Berkeley Auto Repair

A ten-mile drive through Berkeley can be harder on a car than a much longer trip on an open highway. Traffic lights, crowded intersections, steep streets, delivery vehicles, cyclists, and slow-moving traffic keep the vehicle switching between acceleration, braking, and idling. The odometer may not climb quickly, but many systems are working almost constantly. This kind of driving creates heat without giving the vehicle much time or airflow to cool down. Brakes get used repeatedly, fluids spend more time at operating temperature, and the A/C must cool the cabin while the engine sits at low speed. Over time, those conditions can shorten service intervals and expose parts that were already beginning to wear. Frequent Stops Heat Up The Brakes Every time you press the brake pedal, the pads clamp against the rotors and turn the vehicle’s movement into heat. On an open road, the brakes have time to cool between stops. In city traffic, they may be used again before th ... read more

Your Acura is engineered to provide you with a comfortable and reliable ride. Naturally, even the best made vehicles will require regular maintenance and occasional repairs - at Oceanworks in Berkeley we provide professional Acura maintenance services and repair for drivers who want dependable care for their vehicle. Whether you drive an Acura TLX, RDX, MDX or another model, our team can help with not just routine maintenance, but also with manufacture recommended services, diagnostics, and repairs – both minor and major. We use cutting edge diagnostic equipment, decades of experience of our nationally ASE certified technicians, and we offer high quality parts to keep your Acura performing at its best. Complete Acura Maintenance & Repair Services in Berkeley, CA Our Acura services are designed to keep your car safe, efficient and fun to drive. We offer: Routine maintenance including oil changes, fluid checks, tire rotations and brake inspections State of ... read more

Everybody knows that changing engine oil is important – but why is it?  We will talk about four reasons, only one of them being the engine itself. The oil lubricates the engine, allowing moving parts to function smoothly with minimal friction. As the engine oil gets older, the combination of age, heat, mechanical work, and environmental factors causes engine oil to be less effective at protecting the engine. So what happens to the engine oil? Engine oil’s chemical properties degrade – age, repeated heating and cooling, and oxidation cause detergents that clean the engine surfaces, and dispersants that cause debris to be suspended in the oil, to break down. The oil becomes thicker, highly acidic, and does not create effectively a protective film on the metal components. On top of the chemical factors, there are mechanical problems caused by the old engine oil. As it ages, it picks up microscopic debris – normally they are caught on the oil filter, but once ... read more