Automotive Industry News & Information - Oliver Automotive

If you're prepping to go on a road trip, you need to be sure that your vehicle is ready for the journey. An unmaintained vehicle could be the difference between a good trip and a trip that goes south really quickly. Here at Oliver Automotive, we want to remind you of some things to do so you and your vehicle are ready for the road.

1. Get a Pre-Trip Mechanical Inspection - Is it overkill to have a technician give your car a pre-trip once over? Not if it saves you from disaster on the road, and we'd rather be safe than sorry. Here at Oliver Automotive, our mechanics should be able to identify any significant components that are on their last legs. Even if your car comes back with a clean bill of health, there's a lot of value in having that peace of mind.

It makes sense that a car that is rarely driven will last longer, right? It may seem counterintuitive, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Vehicles are meant to be driven, and various issues can arise if they aren’t stored properly or driven fairly regularly. If you have a car, truck, or SUV that you only drive occasionally, in the summer, to car shows, etc., this one is for you. Here’s what you need to know, from Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA.

If you’re ever in a situation where you must remove the battery from your vehicle, it’s important to know what you’re doing. It seems pretty straightforward, and it is. However, there are some important things to remember when disconnecting the battery in your car, truck, or SUV. Here are some tips on disconnecting a car battery, from Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA.

Foggy headlights are a problem that has arisen in the past couple of decades, as we have moved away from glass sealed beam bulbs and into an era of plastic lenses with bulbs inside. While modern headlights are superior to the sealed beam headlights of years ago, they do tend to fog up after years of use. It’s a good trade for far better illumination and easier replacement, but an issue nonetheless. Hours and hours of heat, sunlight, and age eventually cause them to cloud up, which can reduce visibility at night in addition to worsening the appearance of your car, truck, or SUV. From Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA, here are some tips on taking care of your foggy or cloudy headlight issue.

True safety starts with being able to see where you are driving. Your lights and wipers play a major role in safe driving and the chance of an accident increases if you can't see or be seen. No matter what time of year, it's important to make sure your vehicle's lights and wipers are working properly so your visibility is not compromised and you can be seen by others. From the driver's seat, you may not notice a light that isn't working, but when a big rain comes it becomes easier to see what you are missing! When wet weather hits your roads is not the time for you to discover limited visibility problems. Here at Oliver Automotive we take our Novato drivers' safety seriously and inspect their vehicles when they come in for service.

beautiful jeep

Leaks and drips that get the interior of your vehicle wet are definitely an inconvenience. Sitting water promotes rust, bad smells, and can ruin your carpet. Furthermore, the water often seems to come from seemingly nowhere, adding to the frustration. From Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA, here are some of the leading causes of water on your floor, and what you can do about it.

By now, the numbers are clear; seat belts save lives. But just wearing one isn’t enough - it needs to be working properly to actually keep you safe. Here’s what you need to know about the seat belts in your car, truck, or SUV, from Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA.

We’ve all been there: You start your car in the morning and begin to back out of the driveway. You hear an unusual noise coming from your car, and it sounds bad. How do you know if it's something you should bring in to us here at Oliver Automotive to get looked at? Questioning the severity of the sound is a smart immediate response because the difference between a squeaky joint and near-catastrophic engine failure can be a big one.