January 25, 2026 Gearing Up (Differential Fluid Service)

You may have never thought about it, but when you turn a corner, the wheels on one side of your vehicle turn at a different speed than the other side. What is this magic? The answer is something called the differential. A differential is a gear box placed between the drive wheels and needs lub...

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• Differential Service

January 18, 2026 The ?Man-Made? Engine Oil (Synthetic Oil Change)

If you own a newer vehicle, your vehicles manufacturer may require that it use synthetic oil instead of conventional oil. Synthetic oils are more stable, dont break down as easily, and provide better engine protection than conventional oil. All those things can prolong the life of your engine an...

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• Oil Change

January 11, 2026 A "Mounting" Problem (Motor Mounts)

You know how heavy your engine and transmission are, so you can imagine how tough the parts that hold them onto your vehicle's sub-frame must be. Not only must they support the weight, they also have to isolate vibrations and noise from the passenger cabin. Pretty tall order, wouldn't you say? ...

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• Windshield Wipers

January 4, 2026 Go With the Flow (MAF Sensor Replacement)

A driver brought her vehicle into the shop the other day and told us how she was getting lousy fuel economy and that the engine was running rough. Plus, the Check Engine light was on. Our technician checked the code the engine had generated (why the Check Engine light was on) and found the prob...

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• Windshield Wipers

December 28, 2025 Don't be Fuelish (Signs Fuel Pump is Failing)

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...

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• Fuel System

December 21, 2025 Busted: The Maintenance-Free Myth in Toledo

There's a segment of the Toledo area population that's not committed to proper vehicle maintenance. Now, the ignition system in your vehicle is electronic and controlled by the engine management computer. Spark plugs rarely get fouled and will last for as much as 100,000 miles (160,000 kilomete...

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• Maintenance

December 14, 2025 Them's the Brakes (Brake Rotor Resurfacing)

Your vehicle's brakes wear out. It's inevitable. You'll notice it when you step on the brake pedal and feel it harder to stop, or there's vibration when you are braking. Most modern vehicles have disc brakes that each use a brake pad that press on a disc (disc brakes!) called a rotor. The fric...

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• Older Vehicles

December 7, 2025 In a Fog (Fogged Windows in Cold Weather)

It's bad enough in cold weather when ice and snow block your visibility. Add to that fog on the inside of your windows and you could be driving blind. So here are a few tips on how to keep your windows from fogging up when there's a chill in the air. You probably know fog is really condensation...

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• Windshield Wipers

November 30, 2025 A Bright Spark (Ignition Coil Replacement)

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...

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• Windshield Wipers

November 23, 2025 'Tis the Season (Tires)

We all know about winter tires. But did you know there is such a thing as summer tires? Most people have all-season tires on their vehicles. They work pretty well in a variety of weather conditions. But if you want better handling and performance, you might consider switching to summer tires. ...

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• Winter Tires