Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

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

Why did my air conditioning stop working in my car? Summer has arrived in the Willamette Valley and she came in HOT.  I expect when I get in my car and turn on the air conditioning for it to be cold and I am sure you do too. When that does not happen, it is not pleasant. This can happen for many reasons and one of them is a failure of the air conditioning compressor. Your compressor has a few different components that make it function and may seals. If one of the seals fail, then the compressor will leak out the refrigerant and this will cause your air conditioning system to not work. When this fails the system can become contaminated. If your air conditioning system is contaminated, then the other air conditioning components will need to be replaced to prevent another failure. While driving around with the windows down always sounds nice, I enjoy my air conditioning and would prefer to have it. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

Why did my car not start? Your vehicle may not have started due to a faulty battery. If you are not driving as much like many people right now then your battery may have died due to a lack of driving. Newer vehicles have many modules that are on even if your vehicle is turned off. These modules keep the computer working properly and all the other electrical components. We recommend for you to take your car out for a drive at least once a week. If you are concerned about your battery stop by and we will perform a free battery check for you. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

Why did my car overheat while at a light? This could have occurred due to a faulty fan clutch. If it is hot outside and your vehicle is stopped or moving slowly your engine fan is set to come on a specific temperature. If this does not happen then it can cause your engine to overheat. The fan pulls air through your radiator at slow speeds or at a stop. This air flows air over your engine and helps the cooling system to keep things at the correct temperature. Your fan has a clutch and when it gets worn out it may not engage properly, and this will cause the fan to not work. Newer vehicles may have an one or more electric fans. These do the same job but are controlled by the computer. When they stop working it could be one of several electrical components that control them. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

Why does my A/C blow hot? Your air conditioner may be blowing hot due to low refrigerant in the system. When you do not have enough refrigerant your air conditioning will not turn on to prevent damage to your a/c compressor and other components. This could be due to a leak in your air conditioning system. Your air conditioning system has many fittings and all of them can seep refrigerant over a long period of time causing your levels to be low and your air conditioning to not work properly. It is also possible that one of those many components has failed and that is causing your air conditioning to not work properly. We recommend that if your a/c is not working properly to have a leak test performed to make sure you have no other issues. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather