Each time we fuel up our vehicles, we get a little whiff of gasoline, so the smell is very familiar. There shouldn’t be any gasoline smell in or around your vehicle when you are away from the gas station. When you do smell gasoline away from the gas pump, the cause ranges from something simple…

You may own a vehicle that you only drive occasionally.  Maybe it is a summer day cruiser, an off-roader, or vacation hauler.  Here are some things you need to know about a vehicle that doesn’t get driven all that much. You know it has oil in it, and the problem with not driving a vehicle…

It’s no surprise that your vehicle will drive better if all the wheels are pointed in the same direction.  That’s called wheel alignment.  If your wheels are out of alignment you may notice that your vehicle pulls to one side or the other. Something that you won’t notice right away, but you will if you…

If you haven’t looked into diesel engines lately, you may be interested in today’s post. Why should you care about modern diesel engines? Fuel efficiency, for starters. Because diesel fuel has a higher compression rate than gasoline, it generates more power per barrel. This is especially advantageous for drivers who pull heavy loads with powerful…

Question My name is David.  For the last year and a half, I’ve had some battery problems.  I had trouble starting my car, so I bought a new battery.  At first everything was fine, then about six months later I had problems starting my car again, so I got a new battery.  Again, everything was…

Let’s face it, vehicles are complex machines, and hats off to the NAPA AutoCare technicians who can diagnose and repair them when things go wrong.  Here are four tips to follow when you take your vehicle in, according to service advisors and technicians. Describe the problem thoroughly and accurately.  When you tell friends how your…

Ever wonder where they came up with the term “dashboard” for that part of your vehicle that sits behind the steering wheel? That name began back before cars were even invented.  People used to travel by horse and buggy, and streets weren’t as well built as they are today.  On a muddy road (which was…

Mountain View Automotive Tech Question: I was driving on a local Thornton road and my vehicle started sputtering and stalled. And then the engine finally quit, and I couldn’t get it started. I was towed to a shop in Thornton and found out I had to replace my fuel pump. What could I have done…

You expect your key to turn in your vehicle’s ignition.  But sometimes it won’t, and that’s a problem, whether you’re trying to start your vehicle or trying to leave it. Several things can cause this.  One of the most common is that the steering column locking mechanism is stuck.  Locking steering columns are an anti-theft…

When you step on the accelerator, you expect your vehicle to speed up, not slow down.  But, what if it doesn’t?  That can be a big problem. The answer may be a problem with the sensor that helps your vehicle determine that the proper mix of air and fuel for your engine.  It’s called the…

Today in the Mountain View Automotive car care blog, we want to talk about your engine air filter. That’s the filter that cleans the air before it’s burned in your engine. Thornton residents wonder how often they should change their engine air filter. The simple answer is: when it’s dirty. That’s a function of how…

Tech Question: I’m Collins of Thornton. I had my engine go out and had to have it completely re-done at Mountain View Automotive in Thornton. What could I have done to prevent this? Tech Answer: You’ve got to feel for Collins: an expensive major engine rebuild is pretty extreme. It’s a tough situation to be…