Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

Why does my diesel have a long crank when starting? Your long crank while starting your diesel could be from a couple of different reasons. If your diesel has glow plugs, then this could be the issue. Your glow plugs over time will wear out and stop working properly. Glow plugs unlike spark plugs do not have a maintenance interval. They do not have a maintenance interval because they are only used when starting the vehicle. When they start to fail you will have a longer than normal crank or your check engine light may come on. When you have a long crank, it is hard on your batteries and your starter. Over time it will shorten the life span of your batteries and starter. This will cause them to need to be replaced.  Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather   Check us out at https://www.facebook.com/JHAutomotiveInchttps://www ... read more

Why are my brakes pulling hard when I brake? When braking and your vehicle starts to pull hard to one side it can be in indication that one of your disc brake calipers is sticking or dragging. This can happen when the disc brake caliper piston does not release after applying the brake and is grabbing harder than the other brakes. This is like always having your brakes on and will cause your disc brake pads to wear prematurely. It will also affect your fuel mileage. One of the reasons that your disc brake caliper may fail is from your brake fluid being contaminated. When your brake fluid has a high moisture content then it will cause your brake hydraulics to fail. If you are concerned about your brakes give us a call. We will do a brake inspection for free* and make sure that you are safe on all your adventures. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather   Check us out at https://www ... read more

What do the lights on my dash mean? Your dash has so many lights on it, and they are all important. Some are crucial to the operation of your engine. Others let you know when your lights are on. Let’s go through them one by one and we will solve the mystery of the lights on your dash. The first is your check engine light. The check engine light can look a couple of different ways. One will say service engine soon and the other is a picture of an engine. This light tells you when something is not working properly with your vehicle. It will come on due to a faulty sensor or module. A misfire in your engine or another engine issue. Even though it is a check engine light it will also come on due to an issue with your transmission. This light should not be ignored. There are times that your light may come on due to your fuel cap not being tight enough, and while that is an easy issue to fix it can cause issues with other components. Not taking care of your check engine light can cau ... read more

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