San Carlos & Valley Springs Auto Repair

Toole’s Garage, the premier Valley Springs auto care facility, offers broad range of suspension services and repairs, including control arm bushing replacement. Control arm bushings play a vital role in connecting control arms to the frame. Without them the control arms would wear out fast and a ride would be a noisy one. So what are the signs of bushings needing replacement? If you hear suspension squeaking when going over bumps, or you hear knocking sound (that’s likely metal-to-metal contact – something bushings are supposed to prevent), there is a good chance control arm bushings are failing. When you bring your vehicle to our Valley Springs auto care shop, our nationally ASE certified technicians will inspect your vehicle and we will let you know the root cause of the problem. Bushings can usually be replaced the same day, so if you drop off the car in the morning, it will be waiting for you before the day is over. All repairs performed by our mechanics are cov ... read more

Living in the Bay Area we all have heard about catalytic converter thefts, as the Bay Area favorite, Toyota Prius, is the prime target of the thieves. Now Carfax, a company where repair shops report auto repair data, estimated that in 2022 over 153,000 vehicles were targeted. Insurance companies reported only 52,000 claims for stolen catalytic converters – so why the discrepancy? We thought about it and looking at the data at Toole’s Garage in San Carlos, we come to the conclusion that Carfax is right. We see a lot of vehicles with stolen catalytic converters that are older vehicles, without comprehensive insurance, so the owners pay out-of-pocket for the repairs – hence there is no report to the insurance company, but Carfax gets to count such cars in their statistics. If you take into account that catalytic converters are often on back-order, meaning one has to wait for the manufacturer to deliver new ones, it makes sense that the number of catalytic converter the ... read more

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