Maintenance

Your nose is an effective detective. When chemical molecules are released, smells enter your nose, dissolve within a mucous membrane and are immediately transferred to your brain to decipher. However, not all odors are easily interpreted, including certain odd car smells that could signal an even greater problem. Here’s what…

Brake calipers are a central component of your braking system and not something to ignore if you’re experiencing problems. One issue that can pop up is a frozen brake caliper, and since the results are potentially dangerous, you’ll want to know the signs. Brake Dance Calipers are mounted on disc…

Spark plug wire replacement has not gone out of style. As drivers keep their cars longer, replacement is needed eventually. The spark plug wire conducts high-voltage pulses from the ignition coil or distributor to the spark plug, keeping that voltage, 10,000 to 30,000 volts, from arcing elsewhere. Spark plug wires…

It’s easy to tell when your windshield wipers need to be replaced because the evidence is right in front of you. Similarly, a dirty cabin air filter might release unpleasant odors or block air from flowing through the vents. An engine air filter that needs to be replaced, however, isn’t…

If you don’t know how to clean windshields, then now is the time to learn. The winter months bring ice and freezing temperatures, and with it, lots of road salt. It gets everywhere from your floor mats to your shoes and your windshield where it can obscure your vision of…

Most car owners are aware of the oil basics: Use the correct oil viscosity, and change it on time. While these two points are widely accepted, there’s still some debate about using conventional oil versus synthetic oil. Most automakers specify using synthetic oil in new vehicles, but what about your…

If you know a bit about cars, you probably have a general idea of how a conventional combustion engine works. But, did you know that throughout the years other engine designs have been imagined and manufactured with varying degrees of success? The rotary engine is one unique example that still…

With winter in full swing, especially if you live north of the 40th parallel, you might have to start your car in below-freezing temperatures, perhaps even below zero. Depending on what kind of oil your car has, you could be inadvertently damaging your engine with every cold start. For this…

What is a throttle position sensor, and why is it important for it to work correctly? The throttle position sensor (TPS) is an essential part of your vehicle’s fuel management system, tasked with ensuring that a precise blend of air and fuel is routed to your engine. This sensor works…

With winter in full force, you may have noticed that your windshield wipers are just not cutting it. The weather is throwing snow, sleet and frost at you, and your windshield wipers are struggling to keep the glass clear. But are winter windshield wipers really that different than regular wipers?…