What is a TPS? (Throttle Position Sensor)
March 6, 2022
You know you have an accelerator pedal; step on it and your vehicle is supposed to go. But did you know there is a part in your vehicle that keeps track of where the throttle is? It's called the Throttle Position Sensor, or TPS. The TPS is a sensor that helps your vehicle figure out the right mi... More
Muffler: Victim of Winter (Muffler Repair)
February 13, 2022
So you almost got through the winter until, one day, your muffler started sounding like a dragster, loud and obnoxious. It's not surprising. All that road salt and brine can cause rust to punch holes in a muffler, and that should raise a big, red warning flag about the safety of your vehicle. O... More
In the Hot Seat (Repair and Maintenance of Seat Heaters)
December 19, 2021
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
The Third Brake Light (Third Brake Light Service)
December 12, 2021
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
Rear Window?Not the Movie! (Why Some Rear Windows Don't Go All the Way Down)
December 5, 2021
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
Not-So-Common Sense (Sensor Failures)
November 14, 2021
So your vehicle won't start. What's the first thing that comes to mind? Battery dead? Starter motor worn out? Out of gas? Well, those are all reasons that make sense. But your vehicle may be refusing to start because one of its computers is being warned that to do so might damage it. Here's ... More
A Squirrely Problem (Animals Nesting in Engine)
November 7, 2021
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
Greeted by a Screech (Loud Noise when Starting Vehicle)
October 10, 2021
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
Why You Have an O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor)
September 19, 2021
If someone asked you what gas made up the largest portion of the atmosphere, what would you guess? Well, it's not oxygen; it only makes up 20.9 percent. But since we're talking about oxygen, you should know that your vehicle uses oxygen sensors to make sure your engine is running the way it shou... More
The Right Stuff (Choosing Replacement Parts)
August 22, 2021
Let's face it. Vehicles are complicated machines, each having thousands of parts. And since they're subjected to heat, cold, vibrations, bumps and much more, these parts wear out and need to be replaced. When your service advisor says you need a new part, you may have many options. Let's say ... More