Berkeley Auto Repair

Summer is the road trip season. Whether you're heading to the coast or the mountains or just planning a few weekend getaways, your car will be dealing with heat, long drives, and heavy loads. Before you pack the trunk and hit the highway, it’s important to make sure your vehicle is ready for the demands of summer travel. Skipping a summer inspection can leave you stranded in the heat, stuck on the side of the road, or facing expensive repairs that could have been avoided. Here are five key reasons to schedule a summer checkup before your next trip. 1. High Temperatures Strain Your Cooling System Your engine works hard year-round, but the summer heat pushes it even harder. The cooling system must manage the extra heat to keep everything running smoothly. If your radiator, water pump, coolant level, or hoses aren’t up to the task, you could be dealing with overheating before you’re even halfway to your destination. During a summer inspection at ... read more

You count on your car’s suspension to keep the ride stable, comfortable, and under control—but as parts like shocks, struts, and bushings wear out over time, small issues can start to creep in. At first, you might not notice much. But if suspension problems are left alone, they can start to affect your steering, braking, and overall safety in ways you don’t want to ignore. Let’s take a closer look at six signs your suspension might be wearing out—and why catching them early can save you from bigger, more expensive repairs later. 1. A Rougher Ride Than Usual One of the first signs of suspension trouble is a noticeable change in ride quality. If every bump or dip in the road seems exaggerated, or if your car feels bouncy or unsettled even on smooth pavement, your shocks or struts may no longer be absorbing impacts properly. These components are designed to control the movement of your wheels and keep your tires in contact with the road. W ... read more

Hearing a deep humming or droning noise that grows louder as you pick up speed can be both distracting and concerning. It’s a sound many drivers mistake for wind noise or engine trouble, but more often than not, it’s coming from the tires. That low whirring is often a sign of uneven tread wear, misalignment, or internal tire issues. Addressing it on time improves your ride quality and can prevent bigger problems and costly repairs later on. What could your tires be trying to tell you? The Sound of Uneven Tire Wear The most common reason tires start sounding weird is irregular tread wear. If parts of the tire are wearing unevenly—whether from alignment issues, suspension problems, or improper inflation—they’ll develop a pattern that causes the tire to make rhythmic noise as it rotates. This often shows up as “cupping” or “feathering,” where the tread surface forms high and low spots. As the tire spins, those incon ... read more

Honda has built a reputation for producing some of the most reliable and long-lasting vehicles on the market. Whether it’s a fuel-efficient sedan like the Civic, a family-friendly SUV like the CR-V, or a rugged truck like the Ridgeline, Honda owners consistently praise their vehicles for longevity, low maintenance costs, and solid performance. But what exactly makes Honda cars and SUVs so dependable? Let’s take a closer look. Proven Engine and Transmission Reliability One of the main reasons Honda vehicles have such impressive longevity is their meticulously engineered engines and transmissions. Honda’s four-cylinder engines, including the K-series and Earth Dreams technology, are built for durability and efficiency. With proper maintenance, many of these engines easily surpass 200,000 miles, and some owners report their Hondas still running strong past 300,000 miles. Honda’s automatic and Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs) have also ... read more

When it comes to automatic transmissions, most drivers don’t think about clutches. After all, clutches are usually associated with manual transmissions, where the driver manually engages and disengages gears. But did you know that both continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) and traditional automatic transmissions use clutches in different ways? How Traditional Automatic Transmissions Use Clutches Traditional automatic transmissions operate using a combination of planetary gear sets, hydraulic systems, and a torque converter. Unlike a manual transmission, which relies on a single clutch to engage and disengage gears, an automatic transmission has multiple clutch packs inside. These clutches work together to engage and disengage different gears based on the vehicle’s speed and load. When you accelerate, hydraulic pressure activates specific clutch packs, allowing the transmission to shift gears automatically. This process ensures a seamless driving exp ... read more