In business since 1983!

Truckee Auto Repair

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Call Us:(530) 214-5534
The Auto & Tire Doctor Hours
Mon - Fri: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Express Lube Hours
Appointments Highly Recommended.
Mon - Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Smogs available: Smog checks on 2000 and newer vehicles.
Available at both facilities during regular business hours.

Yearly Archives: 2019

Maintaining Your Older Car in TRUCKEE, CA

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in TRUCKEE, CA: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the TRUCKEE motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new vehicle.Because new vehicles are more expensive, people in the TRUCKEE area are driving their old vehicles longer. The average vehicle is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in CA have more than 75,000 miles (120,000 km) on them. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on goin'.Give The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc a call at 5305872178 to schedule your next maintenance.Some owner's manuals don't specify service requirements at higher mileage. That doesn't mean it doesn't have to be done. I ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Your Vehicle Is NOT Maintenance Free, TRUCKEE Car Owners

A generation ago, TRUCKEE drivers seemed to be more inclined to keep their vehicle's preventive maintenance on schedule. One reason for this may be that vehicles back then were a lot less reliable than they are today. Taking your vehicle in to your TRUCKEE shop every year or two for repairs seemed to be a good reminder to keep the oil changed.For example, almost everyone in TRUCKEE used to take their vehicles in for regular tune-ups. Vehicles had mechanical ignition systems, which meant ignition points, spark plugs and coils had to be replaced and the timing adjusted every few years. As long as the vehicle was in for a tune-up at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc, the vehicle was inspected and you took care of any needed repairs at the same time.Today's engines have electronic ignition systems and engine control computers. Spark plugs can last for up to 100,000 miles/160,000 km. Vehicle reliability has vastly improved in the last few decades, and surveys report few ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Automotive Tips from The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc: Causes of Wheel Misalignment

When properly aligned, all of your wheels are pointed in the same direction. Your vehicle will track true and handle the way it is designed. TRUCKEE drivers often associate our wheels being “knocked” out of alignment with an event like a major crash, hitting a pothole, curb or some other object. While these can certainly take your wheels out of alignment, the bumps and bounces of everyday TRUCKEE driving take their toll on wheel alignment as well. Your car can lose alignment over time with just normal driving. When your wheels are out of alignment, the team of automotive professionals at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc in TRUCKEE can return your wheels to the factory settings. Most owners’ manuals suggest an inspection every year or two.Give us a call.The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc12000 PIONEER TRLTRUCKEE, CA 961615305872178http://theautoandtiredoctor.com

Categories:

Alignment

The Edible Engine

You may have had a friend whose vehicle was the victim of hungry rodents.  After all, mice, rats and squirrels—even rabbits—have been known to gnaw on wires in engine compartments, causing vehicle electrical systems to go haywire.  They can disable a vehicle completely and be very expensive to fix. In 2017, some drivers noticed their vehicle's wiring was being chewed and found out the automaker was using a relatively new material for covering their wires: soy.  Many of the repairs to their new vehicles weren't covered under warranty by the manufacturer when it was discovered rodents were eating the wiring.  So the owners filed a class action suit, saying the soy covering was essentially baiting the critters.  The automakers tell a different story, saying mice, rats and squirrels have been chewing through wire insulation long before it was made out of soy.  Regardless of what the insulation is made of, vehicle owners should make sure rodents are ... read more

Under Pressure in TRUCKEE: TPMS

Have you noticed an increase in price when you get a flat tire fixed in TRUCKEE, or have your tires rotated? It might be the result of your TPMS, or Tire Pressure Monitoring System.The federal government began requiring a TPMS system on 2008 model year passenger vehicles and light trucks. Some 2006 and 2007 models may have them as well. The system has a warning light that is mounted on the dashboard that will go on if one of the tires becomes severely underinflated.Why the new requirement? Because underinflated tires are the number one cause of tire failure. Tire blowouts cause crashes and sometimes fatal accidents. Underinflated tires also need longer stopping distance and can skid, both of which also present dangers on CA roads. Many flat tires can also be prevented by proper tire inflation, and though this may seem an economic consideration, TRUCKEE drivers who have changed a flat on the side of the road recognize that this has serious safety concerns as well.Advan ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Put on the Brakes: Brake Service at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc

When it comes to preventive maintenance and vehicle care, most TRUCKEE drivers know how important it is to check their brakes. But brakes are more than just brake pads and shoes. There are a lot of components in the brake system, and they all need to be in good working order.The pads and shoes are known as the friction materials in the brake system. They push together, providing friction which stops the vehicle. It's no wonder they have to be checked regularly for wear, and brake pads and shoes need to be replaced periodically.Brake pads/shoes gradually wear out, but that doesn't mean your braking gradually becomes less effective. The pads are engineered so that they maintain good braking until they wear too thin to provide adequate friction. At this point, they need to be replaced.But your braking system also has mechanical parts. These pistons and springs can also gradually wear out or get gummed up by oil, dirt and other road spatter. A brake ... read more

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Brakes

The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc Automotive Tips: Diagnostic Service

Imagine waking up one morning with a stomach ache. You pick up the phone, call the doctor’s office and say, “I’ve got a really bad tummy ache. How much will it cost to make me feel better?” Of course you wouldn’t do that. You know that there could be a lot of reasons for your symptoms and that the doctor will have to examine you, ask some questions and probably run some tests before she can tell you what’s wrong and give you treatment options. This same scenario plays out every day at CA auto repair facilities. When the cause of the concern isn’t obvious, the car will need to undergo a diagnostic examination. The typical car has about 30,000 parts, including several networked computers and miles of wiring. Finding exactly what is wrong can be very complicated and take some time. The most experienced technicians at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc in TRUCKEE are the ones who tackle the difficult diagnostic jobs. Once they have determined the caus ... read more

Categories:

Exhaust

The Engine Gets a Boost (Turbocharged Engine Maintenance)

If someone told you that your vehicle could have the same power but with a smaller engine, wouldn't that sound like great idea? Just think, a smaller engine would save you money at the gas station and you'd still get the same horsepower. The technology to do just that has been around for a long time. It's called a turbocharger. Race cars and other performance vehicles have been using turbochargers for years. It gives them a power boost without the need of a bigger engine, saving them fuel and pit stops. Automakers have offered turbo gasoline and diesel engines for years, but there were problems with durability. Plus drivers had to make some driving adjustments with the way turbos delivered power. Newer turbos, though, have been vastly improved, and manufacturers are including them in more models. For example, Jeep offers its 2019 Cherokee with a choice of two engines that each make about 270 horsepower. One is a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and the other is a 6-cylinder conventional ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Service Center Standard and Procedures

All CA pilots have checklists for every aspect of flying. They always use their checklists even if they only have two steps on them. They do this simply because a checklist is a great way to not forget steps. It is also how they can assure a predictable outcome. That is why TRUCKEE automotive service centers including The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc have procedural standards for each service they perform. The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc technicians are trained step by step. And they perform the procedures step by step, the same way each time. By training to procedural standards, CA service centers can assure a quality outcome. The job is done right every time and TRUCKEE customers leave happy with how their vehicle performs. Each company trains its technicians to standards. The CA automotive industry as a whole is very committed to standards of excellence and encourages individual CA service center operators to apply them to every vehicle they service. An example i ... read more

Fall and Spring Checkup in TRUCKEE

When I was a kid, my dad always made sure he took the cars in for Spring and Fall checkups. I was telling a friend that it's about time to get into The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc for a checkup and he said that he read on the internet that modern cars don't need seasonal service.My friend is (technically) right about some things, but from a practical standpoint, a seasonal check up still makes sense.Back when my dad was teaching me about how to take care of the family vehicle, most of them used a different weight of oil in the winter and in the summer. But most of today's modern engines run the same oil year round. High-tech engines and high-tech motor oils are better able to handle the seasonal changes.Your owner's manual or TRUCKEE service advisor at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc can tell you the right oil to use.Of course, you're concerned about the coolant or antifreeze. You don't want to overheat in the CA summer or ... read more

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Maintenance
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