Your tire pressure light is on: what it means and what to do
That orange horseshoe with an exclamation mark is your tire pressure light, and it's one of the most common to come on in the fall. Sometimes it's a…
Read itStraight answers about your car
Written by the people who do the work. No gated guides, no scare tactics, and nothing you need to book an appointment to read.
What that burning smell from your car means
A burning smell is your car burning something it shouldn't be, and what that something is ranges from harmless to the early warning of a fire. The smell itself is a surprisingly good clue — here's how to read it…
Grinding or clunking when you turn? Here's what it usually means
A new noise when you turn the wheel is unsettling — but the sound itself is a clue. Where it comes from and when it happens narrows it to a handful…
Read itHow often do you really need to change transmission fluid?
Fresh transmission fluid is cheap; a failed transmission is one of the most expensive repairs a car can need. Here's how often to really change it —…
Read itCheck engine light on but the car runs fine? Here's what to do
Your check engine light is on but the car drives exactly the same. So do you actually need to do anything? Yes — but not in a panic. Here's what a…
Read itWhy is my car overheating? What to do right now
An overheating engine is one of the few car problems where what you do in the next five minutes decides how much it costs. Here's how to read the…
Read itGetting your car ready for a Pacific Northwest winter
PNW winter isn't a foot of snow — it's weeks of rain, cold mornings, and fogged-up windows. That specific mix is hard on a few particular parts of…
Read itWhat's leaking under my car? Identify the fluid by color
A puddle under your car? The color of the fluid and where it drips tell you almost everything — which leaks are just harmless water, which can wait…
Read itTiming belt or timing chain: which your car has, and why it matters
The timing belt is one of the few parts on your car where a routine, planned replacement and a catastrophic engine failure are separated by nothing…
Read itSteering wheel shaking at highway speed? Here is what it usually means
A steering wheel that shakes is one of the most common things drivers bring us, and the single most useful clue is not the shake itself — it is when…
Read itBuying a used car in Graham? Get a pre-purchase inspection first
The single best money you can spend when buying a used car is the hour it takes to have it inspected first. A pre-purchase inspection turns a gamble…
Read itWhy does my battery keep dying even though it's new
You bought a new battery, and a few weeks later the car is dead again. It is one of the most frustrating car problems there is, because the obvious…
Read itYour check engine light is flashing. Pull over.
There is one thing about a check engine light that changes everything: whether it is steady or flashing. A steady light means "get this looked at…
Read itYou probably don't need an oil change every 3,000 miles
If you still change your oil every 3,000 miles, you are probably spending money you don't need to — and if you drive mostly short trips around…
Read itGrinding brakes: what it means and what waiting costs you
A grinding sound when you press the brake pedal is your car telling you something specific, and it is worth listening to. Most of the time it means…
Read itCar won't start? Work out which problem you have before you call
A car that won't start is not one problem — it is a dozen possible problems that all end the same frustrating way. The good news is that you can…
Read itWhen to stop fixing an old car
At some point every older car hands you a repair bill that makes you stop and ask whether it is worth it. It is a genuinely hard call, and the usual…
Read itYour broken A/C is a winter problem, not a summer one
When your car's air conditioning quits in July, it is easy to shrug and wait for cooler weather. Here is why that is a mistake: your defroster runs…
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