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: November 2019

Wheel Alignment Service at D AND E AUTO REPAIR in CHICO

When all a vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment.  Hitting a road hazard or even just the normal bumps and bounces of everyday driving can cause your wheels to be out of alignment.  This can lead to expensive premature tire and suspension wear. Here are some alignment basics: The first angle is called toe: do the wheels point in towards each other or away from each other at the front of the tire. The next angle is called camber: do the wheels tip in or out at the top. And finally, there is castor.  Castor measures the angle where the front axles attach to the vehicle. The ideal alignment for your car was designed by its engineers.  Alignment service starts with an inspection of the steering and suspension – so see if anything’s bent, broken or worn out.  Then the technician will look at tire condition.  From there, the vehicle is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Looking Down The Road In CHICO: Wiper Blades

It’s said that 90% of our driving decisions are based on visual information.  Our wiper blades play an important role in this.  A dirty or streaked windshield can catch the glare of the sun or on-coming headlights and make it nearly impossible to see. Most of us deal with our wiper blades from a failure perspective.  We address them when they no longer function.  Instead, we should think about wipers blades as an important safety system that we should maintain, rather than repair. And don’t think that your wiper blades will last longer because you don’t use them very often.  Hey, they live outside in the harsh sun and freezing cold – ice and wind.  They just dry out and crack over time. Experts recommend that we change our wiper blades twice a year, in the spring and fall.  That way you have functional blades for those spring showers and winter storms.  And consider a windshield treatment to help repeal water and make i ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Severe Driving In CHICO

Severe Driving In CHICO

Most CHICO motorists know that their owner's manuals have schedules for  vehicle maintenance. What they may not know is that there are actually two service schedules: the regular schedule and the severe service schedule. The distance and time intervals are lower on the severe service schedule. Now when you hear “severe service”, you may think it doesn't apply to you because you don't feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it's just normal everyday driving around CHICO. At D AND E AUTO REPAIR, we discuss the conditions that manufacturers classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving. Most CHICO drivers operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How do you know which schedule to follow for your vehicle? Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or th ... read more

Categories:

Tips

EGR Valve

It is pretty amazing how auto makers have been able to consistently build more powerful engines in vehicles that get better fuel economy while at the same time meeting increasing environmental standards.  One of the little miracles that helps make this happen is the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Valve.  The EGR valve routes some exhaust back into the air intake system in both gasoline and diesel engines.  The exhaust gas takes up some space in the engine cylinders, replacing some of the oxygen-rich air that would otherwise be in there.  This means that the fuel burning event is cooler.  Cooler combustion means fewer harmful nitrous oxides are produced. Your EGR valve can get gummed up, messing the timing and amount of exhaust that is supposed to be recirculated in the engine.  Symptoms of EGR valve problems are rough idle and poor engine performance.  Performance can be restored by cleaning or replacing the EGR valve, depending on how dirty it is ... read more

Categories:

EGR Valve