Month: March 2015

An emissions test is an assessment of a vehicle’s pollution output under simulated driving conditions. Many countries set minimum emissions standards for vehicles and often also require vehicle owners to get tests done every year or every other year in order to be sure that all vehicles using the roads meet these standards. Around the…

The powertrain control module, otherwise known as the PCM or computer, is essentially your vehicle’s brain. It is responsible for the health running of your vehicle’s engine. When the PCM is not functioning correctly, the engine and many other functions that are controlled by the PCM will not function correctly either. This would include parts…

When to replace Oxygen Sensors Your vehicle’s oxygen sensors play an important role in the optimal operation of your vehicle, but these parts are often overlooked when performing regular vehicle maintenance. The main reason for this is because many automobile owners do not know the symptoms of bad oxygen sensors, and only learn of the…

The windshield wipers on your vehicle clear away precipitation and debris while driving. The windshield wipers are a crucial aspect of safe driving as they allow the driver proper visibility. When the windshield wipers are turned off, they are designed to park horizontal on the bottom of the windshield and rest on the windshield tray.…

Summary: Tips on pinpointing power window problems. Broken power windows are usually caused by one of several things. The most common problem is a bad power window motor. The second most common problem is the regulator, followed by a bad power window switch. If the window regulator is broken it could be binding or the…

There are certain things an engine can do that just reek of “very bad,” and unnatural changes in fluid color or texture rate pretty high on that list. Nasty coolant is one of those that can elicit a kind of knee-jerk disgust or panic — as well it should. Not only is the idea of…

A car that won’t turn over can be a very frustrating problem. If your engine won’t turn over, there’s a good chance you have a very inexpensive repair on your hands. Of course, in the event that your inexpensive repair is diagnosed by an expensive repair shop, you could end up with a much more…

While the sages and learned men among us may espouse that where there’s smoke, there’s fire, sometimes — especially where engines are concerned — smoke is just smoke. While it may not be devastating in and of itself, smoking is often symptomatic of deeper problems that require immediate attention before burning through all the cash…

A vehicle’s mass airflow sensor, or MAF, is the component that measures the flow and density of the air flowing into the combustion chamber. It helps the car’s computer regulate the radio of the air to fuel. It’s a critical engine performance component, so if it fails or begins to fail, you should have it…