Castro Valley Auto Repair

Fuel Filter Replacement – Your Car Will Thank You   Fuel filter keeps debris from reaching the engine, and like any filter, it gets clogged up with gunk and needs to be replaced from time to time. As you can imagine, if the filter gets plugged up, or even if it only filters gasoline at a limited capacity, engine performance can suffer. At Adams Autoworx in Castro Valley we offer complete auto maintenance services, including fuel filter replacement.    Here are some of the signs that the fuel filter may need to be replaced:  • Rough Idling or Misfires – Clogged fuel filter may cause low fuel pressure in the engine, which can result in rough idling and even misfires. Misfires will likely cause the check engine light to come on as well.  • Vehicle Starting Problems – dirty fuel filter may cause difficulty starting the car, though it rarely prevents it – it just ... read more

Subaru AC Refill in Castro Valley, CA Driving without air conditioning on a hot summer day is horrible. There are different reasons your Subaru’s AC might stop working, one of which is when it needs a refill. A simple ac recharge may be all you need to get the AC blowing cool air again.    Your Subaru’s air conditioning system uses a highly specialized refrigerant gas to keep the vehicle cool. Depending on the age of your Subaru, it may be R-134a or for newer cars, the R-1234YF refrigerant. At Adams Autoworx in Castro Valley we have equipment to handle either type of the refrigerant – whatever your Subaru needs, we have it ready.   In theory, your Subaru should never run out of the refrigerant, but like any system, the AC system can develop leaks. This can cause the refrigerant to drop very low. When this happens, the system has to be recharged with refrigerant for it to funct ... read more

Whether you searched for oil change near me, or for oil change in Castro Valley, thank you for visiting Adams Autoworx blog. We offer comprehensive auto repair and maintenance services and naturally we offer oil change for your vehicle.  It’s easy to ignore regular oil changes, yet a lowly oil change is one of the best things you can do for your vehicle. At Adams Autoworx we offer full synthetic oil which provides your vehicle’s engine with superior lubrication, and is a bit more forgiving than conventional oil or synthetic blend (a blend of conventional and synthetic oils) offered by other shops.  Regular oil change and oil filter change should be done every 5,000 miles or so.  It provides your vehicle with multiple benefits – it removes sludge and debris that naturally accumulate when the engine is working, it provides better lubrication, thus putting less strain on the engine – it serves to prolong engine life. When servicing our own veh ... read more

No, it’s not an April Fools’ Day joke. Walnut shell blasting is a procedure for cleaning vales of the direct injection engines.  Older GDI engines (direct injection engines) were designed to improve fuel economy and power through direct injection – they injected fuel directly into the combustion chamber. Unfortunately, over time this design can cause carbon buildup on the valves. Carbon buildup in turn, can cause poor drivability, hesitation, and can cause the check engine light to be illuminated by the onboard computer.  Walnut shell blasting is the solution.  Special equipment uses finely ground walnut shells to “blast” (using air pressure) the dirty valves. Walnut shells are a good abrasive ( and biodegradable too) and they remove carbon particles leaving clean valves for your driving enjoyment. So if you drive a vehicle equipped with a GDI engine – be it a BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Kia or Mazda, we recommend having it inspected for ca ... read more

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are here to stay. At Adams Autoworx we continue to expand our digital diagnostic capability and continue to train our technicians to be ready for the electric vehicles - however they may get their power.  Fact.MR, a market research company, found that sedans are the best fit for solar power vehicles. They are most aerodynamic, and lighter than pickup trucks or SUVs. For the time being, though, no major car manufacturers announced a solar powered car, but there are startups that are raising money and building prototypes.  According to Realtor.com, homes near public EV charging stations sell for more. US Dept. of Energy claims that there are over 46,000 EV charging stations in the US. Typical charging station, on average, had just over 2 charging outlets, so overall there are about 110,000 charging outlets. By comparison, US has roughly 110,000 gas stations with well over 500,000 gas pumps. When talking about EVs, can't forget Tesla - well, accord ... read more

It wasn’t long ago that auto maintenance was a relatively simple task. Most guys would take machine shop at Castro Valley High, and were familiar with major subsystems of their cars. Tools were relatively inexpensive, and pretty much anybody could perform basic auto maintenance, like oil change, in their own garage. Things started changing in the 1980s, as car manufacturers introduced embedded computers to control various functions inside vehicles. The seminal event was the replacement of a carburetor with electronic fuel injection. For the first time, a critical function of an automobile was controlled by an embedded computer. Moving forward, more and more functions became computer controlled, resulting in modern cars becoming “computers-on-wheels”. Typical car sold today contains dozens of embedded computers, controlling fuel system, braking, air conditioning system, not to mention ADAS – advanced driver assistance systems – which are entirely computeri ... read more

Unfortunately the catalytic converter theft wave continues unabated. We keep reading on Nextdoor about Castro Valley catalytic converter thefts. For the past two years Adams Autoworx has been offering catalytic converter shields for Castro Valley residents. Adams Autoworx technicians can install a shield that is designed to discourage thieves from attacking your car. The process is fairly straightforward – depending on the make and model of your vehicle, we can get a shield that is designed specifically for your car, or a “universal” shield that can fit most cars. Our technicians will install it and make sure it is fully secured, and your car will be ready to go – shield installation can be completed in less than a day. If you are concerned about catalytic converter theft, we highly recommend getting the catalytic converter shield installed – for your peace of mind, and to protect your vehicle. To get more information about catalytic converter shield ins ... read more

Changing a dead car battery used to be simple. As a matter of fact, if you could lift it, you could change it. Not so anymore.  As the vehicles get more and more computers, internal networks, and sophisticated energy management systems, changing a battery has become more and more complicated.  For example, many cars, including BMW and Audi vehicles, not only require a new battery, but also a professional digital tool to program / register the battery. This tool is required to alert the car that a new battery is in (and to provide the Battery Control Module (BCM) with the correct parameters for correctly charging the new battery).  As cars get smarter, more and more functions get computerized. So as the battery ages, the alternator (which recharges car battery), is adapting the charge it delivers to the fading capabilities of the battery. When you put a new battery in, without alerting the alternator to the change, you could end up killing the new battery by overchargi ... read more

Are your vehicle’s brakes due for brake pad replacement? Other than metal-to-metal grinding noise when braking (that’s a dead giveaway), how does one know it’s time for brake pad replacement? At Adams Autoworx in Castro Valley, we measure the thickness of the brake pads. Most manufacturers recommend brake pad replacement between 1 mm and 4 mm. But to measure the brake pad thickness we get the car up on a lift. What clues can you use at home to figure out if it’s time for brake pad replacement? Some of the newer vehicles are full of electronic sensors – they may turn on a dashboard light indicating it’s time for brake service.  Squeaking or squealing while braking usually indicates it’s time to visit your friendly mechanic.  Vibration when braking – this often indicates warped rotors, and typically this comes about along with worn out brake pads. If your vehicle exhibits any of the above symptoms, bring it t ... read more

Your Lexus is a beautiful luxury vehicle, in fact these days “Lexus” is synonymous with “luxury”. However, even a car as well made as a Lexus may be in need of repair sometimes. Regular service will help to maintain your Lexus in peak condition and lessen chances of unexpected malfunctions.  Here are some tips to keep in mind to ensure your Lexus is running smoothly: Follow factory recommended service schedule Regular oil changes are vital to your Lexus Keep tires inflated to manufacturer recommended pressure Ask your mechanic about brake fluid exchange and transmission fluid exchange The best piece of advice when it comes to Lexus repair is to take it to a trusted auto mechanic for routine maintenance and inspection. If you catch any potential problems early on, you will end up saving money in the long run. Then, you can enjoy driving your Lexus for many years to come!  At Adams Autoworx in Castro Valley we offer not only full range Lexus mainte ... read more