Walnut Creek Auto Repair

After some time, a car wash won’t do a good enough job of getting the dirt and grime off your headlights. If you notice that your headlights are foggy or yellow, it means that they are oxidized (or at least the lens is). At Prestige Autohaus, we understand how important visibility is when it comes to driving. If your vehicle’s headlights have been worn down, you need to restore them. Professional headlight restorations can add up over time. If your vehicle isn’t impacted severely, you can definitely get away with a DIY headlight restoration job. Today, we will share these 3 easy methods for at-home headlight restoration. You’ll be blown away by what you can do with these household items. Method 1: Toothpaste  Yep – you read that right! Start out by washing your car as you normally would. Once you dry it, apply a generous layer of toothpaste onto the headlight lens. Let it sit and then wipe it away with a dry microfiber cloth. Do so in a scrubbing ... read more

You use your brakes when you take your car out of the driveway. Without brake pads, your car would be unable to slow down, making it impossible to control, inevitably leading to an accident. Generally, it is vital to check your brake pad lining thickness regularly and replace them if they seem worn out or function less effectively. There is no set time to replace your brakes as usage varies from time to time, and the brake-lining materials will vary. The best thing to do is check your brake lining every time your car is in the shop just to be sure. How to Tell if your Brake Lining is Worn Out Less Efficient Your brake lining is probably getting worn out if your vehicle's braking distance keeps getting longer. You may notice that it takes time for your car to come to a complete stop which can lead to road accidents. Noises When Braking Another way to tell your brake pads are worn out is by listening to any sounds your car makes when you apply them. They need to be replaced urg ... read more

Depending on the type of person you are, your check engine light coming on might spike your anxiety or just make you chuckle. A check engine light is probably one of the most vague warnings that a person ever gets in their vehicle. In cars of all ages, this warning seemingly comes on for no reason whatsoever. However, this light can also signify that there's a serious problem with your vehicle. While we'd always recommend getting your car checked out by a professional mechanic, let's talk about what this light can mean. What Should I Do First? The most obvious conclusion one might have when they see their engine light come on is that there's a problem with the engine. However, what type of problem is it, and how serious can it be? Well, the first thing you should do is take stock of your vehicle when you notice this light. Are you hearing any unusual noises when driving or idling? Even if they're very faint and barely noticeable, any new noise could be a sign that ... read more

Potholes are road imperfections that are generally unavoidable. With construction season in full swing, you may have one or more creep up on you on your daily drive. Unfortunately, far too many drivers have been impacted by poor handling of driving over potholes. If you aren’t careful, you may need to make a trip to an auto repair shop sooner than later.   We’ve all been there – driving over a pothole at full speed and feeling the jolt hit your car. The bigger the pothole, the bigger the implications. This feeling might catch you by surprise, but it can also signify damage to your vehicle’s suspension and alignment.    Your vehicle’s wheels need to be properly aligned to evenly distribute power to all its wheels. If your wheels are knocked out of alignment from a pothole, you may notice the following symptoms after: Rough ride Car pulls left or right Car drifts  Shaky steering wheel  Uneven tire wear Unusual sounds from w ... read more

Never ignore car sounds, these signify that there's a problem. Ignoring them does not help as sooner or later something out of the usual and perhaps dangerous may happen. We have summed up 4 of the most common car sounds to keep a lookout for. Squealing when being started Rattling when driving over speed bumps Squealing when moving the steering wheel Squealing when stepping on brake pedals Squealing When Being Started This sound could possibly mean that the serpentine belt is failing or almost completely useless. This long rubber belt may be located attached to the crankshaft or AC compressor, alternator, power steering as well as other pumps. This however depends on your vehicle's model. The most common reason your serpentine belt could be making unwanted noises is basically due to wear and tear form being used. Failing to deal with it sooner could leave you with a broken AC and potentially stranded one day. Rattling When Driving Over Speed Bumps Your car's suspens ... read more