Increased stopping distance, pulsation or squeaking?  These are all signs that your brakes need some attention. The occurrence of brake problems like these (even in as little as 5,000 miles) can be caused by poorly performing brake service equipment and/or improper repair procedures.  At Quality Automotive and Smog we have invested in the Pro-Cut Rotor Matching System (RMS) allowing our technicians to perform a better and more affordable brake job. This patented technology matches hubs to rotors directly. The brake lathe attaches to the vehicle’s hub and resurfaces the rotor true to the hub's axis, insuring that the original manufacturer's tolerances are once again achieved.  With Pro-Cut's Rotor Matching System technology, your brakes will perform when you need them.

There are many sensors and computerized components that manage engine performance and emissions. When one of these fails, the "check engine" light is illuminated. Although your car may seem to run fine, the light is alerting you that the computer has detected a malfunction in a fuel, ignition, or emission control circuit (the circuit that monitors these systems). You should have the problem diagnosed as soon as possible. If the light starts flashing, your car's computer has detected an engine miss that could lead to severe damage and a breakdown (i.e. catalytic converter damage). For your safety and the vehicle longevity do not continue to drive with the light on. 

When you call of visit the shop it is helpful to have some information.  What were the driving conditions and circumstances when the light first came on? Did it come on shortly after you filled the fuel tank? Did it come on after an extended drive? These clues can help the technician detect the problem.   

Save on gas and increase your engine efficiency with a MotorVac cleaning from Quality Automotive and Smog.  High concentrations of carbon deposits accumulate in the fuel injection system, intake valves, combustion chambers, oxygen sensor and catalytic converter. The build up of this “gunk” hampers your engine performance and shortens the life of all the components involved. MotorVac is not a solvent, but a detergent cleaning, making it environmentally friendly. This service will clean out the carbon buildup in your emissions system, fuel system and catalytic converter. Customers who have had a MotorVac cleaning rediscover the power in their engine for towing and everyday driving in our mountain environment. You will find your engine runs smoother and starts up with ease.  Best of all, in these days of increasing gas prices, you will save at the pumps.

Watch the MotorVac Video

Engine performance and gas mileage go hand and hand.  If your vehicle is running inefficiently, you will not experience increased gas mileage and could possibly be doing damage to your engine and components.  We can not stress enough how regular maintenance will prevent unexpected and costly future repairs and roadside breakdowns.  Here are some recommended maintenance items.
1. Regular oil changes.  Pushing dirty oil through your engine and components is harmful to the engine. 
2. Air Filter inspection and change as necessary.
3. Fuel injection system serviced every 15,000 miles to prevent carbon build-up and deposits that restrict fuel flow and degrade engine performance.
4. Transmission fluid and filter replaced every 30,000 miles to ensure proper lubrication, preventing damage and ensuring smooth performance.
5. Timing Belts changed every 60,000 miles or as recommended by the manufacturer to prevent unexpected failure that can leave you stranded and cause severe engine damage.
6. Maintenance tune-up performed as recommended by the manufacturer to ensure longevity, optimal performance of your engine, and improved fuel economy.

A pinging sound coming from the engine indicates timing problems and will cause internal engine damage. Sometimes it is caused by poor quality or low octane fuel. We strongly advise you have your vehicle checked out by a professional to determine the cause and whether it’s causing damage.

We recognize that  it is frustrating to have your vehicle diagnosed and repaired only to have the ‘check engine’ or ‘service engine soon’ light come on again.  The function of your vehicles computer and the  'check engine' or 'service engine soon' light is to warn you of a problem.  This might be related to the repair or it might be an entirely different problem. If there are several issues with the vehicle that the internal computer is detecting, the light will come on sometimes right away, sometimes later on down the road. You will need to have the vehicle re-inspected and possibly diagnosed to determine an additional problem.

Overheating is caused by anything that leads to a loss of coolant, prevents the cooling system from getting rid of heat, or causes excess heat in the engine itself.  There are several components or conditions that can cause overheating;  water pump, radiator, heater core, hoses, freeze plugs, head gasket, radiator cap, deposits and build up, thermostat, cooling fan, fan clutch, shroud, fan belt, ignition timing, or exhaust system.  It’s important to discover the cause of overheating before you become stranded and do major damage to your engine.

Spark plugs, wires, distributor caps and rotors break down and fail over time due to exposure to moisture, oil, grease and under hood temperatures that can reach as much as 550 to 700 degrees. Worn spark plugs require higher voltage, forcing the ignition module and coil to produce increasingly higher and higher voltages to overcome the resistance. This breaks down the spark plug wire's insulation causing the ignition module and coil to produce even more voltage, creating even higher temperatures within them. The increased resistance weakens transistors and electrical insulation within modules, coils and computers, resulting in intermittent and premature failure.
For maximum fuel economy and peak engine performance, your spark plugs should be replaced every 30 months or 30,000 miles, unless your vehicle is equipped with 100,000-mile platinum tipped spark plugs. Vehicles 15+ years old are more likely to have standard plugs with approximate life expectancy of 12,000-15,000 miles,
If your vehicle has over 60,000 miles and you haven't replaced your spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, you may experience a variety of drivability problems that are often difficult and very costly to diagnose and repair.

Today's automobiles do not require tune ups in the same way as older vehicles. Automobile manufacturers have set forth, in their recommended maintenance schedules, intervals for replacing spark plugs, PCV valves, fuel filters etc., while recommending that other items related to engine operation be inspected for proper operation and/or adjustment, such as ignition timing, idle speed and other emission control related devices. 

Therefore, the term "tune up" indicates the need for routine maintenance and should not be associated with poor performance. If your vehicle experiences any operation or performance problems between maintenance intervals, that specific problem should be addressed by performing an engine analysis to isolate that particular problem.

Synthetic oil is a great way to go and can save you time, money and gas.  It’s  a good choice for high output, turbocharged or supercharged engines, vehicles that are used for towing (especially during hot weather), and vehicles that are operated in extremely cold or hot climates. Though more expensive than mineral-based motor oils, synthetic oil can improve fuel economy.  You also have longer intervals between changes which saves on time and ultimately will actually cost you less that mineral-based oil changes.