Downey Auto Repair

Downey Auto Repair - Why Does My Car’s AC Blow Stinky Air   There are not too many odors as pleasing at that new car smell. Why can’t that smell last forever? On the other hand, it can’t get much worse than when your vehicle starts smelling bad. The bad smells can come from the engine or the exhaust, or it could simply be a matter of cleanliness. That unfinished taco in the backseat from last month could be the culprit.   Other times, your car smells just fine. That is until you turn on the AC. It really stinks to have all that cool air ruined by a bad smell. So why do bad smells come from your AC, anyway?   Most Common Reasons for Air Conditioning Smells   If your air conditioning is putting off bad smells, then something is wrong. Here are the most common reasons for a stinky AC.   Gas Leak – if the bad odor smells like gas, you could have a gas leak. This can happen when gas ... read more

Downey Auto Repair - How Often Should I Change My Fuel Filter?   Unless you drive an all-electric car, you need gasoline to operate your vehicle. To get clean gas to your engine it has to travel there via the fuel filter. That’s why your fuel filter is so important. If dirty fuel is being sent to your engine, you will notice a decline in performance. The fuel filter also helps protect your vehicle’s fuel injectors. Like any other part of your car, the fuel filter gets old, and you must replace it.   As they get older, fuel filters get full of engine debris and eventually they can clog. That prevents fuel from passing through the filter to the engine. This will disrupt your engine. Obviously, without gas your car won’t even start. So, it goes without saying that your entire fuel system needs to work correctly, including the fuel filter. That brings us to the next question: how often do you typically need change the fuel filter?   ... read more

Can you believe it’s already summer again? Hopefully your summer is off to a great start. If you’re like a lot of people, then you probably have some road trips planned in the near future. Road trips can be a lot of fun, but only if you have a comfortable vehicle to travel in.   Of course, summer is a great time of year whether you travel or not. But either way, you probably depend on your vehicle a lot. So be sure to give it the proper attention in between all the fun. The hot months of summer can take their toll on your car. If you’re not careful, it won’t be able to get you where you want to go. In other words, just because you get vacation time this summer, your car doesn’t.   Easy Summer Maintenance and Service The good news is getting your vehicle ready for summer isn’t that hard. Just dedicate a little time to take care of it. Engine Belts – when was the last time you checked the serpenti ... read more

Are you in the market for new tires? If so, then you already know your choices are endless. But it’s important to select the right tires for your particular vehicle. After all, your tires keep your vehicle glued to the road, right where it should be. Obviously, your tires play a huge role in your overall safety, so you need the right kind. In other words, choose your tires wisely. With so many choices, how do you know which ones are right for you? When to Replace Your Tires Before we get to that, lets first discuss the timing of tire replacement. Most tires come with an expected tread life. For example, a tire with 50,000-mile tread life should last for 50,000 miles. Of course, it doesn’t always work out that way, but it’s a good baseline for the life expectancy of your tires. Some tires do wear out before they reach their expected tread life. Your driving conditions can determine how long your tires last, and so can tire rotations. If you neglect ... read more

When Is a Good Time to Change My Transmission Fluid? It takes a lot of fluids for your vehicle to operate correctly. The first two that come to mind are probably gas and oil. But there are several other auto fluids that are just as important for your car, including brake fluid, radiator fluid (antifreeze/coolant), and power steering fluid. One of the most important fluids is your transmission fluid. Just like every other fluid in your vehicle, transmission fluid needs to be changed in a timely manner. How often you should change it varies on several factors. Most automakers recommend getting a transmission fluid flush at 100,000 miles. However, other automakers, including Ford, recommend getting a flush at 150,000. On the other hand, there are mechanics that recommend flushing your transmission at 50,000-mile intervals. Furthermore, vehicles with manual transmissions usually stick to a different ma ... read more