San Jose Auto Repair

As a driver, you need to stay connected to your car so that you can easily tell when something is wrong. When your car produces any unusual smell, sound, or vibrations, then you should be keen enough to take note of it right away. Since the braking system is one of the most important parts of your car, you need to keenly note how your car behaves when you apply the brakes, and if there are any anomalies, you should seek the assistance of a mechanic immediately. One of the most common anomalies that you may note when braking is vibration. If your car vibrates when you apply the brakes, it should be checked for the following issues. Braking Rotors If you feel vibrations in the brake pedals and the steering wheel, then it is possible that that the problem could be with the rotors. When you apply the brakes, your rotors get pressed by the brake pads in order to slow down your car. Therefore, when the rotors are out of balance, you may experience vibrations when applying the brakes. Howev ... read more

Most drivers may rely on roadside assistance if one of their tires goes flat. What happens if it's late and you're in an area not easily accessible? Motorists may already know how to change a tire, but the skill may not come naturally as checking the oil or topping off the fluids. Emergencies happen when we least expect them; a flat tire can leave you stranded in the most undesirable locations. In the rare circumstance that your tire blows out, knowing how to change a tire is an asset. Whether you need a bit of a reminder or a complete walkthrough, Dhillon Motorsports is here to help. Below is a quick guide to changing a tire to get you back on the road safely in no time.  Items you will need:  Inflated spare tire Jack  Lug Wrench Flashlight Pull your vehicle over to a safe location. If you notice your tire is flat, pull over to a safe area away from oncoming traffic. Scan the surroundings and make sure you're on level groun ... read more

The wildfires from Santa Clarita have pushed hazardous smoke and ash into the air, posing a potential health risk. If you’re among the population more sensitive to air pollution, try staying indoors as often as possible. Drivers should also make a note of the air traveling inside their vehicle through the vents. The vents have air filters that prevent you from breathing in dust, debris, and other harmful pollutants. Cabin air filters help prevent potential respiratory health problems. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual will have suggested intervals to have it changed, but you should also take your driving habits, seasons, environmental elements into consideration. Below are three common signs, it’s time to replace your cabin filter.  Foul Smell  If the filter is dirty, you’ll notice a musty odor blowing through the vents. If the smell is making the drive unpleasant, it’s time to have the filter replaced.    Decrease in ... read more

The neutral gear serves an essential function for manual drivers. Before you drive a manual transmission, the vehicle must be placed in neutral first. Automotive drivers can move straight into the drive gear and take off, leaving some wondering what purpose the neutral gear serves. Neutral isn’t necessarily a gear; it’s a state when no gear is engaged on the vehicle. In an automatic transmission, the wheels continue to spin independently of the gas pedal, so the car keeps moving. While in neutral, the gas pedal does nothing to speed the vehicle; no power from the pedal is transmitted to the wheels. Neutral is rarely engaged in most driving trips, leaving some automatic drivers wondering – when should you shift into neutral? During A Drive-Thru Car Wash Most drive-through car washes have an automotive system that requires the car to be placed in the neutral gear to move and stop fluidly through the scrubs.  If the ... read more

Being a vehicle owner is a major responsibility. Staying on a consistent vehicle maintenance schedule not only benefits you, but it also benefits other drivers. Neglecting to prioritize your vehicle maintenance can lead to costly mechanical issues later down the road. Unfortunately, some maintenance tasks are completely forgotten by drivers. Below is a list of maintenance tasks commonly overlooked over the lifespan of a vehicle:  Transmission Fluid  Regularly changing your engine oil is a task embedded in most driver's brains and for a good reason. Oil changes keep your engine lubricated. However, most drivers forget about the maintenance of their transmission. You don't want to wait until you have a problem with your transmission before getting it inspected. Fixing and rebuilding a transmission can leave you thousands of dollars short if you neglect to maintain it. Some newer vehicles have a transmission system made to last the lifetime of the warra ... read more

It’s no secret that vehicles release some pretty harmful chemicals and gasses into the environment. These gases and emissions can severely reduce air quality, especially in larger cities that may be more congested with cars. This may be the reason some people choose to drive a hybrid or fully electric vehicle. It’s also widely believed that exhaust fumes released into the atmosphere are a contributing factor to global warming. What pollutants are being released from our vehicle’s tailpipe?  Particulates –Particulates are primarily released from diesel engines and typically emit the black airborne soot you may be familiar with. Most modern diesel vehicles have diesel particulate filters to prevent most of it from being pumped into the air.   Carbon dioxide (CO2) – Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is a severe contributing factor to climate change and ocean acidification. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated th ... read more

Have you been contemplating a hybrid vehicle for your next car purchase? You are not alone. With more people driving now than ever before, hybrid cars are increasing in popularity. A hybrid is a vehicle that combines at least one electric motor with a gasoline engine to operate. It is a system that recaptures energy via regenerative braking. Hybrid cars are not all produced the same. Some hybrid models have an electric motor that does all the work, while other types use a gas engine; other models may use both.   Below are some helpful reminders if you are considering making the switch to an electric vehicle:    Hybrids may save you money over time.  With some hybrid models going for 40-60 mpg, owning one will save you money at the gas pump. While the cost of a hybrid vehicle may be up to 20% more expensive upfront, there are tax benefits and incentives that make these vehicles smart buys. These federal and state electric car credits help lower the upfront cost ... read more

It’s the summer months, which means that your teenager is home from school and has much more time to start learning and understand how to drive before the big test. If you’ll be working on teaching your teenager how to drive this summer, here are some helpful reminders and tips to communicate in order to promote safe and legal driving.  If your teenager has a driver’s learner’s permit, the best place to begin your teaching is in a parking lot that is vacant or not too busy. Here, you can practice basic stop and go methods and parking techniques. This is always less stressful for a beginning drive since there isn’t much traffic around.  Teach your teenager about the SMOG method. This is a great way to teach your teen how to safely switch lanes while on the road. S - signal the direction you wish to turn, M - check rear view and side mirrors for other vehicles, O - be sure to look over your shoulder to check your blind spots, and G - go when all ... read more

We understand that dreaded feeling of getting into your car in the morning and trying to start it with no avail. You may hear that “click-click-click” noise of your ignition attempting to start your car, or hear nothing at all. The good news is - a car battery is typically an easy fix. It just depends on the problem at hand.  If your car won’t start, the first thing to do is attempt to jump start your vehicle with jumper cables. You will need a friend, family member, or neighbor to help you by using their working car to connect jumper cables to. If jump starting your car works - great! That is always a good sign. However, it doesn’t mean that your car battery is good to go. If you are successful at jump starting your car, you should drive your vehicle into your local trusted auto repair shop for a quick check. We will use a tool to check your battery and see how much life it has left. It will also help us determine if the issue was caused by the battery it ... read more

Dhillon Motorsports, formerly known as Smog Man Test & Repair, has been servicing the community for over a decade. We want you to know that during these uncertain times, we are remaining open to serve you. We know how difficult times are dealing with the scare of COVID-19 and how it is effecting our everyday lives. Even with business shutdown orders and shelter in place mandates in California, auto repair is considered an essential business.  Auto care is an essential need because people in our community are relying on their vehicles to get to work to support their families or get to the store to buy supplies to keep their loved ones fed and healthy. We have taken steps to ensure the safety of our customers and staff by putting new protocols in place.  Measures we are taking to better serve you and prevent the spread of COVID-19 include:  We will be taking appointments only. This will allow us to schedule in a way to allow social distancing to take place. Lim ... read more