Santa Monica Auto Repair

If you've been a car driver for years, chances are you've heard of your vehicle's shocks and struts. The shocks, or shock absorbers, are vital components of your vehicle's suspension system. They are attached to the car body and suspension system and are used to absorb road shock, as their name would imply. This helps to give you a smooth and consistent ride.  So, what is exactly is a shock absorber? It is essentially a cylindrical container that is filled with gas or liquid. While mounted from suspension system to the frame of your vehicle, the pistons inside the shocks will move up or down against the liquid or gas when you drive over bumps or uneven terrain.  Shocks definitely are a heavily used car component since they absorb so much energy each day. Typically over time, the gas or liquid inside the shock will leak after the shocks have been worn out. This will results in a very rocky or uncomfortable ride, and can also lead to excessive tire wear and lo ... read more

Spark plugs - you've probably heard about them but aren't entirely sure of their importance or how to best maintain them. Spark plugs have a really important job when it comes to getting your car to run. The spark plugs deliver the spark needed to ignite the air/fuel mixture in the engine. Without the spark, your car may not run and if it does, the performance will be poor and so will the emissions.  A telling sign of bad spark plugs is a engine that cranks but won't start. If the engine runs and misfires, this can indicate at least one of the spark plugs is bad. Since the spark plugs are considered an electronic component of your vehicle and do a lot of work when it comes to starting the engine, they will wear down over a certain mileage.  So, how often do the spark plugs need to be replaced? The best resource is to check your specific vehicle's manufacturer recommendations. The typically interval is anywhere between 30,000 and 45,000 miles. If its bee ... read more