Objects in the Mirror (Rearview Mirror Safety and Maintenance)
October 6, 2024
You may remember a song that went, "Objects in the rearview mirror may appear closer than they are." While that was a song about life's lessons, there are a few things we should all know about how important rearview mirrors are to safe driving. While new electronic devices are helping drivers be ... More
A Bright Spark (Ignition Coil Replacement)
June 23, 2024
Ever wonder how your vehicles engine is able to take the 12-volts from its battery and ramp that up to as high as the tens of thousands of volts it takes to fire its spark plugs? The secret is something called an ignition coil. Most newer vehicles have an ignition coil at each cylinder, but olde... More
Passing the Test (How to Prevent Emissions Test Failure)
April 28, 2024
Vehicle emission testing has become ubiquitous in North America and for a good reason. Clean air quality is important for the environment and all of us. Since vehicle emissions are among the main causes of air pollution, emission testing can alert you to problems in your vehicle than can be fix... More
Don't Do It Yourself (Perils of DIY Vehicle Repair)
April 14, 2024
Your vehicle is a complicated machine, and yes, it would be nice if you could take care of all of its problems yourself. There was a time when vehicles were simpler and it wasn't too hard for a weekend mechanic to replace brakes, adjust a carburetor or perform a tune-up. But vehicles are far mo... More
Chilly Warning (Diagnosing a Noise in Cold Vehicle)
March 31, 2024
When the weather gets colder, sometimes the noises your vehicle makes will change. For example, you may notice a whining sound when you get going in the morning. It may go away when the vehicle warms up, but it's best not to ignore that sound because it could be a warning of worse things to com... More
I NEED All Wheel Drive (Pros and Cons of AWD)
March 10, 2024
So winter has arrived and you don't feel confident in how your 2-wheel drive vehicle does in the snow and ice. You envy all those people with all-wheel-drive (AWD) and 4-wheel-drive (4WD) cars, trucks and SUVs. You start thinking, "I need one of those. I'll be able to go anywhere without any w... More
Going (Lug) Nuts (Lug Nut Replacement)
February 11, 2024
Here's a part of your vehicle you probably don't think about much: lug nuts. They're what fasten your wheels onto your axles. Pretty important, right? In order to take the wheels off your vehicle to service the brakes, rotate the tires, etc., the lug nuts have to be in good shape so a wrench wi... More
A "Mounting" Problem (Motor Mounts)
January 21, 2024
You know how heavy your engine and transmission are, so you can imagine how tough the parts that hold them onto your vehicle's sub-frame must be. Not only must they support the weight, they also have to isolate vibrations and noise from the passenger cabin. Pretty tall order, wouldn't you say? ... More
Go With the Flow (MAF Sensor Replacement)
January 14, 2024
A driver brought her vehicle into the shop the other day and told us how she was getting lousy fuel economy and that the engine was running rough. Plus, the Check Engine light was on. Our technician checked the code the engine had generated (why the Check Engine light was on) and found the prob... More
Wash Me, Wash Me Right (How to Wash a Vehicle)
December 24, 2023
Most would agree they'd rather drive around in a clean, shiny vehicle than one coated with a layer of dirt. When warmer weather comes around, some of us are bound and determined to wash our own vehicles. And to protect the paint and its luster, there are a few things to keep in mind when you ge... More