of the most destructive elements.  It is always good to get your vehicle checked for torn protective rubber boots and bellows on critical drive train, steering and suspension parts.  Remember these are same parts that were exposed to the string of 100 degree days last summer here in Reno.

3  Engine and Transmission Oil Filters

Oil gets heavy when it is cold, and that causes them to flow slower.  If your filter is dirty, then you might get substantial lose of oil flow, which can produce more heat through friction.  Over time this can lead to damage to the engine and/or transmission.  Make sure your engine and transmission work is current now. 

4  Hoses and belts

These can get stressed in the cold.  Brittle or soft belts with missing ribs or cracks need to be replaced.  Data collected from National Car Care Month inspections shows 19% of cars have belts that are damaged, cracked and needing replacement and 17% with hoses which were damaged, cracked and needing replacement.

5  Cooling System

Your cooling system also protects the engine from freezing up as well as keeping it cool.  Your coolant should be mixed 50/50 with a combo of water and coolant.  You should have the coolant protection checked every year before winter and if the coolant tests out above the protection level of –30 to –35 degrees F, then you should have the system flushed and refilled with a fresh mix.  American Auto Air currently has a 7-point Cooling System Maintenance Service Special available.

6  Windshield Wipers

Snow and ice often settle at the base of the windshield, freezing blades in place.  Your wipers aren’t made to plow snow and might burn out if you try to break the ice formed when you are starting the car. The wiper system needs regular replacement due to many reasons, including driving conditions, frequency of use, and the material used in making the wiper parts. During the 2010 National Car Care Month Inspections 39% had front windshield wiper failures while eleven percent of vehicles also needed service on their rear wipers.  Wipers can skip, smear, or just plain not move water well. Bring your vehicle to American Auto Air for a new set of wiper blades before the snow starts falling and you can’t see out your windshield.

7   Lights

Automotive lighting play an important part in enabling you to operate your vehicle safely in and around the streets of Reno. The chance of you having an accident increases if you aren't able to see (or be seen) when operating your auto.  Vehicle lighting provides a means of communicating among drivers and is vital to any properly functioning vehicle. Vehicle inspections during National Car Care Month have shown lighting to be an often neglected maintenance item, approximately one out of every ten vehicles (11 percent) needed work on at least one of their lights.  Let American Auto Air replace any light that isn’t properly working on your vehicle.