Car Repair

  • How Do I Know Whether To Replace My Engine?

    engine of vehicle

    If your car, truck or SUV is experiencing major engine issues, the technicians at Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA have you covered. You hear the engine knocking when it decides to start? Is there smoke pouring from your truck’s exhaust pipe? Whether you’re burning oil, your engine is on it’s last leg or has simply given up altogether, we can help. And if you’re not sure what you need, we can help with that too.

  • How Important are Your Drive Belts?

    belt for vehicle

    Your drive belts run everything - your AC, power steering, alternator, and water pump are all dependent on the belts that turn them. At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, our goal is to keep your truck maintained, so you’re never stuck out on the road. Drive belts are a critical part of that goal.

  • How is the Air Quality in Your Vehicle?

    technician holding a clean and dirty air filter comparison in the front seat of a car

    When driving around town, your vehicle's engine needs clean air to burn the fuel – and it needs a lot. In fact, a typical vehicle needs about 216,000 gallons of air for every tank of gas. All that air passes through a filter that catches the dust and dirt. Eventually, the filter gets completely full, and because the filter can only hold so much, dirt starts getting through. At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, we want to help you get the best air quality in your vehicle, but first, we want to explain the process of where this dirty air is going. 

  • How To Rainproof Your Windshield

    windshield with water droplets on it

    At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, we understand that safety and driving comfort are largely dependent on truck maintenance. Driving in the rain can be a hassle, especially if your vehicle isn’t prepared.

  • How to Use Your Jumper Cables

    jumper cables being placed on a battery

    At some point or another, it’ll happen to you. You leave your headlights on, your battery finally fails, or for some other reason, you don’t have enough juice to start your car. Don’t call a tow truck just yet, though...Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna has the info you need to properly jump start your car.

  • Hydraulic Basics To Keep You Running

    mechanic messing with a tire on a lifted car

    The operation of your transmission depends on your hydraulics. Even if that sounds like a foreign language to you, at Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA, we speak the automotive language. We want you to understand what we're talking about, so here are the basics of the hydraulic functions behind your transmission.

  • Identifying driveway spots: how to determine what is leaking under your car

    If you drive a vehicle with more than a few miles on it, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed an occasional drip underneath it that leaves spots wherever you park. Identifying what is leaking from your car will help you determine whether or not it’s a cause for concern, and what to do about it.

    There are seven liquids a car can possibly drip: oil, gas, brake fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil, water, and coolant. How do you tell the difference? This article aims to help your know-how.

  • If You Have To Turn The Key More Than Once - You Might Have A Problem

    hand turning key in ignition

    At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA, our goal is to help you understand your transmission a little better and keep your car, truck, or SUV reliably on the road. If you ever hit the key and your engine fails to turn over, whether it’s once a month, once a week, or every day, you’ve got the beginnings of an issue worth dealing with.

  • Is it Time for a New Exhaust?

    exhaust

    Exhaust systems are one of the most neglected aspects of most vehicles. Exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, and mufflers are exposed to heat, emissions, and road damage. While your exhaust system is fairly simple and straightforward, these conditions mean it is inherently prone to rust and damage. As a result, this system is often one of the first systems you will have trouble with on your car.

  • Is It Time To Invest In A New Exhaust?

    Exhaust

    Exhaust systems are one of the most neglected aspects of most vehicles. Exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, and mufflers are exposed to heat, emissions, and road damage. While your exhaust system is fairly simple and straightforward, these conditions mean it is inherently prone to rust and damage. As a result, this system is often one of the first systems you will have trouble within your car.

  • Is It Time To Replace Your Ball Joints?

    separated ball joint that needs to be replaced

    We know you’re busy. At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA, we also know that while there are certain issues with your car, truck, or SUV you can ignore for a while, some of them shouldn’t wait. While serious issues are often obvious, sometimes they aren’t - ball joints are one such case.

  • Is your car trying to tell you something?

    phone out and carhood up

    If you drive performance or luxury vehicle (Subaru, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Land Rover, etc.) you’re aware that you have a complex and precision-engineered machine. When things start to go wrong, sometimes they go wrong in a hurry. Here are some things to watch out for, from Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA.

  • Is Your Vehicle Draining Your Battery?

    battery

    At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, we know how annoying a dead battery can be. Here’s some information on the subject, that will hopefully help you understand your battery issues a little better.

  • Is Your Vehicle Too Noisy?

    cars in city with lots of exhaust

    Do you have a noisy vehicle? If so, you may need a new muffler or exhaust system from our team here at Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna. The purpose of your exhaust system is not only to reduce the noise but also to redirect fumes away from your vehicle. Redirecting these fumes protects passengers in the car from toxins created by burning fuel.

    Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless chemical that can escape from an unsecured exhaust system, and if inhaled can pose very serious health hazards. If you experience an unusually loud sound coming from your vehicle, it is vital to get your exhaust system checked immediately!

  • Keep Your Replacement Transmission Running Smoothly

    Transmission

    Once your transmission has been replaced and you’re shifting smoothly once more, you’ll probably want to keep it running smoothly. Here are some tips from Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA to help keep you reliably on the road.

  • Keeping Your Climate Control Cleaner, Quieter, and Lasting Longer

    cabin filter

    If your car has climate control, then it also has a cabin filter. Cabin filters are simply air filters for the interior of your car, truck, or SUV. All air entering circulation through the climate control system first passes through this filter, to prevent your AC or heat systems from accumulating debris or blowing them out of your vents. The result is cleaner, quieter, and longer-lasting climate control systems, which keep the inside of your car as comfortable as possible. 

  • Make Your Vehicle Go The Extra Miles with Proper Maintenance

    mechanic working on a vehicle

    At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA, we know the key to making your vehicle last; good maintenance. An overwhelming percentage of the problems we see, especially the really catastrophic ones, are a result of poor maintenance. While properly maintaining a vehicle can seem like a bit of a hassle, it is absolutely worth the payoff. Good maintenance is the only difference between a car that lasts 80,000 miles and a car that lasts 400,000 miles. Preventative maintenance and repair when a problem occurs are your two concerns, and both will keep your car on the road far longer if observed properly.

  • Noticing an Emergency on your Dashboard

    At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA, we have seen our fair share of preventable engine failures. Frequently, engine disaster could have been avoided if the driver had known beforehand what the warning lights or gauges on the dashboard indicated. While some dash lights are fairly benign, others indicate imminent trouble. This guide from Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA will prepare you for the next time your vehicle shows you a warning you shouldn’t ignore.

  • Potholes Can Cause Holes in Your Vehicle!

    potholes

    Don’t you hate it when potholes sneak up on you? There is a lot of money being spent on vehicle damage due to potholes. Do you know what parts of your car could receive the most damage? Ponci's Diesel Center is the leader in Fortuna, CA for the service and repair of automotive tires. We know the kind of damage that can be done, so if you suspect something is wrong with your car or truck, it’s always a good idea to stop by so we can take a quick look.

     

  • Proper Care for Your Vehicle

    car driving down road

    Here are 10 steps to keep your car up and running from our team here at Ponci's Diesel Center! Whether you choose to do the maintenance yourself or take your car to see our professional service technicians, the non-profit Car Care Council recommends 10 basic maintenance procedures to keep your vehicle running its best. 

  • Jasper Pref
  • Acdelco
  • Air Dog
  • Air Lift Tow and Haul
  • Auto Zone
  • BD Diesel
  • Bosch Automotive
  • Bully Dog
  • Cummins Diesel
  • Diablosport
  • Draw-Tite Hitches
  • Duramax Diesel
  • Dynomite Diesel
  • FASS
  • Ford Power Stroke Diesel
  • Industrial Injection
  • Magnaflow
  • MBRP
  • Motorcraft Parts
  • Reese Hitches
  • Superchips
  • Valvoline
  • 12 Month Warranty
  • Welding

Ponci's Diesel Center

770 S Fortuna Blvd
Fortuna, CA 95540
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We are now open on Fridays!
MON-THURS: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
FRI: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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