Auto Repair In Bainbridge Island

Ouch, it’s no fun heading to the gas station today. What can you do to save on gas and help you keep a little more money in your pocket? It’s simple, don’t drive your car. But that is not really a viable option for most of us, so what can you do? Consolidate some of your trips like grocery shopping. Do you really need that one thing, or could you wait and combine it with a trip to the hardware store and to town? Combine a few needs into one trip and it could save you a gallon or two of gas. Most vehicles out there are in need of some sort of maintenance that can improve fuel mileage, like making sure your tires are properly inflated, a new air filter or spark plugs.   One of the most overlooked items is the fuel system. Injectors and the fuel system can develop build-up over time just like us and our arteries. But for our car, we can flush the fuel system with solvents to break up these deposits and restore proper fuel mileage. I have seen fuel mileage incr ... read more

Wow! where to begin? Years ago, the fluids were almost all universal throughout all vehicle makes and models, which made it easy to find and top off fluids anywhere you were. In the shop you could have one type of coolant, a couple different grades of oil, a couple different transmission fluids, some power steering fluid and a bucket of 90 weight gear oil and that would about cover 90% of the cars on the road. With the advancing technology in vehicles since about the 1980s, fluids have been redesigned and modified to function and service the technological advancements in our cars today. Each particular vehicle manufacture has their own specific fluids, most designed for that particular vehicle.  Engine oil has one of the most diverse assortments, it’s like going to our local Thai restaurant and looking at the 6-page menu, what do I order? There are oil grades t ... read more

What causes hybrid batteries to degrade and fail? Eventually all batteries will fail. Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) NiMh batteries have a life cycle. When the hybrid battery does not last as long as the rest of the vehicle, replacing it costs several thousand dollars and creates hazardous environmental waste. Delaying battery failure beyond the service life of the vehicle will reduce the negative environmental impact of hybrid vehicle ownership and save the vehicle owner thousands of dollars.   There are three major phases of hybrid battery lifespan. Usable capacity and performance decreasing as the battery ages:     Typically begins: Typically ends: Phase 1: Healthy hybrid battery New Vehicle 3-6 years Phase 2: Weakened/weakening hybrid battery 3-6 years 5-11 years Phase 3: "Failed" hybrid battery (DTC code present) 5-11 years   Each hybrid battery 'pack' is comprised of many indi ... read more