A friend of mine in Truckee has a Toyota that just sputtered and the engine died while driving on Interstate 80 over Donner Summit. She was a Red Check Club member at Quality Automotive Servicing so she received a free tow to our Truckee auto repair shop. Turns out she needed a new fuel pump. We were happy to help her out and get her back on the road safely. I can already hear you saying "How do I know if I need to replace my fuel pump? I Don’t want to be stranded in snowstorm." Unlike other maintenance items on your Toyota, the manufacturer gives no suggestion for when to change the fuel pump. Since it is located inside the fuel tank, you can’t inspect it without removing the tank. There are some things you can do to give your fuel pump longer life. First, avoid running your fuel tank empty. This causes a fuel starvation scenario that puts stress on the fuel ... read more

It’s the first Truckee powder day of the season and you’re stuck in the driveway with a dead battery. Don’t let this be your scenario this winter. What's the most reliable auto repair shop where you should go to test or replace your car battery? A battery test at Quality Automotive Servicing is a good way to find out how much life is left in your battery and if it will handle the oncoming cold temperatures of a winter at 6000 feet in Truckee. “When the engine is cold and a lot of the tolerances are tighter, it's harder for the starter to turn the engine over," says Truckee Auto Service Manager Mark Jacobson. A cold engine needs the power of a high quality heavy duty battery. When Truckee and Lake Tahoe temperatures dip and go sub zero, a discount battery just won’t do. Your trusted local auto care repair shop in Truckee sells ACDelco batteries that will get you out the door and on the road this winter, even on the coldest mornings, so you can get yo ... read more

In Truckee and Lake Tahoe with the abundance of road sand, a bigger than normal pollen season and smoke lingering on the horizon, it’s a good idea to consider changing your vehicle's air filter. Additionally, if you drive dirt roads or are a recent visitor to the Playa (i.e. Burning Man), a change is in order. A dirty air filter will restrict air flow and effect fuel economy, performance and emissions. On the other hand, a new, clean, high quality air filter will give you stronger performance, better fuel economy and cleaner exhaust while protecting your engine. Imagine having a clogged air mask over your face - it would make it hard to breathe and perform! So although the manufacturer recommendation for changing an air filter annually or every 15,000 miles may be a good recommendation for the city driver, more frequent attention is need for us mountain drivers in Truckee and surrounding areas. Ask a technician at Quality Automotive Servicing to change the air filte ... read more

Does Premium Oil Matter for Truckee drivers? Absolutely. Oil lubricates vital engine components, so using the best oil provides better protection and ultimately longer life of your engine. Driving at altitude makes using a quality product even more important as engines are taxed and climbing hills revs up the RPM. Higher temperatures require a lubricant that can hold up. Just as important is using a quality oil filter. A filter keeps contaminants from cycling through the engine. A lower quality product commonly used at a “Value Oil Change” depot just can’t hold up. Think of the last time you accidently purchased one-ply toilet paper or cheap paper towels and the performance you received from that value product - definitely not a great experience ... Additionally, be sure you are getting the correct weight of oil as specified by the owners manual. You can trust Quality Automotive Servicing to know the correct product as specified for you vehicle and to us ... read more

You should know that changing your engine oil regularly is one of the most important maintenance items you can perform on your vehicle - especially in the Truckee Lake Tahoe mountains. Irregular oil changes, or using the wrong product, is damaging to the engine and could result in a hefty repair bill down the road. How often to change your oil, a seemingly easy question, is not always that straightforward. Nearly every vehicle manufacturer has an oil change schedule for “normal” driving conditions and another for “severe” driving conditions. Here are some standards for “severe” driving conditions. Operate in dusty, wet or muddy terrain Frequent driving in stop and go traffic Repeated short trips without sufficient warm up Ambient temperature extremes, high and low Operating in mountainous/high altitude areas Trailer towing It le ... read more