Greeted by a Screech (Loud Noise when Starting Vehicle)
July 21, 2025
No one likes to be greeted in the morning by having someone screech at you. The same goes for a loud, high-pitched noise your vehicle greets you with every time you start the engine. If you're wondering if that's normal, no, it isn't. And it is worth getting checked out. The good news is that... More
"Current" Affairs (Blown Fuses)
June 30, 2025
You may be driving along and find that suddenly your radio stops working. There are no numbers on the display. Then when you get home, you notice the garage door opener doesn't do a thing when you press the button. Hmm, this was working just fine this morning. Are the two problems somehow rela... More
Passing the Test (How to Prevent Emissions Test Failure)
June 16, 2025
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
Low Power Mystery (Ignition Coil Service)
May 4, 2025
It's no fun when your vehicle just doesn't run the way it used to. You may notice (especially in cold weather) the engine won't start easily or when it does start, it doesn't run smoothly. It may not have much power at all. You also may have had to stop at the gas station more often, a sign you... More
Visibility Disaster! (Windshield Washer Pump Replacement)
January 26, 2025
Let's say you live in a cold climate where the snowy, icy weather challenges you to clear the salt and debris tossed up on your windshield. You push your windshield washer switch expecting a good stream of fluid so the blades can wipe the glass clean. Yet nothing comes out. Nada, zip. What's g... More
Clean Slate (Protecting Vehicle's Finish)
January 12, 2025
Winter is one of the hardest times to keep your vehicle clean. But did you know neglecting to wash your vehicle in winter could cost you a significant amount of money in the long run? Here's why. Many areas deal with snow and ice in the winter, and the salt and sand that are used to keep the road... More
In the Hot Seat (Repair and Maintenance of Seat Heaters)
January 5, 2025
It's chilly outside. You flip on that switch that looks like a picture of a seat with little heat waves rising from it. You expect soon you'll feel that warmth but wait! It's not getting warmer. Oh no, what's wrong with my seat heater? There could be lots of reasons it's not working, and it cou... More
No Strain, No Gain (The Basics of Oil Filters)
November 17, 2024
Ever wonder what one of the best things is to ever happen to your vehicle's engine? It's the little thing that usually looks like a can, the oil filter. Just like your kitchen sink strainer filters out errant particles of food from clogging your drain, the oil filter cleans out small particles t... More
A Bright Spark (Ignition Coil Replacement)
October 27, 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
A Squirrely Problem (Animals Nesting in Engine)
October 6, 2024
If you park your vehicle outside, you are exposing it to all sorts of critters that would love to use it for nesting, food storage and shelter. There are plenty of pictures online of people who've discovered there was more than an engine under the hood. In one case, the driver of an SUV started... More