760-746-0111

Questions? Give us a call!

1554 E. Grand Ave Suite B
Escondido, CA 92027

Mon - Fri: 7:30 - 4:30
Sat : 7:30 - 11:00

Menu
Menu
D Mac's Auto Repair logo in Escondido

Deals of the Month

Check out our coupon page to see how you can save money on your next visit.

Auto Services

Car ServicesD Mac’s Auto Repair has been serving customers in and around Escondido, California since 1997. With over 25 years of industry experience, we are proud to be your leading provider of professional auto services. Whether you need your brake pads replaced, your brake calipers serviced or replaced, your CV joint axles inspected or have a failed O2 sensor, we can help. We offer a free check engine light diagnostic to ease your worried mind.

We service all makes and models – both domestics and imports. We are also capable of servicing, restoring and maintaining classic cars. We invite you to learn more about how our car service offerings can provide peace of mind and keep your vehicle in good condition.

Brakes and Rotors

Your brakes are the most important safety system on the car. Without reliable brakes, you are putting not only your life and those of your passengers at risk, but also others on the road. At D Mac’s Auto Repair, we provide a wide range of services for brakes and rotors, including an initial brake inspection to determine their condition and the next step to be taken. We can replace your brake pads with high-quality, high-performance pads. We can also resurface your rotors or replace them if they are worn beyond tolerance.

Our brake and rotor service extends to all other components in the braking system. For instance, we can lubricate the slide pin on your calipers or replace damaged calipers if necessary. Leaking brake lines can be repaired or replaced. We can also inspect your master cylinder and reservoir to ensure that there are no leaks. If we discover a leak, we’ll inform you and we can replace the failed part quickly. We can also offer a full brake system flush to replace old, worn out brake fluid before it becomes a serious safety hazard.

Trust your brakes and your on-road safety to D Mac’s Auto Repair.

Check Engine Light Diagnostics

Your car is equipped with a computer capable of monitoring many aspects of engine operation. The check engine light is designed to illuminate when a problem occurs with the emissions system. The problem is that it doesn’t tell you exactly what’s wrong. It stores a code in the car’s onboard computer. It can be frustrating and unnerving to drive with your check engine light on and you won’t be able to pass your emissions test with it illuminated either.

At D Mac’s Auto Repair, we understand your frustration and offer a free check engine light diagnostic to help determine the underlying cause. One of our professionally-trained technicians will connect our best-of-breed scan tool to the OBD II connection in your car and read the code stored there. We will inform you of the initial code, as well as the results of our in-depth diagnosis, allowing you to make an informed decision about the repairs or replacements needed.

We firmly believe in keeping our customers informed and apprised at all times, and we are proud to offer our check engine light diagnostic service free of charge. You are also welcome to get a second opinion on our diagnosis and choose to use us for your repairs or another shop of your choice. For any questions, read our check engine light FAQs.

Tie Rod Ends

Tie rod ends are vital components in your steering and suspension system. They use a ball and socket setup to provide motion and they are adjusted during the alignment process. The ball and socket joint is protected by a rubber boot filled with grease. However, over time, the boot will begin to wear – rubber becomes dry and brittle, leading to cracking and the loss of lubrication. Once the boot is damaged, the entire tie rod end needs to be replaced (you cannot replace just the ball and socket).

At D Mac’s Auto Repair, we can provide professional inspections and installations for inner and outer tie rod ends to ensure that you have accurate steering, and that your tires do not suffer from excessive wear (if the tie rod end begins to fail, the car’s alignment will usually be out, leading to excessive edge wear on your tires and possibly premature failure).

Coolant Flush

Coolant is an essential element for an operational engine – it is responsible for maintaining the optimum operating temperature and wicking away excess heat. Coolant cycles from the reservoir through the radiator, then through the upper and lower radiator hoses and around the engine. It absorbs heat from the engine and then returns to the radiator, where that heat is dispersed into the atmosphere. Air moving over the radiator fins cools the coolant and then it begins the cycle once more.

Of course, coolant also plays an important role in protecting against freezing temperatures. While those are rare here in Escondido, they’re not entirely unheard of, so your car’s coolant needs to be properly maintained at all times.

Over time, coolant loses its ability to protect against both high temperatures and low temperatures. A coolant flush is recommended roughly every five years to ensure that you have adequate protection for the engine at all temperatures. One of our highly-trained professional technicians will flush out your coolant system, removing rust, debris and gunk and then refill it with fresh coolant to keep your engine protected.

Brake Calipers

Your brakes consist of a number of different components that must all work together in harmony in order to slow and stop your car. Fluid must be sent from the master cylinder through the brake lines to the caliper. The brake caliper will then squeeze two pads (an inner and outer pad) against the brake rotor. This creates friction and drag which slows down the wheel, eventually stopping your car.

As you can imagine, if the caliper is not working properly, your braking will be severely affected. The most common problem with calipers is “sticking” if the slide pin is not lubricated correctly, but they can also seize, and can be damaged in a number of ways. If one of the pads wears down completely, it is possible that the caliper will actually touch the rotor, causing serious damage.

At D Mac’s Auto Repair, we can provide a full inspection, lubrication and service for your brake calipers. We can also replace damaged or failed calipers to ensure that you and your passengers are as safe as possible on the road. If you suspect a problem with your caliper, do not wait. Get in touch with us about car service immediately.

Ball Joints

Ball joints are crucial to performance and safety while you are on the road. They actually connect your car’s control arm (for steering) to the steering knuckle itself. It works as a pivot, allowing the suspension to travel, but also ensuring that input from the steering wheel makes it to the wheels (letting you turn the car). Most vehicles have both an upper and lower ball joint on each of the front wheels.

Over time and through normal wear and tear, your ball joints will eventually wear out. The lower ball joint usually goes first because of the additional strain placed on it, but the upper ball joint will also fail given enough time and driving. Worn ball joints can lead to problems like excessive wear on the tires (by adversely affecting the alignment). If the wear is significant enough, the joint can separate and the wheel will come off (which is definitely never a good thing!).

At D Mac’s Auto Repair, we have over 25 years of experience providing professional car service to our customers in Escondido, including replacing upper and lower ball joints on both domestics and imports. Whether you’re driving a coupe, sedan, minivan, pickup truck or SUV, we can ensure that you’re safe and secure on the road.

CV Joint Axles

Front-wheel drive vehicles (the majority of modern vehicles on the road today, barring most pickups and SUVs) require a way to get power from the transmission to the front wheels. CV joint axles are used to do this. Essentially, these are axles with splines on either end and two joints, one near the transmission and one near the wheel.

The CV joints allow the axle to flex with the wheel and suspension, ensuring that you can continue driving even on irregular surfaces. The problem is that axles are subject to a significant amount of wear and tear. Some of the most common problems we see here at D Mac’s Auto Repair include the following:

Bent Axles – The result of auto accidents, hitting curbs, or even running through deep potholes
Damaged CV Boots – The rubber boots that protect the CV joints are filled with grease. However, they can begin to leak through wear or damage. Once grease begins to leak out, water, dirt and debris can get in. If the leak is very fresh or minor, the axle may only need to be re-booted. If the situation is severe, then the axle will have to be replaced.
Damaged CV Joints – Once the CV joint is damaged, the entire axle needs to be replaced to prevent it from failing completely and leaving your car unable to be driven.

At D Mac’s Auto Repair, we can inspect your CV joint axles for bends, boot damage and joint damage. We will inform you of our diagnosis and provide you with our recommendation on the next steps to take.

Thermostats

Your car’s coolant system helps keep the engine at optimum operating temperature, but it also supplies the heat needed to work your car’s heater. In order to operate correctly, coolant must be prevented from cycling through the entire engine until it has warmed up to operating temperature.

A thermostat does exactly that – it is designed to remain closed until the heat and pressure build up enough to open it. When the thermostat opens, coolant is allowed to flow through the entire system.

Of course, your thermostat is susceptible to failure. If it fails while closed (sticking closed), then the engine may overheat. If it fails while open (sticks open), then the engine’s operating temperature will remain below optimum and your car’s heater will not work either.

Our experienced technicians can diagnose your cooling system problem and replace a failed thermostat quickly and efficiently. We will also perform a coolant flush at the same time, which will make sure that your coolant is new and up to the task of protecting your engine.

Alternators

Your car’s alternator is responsible for supplying all the electricity needed while the engine is running, including the spark plugs, your radio, your headlights and anything else. It’s also responsible for recharging the battery, which supplies electricity to crank the engine and to operate your electronic accessories if the engine is not running.

Like most other automotive components, alternators have a finite lifespan, although they’re designed to work for many years without any trouble. You may notice that your headlights brighten when you press the gas pedal and dim when you let off – this is a sign of impending alternator failure.

The best defense against being stranded with a dead alternator is to have your entire charging system tested regularly. This includes the alternator, the battery and the starter. We are happy to offer testing as part of ,our regular car service menu and we can also replace your alternator. We carry a full line of OEM-specific alternators designed to fit your car exactly and provide the precise charging and power supply it requires.

O2 Sensors

All cars, trucks, minivans and SUVs today are required to have oxygen sensors (O2 sensors). They play a crucial role in your vehicle’s emissions system by detecting whether or not your car’s engine is running rich or lean (too much fuel or too much oxygen). It feeds this information into the car’s computer, which automatically compensates to ensure that the engine is using the optimum amount of oxygen to fuel. This helps to ensure “maximum burn” and minimizes the amount of fuel wasted through exhaust.

Oxygen sensors are exposed to very high temperatures in the exhaust system and they can also be damaged during accidents, in collisions with debris in the road and in other ways. If an oxygen sensor fails, the check engine light will come on and your car will not pass its emissions testing.

We can provide a free check engine light diagnostic to determine if your O2 sensor has failed (our diagnostic is free of charge). If the sensor has failed, we can replace it with an OEM-specified sensor and clear the code from the computer, which will turn the check engine light off.

Contact D Mac’s Auto Repair in Escondido

At D Mac’s Auto Repair, we take pride in our reputation for providing the most professional car service in Escondido and the surrounding area. We work hard to gain your trust and always strive to inform and educate – we never move forward with a repair or replacement without your explicit approval. Contact us today at 760-746-0111 to schedule your appointment today or fill out our online contact form to be contacted.

To learn more about auto services, read our blogs: benefits of auto serviceauto service overview, signs you need auto service.

Read Our Reviews

Contact Dmac Auto

D Mac's Auto Repair logo in Escondido

Dear Valued Customers,
We are writing to inform you that D Mac Automotive is currently out of business. This decision wasn't easy, but necessary due to unforeseen circumstances. We deeply appreciate your support and loyalty over the years. Your trust and patronage have meant the world to us. We will miss serving you and being a part of this wonderful community. Thank you for all the memorable moments and for allowing us to be a part of your lives.

Sincerely,
D Mac Automotive