Welcome to our Blog page!

Our blogs are updated once a month, usually on the first day of the month. On this page, we offer advice, tips, and insights for becoming a safer driver and for better travels on Chico roads. Bookmark this page and remember to check back!

If you need auto repair service, don’t forget that you can schedule an appointment at this link for D&E Auto Repair in Chico. We look forward to seeing you! Remember that you are a part of the family at D&E Auto Repair in Chico. We’re located at 3328 Esplanade St., Chico, CA 95973.

Monthly Archives: January 2021

Oil Change

An oil change:  Sounds simple, but there’s some important things to know about preventing oil sludge. Oil eventually starts to turn into jelly.  Literally – petroleum jelly.  Sludge clogs up oil passages and keeps oil from getting to some areas of the engine, causing parts to wear out prematurely.  And that means expensive engine repairs. That’s why you need to change the oil and oil filter on schedule – to get the old oil out before it turns to sludge.  Your manufacturer will have a recommendation for how many miles you can go between oil changes.  They also usually have several months between recommended oil changes.  That’s because the detergents and other additives in the oil break down over time. Your owner’s manual will have a recommendation for time and mileage, but you need to remember that it’s based on using the recommended weight of oil.  And if your vehicle came from the factory with synthe ... read more

Evaporative Emissions Control

The oil and fuel in your vehicle give off vapors that are very harmful to the environment. Evaporative emissions control systems – EVAP for short – are mandated in all cars and trucks. The EVAP system is there to capture these vapors and direct them into the engine to be burned – kind of an on-board recycling program. The EVAP system is a complicated network of hoses, valves, filters and such. Issues with the EVAP system are in the top 5 reasons for a Check Engine light to be illuminated. Your friendly and knowledgeable D AND E AUTO REPAIR service advisor can pull the trouble codes and begin a diagnostic procedure to isolate the fault. With the proper equipment, your technician can test the valves in order to trace a blockage. A low pressure smoke test can be performed to find any leaks. The repairs are then made to get the EVAP system working again and to reset the Check Engine light. While EVAP problems don't generally lead to vehicle damage, the fact that th ... read more

D AND E AUTO REPAIR Tip: Use The Correct Fluids In Your Vehicle

Big advances in automotive technology have led to the development of high-tech fluids to keep pace.  A simple example of this is the cooling system.  For decades it was primarily made from iron, steel and rubber hoses.  There was one kind of coolant that protected these components from corrosion.  Now cooling system components are made with various metal alloys and plastics.  These materials require different additives to protect them from corrosion.  Since the materials used vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, we now have several different kinds of coolant. And it’s important to use the right coolant.  If you pour in the wrong kind, it won’t protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty.  Of course, your service advisor will know the proper coolant to use.  If you’re concerned you may have used the wrong fluid, be safe and have your technician flush the system and start fresh with the correct fluid. Brak ... read more

Tips on TPS (The Throttle Position Sensor)

When you step on the accelerator, you expect your vehicle to speed up, not slow down.  But, what if it doesn’t?  That can be a big problem. The answer may be a problem with the sensor that helps your vehicle determine that the proper mix of air and fuel for your engine.  It's called the TPS, or Throttle Position Sensor. Here's how it works. Your vehicle’s throttle opens when you need more air to accelerate and closes when you need less.  The throttle position sensor does pretty much what its name says: it senses the position of the throttle.  That reading, along with air flow measurements, is sent to the vehicle's computer.  The computer factors in air temperature, how fast the engine is turning over, and air flow to determine how much fuel to supply the engine.  If everything's working correctly, you'll get the acceleration you want along with the fuel economy you expect.  However, if the TPS fails, your vehicl ... read more

Nailed It! (Tire Repairs)

We've all been there.  You park somewhere only to return and find one of your tires is flat; you've picked up a nail on the road.  You're hoping you can just have it patched and be on your way.  That beats the cost of replacing the tire, but will that patch hold up for the long haul? The key is where the tire has been punctured and how big the hole is. First, tires can be punctured by more than just nails.  Sometimes you can put a hole in a tire when you hit a curb, pothole, or road debris.  Holes larger than ¼ of an inch or 6 mm, cannot be safely repaired.  The next factor is where the puncture is.  If it's in the tread blocks, that's good.  But if the hole is on the sidewall or shoulder of the tire, then it's time to replace the tire. Here's why. Sidewalls flex on a tire when you drive.  The strain from that flexing eventually can cause a repair to loosen up.  A weak spot in the sidewall will be m ... read more

D AND E AUTO REPAIR Tech Question on Your Drive Shaft

D AND E AUTO REPAIR Tech Question: I'm Doug. A few years ago I was driving my '85 powder blue Dodge Ramcharger with about 80,000 miles (129,000 kilometers) on it. I was going up a hill in CHICO and heard a noise like a tin can rolling down the road. I looked back and saw my drive shaft bouncing down the hill. I put it in four wheel drive and drove to my CHICO mechanic to get it fixed. What could I have done to prevent that? D AND E AUTO REPAIR Tech Answer: Now that's quite a story. Doug was fortunate that his vehicle had a part-time four wheel drive system that would let him get home without a rear drive shaft. This “case of the missing drive shaft” highlights the need for regular inspections. Now most drivers in CHICO are familiar with recommendations for preventive maintenance services like oil changes and coolant replacement. What you may not know is that there are also recommendations for inspections at various intervals ... read more