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When it comes to precision-engineered and quality tires, Bridgestone is considered one of the top Brands, in the automotive industry, providing exceptional performance, safety, and durability to Albany drivers. At Mallard Auto Care Albany, we understand that every driver has unique needs, and that’s why we offer a wide range of Bridgestone tires. Whether you’re driving along the Pacific Coast Highway or navigating through the busy (and hilly) streets of San Francisco, Bridgestone tires are designed to enhance your driving experience. Living in California, we face a variety of road conditions, from city streets to mountain highways. To navigate those roads, we’ve put together these three Bridgestone tires - perfect for Albany drivers: 1. Potenza Performance Tires Built for exhilarating driving, Bridgestone Potenza performance tires are the choice for drivers who want the most speed, handling, and control. These high-quality performance tires are designed to perform on-track and off-road, perfect for full-size, mid-size, and small vehicles. For full-size vehicles like the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, Potenza tires give you maximum grip and stability. 2. Dueler - Versatile Performance for CUVs and SUVs If you're an adventurous driver, Bridgestone Dueler tires have the ruggedness and versatility to get you through tough terrain in comfort and confidence. Designed for Crossover Utility Vehicles and SUVs, Dueler tires give you great grip on both wet and dry roads for a safe and enjoyable drive. With technology that enhances durability and tread life, Dueler tires are perfect for SUVs and pickups like Chevrolet Colorado or Ford Ranger. Whether you’re driving through rough terrain or city streets, Dueler tires have you covered. 3. Duravis - Multi-Purpose Tires for Commercial and General Use Bridgestone Duravis tires are the best fit for modern commercial vehicle drivers who want to have safety, durability, comfort, and efficiency all in one. These tires are appropriate for sport utility vehicles and pickups, with high-speed stability, a comfortable ride, and a long tire life. Whether for business or personal use, these tires deliver performance and reliability for all kinds of driving. Mallard Auto Care, Albany offers wide range of new Bridgestone tires as well as tire mounting and tire balancing services. We can also provide wheel alignment service for your vehicle. Come visit us today and see why we are Albany’s go-to tire shop.

Driving without air conditioning on a hot summer day is horrible. There are different reasons your Subaru’s AC might stop working, one of which is when it needs a refill. A simple ac recharge may be all you need to get the AC blowing cool air again. Your Subaru’s air conditioning system uses a highly specialized refrigerant gas to keep the vehicle cool. Depending on the age of your Subaru, it may be R-134a or for newer cars, the R-1234YF refrigerant. At Mallard Auto Care in Castro Valley we have equipment to handle either type of the refrigerant – whatever your Subaru needs, we have it ready. In theory, your Subaru should never run out of the refrigerant, but like any system, the AC system can develop leaks. This can cause the refrigerant to drop very low. When this happens, the system has to be recharged with refrigerant for it to function properly again. How to know your Subaru’s AC needs a recharge Here are common signs that your Subaru’s AC system may need a refill: • Blows warm air When the AC system is low on refrigerant, it blows warm air from the supply vents. Since the cooling effect depends on the amount of refrigerant available, low level of the refrigerant will cause the system to blow warmer air.  • AC compressor clutch doesn’t engage When you switch on your vehicle’s AC, the compressor clutch ought to engage for the system to work properly. If the refrigerant level is too low, the AC compressor clutch may not engage. • Visible leaks Leaks are a reason for low refrigerant levels, but you can tell that your AC needs a refill before it gets critically low by looking out for any sign of liquid around the compressor, lines, or inside the cabin. In this instance, the leak has to be fixed before the AC is refilled. If you suspect low refrigerant levels in your Subaru, it is best to let a professional mechanic inspect the system for leaks, and have them repaired before ac refill. At Mallard Auto Care we are experts at a/c system diagnostics and repairs – so if your Subaru is not keeping you cool, give us a call or make an appointment online.

With the first rains of the season behind us, you will have surely noticed whether your windshield wipers need replacement. If they do, call Mallard Auto Care in Castro Valley and we will be happy to provide you vehicle with new wiper blades. Windshield wipers used to be an afterthought, but modern vehicles require windshield wipers to be in pristine condition. The reason for this new-found attention to the windshield wipers is the ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) and self-driving capabilities built into many cars. Many vehicles use cameras that see through the windshield to provide information to the computers that are responsible for ADAS or self-driving capability. If the wiper blades do not properly remove water from the windshield, these capabilities might be compromised, or downright unusable. So check again that the wiper blades properly remove water from the windshield, and if they do not, call our Castro Valley auto repair facility and we will get you a new set of wiper blades that will do the job.

Mallard Auto Care in Castro Valley offers comprehensive automotive maintenance, factory recommended services, diagnostics and repairs. As we write this blog post, various surveys reveal that more and more vehicle owners are keeping their vehicles longer. As vehicles age, more and more parts can fail, and so everybody should be cognizant of the need to inspect engine mounts. As your vehicle ages, engine mounts can break. Usually it starts with just one, but then the remaining mounts are forced to work harder, and deal with greater range of motion because the engine is no longer fully secured to the body of the vehicle. As a result, more engine mounts can fail. Engine mounts not only keep the engine attached to the body of the car, they are also tasked with minimizing vibrations. When an engine mount fails, you may feel increased vibration and increased noise. As more engine mounts fail, these symptoms will become even more pronounced including unusual noises such as rattling or clunking sounds from beneath the hood while idling or accelerating, as well as vibrations. So if you live in or around Castro Valley, and especially if your vehicle has crossed the 100,000 mile threshold a while ago and you notice increased noise or vibrations, it’s a good idea to bring it to Mallard Auto Care so we can perform a thorough inspection, including engine mounts check. You can make an appointment online, on our website, or simply give us a call.

Seeing a telltale sign of something dripping on the garage floor or in the driveway is not a happy occasion. Fortunately, most of the time it's merely water condensation from your vehicle's air conditioning system. So if the fluid you see is colorless, odorless and not oily, it may not be a problem. However, there are some brake fluids that are clear as well, so to be 100% sure, have your vehicle checked out at Mallard Auto Care in Castro Valley and we can tell you with 100% accuracy the nature of the fluid – better safe than sorry. What Else Could be Leaking? Typical vehicle has a surprising number of fluids, here are some that might be dripping on the floor of your garage: Coolant leaks: Depending on the vehicle make, the engine coolant color will vary, but any of these colors can indicate engine coolant: green, orange, yellow, turquoise, pink, blue or purple Transmission fluid leaks will results in following colors on the floor or driveway: red (brand new fluid) and progressively darker shades of brown. Brake fluid is typically yellow, blue, purple, red or green shade, or clear with a tinge of yellow or deep red. Engine oil typically looks golden and becomes progressively darker with age and use. While colors mentioned above can help you identify the nature of the fluid, unless you are 100% sure it’s only water condensation, we recommend taking your vehicle to a local auto repair shop to have the nature of the fluid identified by professionals. At our Castro Valley auto repair facility we can identify the fluid, and if it turns out to be something other than a/c system condensation, we can find the cause of the leak and have it fixed, usually the same day. All repairs performed by our nationally ASE certified technicians carry 36 month / 36,000 mile nationwide warranty. Call us to make an appointment.

Yet another (annual) study from CarMD.com provides a glimpse of t he 2023 car repairs – specifically top 10 check engine light–related repairs. CarMD.com has been providing us with check engine light repair insights for over a decade. CarMD.com analyzed over 15 million failures reported in 2023 and recommended repairs. At Mallard Auto Care in Castro Valley we see our share of check engine light-related repairs so we are always eager to study the results reported by CarMD.com. Sadly, catalytic converter replacement took the first spot on the list – with precious metals at or close to all time high prices, stealing catalytic converters (which contain platinum / rhodium) is still a lucrative activity. As for vehicle age, 2007 vehicles were found to be the most likely to need check engine light diagnostics and repairs. So here are the top 10 check engine light repairs as reported by CarMD.com: Catalytic converter replacement – as mentioned above, the first position help by catalytic converters is not due to their failure rate, but due to catalytic converter theft. Oxygen sensor replacement – when thieves cut out catalytic converters, the often cause damage to other components - oxygen sensor replacements are direct result of catalytic converter theft. Ignition coil and spark plugs replacement – spark plugs replacement is a normal part of maintenance, and as vehicles age, ignition coils tend to need replacement as well. Mass air flow sensor replacement – mass airflow (MAF) sensor design requires that one of the wires be heated to a high temperature. Repeated heating and cooling results in material fatigue which increases probability of mass airflow sensor failure. Ignition coil replacement – ignition coils can fail due to overheating, which damages insulation, and can lead to short-circuits. They can also fail because of voltage spikes generated by faulty spark plug gap, failing alternator, or other issues with the electrical system. EVAP canister purge control valve replacement – purge valve allows fuel vapors from Evap canister to flow directly into the engine. Probably the most common problem is when it gets stuck in the open position. Likelihood of purge valve failure increases with age. Tighten or replace fuel cap – we all hope for this outcome, as replacing the fuel cap is easy and inexpensive. ABS wheel speed sensor replacement – wheel speed sensor informs the ABS system about the rotational speed of the wheel, and allows it to decide if anti-lock function is to be activated. The sensor can fail due to brake dust clogging or debris. Fuel injector replacement – fuel injectors typically fail due to bad fuel quality which clogs the injector, water in the fuel which causes corrosion, also because of material failure that can lead to leaks and cracks. Reprogramming powertrain control module –when powertrain control module is replaced, it will need to be reprogrammed. Software updates from the manufacturer may also necessitate reprogramming, Check engine light can be illuminated by, literally, hundreds of conditions. Getting to the root cause of the condition can require both experience and specialized equipment. At Mallard Auto Care in Castro Valley we provide our nationally ASE certified technicians with the latest in diagnostic equipment, as well as regular training on the latest in repair procedures and technologies. So when your vehicle illuminates the check engine light, call the professionals at our Castro Valley auto repair shop, and you will find friendly service advisors and technical excellence necessary to deal with even the most demanding check engine light related problems.

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