Cruise control is a fantastic feature of your car that comes in handy on long road trips. With the simple press of a button, you can control your car’s speed and give your foot a much-needed break from the gas pedal. The last thing you want to be dealing with is cruise control failure while on the highway. With that in mind, let’s discuss the purpose of your vehicle’s cruise control system, signs and causes of cruise control failure, and where to go when your cruise control encounters problems. Purpose of Cruise Control Cruise control is a handy feature on your vehicle that is a helpful tool for road trips and driving on highways. It helps ease the foot fatigue that comes with pressing on the gas pedal after so many hours of driving on the highway. When you initiate cruise control, the system locks the gas pedal into position to ... read more

The fuel pump is an essential piece of your car. Its function is to send gasoline from your tank to your engine fuel components. The fuel pump is usually electric and is located inside the fuel tank. It creates pressure in the fuel lines, pushing gas to the engine. This pressure raises the boiling point of gasoline. Signs Your Fuel Pump is Leaking Most fuel pumps have a hole in the bottom. When the fuel pump leaks, gas escapes from this hole to other parts of the car, causing an array of problems. A fuel leak will have a gasoline smell to it, which contains carbon monoxide and can be very dangerous when inhaled. Below are some common symptoms of a fuel pump leak: ●      Gasoline Smell: The fuel system in your car is sealed. If there is a leak in the fuel pump, this allows the smell of gasoline to permeate into the cabin a ... read more

If your car runs on gasoline, it has spark plugs. (For diesel and electric vehicles, spark plugs aren’t used.) The way an engine runs is by delivering a spark to compressed fuel and air. This happens within four, six, or eight different cylinders, one spark plug for each cylinder. The spark plug receives voltage from the ignition system, allowing them to fire when the cylinder has maximum compression of air and fuel in it. The spark plug ignites the air in the cylinder, and the engine creates forward motion as a result of that explosion   6 Signs of Spark Plug Failure Spark plugs fire thousands of times a minute. Normally, they operate perfectly, allowing your engine to run smoothly. But eventually, after about 50,000 to 100,000 miles on average, you’ll encounter sp ... read more

Your vehicle’s check engine light is perhaps its most powerful warning system, as it can notify you of problems ranging from a loose gas cap to engine overheating. Unfortunately, because the check engine light can respond to such a wide variety of issues, it can sometimes be challenging to know how to react when it turns on. To help you with this challenge, here are a few key steps that work for responding to check engine light illuminations regardless of the source of the problem.   Don’t Panic If your vehicle’s check engine light comes on while you’re driving, don’t panic. And unless the vehicle is showing other signs of engine failure, such as smoking or clunking noises, don’t pull over immediately, either. Inst ... read more

Spring is here! Your M Service team wants to remind you of one of your customer benefits-Complimentary Travel Inspections! Schedule yours before your next trip and we will make sure the only unexpected surprises are good ones! What will be checked? Road test by a Technician Check all vital fluids and top up as needed Inspect for leaks Complete inspection of engine bay (belts, hoses, wipers) Perform complete under car inspection (fluid leaks, suspension, brakes, tires) NOTE: If your vehicle has Recommended Service Items, we will inspect and advise on the status. A last minute check up is better than none! Not only can a pre-trip inspection help reduce chances of costly and possibly dangerous road side trouble, it also provides you the opportunity to have your repairs made at M Service. Providing peace of mind of knowing who is working on your vehicle.   Want some day-trip ideas to get you started?  Here are some of our recommendations:  ... read more

First of all, we wanted to say thank you for all of your support during our 5th Holiday Food Drive!  Thanks to your generosity we collected 337 lbs of food which is equivalent to 260 meals. What a great way to start 2016.  M Service Inc is proud to support The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County which accepts donations all year round.  Learn how you can help out any time of the year by clicking the logo below.   Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so don't forget your special Valentine-your vehicle.  Your car takes care of you, so take care of it by scheduling a special Valentine's Day check up.   Want to upgrade your BMW audio system?  Just a friendly reminder we're a Bav Sound Dealer!   Click on the image above to learn more! Want to upgrade your BMW?  We are also an authorized DINAN dealer!   &nbs ... read more

As you may know, our 5th Annual Holiday Food Drive is underway for the month of December! Click the logo for a list of foods needed. Please don't forget to bring in a donation of 5+ items of food and we will take 10% off your service or repair up to $100.00*.  (More is always welcome) In addition, for every pound of food collected. M Service Inc. will donate $1.00 to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano counties. (*Cannot be combined with any other offer.)   As the Holidays approach, we want to keep you informed of when the shop will be closed so you can plan any repairs or services your vehicle requires accordingly.   Christmas: Closed December 25-26 New Year's: Closed January 1  

Drivers often underestimate the importance of preparing cars for the winter.  M Service Inc wants to make sure you're prepared with these winter maintenance driving tips! Have the battery and charging system checked 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 four years.    Make sure heaters, defrosters and wipers work properly. Use cold weather washer fluid. As a general rule, wiper blades should be replaced every year.   Check the tire tread depth and tire pressure. During winter, tire pressure should be checked monthly.   Have the brakes checked. The braking system is the vehicle’s most important safety ... read more

M Service, Inc and Total engine oils protect your investment, lower maintenance cost, and improved fuel mileage.   With today’s fuel blends and stringent emissions requirements gas and diesel engines must meet. Total engine oils possesses outstanding technology leading to optimal engine protection and it is formulated to meet the most stringent requirements (for gasoline and diesel engines) and has garnered the approval of European manufacturers. M Service, Inc. recommends changing your engine oil and filter every 5K or six months. We have found this to lower overall vehicle maintenance cost: Reduction of intake manifold sludge build up. Reduction of sludge and clogging of engine oil vapor systems. Reduction of combustion chamber carbon buildup.- Improved engine efficiency and fuel mileage. Improved reliability and engine life.  ​M Service, Inc. has been providing “Total” engine oils for the past ten years. For more information about “Total&rdq ... read more

As winter approaches, so does the threat of record rain fall from El Niño.  Here at M Service, Inc., we want to make sure both you and your vehicle are prepared.  Make sure to call us or schedule an appointment if you would like us to inspect your vehicle.   Preparing for Rain Wiper blades!  Deteriorate in summer heat Double checks lengths as often both blades can be different lengths Check Tires Good tire tread important for slick roads Stick quarter in grooves upside down-If you see the top of his head, time for new tires Check headlights Proper lights are not only recommended but required by law when using wipers Consider restoring if the glass is foggy Run the defroster Better to find out if it needs repair before it rains and you can’t see out your windshield The defroster removes fog, but it also keeps moisture off the windows Check tire pressure Surface protection Apply sealants to windshield such as ... read more