Don't be Fuelish (Signs Fuel Pump is Failing)
December 20, 2020
A driver of a large SUV loaded with equipment was heading on a 7-hour work trip when he stopped at a gas station to refuel. When he went to restart his SUV, it turned over but wouldn't catch. Try as he might, he was never able to get it started again. Of course there are many things that can c... More
Automotive Tips from Tuffy Auto Service Center Elgin: Signs of an Alignment Problem
December 13, 2020
When properly aligned, all of your wheels are pointed in the same direction. Your vehicle will track true and handle the way it is designed. Elgin drivers often associate our wheels being knocked out of alignment with an event like an accident, hitting a pothole, curb or some other object. While ... More
Rear Window?Not the Movie! (Why Some Rear Windows Don't Go All the Way Down)
December 6, 2020
Alfred Hitchcock once made a mystery thriller film called "Rear Window." It had nothing to do with the rear window of today's cars, SUVs, CUVs and light trucks. But there is one thing that some drivers DO find mysterious. Why don't the rear windows in the second row of many of these vehicles go... More
Winter Watch List (Winter Maintenance Items)
November 29, 2020
Don't love winter weather? Here's a list of four things you need to keep a watch on during the winter months. Let's start with coolant levels. Coolant is as important in cold weather as it is in hot weather. Think of the term "anti-freeze." Your coolant needs to be adjusted for climate and temp... More
Idle Talk about Engines (Causes of Rough Engine Idling)
November 22, 2020
When you slow down at stoplight, your vehicle's idle should be smooth as silk. But what happens when the engine is missing or idling roughly? That's your engine's way of telling you, "Hey, I've got something wrong with me and if you don't get someone to find out what it is, I may not start the n... More
Automotive Tips from Tuffy Auto Service Center Elgin: Timing Belt Overview
November 15, 2020
In your engine, valves over each combustion chamber open to allow fresh air in, close during the combustion event, and then other valves open to let out the exhaust. All of this happens over and over thousands of times a minute when you are driving around Elgin. The timing belts important job is ... More
The Third Brake Light (Third Brake Light Service)
November 8, 2020
So you thought you only had two brake lights. Look again and you'll see one in the center at a higher level than the two on either side of the vehicle. They're sometimes in the inside of the vehicle behind the back window, or they could be in the deck lid, on the roof or on the spare wheel carr... More
Dashboard's a Funny Name (Instrumental Panel Warning Lights)
November 1, 2020
Every day you drive, you're sitting behind the dashboard. But how in the world did it get that name? Back in the days of the horse-drawn carriage, horses would kick up dirt and mud on the driver and passengers, "dashing" debris against the carriage. So those who built carriages began installing a... More
Wired! (Battery Cable Service)
October 25, 2020
Colder weather brings out the worst in a vehicle's battery. On a very cold day, you may have experienced that your engine cranks slowly when starting. But while it may be the battery itself, it may also be the parts that transfer the power to other the other electrical components, the battery c... More
Exhaust Service at Tuffy Auto Service Center Elgin: Passing the Smell Test
October 18, 2020
The exhaust system on a vehicle is more complex than most Elgin residents realize. It contains everything from old-fashioned pipes and clamps to sophisticated computers and sensors. All Illinois folks know a properly functioning exhaust system is good for the environment, but sometimes we forget... More