San Carlos Auto Repair

There are several fluids running through your vehicle’s engine. Each fluid plays an important role in keeping your vehicle running safely and smoothly. Your fluids will prevent both engine wear and damage, along with saving you both time and money in the long run. Here are 7 fluids that need to be properly maintained:  Your engine needs oil to keep the moving parts in your engine lubricated.  Radiator fluid keeps your engine from overheating.  Transmission fluid keeps your transmission properly lubricated, preventing expensive issues in the long-run.  Your power steering system allows you to control your vehicle’s wheels, and power steering fluid keeps this system performing in tip-top shape.  Your brake fluid adds power to your brake system to make sure you can safely stop and not run into any vehicles.  When the weather starts getting warmer, you will want to make sure that you have enough coolant. This way, your air conditioning system ... read more

In cold weather conditions, your car has to work much harder. It takes much longer for your engine to reach fuel-efficient temperature, especially if you are making several short trips. Heated seats, window defrosters, and heater fans use additional power as well, adding to winter just not being a fuel-efficient season. Your battery is working harder too -- your battery’s performance decreases in cold weather, so it is especially hard for your alternator keep your battery charged.  With all this being said, there are several tips and tricks you can use to maximize your car’s fuel economy in the winter:  If you can, park your car in a warmer place, so you can increase the initial temperature of your cabin and engine.  Combine trips so you are driving less often with a cold engine.  Don’t let your car idle more than 30 seconds to warm it up. Your engine actually warms up faster while you drive.  Minimize your use of seat warmers or defroste ... read more

The holidays are one of the busiest times of the year. The team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair are here to make sure you stay safe during the holidays, especially with holiday traffic. The roads will be absolutely packed, which is why the team at A+ Japanese Auto Repair has put together a few tips and tricks to keep you safe on the road during holiday traffic:  91% of holiday travel will be completed by personal vehicles, which means the roads will be packed with drivers frantically getting to their destination. It is important to be mindful of this.  Plan your route ahead of time. Many apps allow you to input your address ahead of time to see which routes are the safest and fastest. You can even input your desired arrival time, and these apps will tell you when to leave to make it there on time. Decide when you want to leave. Leaving a few days before Christmas can save you a headache and allow you to spend much-needed time with your loved ones.  Prepare for the long li ... read more

5 Things You Must Check Before You Take A Road Trip (Includes Photos) Before embarking on a road trip in your car, there are 5 things you must check on your car. The items below won’t take more than 10 minutes and it could save you from a breakdown and a ruined trip! Check Lights, Fluids, and Tire Pressures - I am a mechanic by trade at A+ Japanese Auto Repair in San Carlos, CA https://aplusjapaneseautorepair.com/ and more often than not, I find cars that have issues with their lights, fluids, or tire pressures. Below I will walk you through the steps of checking your lights, fluids, and tire pressures. Lights - When checking your vehicle’s lights, I am referring to the exterior lights. Start by have someone sit in the car and start it. One at a time have them push the brake pedal (check the brake lights), turn on the blinkers (check in front an ... read more

At A+ Japanese Auto Repair, we can’t emphasize the importance of preventative maintenance enough. If you bring your car into our facility for preventative maintenance, you can save money in the long-run by preventing potentially expensive and dangerous repairs. Here are 10 of the most preventable auto repairs:  Transmission Replacement: Routine maintenance, including an inspection of your transmission fluid, can prevent you from being dealing with a transmission replacement.  Cracked Head Gasket: Your head gasket keeps your coolant from mixing with your engine oil. If it cracks, coolant would flood your engine and damage other parts of your vehicle.  Catalytic Converter Replacement: With the right maintenance, this part of your engine can last as long as your car does.  Turbocharger Replacement: This car part increases the efficiency of your engine.  Timing Belt Replacement: your timing belt makes sure your engine’s valves open and close at the ... read more

  We all love the magic of Halloween, from trick-or-treating to classroom parties and even the occasional trip to a haunted house. Even though Halloween can be fun and festive, it can take a turn for the worst. Take a look at this scary statistic: children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than any other day of the year.  Here are some Halloween safety tips to make sure your Halloween night stays safe and spooky for all the right reasons:  A responsible adult should accompany young children on any trick-or-treating routes.  Make sure you only travel in well-lit, familiar areas.  When crossing the street, put those electronic devices down, keep your eyes and head up, and walk calmly across the street.  Avoid masks, if possible, as they can obstruct vision.  Consider fastening reflective tape to costumes and bags, or even give your children glow sticks for maximum visibility.  All costumes, wigs, and a ... read more

What do I check when the check engine light comes on?  If the check engine light comes on, start by checking the tightness of your gas cap. We have seen several times that the check engine light is illuminated by either a loose gas cap or a gas cap that wasn't fully seated after a fill up. A few other things that you can inspect yourself when the check engine light comes on: 1. Open the hood and look for any loose electrical connectors. 2. Under the hood, check for the main air intake hose (from the air filter box to the engine) for proper connections, any cracking on the hose, and any loose or disconnected vacuum lines. 3. Look under the vehicle and check for any leaking fluids or hanging components. We have seen where road debris can cause damage, which in turn will illuminate the check engine light. 4. Check your vehicle gauges to make sure the temperature gauge isn't too hot - ("too hot" is any time the needle goes past the middle point between ... read more

Unfortunately, family-owned businesses seem to be a rarity. However, A+ Japanese Auto Repair in San Carlos has been a family-owned and operated business for 21 years. We continue to stand out among the other repair shops and dealerships in the area. There are many advantages and you have flexibility when you decide to work with a family-owned business: We treat your vehicle as a big investment because it is. You need a technician and repair shop that doesn’t just care about racking up a hefty invoice, but about taking care of you and your vehicle, looking toward the longevity of your car. You are more than just a number, and we want to protect your investment.  You’ll get parts that meet or exceed manufacturers’ specifications. You also have the freedom to choose replacement parts that meet your budget and improve performance. You will receive the cutting-edge technology of the automotive industry. We invest heavily in training our technicians, state-of-the-ar ... read more

It can be quite scary -- watching your teen driver take a big step and drive themselves to school. You can imagine them, blasting the radio and stepping on the gas pedal, but with a reliable and safe vehicle, you can breathe a little easier. These cars are equipped with safety features, from automatic braking to blind spot monitors. Safety is the top priority when it comes to auto repair and picking out the safest car for your teen driver. Here are the safest Japanese cars on the market:  Toyota Corolla: All of the latest and greatest safety features can be found in a Toyota Corolla. This car is also an economical option, both price and fuel wise.  Honda Fit: The Honda Fit is small, but mighty, as it is quite a roomy Japanese vehicle. As a bonus, it is quite safe and gets great gas mileage.  Toyota Prius V: This car is a little bigger than your typical Prius, but all the safety features and economical advantages remain the same. What more can you ask for?  Subar ... read more

This summer, explore what Northern California has to offer. Our beautiful state has so many different hiking locations! At A+ Japanese Auto Repair, we want to make sure your car is ready to get you where you want this summer. Check out these hiking trails that you’ll be sure to love! Explore, Castle Lake Trail, located in Mount Shasta. This 11-mile hiking trail offers a spectacular view of lakes and peaks, giving you some of the most unique views that you'll ever see in Northern California.  Experience Cinder Cone Nature Trail, located 4 hours northeast from San Francisco in Old Station, California. See Lassen’s volcanic landscape from this cinder cone. You will be able to see the landscape that was transformed by volcanic activity.  Purisima Creek Trail, located in Half Moon Bay, that overlooks the slopes of the Santa Cruz mountains. From there, you will be able to see the beautiful redwood trees and creeks. Experience Santa Cruz’s beauty from this l ... read more