Diagnosing Car Problems

The harmonic balancer in your vehicle is a pulley that sits on the end of your crankshaft. It is typically on the driver's side of the engine. The pulley drives your timing belt in most cases, and...

The rear parking brake cable is most easily checked on most vehicles from inside the cabin and at the rear wheels. The parking brake cable is responsible for locking the rear wheels up while you...

The low profile of Lincoln floor jacks make them perfect for the amateur DIY as well the professional mechanic. Over time, however, you may need to troubleshoot various problems with the Lincoln...

Shocks take a beating on a vehicle's suspension. They dampen the impact from the road while maintaining the stability and weight of the vehicle. Coil springs or leaf springs assist the shocks, but...

Shocks are available in several varieties. The least-expensive shocks are the older, standard, oil-filled shocks. The problem with these stems from the fact that they fail once they become heated...

The rear axle in a Ford Mustang usually doesn't fail. However, there are two weak points in the axle. The inboard and outboard CV joint on the axle allows the axle to flex. However, the joint also...

The O2 sensor is plugged into the exhaust of a vehicle and measures the ratio of air-to-fuel making its way into the engine indirectly. It acts as an emissions control device. Since the ideal...

The oxygen sensor on the Ford Taurus checks the air to fuel ratio as the engine runs to make sure that the Taurus is running with the correct mixture of air to gasoline. Since the ideal mixture is...

The rear wheel bearings on your car carry the load off of the rear axles. The bearings are like any ball bearings in that they provide a smooth, frictionless surface for the wheel to rotate on....

Oil seals are seals on the engine block of your vehicle that keep the oil where it's supposed to be, in the engine or transmission, and away from places it's not supposed to be, the ground. A...

There is no one that knows your car better than you. If it performs differently or sounds or feels different, the first person to notice will be you. If the muffler develops a hole in the shell...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in an Alero isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Neon isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If it's...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Bonneville isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other....

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Grand Prix isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other....

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a VUE isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If it's...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in an Ion isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If it's...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in an Outback isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Camry isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Tundra isn't working the way it should be, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Jetta isn't working the way it should be, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Passat isn't working the way it should be, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Corolla isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other. If...

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Highlander isn't working the way it should, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the other....

Two things make an internal combustion engine function: fuel and fire. If the engine in a Toyota Tacoma isn't working the way it should be, then it's because there's a restriction on one or the...

Simple steps to make sure your vehicle is safe.

Many of us take our vehicles to mechanics to care for our cars. Most of the problems our cars face, at some point, require some level of expertise. Without the passing down of an expert's...

Before buying an older car, or if you already have one, it is important to find any weak areas, such as rust and decay which may have created rot in the frame, which supports the car. Many times...