'Tis the Season (Tires)

September 3, 2023

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. ... More

QUIET TIME (Listening for Vehicle Problems)

August 27, 2023

Everybody's got friends like this. You know, the kind who, the minute they get in their vehicle and turn the key, the sound system is deafening. They just love to hear that music, sports, news anything but the sound of the vehicle itself. And maybe you're that person, too. Here's something to ... More

Clean Air for Your Engine: Engine Air Filters In Orland Park

August 20, 2023

Every Orland Park car owner who has taken their car in for an oil change has been told that their engine air filter's dirty. Here's what goes into the determination of when to change the filter: First, your vehicle owner's manual will have a recommendation of when the filter should be replaced. ... More

Giving CV Joints the Boot! (CV Joint and Boot Replacement)

August 13, 2023

Ever wonder how your vehicles transmission is connected to your wheels? After all, when you hit a pothole or some other uneven part of a roads surface, there has to be something that can maintain the connection between the transmission and the wheel yet keep everything moving at the same speed. ... More

Drivers that "T" Us Off (Bad Driving Practices)

August 6, 2023

We've all seen drivers who do things thatlet's be frankreally irritate us. They're inconsiderate, can put people in danger and make the road a much less friendly place. They really "T" us off. These are the bad drivers who fit their description to a "T." The Tailgater. You've seen this terr... More

Going (Lug) Nuts (Lug Nut Replacement)

July 30, 2023

Here's a part of your vehicle you probably don't think about much: lug nuts. They're what fasten your wheels onto your axles. Pretty important, right? In order to take the wheels off your vehicle to service the brakes, rotate the tires, etc., the lug nuts have to be in good shape so a wrench wi... More

Start Me Up (Ignition Systems)

July 23, 2023

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

Snake in the Engine (Serpentine Belt)

July 16, 2023

There's a belt that snakes through your engine. It's even named for a snake, the serpentine belt. It'll bite you when it breaks, possibly leaving you stranded. So, it's good to know a little about this snake-like belt. In early engines, there were lots of belts. They were used to convert the r... More

In That Case? (Transfer Case Exchange)

July 9, 2023

Ever wonder how all-wheel-drive or 4-wheel-drive vehicles get the power from the engine to the front and rear wheels? The magic happens in what's called a transfer case. In some all-wheel-drive vehicles, it's sometime called a power take-off unit, or PTU. Inside the transfer case is a set of gea... More

Them's the Brakes (Brake Rotor Resurfacing)

July 2, 2023

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... More