San Diego Auto Repair

Convoy Auto Repair is proud to announce we are a member of the RepairPal Top Shop Auto Repair Network. RepairPal was founded in 2007 by a group of automobile enthusiasts to provide drivers with the most accurate, unbiased, and useful car ownership information available. The Top Shop Auto Repair Network is RepairPal’s newest service being offered to customers across the country. The Top Shop program is designed to help connect the best repair shops with customers who are looking for someone they can trust to work on their car. In order to qualify for the program, Convoy Auto Repair had to pass a rigorous quality assessment, which included an analysis of the shop's technical capabilities as well as a phone interview with at least 25 of our customers. Qualities of Top Shops like Convoy Auto Repair include: experienced and highly-trained technicians who are certified by the ASE, appropriate tools and equipment used ... read more

Make an appointment with Convoy Auto Repair to have your on board diagnostics analyzed.3909 Convoy St.San Diego, CA 92111858-560-9131 Today we're going to talk about on-board diagnostics and the questions we hear from folks around San Diego who need answers about diagnostic services. They want to know what diagnostics are, what's involved and what the benefits are. They really want to understand the value of diagnostic scans by a trained technician in San Diego. These are valid concerns. If you don't understand something it's really hard to know its value. Let's start with some history. Since 1996, all cars and light trucks have been required to use a standardized diagnostic system to help repair technicians determine what's wrong with your vehicle. The diagnostic system works with the vehicle's Engine Control Module - the computer that controls many engine functions. The computer monitors dozens of components and processes. Depending on what the sens ... read more

Have you ever gone to listen to an orchestra? The musicians take the stage early and tune their instruments. Each individual instrument must be in tune, but the critical thing is for the entire orchestra to be in tune with each other. That's why they tune up together. Now this is no surprise; I'm going to relate the orchestra to your car. Your engine has many component systems that each need to be working properly. And the components need to be working in sync, all timed up together in order for the engine to work efficiently. We call this, (ta-da) a tune-up. When an orchestra's out of tune you get a bad concert. When your vehicle's out of tune you get bad performance and bad fuel economy. So check your owner's manual for recommended tune-up intervals. Or ask your San Diego service advisor at Convoy Auto Repair what he thinks. ...Just be careful not to say you want to make beautiful music together – that kinda makes u ... read more

Brakes really aren't optional equipment. And taking care of them isn't optional either. A regular brake inspection is on every car's maintenance schedule. An inspection will check your brake system and let you know if there are any problems. Of course, if you're having trouble with your brakes, get your car into a San Diego or Tierrasanta service center right away. And watch out for these problems: Low or spongy brake pedal Hard brake pedal A brake warning light that stays on Constantly squealing or grinding brakes Vibrations or clunking sounds when you apply your brakes There are two types of brakes: disc and drum. Disc brakes have a rotor that's attached to the axle. Calipers straddle the rotor, kind of like the brakes on a bicycle. Drum brakes are more common on back wheels. Pads, called shoes, push against the inside of the drum to slow the vehicle. There are several things that need to be serviced on the brake system. First, the brake pads and shoes wear out with use, and ... read more

San Diego is a pretty great place to live. We have the beaches, the beautiful weather, and we have even been named one of the best cities in the U.S. for craft beer! But did you also know that we have a ton of awesome auto events throughout the year? Here is our list of the top 5 annual automotive events in San Diego. Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam - What’s better than watching huge trucks smash things? Watch as famous monster trucks like Grave Digger and Bad to the Bone face off in two different forms of competition - stadium racing and freestyle. As always, Monster Jam will be held at Qualcomm Stadium, and this year, it will on on Saturday, January 21st. Ticket prices range from $90 for a Total Access pass to $12 for the Super Value Seats. Big 3 Parts Exchange - This event has been going on for over 45 years now, celebrating ... read more

Most drivers wait for their air conditioning to fail before they service it at Convoy Auto Repair. That’s because many motorists don't really understand that automotive air conditioners need periodic service. Let me share some of the reasons why they fail. First, like every machine, the sedan air conditioner parts need lubrication. The lubricant is actually mixed in with the refrigerant (that’s the stuff that makes the air cool). So sometimes, even though the air conditioner is still making cool air, the oil that lubricates the parts has just been used up: and unlubricated parts can fail in all cars. The air conditioner actually removes some of the moisture in the air. So if you have trouble with fogging on your windshield during winters or during a rain storm, running the A/C on the defrost setting should help. Now on some cars you can’t run the A/C at the same time as the defroster. Don’t ask me wh ... read more

Under-inflated tires waste gas for lots of folks in the Tierrasanta area. Think how hard it is to walk in sand – you just have to work harder because of the resistance. When your tires don't have enough air in them, their rolling resistance is dramatically increased and it simply takes more gas to get from San Diego to Tierrasanta. Always check your tire pressure when you gas up at one of our local Tierrasanta service stations. If they're low – even just a little bit – bring them up to proper pressure. There's a sticker on the inside of your driver's door that gives the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure. And don't rely on your tire pressure monitoring system to alert you to when you need more air. The TPMS system is set to warn you when pressure drops twenty percent below recommendations. That's severely under inflated and you needed more air a long time ago. And if you have a slow leak – get it fixed right away at Convoy A ... read more

Today's Convoy Auto Repair auto maintenance article focuses on your serpentine belt. Your serpentine belt is a long belt that’s driven by your engine. It winds around several accessories that power important automotive systems. Let’s go over them. First, the serpentine belt drives your sedan air conditioning system. It spins the compressor that makes the cool air that takes the edge off the summer heat in San Diego. Next, the belt powers the alternator. The alternator creates electricity that’s used by your sedan’s electrical systems and also charges your car battery. All drivers know that without the alternator, the battery will go dead in a few miles. The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. And, on many sedans, the serpentine belt powers the water pump. The water pump circulates coolant through the engine to keep it wi ... read more

No matter how well they're made, cars in San Diego will have design or manufacturing problems. And when the government thinks a problem is really serious for people in San Diego, they require the manufacturer to issue a recall notice and fix the car free of charge. The manufacturer then tries to contact everyone in San Diego who owns that type of car to get the recall work done. These recalls always affect safety, so take them seriously. It's easy to see if a vehicle's being recalled. The government has links on its websites, or just visit AutoNetTV for links. There are many websites with free recall information and searches. There's CarFax, AutoByTel and the DMV. Recalls are serious, but not all that common. But sometimes there are less significant issues, and for these, manufacturers issue a Technical ... read more

We hope you are enjoying this holiday season in San Diego and, as always, have a few suggestions on what to do in-between opening presents and stuffing your face full of gradma's pies. Have a safe and happy new year and ring in 2012 with these awesome events in San Diego. If you are interested in getting some pre-Christmas exercise in before you feast all weekend long, the Mission Trails Regional Park Trail Guides will be leading pre-dawn hikes at Cowles Mountain. Join them as they hike to the area of solstice observatory on Cowles Mountain, Friday, December 23rd at 6am. The solstice site is approximately one mile up the trail and the entire hike will last about two hours. Weather-permitting, you will enjoy the sunrise split by a peak on the eastern horizon. As you begin the hike, it will still be very dark out, so good shoes and flashlights are highly recommended. Hikers will meet at the Cowles Mountain Staging Area, which is loc ... read more