San Carlos & Valley Springs Auto Repair

When your vehicle’s onboard computer turns “on” the brake warning light, it’s a potentially serious situation. Unless your vehicle happens to be parked, and releasing the parking brake makes the light go off, you have no way of telling how severe is the problem. It is best to err on the side of caution, and to call your trusted auto repair professionals right away. At Toole’s Garage in San Carlos we recommend regular brake inspections, to keep the brake system performing as designed. While some vehicles may turn on the brake warning light to indicate burnt out brake light bulb, or the need to replace brake pads, it is usually difficult to ascertain the severity of the brake warning light without professional knowledge, experience and tools. So if you are concerned about your vehicle’s brake system, we recommend having the car towed to our San Carlos auto repair facility. Our technicians, certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Exc ... read more

Most car owners know that timing belts need to be replaced every 60,000 to 100,000 miles, but what about timing chains? Aren’t they supposed to last forever? Not quite. Even though timing chains can last much longer than timing belts, any given timing chain may require a replacement. The most frequent reason for timing chain replacement is stretching – yes, timing chains can stretch, causing misfires or poor engine performance. Audi vehicles in particular are known for stretched timing chains. Signs of Timing Chain Problems: Unlike the timing belts which can fail without a warning, typically your vehicle’s timing chain will give you advanced notice that things are going wrong – here are 3 hard to miss signs that the timing chain needs to be inspected by a professional mechanic:   Metal shavings – if during oil change your mechanic finds metal shavings in the engine oil, timing chain problem could be the cause Engine misfires or la ... read more