San Carlos & Valley Springs Auto Repair

Your Honda’s suspension keeps your ride controlled and comfortable. At Toole’s Garage in Valley Springs we offer full range of suspension services and repairs. Shocks, struts, ball joints, tie rods – whatever your Honda needs, our nationally ASE certified technicians can diagnose the problem and repair your vehicle, usually the same day. Suspension problems can develop for a variety of reason, most frequent being passage of time. As your Honda ages, things wear out and will need to be replaced. But since they usually wear out slowly, it’s easy to miss the signs. It’s only after the suspension has been repaired that we notice how much smoother the ride is, and the better vehicle control. Here are a few signs that indicate that it’s a good idea to have the suspension checked out by a professional mechanic: Unusual noises If you hear noises from the suspension when driving over a bump, or uneven road, it’s time to take your Ho ... read more

Ignition coils provide the high voltage electricity necessary for your Toyota’s spark plugs to generate the sparks that ignite the fuel and air mixture that powers the engine of your vehicle. When ignition coils start to fail, it will cause a range of problems, including stalling, misfires, loss of power, and of course the onboard computer will turn on the check engine light. At Toole’s Garage in San Carlos we offer ignition coil diagnostics as well as ignition coil replacement, if it should turn out that one or more coils are failing. It is not advisable to drive with failing ignition coils, since loss of power or stalling on a freeway or in the middle of a busy intersection can lead to danger for yourself and others. If you notice any of the symptoms of failing ignition coils, make an appointment with your local mechanic, to have your Toyota professionally diagnosed. Our San Carlos auto care shop offers comprehensive automotive maintenance and repair services. Our natio ... read more

Despite the spring rains, we know that the warmer weather is coming, and you will rely on your Honda’s air conditioning to keep you cool while cruising the highways. At Toole’s Garage in Valley Springs we offer full range of Honda a/c services. Like other parts of your vehicle, the AC might develop faults that affect its performance and this can make spring and summer driving a challenge. That’s why we recommend that you get a jump start on the ac system repairs. Below is a list of items you may wish to consider before it gets hot outside. Signs that your Honda’s a/c needs repair: If you notice any of the symptoms below, call your local auto repair shop and bring your Honda in for an a/c checkup. No air Kind of obvious, but often we don’t really notice the “no air” condition until we need that cold air blast. So check that the system blows cold air on demand. Strange noises If you hear any ... read more

Regular oil change is one of the simplest, yet one of the most important maintenance services that will keep you BMW humming through the years. Fresh engine oil not only has the correct chemical and mechanical properties, but it also carries away dirt and gunk that gets created when various moving parts of the engine work in close proximity. The longer the interval between oil changes, the greater the degradation of the oil’s chemical and mechanical properties due to age and heat, and also, the greater the amount of gunk and dirt that the engine oil circulates through the engine – because engine oil filter has a limited capacity to filter out all those impurities. That’s why with every oil change professional mechanics also provide a fresh oil filter, so the system can work as designed, and provide maximum lubrication and cleaning for the engine. The rule of thumb says that you should have your BMW go through an oil change every 5000 miles (if using 100% synthetic o ... read more

One of the recurring services your Hyundai will need is battery replacement. Most car batteries last about 4-5 years. Over time the battery will weaken until replacement will become a necessity. At Toole’s Garage in San Carlos we offer wide range of Hyundai services, and battery replacement is one we perform regularly. Before we would replace a battery, though, we will test it to make sure it can still hold a charge. Sometimes what appears to be a dead battery is really some other problem – failing alternator, or a parasitic electrical drain. Before we recommend spending money on parts, we will make sure as to the root cause of the problem. Fortunately car batteries exhibit a range of symptoms before they fail, so if you notice your Hyundai exhibiting any of the signs listed below, bring it to our San Carlos auto care facility for a battery checkup – last thing you want is to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a dead car battery. Here are the symptoms that indi ... read more

The engine is one of the most important components of your BMW as it provides the power that moves it. It needs regular maintenance to deliver peak performance. Technicians who work at our Valley Springs auto care center could write volumes on BMW engine repair – obviously for the purpose of a blog post, we shall provide a highly abbreviated overview, and really only of the symptoms to watch out for. We highly recommend regular maintenance, which extends engine life, and provide predictable and worry-free ride. Signs your BMW’s engine needs repair The following signs are your BMW’s way of hinting that you need to book an appointment with an auto repair shop for engine repair. Excessive exhaust smoke One of the top signs of a failing engine is that your BMW starts producing a large amount of smoke. Ideally, your exhaust should produce translucent vapor not smoke. If you notice that the color is blue, black or white and it’s i ... read more

Your Audi comes with a variety of systems that play unique roles in the overall performance of the vehicle. One of such vital system is the evaporative control system (simply known as EVAP) and its purpose is to contain gasoline fumes, so they are not released into the environment. It’s your Audi’s way of controlling pollution. Driving with a leaking evaporative system puts you and your passengers in danger of inhaling harmful fumes. It will likely cause the check engine light to come “on”, with the most common codes being: P0442 - Evaporative Emission System (EVAP) Small Leak Detected P0455 - Evaporative Emission System (EVAP) Large Leak Detected P0446 - Evaporative Emission System (EVAP) Vent System Performance If your vehicle has hard time starting after you fill the gas tank, it could also indicate potential EVAP problem. At Toole’s Garage in San Carlos we can diagnose any EVAP issues your Audi may experience. Typically we will first read the faul ... read more

    You’re cruising along the highway in your Honda, not a care in the world and then you glance at the dashboard only to see that the check engine light has popped on. Now you’re confused because you don’t know whether your car will stop running on the highway or how much it would cost to fix the issue. If you find yourself in this situation, the best course of action is to drive to a trusted auto repair shop. If the check engine light if flashing, pull over as soon as it is safe to do so and shut off the engine – running the engine at this point could cause significant damage   What does the check engine light mean? When the check engine light in your Honda illuminates, it could be due to a variety of things. Here are some common reasons to know: Loose gas cap This is a surprisingly frequent cause of the check engine light turning “on”, so it should be the first place you che ... read more

Rough surfaces, potholes and bumps could wreck havoc on your Honda but the suspension system is why that doesn’t happen. It is responsible for delivering a comfortable driving experience by smoothing out the effects of the bumps and potholes. It also helps to keep your tires in contact with the ground, giving you controlled ride and preventing rollover accidents. Since it’s hard at work every day, over time various suspension components may wear down or even break. Toole’s Garage in San Carlos offers full range of suspension testing and repairs. Signs your Honda needs suspension repair Suspension deterioration usually happens gradually, over extended period of time, and we do not notice these gradual changes. Only when it’s repaired do we realize how much better the car handles, and how much smoother it rides. Here are some signs to watch out for: Oily shocks If the shocks are leaking oil, shock replacement is a necessity ... read more

Your Audi’s dashboard contains a number of warning lights that tell you the status of your vehicle. Tire Pressure Monitoring Light (TPMS) has an exclamation point, surrounded by something that is supposed to represent a tire. If your Audi computer turns on this light, it’s telling you that one or more of the tires are under-inflated – or that there is a problem with the TPMS sensor system.   What is TPMS? The TPMS or Tire Pressure Monitoring System became a mandatory component on U.S. vehicles since 2008. Its main function is to alert you of notable change in air pressure occurring in the tires. In other words, the system monitors your tires to inform you whenever they are either overinflated or under-inflated. Tire-related problems are one of the highest causes of accidents in the world and this system was designed to address this issue. By alerting you to unusual pressure in the tires, TPMS helps to prevent problems such as flat tires, uneve ... read more