Berkeley Auto Repair

Most of us don't give a second thought to the little snowflake button on the dashboard until it stops blowing cold air on a humid afternoon. Suddenly, that AC system feels like the most important piece of technology ever invented. Looking back at how we got to this point is actually a wild ride. Early car owners had to be incredibly creative, and very brave, just to keep from melting inside their vehicles. The Days of Open Windows and Block Ice In the very early days of motoring, air conditioning was a luxury that didn't exist. If you were hot, you rolled down the windows or folded out the windshield to get some airflow. However, as cars moved from open carriages to enclosed steel boxes, they basically became rolling ovens. The first real attempt at cooling things down involved the car cooler. This was a cylindrical device that hung off the side window. It worked on the principle of evaporation. You would fill it with water, and as the car moved, air would p ... read more

Has your vehicle illuminated the check engine light? The bad news is that you should bring your vehicle to a “mechanic near me” – and naturally we recommend Oceanworks in Berkeley. The good news is that the check engine light does not necessarily mean major repairs. As a matter of fact, one of the most frequent causes of the check engine light is a faulty gas cap – an easy, fast and inexpensive repair. Other check engine light repairs may include spark plugs replacement – something your vehicle needs regularly, ignition coil replacement, or a sensor replacement (most frequently oxygen sensor, mass airflow sensor or wheel speed sensor). Are there expensive repairs associated with the check engine light? Yes, catalytic converter replacement being one of them, fortunately, catalytic converter theft is down significantly, and catalytic converters rarely fail on their own. There are, literally, thousands of conditions that can cause the check engine light to ... read more