A Real "Pane" (Window Maintenance and Repair)
May 30, 2021
It's pretty frustrating when your driver's window won't work. You can't get your food at the drive-thru without opening the door, have a tough time using the ATM from your vehicle, can't have that fresh breeze blowing through your hair as you listen to your favorite road tunes. Plus, there's a s... More
Steer Right in Elgin
May 23, 2021
Virtually all vehicles come with power steering, so many Elgin drivers have never driven a car or truck without it. Power steering assists you when you turn your vehicle steering wheel. Without it, it would be very hard to steer. Now this power assist comes in a couple of forms. In recent years,... More
Losing Your Spark (Spark Plug Replacement)
May 16, 2021
When's the last time you thought about spark plugs? You probably don't remember. That's because spark plugs usually last a long time and don't need much attention. But they don't last forever, and when they start going bad, they'll send you a few clues. Vehicle is hard to start. Fuel economy ... More
The Vivacious Vernal Vehicle (Preparing Vehicle for Spring)
May 9, 2021
Most of us look forward to spring because the days are longer, the weather's warmer and we can finally get our vehicles into warm weather mode. Here are a few things that will breathe fresh energy into anyone's car, SUV, truck or van. First thing is a good cleaning, especially underneath. If you... More
Finding Vehicle Recall Information in Elgin, Illinois
May 2, 2021
No matter how well they're made, vehicles in Elgin, Illinois, will have design or manufacturing problems. And when the government thinks a problem is really serious for people in Elgin, Illinois, they require the manufacturer to issue a recall notice and fix the vehicle free of charge. The manuf... More
I NEED All Wheel Drive (Pros and Cons of AWD)
April 25, 2021
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
The Best Book that's Not a Best-Seller
April 18, 2021
Sometimes the movie is better than the book, sometimes it's the other way around. But when it comes to your vehicle, the best book of all is the owner's manual. The plot is simple: Owner wants long life and dependable performance from the vehicle, manual has the way to achieve that long life and... More
No Strain, No Gain (The Basics of Oil Filters)
April 11, 2021
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
Start Me Up (Ignition Systems)
April 4, 2021
When you start up your gasoline engine car, you may not know that it's using the same ignition principles as it has for decades. You have spark plugs that require enough power so a spark can jump across a gap at its tip. Years ago, a vehicle's 12-volt system had to produce 15,000-25,000 volts t... More
No Fueling! (Fuel Filler Location)
March 28, 2021
If you've ever gotten in an unfamiliar vehicle, maybe a rental car, you may have pulled up to the gas pump and wondered, "Which side is the fuel filler on?" Here's a tip for you. There is usually a little arrow on the instrument panel near the fuel gauge that points to the side where the fuel fi... More