We've all had that sinking feeling when your vehicle's check engine light suddenly illuminates without warning. When this occurs, it is sometimes obvious from the vehicle's performance that something is wrong. Other times, the check engine light will illuminate even when everything appears to be in working order. So, how do you figure out why the check engine light is on? We are going to identify some of the most common reasons your check [...]
More Than an Inconvenience For many, a flat tire is just a simple annoyance; you come back to your vehicle in the morning and find that the cold has made the rubber shrink and the air has escaped, or someone vandalized your tires while you were away and they’re unusable. These things are annoying, unfair, rage-inducing, but no more than that. A blowout, on the other hand, can be life-threatening. You might be cruising [...]
The Laws of Life Cars are incredible inventions because they operate according to the laws of nature, although we might not realize it. For instance, all three of Newton’s laws of motion present in the way the car moves (or doesn’t move): The car will stay motionless, in park, unless it is turned on and operated by the driver. The car’s acceleration is a function of its mass being acted on by the force [...]
If you’ve ever been tempted to put the cheapest gasoline in your vehicle, here’s why the West Valley car repair team at Master Muffler recommends you think twice next time you’re at the pump. Have you ever wondered what those numbers mean at the gas station? Ranging from 87 to 94, they all have different price tags and different octane. Learn all about octane levels from the Master Muffler experts. What is Octane? Octane [...]
The old tale about powering your vehicle with the ethanol from a bottle of liquor is generally known as a myth. Surely, there are other commonly known myths that get passed around without any real vetting. Let’s take a look at a few of them. Premium Fuel is Always Better What does a BMW X7, a Lexus LS, and a Bugatti Chiron all have in common? They need premium fuel to run. These are [...]
There’s an old adage that technology becomes obsolete the moment you open up the box. While this sentiment is a bit hyperbolic, the lesson is still a relevant one: any product of technology makes what came before it outdated, even as it is eclipsed by the next big thing. This isn’t solely unique to personal electronics but considering how quickly innovation occurs in today’s world, feeling like something is outdated the moment you open [...]
A car is an incredible machine, a little mobile factory of pistons, belts, smoke, and heat, all working to create one of mankind’s most essential products: propulsion. The famed Mexican painter, Diego Rivera, had this to say about how the majesty of the automobile in his autobiography: “As I rode back to Detroit, a vision of Henry Ford’s industrial empire kept passing before my eyes...I thought of the millions of different men by whose [...]
Thanks to the intricate symbiotic nature of a car’s main components, where no system acts wholly on its own without one or more parts influencing it and other parts being influenced by it, it is difficult to specify which system is the most important in achieving the ultimate goal of the vehicle: to take its passengers from Point A to Point B. Certainly, one could argue that the fuel system is the most important [...]
Whether your vehicle lasts 120,00 miles or keeps on trucking past 250,000 largely depends on how it is driven and cared for. Although makes and models have a bearing on vehicle lifespan, there are many things car owners can do to ensure lasting car health. Here are some helpful auto repair and maintenance tips from your experts at Master Muffler. 1. Protect Your Car From the Elements Keeping your car shielded from snow, hail, [...]
At Master Muffler, we understand that the times we live in can be tricky financially. Sometimes our scheduled plans like car maintenance are put on the backburner when funds are tight and every penny saved is important. We get it! But we also realize the important role your vehicle plays in your daily life. Whether it’s driving the kids to a place where they can get out while safely socially distancing, or taking a [...]
