AUTONET TV

A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis Brake Service for Safe Stopping in Winnetka

Let's talk about something critical for all Winnetka drivers: your brakes. Your vehicle is heavy, and it takes a lot of muscle to bring it and your passengers to a safe stop – so everything needs to be in good working order.

Here's an explanation on how your disc brakes work:

The wheel hub keeps your wheel attached to your vehicle. The brake disc – or rotor – is attached to the hub and rotates with the wheel as you drive around Winnetka. Your brake pads clamp onto the rotor to slow the wheel.

The brake caliper straddles the rotor and squeezes the rotor to slow it down. The calipers contain brake pads which press on the rotor when you put your foot on the brake. The brake piston causes the calipers to squeeze and release as you use your vehicle brakes.

Your brake pads start to wear the first time you step on the brakes. Eventually the pads wear out and need to be replaced. If you don't replace the pads when they're worn out, the metal parts of the brake will grind against the rotor and carve grooves into the surface. We've all heard grinding brakes and it's not a pretty sound.

If a rotor isn't scored significantly, your friendly and knowledgeable A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis technician can put it on a lathe and smooth it out. If the grooves are too deep or if the rotor is warped or cracked, you need to replace it.

Sometimes brake pistons can stick and must be replaced. Typically it's cheaper to replace the entire caliper at A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis in Winnetka than to rebuild the piston.

So there you have it – an important lesson on how your disc brakes work. If you replace brake pads on time, it will not only keep your vehicle stopping safely but could save you cash on unnecessary repairs down the road.

A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis
19735 Sherman Way Suite 2
Winnetka, CA 91306
(818) 438-9608
www.agautodiagnosis.com

Automotive Tips from A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis: Serpentine Belt Overview

The technicians at A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis know your serpentine belt drives important engine accessories like your alternator, air conditioning compressor, and power steering. In some cars it may also power the power brakes or water pump. The serpentine belt is powered by the engine and winds around pulleys and the accessories. Some cars in Winnetka have two serpentine belts.

The serpentine belt, the belt tensioner (which maintains the appropriate tension on the belt) and the idler pulleys are together known as the accessory drive system.

Now your serpentine belt and the belt tensioner will just wear out over time – that’s why your vehicle manufacturer has a scheduled belt replacement interval. The team at A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis in Winnetka can inspect your serpentine belt for wear and get it replaced if it’s time.

Give us a call.

A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis
19735 Sherman Way Suite 2
Winnetka, CA 91306
(818) 438-9608
www.agautodiagnosis.com

Keep Your Winnetka Car Breathing Free: Engine Air Filter

Hey Winnetka - this is something really amazing: Your vehicle uses 12,000 times as much air as fuel when you drive it. All of that air has to be filtered to keep your engine clean.

That's like 100 gallons (380 liters) of air every block! The engine air filter is just another example of a very important but inexpensive part that has to do a tremendous amount of work. And when it works, everything goes well. But, when it doesn't, well, it can lead to problems. Of course, your vehicle manufacturer recommends how often to change your air filter. But like most service intervals, where and how you drive your vehicle in CA affects when your filter needs to be changed.

Dusty conditions around Winnetka or polluted city driving means you'll need to change your filter more often. Our trained professionals at A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis can check your filter for you. In fact, it's often a routine part of an oil change.

When you think about it, a clogged air filter won't allow as much air through as a clean filter. Your vehicle needs this air to efficiently burn its fuel, giving you better fuel economy and performance.

Dirtier filters don't work as well as clean ones. A filter can only hold so much; after that, it allows dirt to pass right into your engine. Air filters come in all shapes and sizes. They also come in different grades. There are high performance air filters available for most vehicles. These high performance filters cost a little more, but they increase horsepower and may improve fuel economy to boot.

So it's important for Winnetka drivers to make sure and have their air filter checked. If it needs replacing, it doesn't cost very much at A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis in Winnetka and it should easily pay for itself in better fuel economy before your next oil change.

A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis
19735 Sherman Way Suite 2
Winnetka, CA 91306
(818) 438-9608
www.agautodiagnosis.com

Why a Trip Inspection Is a Good Idea

At A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis we get a lot of Winnetka drivers asking about vehicle trip preparation. That's a big deal. You could be driving through mountains and deserts in some pretty lonely areas around CA, so it's important to know that the vehicle is up to the task and won't leave you stranded.

Smart Winnetka drivers plan ahead for a major road trip – and there are a lot of things to get ready. Where should you start? You could start with the tires. Look them over for tread wear and check to see that they are properly inflated. Take a quick test drive around Winnetka to see if you can feel any vibrations: Are the wheels in balance? Is the car tracking straight? Is the alignment ok? Come to A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis for a peace-of-mind trip inspection.

19735 Sherman Way Suite 2
Winnetka, CA 91306
(818) 438-9608
www.agautodiagnosis.com

The next thing is a full service oil change to make sure all of your fluids are topped off and you have fresh oil for the trip. And if your car has over 75,000 miles/120,000 km, you may consider putting in the high-mileage formulation to clean harmful sludge deposits in the engine. 

How about your transmission and brakes? Have you had your transmission and brakes inspected in the last six months?

How are your wiper blades? There's nothing like not being able to get rid of the bug juice on a long road trip away from Winnetka.

Check your owner's manual for any other recommended services, and have A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis in Winnetka do the multi-point inspection before you head out on your trip.

Consider also having the coolant system serviced at A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis – you want to stay within the vehicle manufacture’s recommendations. If you're towing a trailer around CA you'll want to be keep in mind that you'll be going a long way under severe conditions.

A lot of Winnetka drivers overlook severe conditions like towing, CA summer heat or driving on dirt roads. Plan ahead for your next road trip – A.G. Automotive & Diagnosis wants you to get there and back.