I NEED All Wheel Drive (Pros and Cons of AWD)
August 4, 2025
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
Cold Weather Vehicle No-Nos (Items to Avoid Storing in a Freezing Vehicle)
July 14, 2025
It's always easier to leave a few things in your vehicle so you'll have them on hand. But in cold weather, while it's a good idea to carry items such as a phone charger, blanket and shovel, there are some things you shouldn't store in your vehicle. Medicines and drugs. Cold temperatures can af... More
I Had No Idea! (Four Things You Didn't Know About Vehicles)
July 7, 2025
Bet you didn't know: Some of the earliest rearview mirrors were marketed as "Cop Spotters" so drivers would know when police were following them. Who wants a ticket, anyway? According to eBay Motors, Elmer Berger first patented a rearview mirror that was mounted on the front fenders, on the spare... More
Go With the Flow (MAF Sensor Replacement)
April 27, 2025
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
Objects in the Mirror (Rearview Mirror Safety and Maintenance)
April 13, 2025
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
Gas Smell! (What Causes Gasoline Odors)
March 9, 2025
If you've ever walked into your garage and noticed it smelled like gasoline, pay attention. Gasoline can be dangerous, both from the health problems fumes can cause and the fire danger gasoline presents. There are many things that can cause a vehicle to give off a gasoline odor. One of the easi... More
When Your Air Bag Light Comes On (Illuminated Air Bag Light)
February 16, 2025
There are some dashboard lights you should pay more attention to than others. One is the air bag light. If it's on and your vehicle is in an accident, your air bags probably won't do their job. Automakers began installing air bags in the late 1990's since they were mandatory in the United State... More
A Bright Spark (Ignition Coil Replacement)
January 12, 2025
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
Getting from E to F (Fuel Gauge Problems)
January 5, 2025
Who thinks about their fuel gauge? You probably don't until it doesn't work any more. Then you have to guess how much fuel is in your tank, and that's no way to live life on the road. Fuel gauges, like every other part in your vehicle, can fail. And when yours stops working, you will probably... More
If You Drive Like a Maniac (Aggressive Driving is Bad for a Vehicle)
November 17, 2024
When someone mentions driving like a maniac, they're not talking about you, surely? Besides the safety issues of aggressive driving, you should know that your vehicle will last a lot longer if you'll just mellow out a little. Here are four traits good drivers follow if they want their vehicles t... More