San Carlos & Valley Springs Auto Repair

Check engine light coming on is not a happy moment, but it does not necessarily mean major problems. Your Toyota’s onboard computer may illuminate the check engine light for one of hundreds of reasons – and many of them can be fairly benign. As long as the check engine light is not flashing, and you don’t feel any misfires, you have time to look for a “mechanic near me” and to bring your Toyota to a shop for check engine light diagnostics. While there are literally hundreds of reasons why the check engine light might come on, the most frequent ones include gas cap that does not hold pressure and worn out spark plugs. Either one of these conditions is easily corrected. Naturally there will be times when the check engine light requires in-depth diagnostics and expensive repairs, but you should not assume this at the outset. At Toole’s Garage in Valley Springs we can diagnose the check engine light and tell you exactly what’s necessary to fix ... read more

Regular brake service is vital to your safety. Your Hyundai will need multiple brake service visits during its lifetime. At Toole’s Garage in San Carlos we offer full range of Hyundai maintenance services and repairs, including Hyundai brake service. The most frequent brake service is brake pads replacement. Your vehicle slows down because calipers press the brake pads against rotors, creating friction that slows down the vehicle. Unfortunately, that friction not only slows down the car, but also wears out brake pads, and brake rotors as well. So brake pad replacement, and often rotors replacement will happen regularly throughout the lifetime of your Hyundai. Another regular service will involve brake fluid replacement. Over time brake fluid loses its protective chemical qualities ( due to age and high working temperatures) while at the same time absorbing moisture from the environment. As the water content of the brake fluid increases, it negatively impacts your vehicle&rsquo ... read more

Control arm replacement is an infrequent repair, but as we keep our cars longer and longer (national average is over 14 years), it becomes more likely that control arms may fail. After all, they help the vehicle to remain in full contact with the ground and help us to maintain control – but to do so, they get a workout every time we drive the car. When the control arms start to fail, you will likely hear popping noise when driving over bumps, and car might veer to the side when driving. Uneven tire wear is also one of the symptoms of control arms going bad. So if you notice any of these symptoms, bring  your vehicle to our Valley Springs auto garage, and our nationally ASE certified mechanics will inspect your vehicle and let you know what it will take to fix it. In most cases we can replace control arms the same day, so you will have your vehicle back soon, ready for the road. Toole’s Garage is a family owned and operated auto repair facility in Valley Springs, and ... read more

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