Can you believe that Halloween is coming up and pumpkin spice lattes are in abundance? Even if you are still holding onto summer, now is the time to think about winter road trips during the holidays and seasonal changes that can affect your car. If you are wondering what types of seasonal maintenance to focus on, keep reading to find car care tips to ensure your vehicle is ready.   Fluids The first thing you want to do is check your fluids. This is most critical of all, as the fluids not only lubricate your engine, they keep your car from overheating. This is a perfect time to pop the hood and look at your engine oil, coolant level, brake fluid, Automatic Transmission Fluid ATF, and power steering fluid. Be cautious if you have been driving your car because the coolant in your car is HOT and could severely burn you if you have been recently driving your car. If your vehicle has a transfer case or differential, you should also check these fluids to make sure there is no viscosit ... read more

As we prepare for the first days of school, we think about the congestion on our roads: We have school buses picking up passengers, kiddos on bikes hurrying to get to school on time, with rushed parents trying to drop their kids off before work. Now is the most important time for drivers to slow down and pay attention when kids are on the road – especially before and after school.   When Dropping Off Most often, schools have precise drop-off procedures for each school year. Please make sure you are familiar with them for the safety of all kids. Remember in all school zones: Avoid double parking; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles. Only load and unload children on the same street from the school Create a carpool community to reduce the number of vehicles at the school. Sharing the Road with Youth  According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they ... read more

    Increasing driver’s safety in summer   According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most auto-related incidents and injuries occur in July and August, including teenage accidents and deaths. In summer, we experience many weather-related changes and cultural patterns, which increase driving hazards during the summer months. This month’s blog will cover the most common summertime driving dangers and how we can avoid them.    Tire blowouts When it is hot outside and the pavement heats up, that heat transfers to your tires, causing the air inside to expand. Even new tires can blow out during a heatwave if you are not mindful of your tire pressure. The opposite occurs when it is cool outside, meaning that your tires will have low air pressure. Shifting between temperatures can cause frequent flat tires and blowouts, and if this occurs while driving can cause a terrible accident, especially while driving at high speeds. &nb ... read more

Every component in a vehicle needs regular maintenance to extend its lifecycle. And one particular system that you certainly want to maintain is your vehicle's A/C system. Given the warm climate of California that we live in and call home, your air conditioning unit is one of the most crucial to keep you cool and calm all year. John's Automotive Care is your best choice for auto cooling system repair in La Mesa. Our ASE Certified auto mechanics are either ASE Master-Certified with extensive experience repairing auto cooling systems in all makes and models of foreign and domestic vehicles. Who wants to leave their truck feeling sweaty and stuffy? No one! If there is an issue with your auto cooling system, our auto mechanics will identify and solve the problem. Additionally, most auto repair is backed by a 36,000-mile/36-month warranty.  What happens if you neglect to service your A/C system? This is what we'll be covering in this article. Are you ready? Let's get ... read more

  We are wishing you & your family a wonderful month of May! Our John's Automotive Care team has decided to talk about all things brakes for this month's blog! Including simple things you, as a responsible vehicle owner, can do to save you money in the long run. We will tackle what different brake issues mean & when it's time to see an expert.    John's Automotive Care is your trusted source for brake repair in La Mesa. Brakes are paramount to your safety, your passengers, and your car. Skilled brake repair auto mechanics should only handle these essential components of your vehicle. So let's begin with, "when do I need to see an expert?"    Vibrations in your vehicle?  Vibrations in your car indicate it's time to visit the experts at JAC. The reasoning behind this is due to worn down brake pads; over time, this occurs — there's no avoiding it. As your brake pads wear down, they can come into contac ... read more

  Happy April to our John's Automotive Care Family!  With the new month of April, our team decided this was the perfect time to inspire our wonderful customers & give some road trip ideas for Spring. Our team hopes you find some inspiration for your next California adventure, from day trips to long weekends or weeklong getaways!    Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a must for a road trip & is the largest state park in California. Just under a two-hour drive from our shop, this park consists of over five hundred miles of dirt roads, with 12 wilderness areas with many miles of hiking trails. California's largest state park provides visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the California Desert. The park's name comes from Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza, mixed with Borrego, or bighorn sheep. Find camping reservations here.&nb ... read more

  Happy February from John's Automotive Care!  For this month's blog, we are highlighting our tips & guidelines for driving in the snow safely! If a winter adventure is calling your name, this blog is for you. Even if you love to play in the snow, your vehicle doesn't. According to the U.S Department of Transportation, "Over 1,300 people are killed, and more than 116,800 people are injured in vehicle crashes on snowy, slushy or icy pavement annually." Here are John's Automotive Care's tips for driving in the snow to help make your winter adventure easier & safer.    The prep begins before the driving; always remember to check roadway conditions, including chain controls, before you leave the comfort of your home with Caltrans QuickMap. Another at-home step is ensuring you have the right supplies for your adven ... read more

  Happy November to our John's Automotive Care La Mesa customers; pardon us for saying a well-used phrase, but Winter Is Coming. Given our past knowledge of what winter road conditions can bring, there is no better time like a November blog to talk about all the ways you can protect & prep your vehicle for the upcoming winter months. Winter-proofing one's vehicle is key to saving you money and time in the long run! We present our top five ways to prepare your vehicle for winter.    Light Cleaning  Take a walk around the exterior of your vehicle. Check to make sure that all your headlights and taillights are clear and sturdy and the bulbs put out plenty of light. As we head into the darker months, visibility is critical. The polycarbonate material that makes up most headlights is often sun-damaged from the hot summer months. From scratches to UV rays beating down. Having your headlights or taillights cloudy significantly impacts your visibility on the ... read more

Happy October JAC La Mesa family!  With October comes a new blog for you! And what better way to tackle the "spookiest" month, by talking about all the scary sounds that can come from your vehicle. We will go through different haunting and intimidating sounds that can come from one's vehicle to prepare you for this spooky month! And to prepare you on how to tackle and handle them with the help of our auto repair experts at John's Automotive Care La Mesa. We now present our October blog, The scariest automotive sounds we've heard in a car! Please stop in and have one of our amazing customer service specialists go for a ride with you so we can pinpoint the noise that you are hearing.   Screeching- If you hear ear-piercing screeches that sound like nails on a chalkboard, there are a couple of things to do. First, it's crucial to determine where the screeches are coming from. Are they from the wheels and tires? It may be your brake pads, a wearable pa ... read more

As we welcome the month of September and the autumn days ahead, it's time to say goodbye to the foggy headlights that summer brought! Even if you take terrific care of the outside of your vehicle, chances are you will experience the "foggy" headlights we all despise.    Why do my headlights get "foggy" or "cloudy"? - Given that we are slowly coming out of those hot summer months, the sun's UV rays have been giving a solid beating to everyone's headlights. A chemical reaction occurs between exposed plastic covers and the sun's ultraviolet rays after time, mixed with outdoor particles and dust and boom, cloudy headlights. We can also blame water vapors for damaging your headlights. Most headlights come with a watertight sealant around them, but they can break down over time, leaving condensation to make its way into your headlights. Even more concerning than the aged look on your vehicle, foggy headlights dramatically impair the e ... read more