Wildfire Smoke and Your Car: Recirculate Mode and the Cabin Air Filter
How to keep wildfire smoke and Santa Ana dust out of your car, when to use recirculate, how often to change the cabin air filter, and the signs it's clogged.
Abdul Aboushadi
Co-owner, Johnson's Auto Repair
Abdul Aboushadi is one of the owners of Johnson's Auto Repair in Lake Elsinore. He has worked on his own cars for years, and he writes about keeping everyday cars running well in Inland Empire heat, traffic and weather.
Every post is checked against the sources it links, and the shop's own service records supply the "recent work" examples.
Posts by Abdul
How Often Should You Change Your Oil? (It's Probably Not 3,000 Miles)
The 3,000-mile rule is out of date for most cars. How to find your real oil change interval, when the severe schedule applies and why the once-a-year rule matters.
Check Engine Light On? What to Do and When to Stop Driving
Steady or flashing check engine light? What each one means, the gas cap check, what a code read does and doesn't tell you, and when to pull over.
A Mechanic's Tire Safety Checklist (Pressure, Tread and Age)
How to check tire pressure the right way, read tread depth with a penny, find your tire's age on the sidewall, and know when tires are due for replacement.
Days Are Getting Shorter. Check Your Headlights and Wipers Now
Daylight saving time ends Nov 1. A five-minute check of your headlights, signals and wiper blades, and the California rule on headlights in the rain.