San Carlos Auto Repair

Learn if your small SUV headlights properly illuminate the road A recent study by the by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has concluded that many SUV do a poor job of illuminating the road. Among the 21 small SUVs that were tested, there were over 41 different available lighting options. They included halogen, HID, LED, Adaptive Headlights and a few other options manufacture options. The Insurance Institute used a headlight rating system which included acceptable, marginal, and poor. The Institutes rating system is different from the government agency which regulates headlight standards. In the government agency, they rate headlights in the lab for output and angle. In this study, they headlights are studied for illumination in real world situations. “Acceptable” ratings were given to the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, and the Mazda CX-3. Each of these vehicles had been tested with the highest lighting package available.  A few ... read more

How long should my car battery last? Car batteries last anywhere from 3-6 years based on the size, quality, location, and the type of battery.  Flooded Lead Acid Car Battery Most car batteries are still using lead acid flooded batteries. The battery consists of lead plates, an acid solution in which the plates are flooded, positive/negative terminals, and a plastic housing which holds it all together. Lead is known as a toxic agent and it will effect ones health but the battery companies still use lead. It’s a great material for maintaining a batteries’ charge, accepting a new charge, and the more lead a battery uses, usually the more energy it’s capable to hold. Size Of The Battery, Bigger is Usually Better The size of a car battery is rated to the amount of the Cold Cranking Amps that a car requires to start. A larger battery will typically last longer than a smaller battery but it certainly depends ... read more