Oakville Auto Repair

When the weather outside is frightful, a little advance preparation will take the scare out of winter driving. At Eastside Auto Service we recommend taking a few preventive vehicle maintenance steps to help keep you from being stranded in severe winter weather. A breakdown, an engine not starting or any issue that leaves you stranded is scary. When it happens in freezing winter weather it can be downright dangerous. An investment of an hour or so to have your vehicle checked will pay off and help make sure your winter driving is safer for you and your loved ones. Recommended steps for winterizing your vehicle: Check the battery and charging system for optimum performance. Cold weather is hard on batteries. Clean, flush and put new antifreeze in the cooling system. As a general rule of thumb, this should be done every two years. Make sure heaters, defrosters and wipers work properly. Consider winter wiper blades and use cold weather washer fluid. Typically, wiper blades should be replac ... read more

Winter can be rather unforgiving to cars in Southern Ontario. And with an extremely unpredictable season coming and going, problems can arise within our cars unexpectedly and build up over time. With winter (hopefully) in the rear-view mirror and summer road trips taking shape in front of us, it's wise to take preventative measures and have repairs done to your car to avoid any inconvenience and stress when you hit the open road for a vacation this summer. With countless decades of experience servicing cars, there are a few crucial areas of concern that stand out every spring. Here are our top 8 areas of focus. Steering, Suspension and Alignment Winter can be especially savage against your wheel alignment. Especially with all the potholes existing on our roads these days. Salt damage is also prevalent in the spring due to the salt put down on icy roads to help with winter driving conditions. It can make st ... read more

Wow the roads are quite a mess right now! I can't remember the last time there were so many potholes on our roads and highways. The other day I was traveling along the 401 towards Scarborough to take my son to a swim meet at the Pan Am Centre, and hit a pothole that had to be at least two feet square. The uneasy feeling of the vehicle as it walloped into the pothole sent chills down my spine as I imagined the punishment it had taken on my vehicle. Luckily my vehicle did not suffer any ill effects, but here are some symptoms to be aware of if you hit a pothole: A shaking feeling in your steering wheel Your vehicle pulling to one side whereby you constantly have to keep correcting the vehicle to keep going straight down the rod Your steering wheel being off centre Or worse case scenario - a catastrophic immediate failure of a suspension or steering component rendering the vehicle immobile ​ Potholes are formed ... read more

Here we are again. It's the unique time of year when we're told to “brace ourselves” for a classic Canadian winter. A time when meteorologists hit us with weather patterns that start with blue bird skies that transition into a massive snow squall coming from the Arctic as the week ends. Blizzards, freezing rain, icy highways are just a rite of passage into a Canadian winter - and all we can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That preparation starts and ends with you taking care of your vehicle. The Importance of Winter Snow Tires Winter tires are proven to perform better than all-season tires in the cold. They can help reduce braking distances by up to 25% in a variety of winter conditions, and not just on s ... read more

The ads that have been on TV for the past month are finally a reality: back to school is, well…back. After a summer of quiet streets and deserted playgrounds, the swarm of traffic and pedestrians are out in full force. Pretty soon this will all start to feel normal, but in the meantime it's important to drive with extra vigilance - especially in school zones. Whether you're walking, biking, or driving to school, you're facing all the crowds of rush hour combined with the unpredictable nature of several hundred excited children. It's a no-brainer to be careful, but when it seems like every parent and child in the world has descended upon your neighborhood, some basic reflexes can slip your mind like homework out of a backpack. Don't let the back-to-school pandemonium throw you off your guard. Here are some quick pointers to help fend off the stress of September school runs. Plan Ahead Proper ... read more

Summertime in Southern Ontario is a magical time, where we collectively understand the window for warm weather is limited, and there are only so many weekends of blue bird skies to take advantage of. So before you can hit the open road, crank the radio and toss the left arm out the window - there are four important steps to take to ensure you don't have to make an unscheduled - and costly stop along the way. 1. Make a plan Making a plan, regardless of what aspect of life it's in, helps mitigate risk and unnecessary stress - especially when the end goal of a road trip is supposed to be fun. Create a plan with the easiest routes to your destination, back up routes in case of accidents or delays, and planned pit stops on where to refuel your car and your team. It's also wise to have emergency contact numbers programmed into your phone just in case. 2. Supplies for the trip ... read more

We've all seen it. In the thick of summer clouds of hazy smog form in big cities—like Toronto. Not only is smog gross but it affects the health of people who inhale it. Cars let out emissions, which mix with particles in the air and the heat of sunlight, which create the haze. So if you own a car, what's a way to help fix the problem? Ontario's Drive Clean Program. The Drive Clean Program tests 2.3 million vehicles annually and cuts emissions by one third through vehicle emissions testing. What is an emission test? Emissions testing measures the amount of hazardous exhaust your vehicle releases. But before your car's exhaust is analyzed for anything, there is a pre-test where your vehicle is checked for any problems that may prevent it from being tested like a missing catalytic converter and/or gas cap, defects in the fuel filler pipe, issues with your car's computer system, or visibl ... read more

I love walnuts in many forms. Cracking them open and eating them right from the shell. Savouring the awesome maple glazed walnut crusted salmon my wife makes. Enjoying a tasty banana honey-walnut muffin. Yum Yum!! Let's not forget the many health benefits of walnuts as well. It is said that they help weight loss, induce sleep, are great for your hair, make your skin glow, and prevent heart disease to name just a few! At Eastside Auto Service, we have a new way of enjoying walnuts and their shells! Have you ever heard of Crushed Walnut Blasting? If you are driving a vehicle utilizing direct fuel injection like Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes Benz, Mini Cooper, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Ford and many more, you soon will. Due to the design of their direct fuel injection systems, these engines are notorious for developing excessive carbon build up on the intake valves that leads to major driveability issues. These issues range in severity from a check engine light on in the dash, loss of power ... read more

Safety Tips for Drivers It's finally here. Little ones with their over-sized backpacks and shiny new running shoes, laughter, stories of summer vacation and rushing to get to school before the bell rings. As summer comes to an end the focus switches from carefree fun to learning and playing with friends. Kids will be travelling on buses, riding their bikes, and walking to and from school. Let's help keep the kids safe by following a few safety tips: Watch for pedestrians and cyclists. Be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists, especially little ones that could easily disappear behind other vehicles. As soon as the bell rings kids are excited to get home and play, and may not be paying attention to where they're going. Be patient. Little legs take a bit longer to cross the street. Kids may be excited about seeing their friends or sharing show-and-tell with their new teach ... read more

Are you planning a trip with the family? Is it going to be a road trip? There are so many places to explore in this beautiful country. Whether you're headed on vacation or to a family function, we all want to avoid the most dreaded words on a family car trip - “Are we there yet?”It's hard for kids to sit still. And sitting still while buckled inside a vehicle can be an even bigger challenge. Distraction can help pass the time, and taking breaks gives kids a chance to stretch and move around. Make the best of a long road trip with these kid-tested tips: PLAN AHEAD If you don't mind driving at night, dress the kids in their pajamas and drive while it's dark out. Hopefully they will sleep through the night. Added bonus - there may be less traffic too. If possible, try to build in some extra time in case you need to make an unexpected stop, or if traffic is slow.When planning your route ... read more