Seaside Auto Repair

Why Is My Check Engine Light On? Rodents Might Be to Blame! At Wayside Garage, we recently helped a client with a check engine light, traction control light, and poor engine performance. Our certified technician, Jonathan, found an unexpected culprit: rodents had chewed through the wiring! When the car was brought in, it wouldn’t stay running. After running diagnostics, Jonathan discovered a mass airflow sensor code. This sensor, which helps measure the air going into the engine, had been damaged, but that wasn't the only issue. Under the hood, we found clear signs of rodent activity—chewed wires and seeds near the sensor. Why Rodent Damage Happens Rodents like mice and rats are notorious for seeking shelter in warm engine compartments, especially during colder months. They can chew through wires, causing significant damage to your vehicle’s electrical system. In this case, the wiring harness near the mass airflow sens ... read more

Why is My Check Engine Light On? | The Oak Tree It's a common question: "Why is my check engine light on?" At Wayside Garage, we see this issue frequently. Your car's check engine light can illuminate for various reasons, and understanding why is crucial to maintaining your vehicle's health. Understanding Your Vehicle's Diagnostics Modern cars are complex, equipped with 30 to 50 computer modules. When we perform diagnostics, we're plugging into your car's onboard diagnostic port and scanning these computers for error codes. Think of your car’s diagnostic system as an oak tree: - Diagnostic Port: The trunk, where we connect our equipment. - Computer Modules: The branches stemming from the trunk. - Subcomponents: The smaller branches and leaves. When the check engine light comes on, we identify the main "branch" causing the issue and then inspect the ... read more

Why Is My Check Engine Light On? The check engine light turning on can be a cause for concern, but it’s a common issue that many drivers face. Let's explore why this happens and how to address it. Understanding the Check Engine Light Your car's check engine light is a signal from the vehicle’s engine control unit (ECU) that something is wrong. Modern cars are equipped with multiple computer modules (anywhere from 30 to 50) that monitor various systems in your vehicle. When something goes amiss, the check engine light illuminates to alert you. Common Reasons for the Check Engine Light One often overlooked component that can trigger the check engine light is the oxygen sensor. This sensor plays a critical role in monitoring the exhaust gases and ensuring your engine runs efficiently. Over time, oxygen sensors can become faulty due to exposure to extreme temperatures and contaminants, causing the check engine light to come on. What Do Oxy ... read more

Check Engine Light: A Deep Dive at Wayside Garage At Wayside Garage in Seaside, CA, we recently had a client come in with a Chevy Volt experiencing a check engine light issue. The modern Chevy Volt, like many vehicles today, is equipped with approximately 30 to 50 different computers, each monitoring various systems and components.  When diagnosing a check engine light, our first step is phase one testing, where we scan the vehicle's computer for codes. In this particular case, our expert technician, Jonathan, found multiple codes stored in the computer. Some of these codes were even duplicated across different modules. Decoding the Codes: A Layman's Explanation To make sense of this, think of the car as the trunk of an oak tree. When we plug the scanner into the vehicle, it's like identifying the trunk. Each code we find directs us to a specific branch, and from there, we may need to examine smaller branches and leaves to find the exact issue.&nbs ... read more