Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

How many miles do you expect to get from my vehicle? Mine is at 400,000 miles. How many miles do you expect to get from your vehicle? I expect another 100,000 before I need to replace mine. Do you know what it takes to reach 400,000 miles? 500,000 miles? Maintenance, just good maintenance. Good maintenance means changing the oil on time. Taking care of suggested services as soon as you can. Making sure the transmission and other fluids are serviced on time and as needed. Tune ups and suspension items are serviced when they should be.  Getting to your vehicle to 400,000 plus miles is more than just the engine. It is the entire vehicle. Which means the transmission, suspension, steering and all the other components that keep you going down the road. My vehicle runs and drives great. You would never know it has 400,000 miles. It may not be new and flashy, but she is reliable, and I appreciate it. We have had countless family adventures and road trips. So many conversations with my ... read more

Why do I need to change my oil? Your oil is a vital component to your engine. Without it your engine will seize, and your vehicle will not run. Many components that are part of your engine rely on engine oil to run and operate properly. Over time your oil will get contaminated with fuel. Fuel makes your engine oil thin. When your engine oil is thin then it does not lubricate the internal components properly and this over time will cause failures. This will also happen if your oil is low. When your engine oil is low there is not enough of it to go around and to lubricate everything that needs it. When this happens, it will cause a failure of those components. If those components fail, they will need to be replaced to keep your vehicle on the road. The easiest way to keep this from happening is to have your oil changed on a regular schedule. For most vehicles that means having your oil changed every 3,000 miles. For some it is 5,000 miles. We never recommend exceeding a 5,000-mile oil c ... read more

How do I improve my fuel mileage? I am sure you are aware that fuel prices are going up daily. If your car gets poor fuel economy, then that can start to add up quickly. We hope you have been enjoying this summer of the great American road trip. Some of us have been able to explore more than others. Are you planning your next trip? Have you decided where you are going to adventure to next summer? The last thing any of us want is to have to worry about the cost of fuel while we are planning our road trip. We can all make a few changes that will help save us when we get to the pump. Make sure your tires are at the proper air pressure. If your tires are under inflated, then it will create drag and that will lessen your fuel economy. Engine air filter – if your Engine Air Filter is dusty, dirty, or clogged then it is restricting air flow to your engine. This makes your engine work harder and it uses more fuel. We all like to breathe clean air. Fuel Filter – not all vehicle ... read more

New driver in the house? Do you have a new driver? Do they know about maintaining a vehicle? With a new driver we go through the maintenance requirements and best practices with them and the vehicle they are driving. It’s no charge, but you do need to schedule an appointment with Heather. Even if it is Grandmas old car or borrowing Mom or Dad’s car. It is important for them to know what it takes to properly maintain a vehicle. This keeps them and the vehicle safe on the road and gives them the knowledge to know what is important. Give us a call to schedule your appointment. Happy Adventures, Heather   Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHAutomotiveInc Instagram J & H Automotive (@jhautoinc) • Instagram photos and videos https://www.pinterest.com/jhautoinc

This is one of the biggest questions that we get. To be honest I do not know until one of my technicians’ scans and diagnoses the issue. Your check engine light will come on due to low oil, faulty sensors, issues with wheel bearings, transmission troubles, fuel issues and more. The only way to know is to scan it and then test components to see if you have a failure. Once it is diagnosed then we can advise you of the best route to make sure you and your car are both safe on the road. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather You can also find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHAutomotiveInc Instagram too at J & H Automotive (@jhautoinc) • Instagram photos and videos

Back to school is almost here The last thing my kid wants to hear is that back to school is coming. We have just over a month here in the Willamette Valley before the kids get to go back to school. The last two years have been rough on them, and we are hopeful this school year is better. Fall sports are getting ready to start back up again as well and this means a lot of running around for all those games. I know I never wanted to miss a game.  Especially due to an issue with my vehicle. Every August I would make sure I had my oil changed and my vehicle checked to make sure I did not have any issues. I did not want to worry about not having my vehicle when I should be at a game.  The kids only have so many games. Now is that time. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

The Great American Road Trip is Here This summer has been deemed the summer of the great American road trip. I think that every summer should be the great American road trip. We should all get out and see what our great nation has to offer. To see the amazing landmarks and visit those national parks. I also believe you should start in your own back yard. Find out what your state has to offer and explore. You never know when you will find something amazing. After the last year of being cooped up and we are all ready to get out and about. Are you planning your road trip this summer? Where are you headed? We have so many beautiful and wondrous places in our great nation to visit it is so hard to just pick one. Do you want an epic adventure where you go to as many places as possible or will you keep it closer to home and just do a weekend adventure? Jason and I both have a list of places we want to visit, and we are making our own road trip itinerary. We would love to see all the nation ... read more

Why does my A/C blow hot on one side? This happened to my car last year and I can say if you are on the side that is not blowing hot it is not an enjoyable experience. It can happen due to a sticking, broken or malfunctioning temperature blend door. This occurs for a multiple of reasons. One of the multiple electrical components may have failed, this will cause it to not actuate properly and cause the door to stick. Another option is a mechanical breakdown where the internal gears have stripped.  When the gears strip then it does not allow it to turn properly opening the doors when required. The other option is that is has debris that has made its way inside causing the door to not open properly. Either way it is frustrating, and it almost always happens on the warmest days of the year. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

My car air is not cold This is most likely due to an issue with your air conditioning system. When one of the components in your air conditioning system fails it causes the remaining components to not function properly. One of those components may be your condenser. Your condenser is in front of your radiator. They can fail due to many options and one of them is damage from rocks or debris hitting the front of your vehicle. The condenser is made of metal but if the rock hits it hard enough it will cause a hole and a leak. This causes your refrigerant to leak out. This component is not something that can be fixed, instead it will need to be replaced and the air conditioning system recharged. When your condenser is damaged it will leak out your refrigerant and cause your air conditioning to stop working. Give us a call and let us take care of you. You can also find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHAutom ... read more

Why did my car die? Your car could have died due to a bad battery. Your car battery is charged by your alternator while driving, but if your battery has a bad cell in it then your battery will not take the charge. When this happens it can cause your battery to fail and your car will die. Extreme hot and cold weather is also hard on batteries. If your battery tests okay, but not great then a sudden change in the weather can damage a battery that is just okay. We perform free electrical checks on your battery, alternator and starting system. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather