One of the biggest things you can do this Earth Day is pay a little attention to your vehicle. By changing a few habits and paying attention to maintenance, you can do your part in helping the environment. Here’s the Quality Automotive Servicing short list of things you can do to be a “Green Vehicle Owner”. Save gas, save on landfill material, save the planet. 1. Keep the engine running at peak performance. A misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent. Replace filters and fluids as recommended in the owner’s manual or by your Quality Automotive Servicing service technician. 2. Don’t ignore that ‘Service Engine’ light. Today’s vehicles have much cleaner tailpipe emissions than they did 30 years ago. But it's necessary to maintain that system. A poorly running engine or faulty exhaust system will pollute much more than one that is running clean. One indication of a ... read more

New cabin air filter vs old cabin filter Time to Change Your Cabin Air Filter With the pine pollen season behind us, now is a good time to change out your cabin air filter. Over time, the cabin air filter becomes less effective when it has done it's job filtering dust, debris, smoke and pollen from entering the cabin of your vehicle. “With our dusty roads and heavy particles in the air we suggest an annual change of the cabin air filter, “ says Bill Greeno, owner of Quality Automotive Servicing. Greeno also mentioned that anyone who drives dirt roads or who attends Burning Man should be especially diligent about the annual change. The cabin air filter began appearing in vehicles in 2002. It prevents dust, pollen, dirt and other pollutants from entering your car through your A/C and heat vents. With the driving conditions we experience everyday on our mountain roads, a clean cabin air filter will keep you breathing easier. Other Filter ... read more

The buzz around ‘extended oil change intervals’ for passenger cars and SUVs is everywhere. Most vehicle manufacturers are recommending longer oil change intervals. Oil companies are offering oils that they promote as having extended life. And motorists, pressured by the challenges of a tight economy and a hectic lifestyle, like the prospect of fewer trips to get their car’s oil changed. There are a few issues with extended oil change intervals. One is the quality of product used. The oil filter needs to have the require a capacity and efficiency to stand up against the impact of dirt, dust and engine contaminants over an extended period of time. As an owner that wants to protect your engine, know that not all oil filters are equal and a discounted oil change will probably be using a less quality filter that just can not stand up. 1. Filter Capacity The term ‘capacity,’ when used in reference to an oil filter, does not mean the amount ... read more

Something we hear quite frequently from Truckee and Lake Tahoe drivers is that their fuel economy is down and their four-wheel drive just doesn’t have the pep it used to. When that happens, one of the things we look for is clogged fuel injectors. The engine management computer tells your fuel injectors exactly when to squirt fuel into your engine. It is key that clean fuel injectors spray the right amount of gasoline or diesel fuel in a nice, specific spray pattern. A dirty injector can’t spray enough fuel and it comes out in an uneven, weak pattern. When fuel injectors are dirty or clogged, the fuel burns less efficiently, which causes gas mileage to drop. This result in less power from your Subaru or Toyota. It’s normal for fuel injectors to get dirty over time and possibly more likely on the dirty, dusty roads we drive everyday. Gas and diesel fuel may cause varnish and gum to build up in your fuel injectors, especially if you buy bargain gas in R ... read more