Downey Auto Repair

Remember what headlights used to be like? They were pretty basic, and they almost never drew anyone’s attention. They sat in the front grill, and they didn’t look fancy, or do anything special. You could say the same thing for taillights, brake lights, and blinkers. Their job was to make it possible for you to see and for others to see you. New Wave of Lights Well, that was then, and this is now. And times have definitely changed when it comes to the lights on your vehicle. Now they light up in several different ways, and lights have become a huge part of the overall car design. They come in dozens of shapes and sizes and manufacturers use them to make cars look more sophisticated. Lighting on this current generation of vehicles has way more to offer compared to lights in the past. But with all the fancy bells and whistles, they’re also a lot more complicated to replace or fix. Don’t Wait to Fix it However, if a light quits ... read more

You know what it’s like to blow a fuse, right? Everyone has done that at their house at some point. Maybe you plug one too many things into the same circuit and it’s just too much juice at once. It’s very common for a hair dryer to make this happen. But whatever the cause, when a fuse gets tripped or blown, normally you just have to reset the breaker, and everything works again. So, while it is inconvenient, tripping a fuse is not the end of the world. If you blow the fuse completely, then you will have to replace it. And the same is true with your vehicle. Most of the time the tiny little fuses that power the electrical components of your car are hidden away in hard-to-reach places, but they are extremely important. The fuses in your vehicle even help protect it from overloading or short-circuiting. So, what happens if a fuse blows in your car and how do you fix it? How Come Fuses Blow? Fuses usually blow for one of two reasons. The first is when ... read more

With every passing year auto technology continues to get more advanced. New cars these days all have sophisticated computers that help in so many ways. Simply put, this new generation of cars is amazing. All these advances in auto technology are very nice for drivers and they can make caring for your vehicle much easier. However, even with all the ongoing advancements, cars still have to be regularly maintained because they have so many mechanical components that wear out and break down. And in some cases, those fancy computer based diagnostic tools can’t pinpoint mechanical problems. So, what happens when a diagnostic tool can’t determine a specific mechanical problem? Thankfully, our ASE certified technicians have other ways to figure out car problems. The following “tools” are a few of the “tricks” they use. Standard Diagnostic Tools in DowneyMovements and Vibrations – mechanics spend a lot of time aroun ... read more

Have you noticed your car burning through oil lately? There’s no sign of any leaks and you don’t smell burning oil from under the hood, but your gauge still shows that your vehicle is running low on oil. So why are you going through oil so fast. Sometimes, vehicles, especially older models, burn oil, which leaves your levels low. That can be very bad for your overall engine performance and can end up damaging your motor beyond repair. Burning Oil Is More Common with Older Vehicles In most cases, burning oil is not a problem for newer vehicles. It’s much more common for older cars to burn oil than new ones. However, new cars can burn oil, as well. So, no matter the age of your vehicle, if you think it might be burning oil, then don’t wait to get it inspected. If you’ve seen an unexplainable drop in your oil level, with no visible signs of a leak, it’s very likely your engine is burning oil. What Are the Warning Signs to Loo ... read more

You know that noise that cars make that makes them sound like a lawn mower or motorcycle? Do you know what causes that annoying sound? Most likely, it’s a bad muffler. Your muffler is an integral part of your vehicle’s exhaust system. So, if a muffler goes bad, you could have an issue with your exhaust system. That means if your car has been making those annoying sounds, it might be time to check the muffler. If your exhaust system isn’t functioning properly, your vehicle isn’t going to operate smoothly. And the issue could get worse if you don’t address it sooner rather than later. You might also end up with additional problems, worse damage, and costlier repairs. So, if your muffler has been showing any signs of trouble don’t wait to take care of it. Signs of Muffler Trouble These are some of the obvious signs of a bad muffler. Loud Sounds – engines make noise, but if your muffler is functioning right tha ... read more