Walt's Danville Service

Preparing for Summer Driving

Before you head out on the road this summer, you want to make sure that your vehicle is in great working condition. To ensure that you are ready for summer driving, you should check all of the major systems of your vehicle, including your oil level and tire pressure. For more summer driving tips, watch this video from ABC News.

The expert technicians at Walt’s Danville Service can provide you with all of your essential summer car maintenance procedures. From brake service to tire rotation and more, we offer a full range of top quality auto repair and maintenance services. To make an appointment at our auto repair shop in the Pleasanton area, call us at (925) 394-4092. You can also visit our website or contact us online to learn more about our auto repair services.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

As you drive, your vehicle’s on-board diagnostic system and engine control unit (ECU) are constantly monitoring a number of systems beneath the hood. If any problems are detected, the “check engine” light will illuminate. Some of the most common problems that cause a check engine light to illuminate include a broken oxygen sensor, spark plug problems, a wet engine, bad exhaust gas recirculation valves, problematic fuel injectors, faulty hoses or manifolds, and a blown head gasket. An open gas cap is also one of the most common culprits of a check engine light. If your check engine light comes on, tighten the gas cap. If that doesn’t fix the problem, visit a mechanic right away.

At Walt’s Danville Service, we have extensive experience running diagnostics and performing repairs on vehicles with an illuminated check engine light. Call us at (925) 394-4092 or check us out on the web for more information about the diagnostic and automotive repair services we offer.

Tips for Ensuring Your Tires Are Safe

A surprising number of vehicles on the road today are riding on unsafe tires. Tires that are old, worn out, or unbalanced are unsafe and need to be replaced as soon as possible. To find out how to ensure proper tire safety, read this article.

Examine the Tire Sidewall To determine if your tires are safe, inspect the tire sidewall. If the sidewall is drying out or cracking, or if the tires are more than six years old, it’s a good idea to replace them. Otherwise, your vehicle is more likely to experience a loss of control or a tire blowout. 

Check the Tread Level Tires need at least 2/32 of an inch of tread in order to provide a safe driving experience. To measure the tread level, you can either use a tread-level gauge or a penny. If you decide to use the penny test, stick the penny Lincoln’s head down into the tread. If the top of Lincoln’s head is visible, the tires have less than 2/32 of tread and need to be replaced.

Inspect the Tire Tread Wear Patterns Simply running over a pothole or hitting a curb can cause result in wheel and suspension misalignment. If your vehicle’s suspension or wheels are out of alignment, it will manifest in the form of abnormal tire wear, which negatively affects handling. Fortunately, a car repair shop can perform a wheel-alignment or tire-balancing service before the tires become too worn and unsafe.

Read the Tire Pressure Tires without sufficient air pressure provide unsafe handling and are more likely to experience a blowout. Check your tires with a tire pressure gauge at least once per month. If they are not inflated to the PSI level recommended inside your owner’s manual, visit your local auto repair shop to have them properly adjusted.

If you need a tire repair or maintenance service, or if you want to get your tires inspected to make sure they are safe, come to Walt’s Danville Service. Visit our website to see what else we can do to make your car safer, and call us at (925) 394-4092 for more information about all of our auto repair and maintenance services.

Is it Time to Get New Tires for Your Car?

Did you know that many states have a law that requires drivers to have a minimum at least one-sixteenth of an inch of tread? But many experts say that you should replace your tires before they reach this point. Watch this video to find out if it’s time to get new tires for your car.

To determine if your car needs new tires, stick a penny, Lincoln’s head down, into the grooves of your tires. If you can see Lincoln’s entire head, your tires need to be replaced as soon as possible. If you want to be on the safe side, perform the same test with a quarter using Washington’s head as a benchmark. Replacing tires that fail the quarter test ensures dramatically shorter braking distances in rainy weather. For more information about tire safety, watch the video clip.

If you believe that your tires need to be replaced, it’s a good idea to have to have them inspected at Walt’s Danville Service. Call our auto repair shop at (925) 394-4092 for more information. You can also contact us online to schedule a service appointment.

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