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 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 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 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.

  • 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. 

  • Properly Maintaining Your Battery

    mechanic placing a car battery into a vehicle

    Your car’s radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine. A vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used. This is where your car battery comes into play. The battery of your vehicle holds electrical energy while the car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion. Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you allow our team here at Ponci's Diesel Center to perform proper maintenance, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years.

  • Protect Your Vehicle From Transmission Shifting Issues

    gear shift on a vehicle

    If your transmission isn’t shifting correctly, you’ll want to be careful about how you choose to proceed. The best thing to do is turn the vehicle off and have a professional take a look at it, but if that isn’t an option, there are some steps you can take to ensure nothing gets damaged. At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA we can take a look at your issues and also give you some tips on what to do when that option isn't available yet. 

  • Pumping Brakes are a Thing of the Past

    dashboard with ABS light on

    At Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA, we see our fair share of warning lights and dashboard notifications. If your ABS light is illuminated, here’s what you need to know.

  • Quality Engine Work is a Top Priority

    Engine Maintenance

    A quality product is only as good as the quality of the installation. You’re dropping some serious money on an engine replacement, on a car that’s worth even more. Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, CA is here to make sure you get the quality install you need.

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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
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