you have a vehicle with an automatic transmission, you probably never think about gear shifting. When motor vehicles were invented, all of them had to be shifted manually. But that wonderful self-shifting transmission, referred to these days as simply an “automatic,” changed everything.

It's important to stay on top of your vehicle maintenance. It helps to save your service records. Your NAPA AutoCare Center keeps records of what services you've had done, and which need doing. Time marches on, and so will your vehicle if you make sure all its systems are kept up to date.

Client's reach out confused about when they should get their spark plugs replaced. It can be confusing because there are several types of spark plugs and some last longer than others.

Think about it – heavy traffic, hilly terrain. Maybe some dirt roads – and it’s going to be hot. And all the time you’ll be towing around several thousand extra pounds. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your transmission.

Bonita Point Auto Care, Inc. Tech Question: I was driving on the freeway in CA and my vehicle engine started to get hot. I turned off my air conditioner and was able to drive the short distance to my meeting and then found a shop in Chula Vista. It turns out that my water pump was leaking. It cost me many hundreds of dollars to get it fixed. What could I have done to avoid this? Bonita Point Auto Care, Inc. Answer: This guy's story really did have a happy ending. When you continue driving when your engine's overheating you risk a catastrophic engine failure. It really is a good idea to pull over and let your vehicle engine cool down before driving again. If you add water or coolant, be sure your engine is cool or you risk serious burns. Now there's no way for Chula Vista drivers to predict when their water pump will fail – they just wear out. This fellow's water pump replacement was more expensive because his water pump is driven by his timing belt. That requires a lot of hours to get to the water pump and then put everything back on the engine. A money saving tip from Bonita Point Auto Care, Inc. in Chula Vista: if your water pump is driven by your timing belt – replace the pump when you have your scheduled timing belt replacement. That way most of the work is already done and you don't have to pay for it twice. Check with your friendly and knowledgeable professionals at Bonita Point Auto Care, Inc. about when your timing belt should be replaced. Give us a call Bonita Point Auto Care, Inc. 1495 East H Street Chula Vista, CA 91910 619.421.7600

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. Let us run through what the causes may be.

There seems to be some confusion about them that we should be able to clear up. Much of the confusion starts because cabin air filters are relatively new. Not all vehicles have them, so some people confuse their cabin air filter with the engine air filter.

In the sloppy weather months, many drivers rely on protective mats to keep moisture, grime, ice, and snow from making a mess of a vehicle's interior. But if your vehicle has a mat it could become a hazardous mat if you don't follow some safety precautions.

Diagnosis and repair are more exacting than ever before. Even a simple tire rotation may involve resetting the tire pressure monitoring system.