San Diego Auto Repair

Photo by Rinald Rolle on Unsplash New year, new chance to take care of your vehicle and ensure its optimal lifespan. You may want to start your car care resolutions with the basics, but what does that entail? Oil changes are an essential part of car maintenance. They're something that many people don't think much about, but they can make a big difference in how well your car runs.    In this article, we'll look at why oil changes are so significant, what happens when you do or do not change your car's oil regularly and why choosing the right type of oil is critical. We'll also cover some essential tips for ensuring your engine stays clean and protected during its lifetime! What An Oil Change Does Your car's engine needs oil to perform its most basic function: lubricate the moving parts, so they don't wear out. A well-maintained car will last longe ... read more

If you’re like most of us, you spent good money when you bought your car, truck, van, or SUV. Automobiles are a major asset for most people. They allow us to commute to and from work, carry precious cargo, and give us a strong sense of independence. Because we often rely so much on our vehicles, it’s important to take care of them and protect our investment in them. The team at Convoy Auto Repair loves cars of all types, makes, shapes, and models. Over the years, we have recorded several videos showing some of the service and repair jobs we’ve had the good fortune to handle. Check out these videos and see for yourself why preventive maintenance is one of the key means of protecting the investment you’ve made in your cars. Electric Fuel Pump Repair Broken Water Pump Repair Coolant Leak Repair Transfer Case Repair Radiator Repair If you have any concerns about the service and repair of your vehicle, Convoy Auto Repair is here to help. Stop by Convoy Auto Repai ... read more

We were reminded of this adage due to the particularly wet winter we had. But the dryness of Summer is still far off. So, with some wet weather still to go, we thought we would share some simple tips that will help keep you safer in the wet weather. Rain changes things about driving, and habits that you might have may need to be adjusted. Slow down and increase the distance between yourself and the next car. You have a poorer stopping distance on wet surfaces. Turn on your lights, even during the day. Other cars notice you more quickly with your lights on. When turning, brake before you enter the turn, not during the turn, then accelerate out of the turn. Avoid driving in the ruts that naturally form within lanes by driving just slightly off center from the lane. Water pools in these ruts and you can hydroplane in a deep patch. Take extra care to avoid water where you can't see the bottom. That puddle might be hiding a deep pothole. If they need it, make sure you've replaced ... read more

It has come to light in the past several years that several Dodge and Chrysler vehicles are equipped with valve stems that are prone to corrosion and damage. This failure is most common in colder parts of the country, but even here in warmer states the failure still occurs routinely. This failure can and does happen on weakened valve stems sometimes by just simply unscrewing the cap to check the tire pressure. It should be noted that the valve stem is merely the most common part that fails, other parts of the system are also at risk. If you own a 2008-2011 Dodge Grand Caravan or Chrysler Town & Country, you may be at risk. These defects can cause tire blowouts, even at low speeds. There is currently a pending lawsuit against Chrysler over this issue, and their failure to issue a recall. Later models switched to rubberized valve stems to avoid the problems found in earlier models. At Convoy, we’ve had the unfortunate experience of dealing with the effects of this firsthand. I ... read more

2017 is here! It is time to start getting together our list of New Year resolutions, and the team at Convoy Auto Repair thinks it is important not to forget about your vehicle. In case you are struggling to think of some resolutions related to auto repair, we have compiled a list of 7 New Year Resolutions: Make sure your vehicle is running in optimal condition. Let’s kick the New Year off with a multi-point inspection at our auto repair shop. We will inspect your vehicle from bumper to bumper to ensure everything is in tip-top shape. Try to be a fuel-efficient driver. We all know gas is expensive, so let’s try to cut back on some of our bad habits, such as excessive speeding or aggressive. If you do this, you can cut down your fuel consumption by an incredible 35%. Put an end to the idling habit. We all do it, and like the saying goes: out with the old and in with the new! Let’s get rid of this habit. Idling for more than 10 minutes produces an excessive a ... read more

The Golden Years: Keeping The Car Running As we here at Convoy are an automotive service and repair facility, it should come as no surprise that we believe routine maintenance is key to keeping your cherished ride running and looking its best. It also helps that this belief is corroborated by car experts everywhere, so there should be no surprise in this statement to anyone. But what, exactly, should owners of older cars in Southern California be doing whenever they have their car serviced? And what things that aren’t maintenance related can owners do on their own to ensure their car is running in tip top shape? Here are a few tips for anyone with a vehicle enjoying its “Golden Years.” Image: Wikipedia Check Your Tire Condition Yourself Regularly: When you bring your car to ... read more

Ever since air conditioning became a standard feature on cars, there has been passionate debate about its effect on fuel consumption. Is it negligible? Is it worth the discomfort? What about rolling down the window? How much fuel does AC really use in a modern car? There are so many conflicting reports and rumors that’s almost impossible to determine a real answer. Here, we'll go over the basics of AC and driving with the windows down (hello physics!), but at the end of the day you may make your decision based on your personal preference on any particular day. (For example, no matter how much money your car might save by not using AC, no one is driving through the desert without it!) Does using the AC use more fuel? Of course. While the quantity can change depending on the aerodynamics of the car, using the AC does use more fuel than driving with the windows closed. This might be an obvious an ... read more

When the AC in your car stops working, it can be hard to quickly identify the problem. Is it the condenser? The compressor? Does it just need a recharge? Does the belt need adjusted? The surest way to know is to grab a friend, pop the hood, and start AC troubleshooting your car's AC problems! (Or, barring that, bring it in and we’ll do the troubleshooting for you.)   Image: Pixabay   Step 1: Determine the exact problem your AC is having. Is your AC blowing hot air? Blowing cooler air, but not cold air on max AC? Now blowing air at all? Not engaging at the motor? All of these problems have a different fix, and it’s important to know which issue you’re looking at. Step 2: Check for leaks - Leaks are the number one pro ... read more

It’s summer time in southern California and San Diego is having a scorcher of a week - and that means it’s peak season for car air conditioning. When temperatures go up, the load on your car’s AC unit is higher, especially if you need to run the AC over a long drive (such as a summer road trip!). Here are some tips to keep your car AC in tip top shape!  Image: Flickr How to ensure your AC stays in great condition Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance We go over this in more detail in our post about the topic, What You Need to Know about Car AC Maintenance, but there are some basic steps you can take that will keep your AC blowing cold, including changing your air filter and recharging your system as appropriate. Visual Inspection This is especi ... read more

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: preventative car care is the number one way to keep your car on the road longer, for the least amount of money. There’s a reason the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is so well known. No matter how old your car is, performing routine services keeps the systems in as good of shape as possible, helping you avoid more costly repairs and dangerous problems. Image: Pixabay Here are a few preventative car maintenance tips to keep in mind this summer: Regularly check and change all fluids- One of the easiest vehicle issues to avoid is a seized engine. Regular oil changes ensure you ... read more