Happy October JAC La Mesa family!  With October comes a new blog for you! And what better way to tackle the "spookiest" month, by talking about all the scary sounds that can come from your vehicle. We will go through different haunting and intimidating sounds that can come from one's vehicle to prepare you for this spooky month! And to prepare you on how to tackle and handle them with the help of our auto repair experts at John's Automotive Care La Mesa. We now present our October blog, The scariest automotive sounds we've heard in a car! Please stop in and have one of our amazing customer service specialists go for a ride with you so we can pinpoint the noise that you are hearing.   Screeching- If you hear ear-piercing screeches that sound like nails on a chalkboard, there are a couple of things to do. First, it's crucial to determine where the screeches are coming from. Are they from the wheels and tires? It may be your brake pads, a wearable pa ... read more

As we welcome the month of September and the autumn days ahead, it's time to say goodbye to the foggy headlights that summer brought! Even if you take terrific care of the outside of your vehicle, chances are you will experience the "foggy" headlights we all despise.    Why do my headlights get "foggy" or "cloudy"? - Given that we are slowly coming out of those hot summer months, the sun's UV rays have been giving a solid beating to everyone's headlights. A chemical reaction occurs between exposed plastic covers and the sun's ultraviolet rays after time, mixed with outdoor particles and dust and boom, cloudy headlights. We can also blame water vapors for damaging your headlights. Most headlights come with a watertight sealant around them, but they can break down over time, leaving condensation to make its way into your headlights. Even more concerning than the aged look on your vehicle, foggy headlights dramatically impair the e ... read more

A tire bursting is no joke and can be a terrifying situation no driver wants to find themselves in. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported in 2003 that, of the 78,392 accidents that occurred due to a blown-out tire, 414 people lost their lives while nearly 15% (10,275 individuals) suffered non-fatal injuries. Thankfully, given new advances in technology, significant improvements in tire construction and early alert systems have helped reduce severe accidents due to tire blowouts. Even though improvements have been made, this type of emergency is still very possible. The team at John's Automotive Care La Mesa wants to prepare you for this situation with our August blog; having the proper knowledge of handling a burst tire is essential to your safety.    In most cases, there are four primary reasons why a tire blows out suddenly.    The tire was under-inflated. Tire overinflated.  A mecha ... read more

Extended warranties are a kind of service that drivers can purchase when their car's original manufacturer's warranty expires. It is not an extension of the manufacturer's warranty. This type of warranty is an optional type of warranty you pay into that will be used for future auto repairs to a vehicle's major systems. Extended car warranties, in the end, can save you major money if you ever run into significant car problems. While they can do this, about half of drivers see themselves never using their extended warranty or having a repair cost less than the warranty. In this case, it would make sense to just set aside money yourself for potential auto repair needs. But before making any decisions, it is crucial to understand the pros and cons of extended car warranties.    Pros 1.     Save Money  If you do need a costly repair, extended warranties could cover the repair. So, instead of paying the entire bill, you would only need to pay ... read more

    At JAC La Mesa, we know our California summers can get unbearably hot. We all know how the temperatures can go well beyond 100 degrees in the middle of the summer. With that being said, it's essential to have proper coolant and cooling running correctly in your vehicle for most, if not all, of the year! We wanted to discuss coolant and cooling so you can be prepared to get it fixed before that first unbearable summer heatwave.    First off, a well-maintained cooling system is critical for the engine of your vehicle for multiple reasons. The most important is keeping your engine operating safely and efficiently. With engine problems related to cooling, if they fail, it will lead to costly repairs. There are multiple reasons to do a pre-summer check for your cooling systems—one maintaining the hoses and connections and checking the fans and water pumps. We perform complete checks of your vehicle's cooling system to ensure everything is in tip-top ... read more

I’m pretty sure we’ve all seen this light come on at least once or twice in our lives. Either in our vehicle or family and friend’s vehicle. Some may even cover the light with a picture or scrap paper to bring a sense of relief we call “Out of sight, out of mind.”   I know that may give you a temporary feeling of peace of mind, but let’s go over what this light means so you can get it in the shop instead of pasting over it!   The service engine’s soon light’s function is to let the driver know that the vehicle’s sensors have picked up on an issue. The emission control system often triggers this light, but other various causes could activate the sensor. Seeing this light come on can cause some alarm, but all cars need maintenance, and it doesn’t mean your engine is broken or cause for panic.   If the service engine soon light comes on while you’re driving, it’s best to pull over and assess t ... read more

  Spring is in the air, and the upcoming season is waiting for no one. Are you ready for a road trip? How about your car? No one wants to find themselves on the side of the road with a vehicle that lets you down when there is fun to be had. By giving your car a once over by a professional auto repair technician, you will have peace of mind, knowing what to keep an eye out for, what is urgent, and what services you can wait on.   Visual Inspections Auto repair professionals know what to look for, wear points on your specific vehicle, and help prevent unplanned breakdowns through regular maintenance check-ups. When you get a visual inspection done at John's Automotive Care, you receive a checklist showing photos of each report item listed in green, yellow, or red. Each color represents the level of urgency for service. Knowing your vehicle is thoroughly checked out before hitting the road will keep you feeling confident about your upcoming adventures.   Fluid Ser ... read more

Life can be hectic and inspecting your vehicle can easily fall to the bottom of the list before you know it. Visually inspecting your vehicle can be the first indication of possible issues that can help prevent major repairs. However, sometimes it's hard to know what to look for, and things can appear normal. Let our experts at John's Automotive Care take the guesswork out of inspecting your vehicle.  At John's Automotive Care, a visual inspection involves a qualified repair technician looking at your car's parts and systems. Our mechanics notate what looks normal while looking for anything out of the ordinary. We take special care to inspect your vehicle and even take photographs of your vehicle to keep you informed about our findings. We email the photographs to you along with the full report so you can see exactly what our technicians are referring to regarding your vehicle.  Our technicians take visual inspections very seriously. However, even the most s ... read more

Before your kiddo can step onto the sports field, they must get a sports check-up from their doctor for safety purposes. A similar check-up from your local mechanic shop can easily catch and prevent any issue before it grows into a big one. It is always a good idea to take your car to have an inspection done now and then. Not only can preventive maintenance give you peace of mind, but it is also known to save you thousands of dollars in repairs by catching an issue early. The professionals at John’s Auto Care are trained to detect any warning signs before a small issue snowballs into a large one. If you don’t already have a relationship with an auto mechanic, it is time to build one. Having a mechanic shop that is familiar with your vehicle that is already in their system offers peace of mind. You have a team you can turn to for questions or concerns.   Are you a DIYer? There are smaller things you can do yourself to keep your car in top condition. Replacing your cab ... read more

The Art of Packing Your Trunk Are you ready for a road trip getaway? Taking off in your car for a few days is such a fun adventure! Sometimes it can feel daunting to pack, but with a little pre-trip planning and organization, you can make sure your road trip will be easy, fun, and successful. We at John’s Automotive Care want you to have a fantastic trip, which is why we have compiled a list of things to remember and strategies for packing your trunk.   Things To Bring The first step is to pack your bags. What should you bring, aside from your clothes, food, and any camping supplies you may have? A paper map! What? Really? Just think, when you have a paper map for your navigator, THEY can be at fault for that wrong turn you just made. :-) In all seriousness, though, if your data is inaccessible, a paper map is a handy thing to have in the car. Cue up some good tunes; taking the time to make a road trip playlist for your trip pays dividends. Not only will you have a theme ... read more