MOUNTAIN VIEW AUTO REPAIR

We just recently spoke to a young lady who was concerned about “strange noises” coming from her engine that she had never heard before. She told us that her boyfriend had advised her it was nothing to worry about as long as the car was still running fine. He warned her that bringing it in for someone to look at was going to be expensive and probably not necessary. Fortunately, she was worried enough to give us a call and ask if his advice was correct! Turning up the radio and ignoring the noise is not the best response when cars are making sounds they did not make when they left the factory! So, yes, the least you should do under those circumstances is have a professional take a look and determine what is causing the noise. It’s important for you to know if your car needs immediate attention or if it is something that can be taken care of at a later date. Noises can be the symptom of many different issues going on with your car. If not addressed, the results can be inconvenience ... read more

One of our customers recently told us that their daughter just got her driver’s license, and she asked if we agreed that her SUV would be the best of their vehicles for her daughter to drive. We had to disagree! An SUV is not the best vehicle for teen driver safety. It is like a truck! Many believe that if there is an accident, they will be less likely to get hurt. But the truth is that a teen driver is more likely to experience an accident when driving an SUV/truck. The many reasons this is true range from minor incidents occurring because it is harder to judge where the corners of the vehicle are when parking and driving, to more severe incidents due to the higher center of gravity in these vehicles…they are much more likely to roll over during panic situations. In between, there is also the increase in stopping distance required for these vehicles. More distance is needed between an SUV/truck and other vehicles in order for it to ... read more

There has been almost a panic created by the media over the recent “stuck accelerator pedals” in various Toyota vehicles. Just this week in San Diego, an older gentleman called 911 with an out of control Prius and drew the CHP to his rescue. It has also been suggested that in some of these cases, the incidents were not because of a stuck pedal, but due to driver error or even mis-aligned floor mats. Regardless of the cause, when something like this happens, the worst thing to do is panic! The simplest, safest thing to do is to simply put the car in neutral, turn on your flashers, and coast to the side of the road as soon as possible. This will not hurt your transmission. When the car is in neutral, you still have your braking and steering power, so you will be able to guide your vehicle to a safe place and use the brakes to stop. Shutting off the ignition is not recommended as then your steering and braking capabilities are gone. A recent Washington Post article and an October ... read more