Do It Yourself Auto Repair

Chances are the cause of the defective light or brake lights circuit on your Chevy Silverado is a simple problem. Moreover, you can blame most of these problems on little or no maintenance,...

Harley Davidson motorcycles from 1982 on use a front brake caliper that has two main pieces--the caliper and the pad holder. The brake calipers should always be inspected prior to riding for leaks...

Isuzu Hombres with a manual transmission utilize a hydraulic circuit to open and close the clutch. A rod attached to the clutch pedal connects to the clutch master cylinder. When you press down on...

Pontiac produced the Grand Am between 1973 and 2005. The last generation Pontiac Grand Am was the 1999 to 2005 model. This model had a center-console mounted shifter covered by a leather boot. The...

Light bulbs in a Subaru outback come in two major types. Larger bulbs, like headlights and brake light bulbs, have retaining tabs to hold the bulb into the light housing. Smaller bulbs, used for...

The brake light switch on the Nissan Altima is responsible for activating the brake lights. Without a functioning switch, the rear brake lights will not light up. For automatic Altimas, the...

Removing stubborn brake bolts is tricky since rust and corrosion often set into these types of bolts. Brake dust, road salt (in northern climates or areas near the ocean) and high humidity can all...

The master brake cylinder of your vehicle will occasionally stop working---due to age or malfunctioning parts---and then must be replaced. Generally, most cars, no matter what style, year or...

At any time the front brake pads on a Chevy Malibu are replaced, the rotors should be machined so that the new pads have a smooth surface to ride on. If the rotor is not turned, the front pads...

When buying brake pads for a Chevrolet Blazer, don't deviate from the original specifications. There are organic, semi-metallic and metallic pads. Each of these pads is designed to work in a...

The power brake booster provides vacuum to the brake system so that it's easier to stop the 1995 Ford Thunderbird (also referred to as the T-bird). The booster is mounted on the firewall of the...

Any time the brake system is opened, removal of unwanted air is required to ensure proper brake function. This is known as bleeding brakes. Once you understand how to do this other things like...

The brake lights on a 1991 Toyota MR2 need to be checked every 6 months to make sure that they are functioning normally. In many states, a burnt-out brake light can earn you a stiff fine, or a...

When splicing a brake line due to corrosion or rusting, the entire line should be inspected for dangerous spots. There are times that a particular section has been damaged and splicing is the...

The brake pads on your vehicle typically wear out over time, requiring that they be replaced routinely. Driving on worn or defective brakes can create a dangerous situation. When you start to feel...

Installing front disc brakes on a Ford F-150 pickup is a straightforward process and requires basic tools. It is possible to just replace brake pads, though the correct way is to have the rotors...

The proportioning valve on a Chrysler meters the brake fluid to the four wheels of the vehicle. The rear wheels normally get less brake fluid than the front wheels because the rear brakes tend to...

The power brake booster uses vacuum or hydraulic pressure to increase the force you apply to the brake pedal to slow or stop your car. So an inoperative booster is a safety risk for you and those...

A broken brake line is much more common in severe climatic zones, where it is subjected to corrosive salt used on the highways to melt ice. The corrosion, once started, can be a serious problem...

Years of use and problems on the brake system will cause the rotors to wear out, crack or get scored. In this situation, you should replace the rotors on your Dodge 3500 as soon as possible to...

You should check the tail light on the Pontiac Solstice every 6 months to ensure that it is functioning properly. Replacement bulbs are generally available from any auto parts store. Since the...

You should check the brake lights on your Mini Cooper every six months to verify that they are working properly. If they're not, you'll need to change the bulbs. The Mini Cooper's brake lights are...

If someone informs you that your brake lights don't work, or are stuck on. If you notice your auto locks on the doors don't work, in addition the speed control doesn't work.

Prior to replacing the brakes on a Ford Granada, drive the vehicle at 50 mph to check for a pulsating brake pedal when the brakes are applied. This would indicate the rotors are warped and should...

The brake booster is a vacuum-driven component responsible for providing vacuum pressure to the brake system. The pressure generated by the booster improves the braking in your vehicle by creating...

The brake light switch on a GMC Denali is a simple plunger-style on and off switch. It is located on the top rear of the brake pedal arm. The plunger on the brake light switch faces forward...

As you depress the brake pedal, the master cylinder on your GM model forces brake fluid and develops pressure in the brake lines and hoses to help you slow or stop the vehicle. But wear and parts...

The 1965 Chevelle was available with or without power brakes. The master cylinder for manual brakes differs from the master cylinder for power brakes and is not interchangeable with the master for...

The Hyundai Santa Fe uses an axillary third brake light. The idea behind the third brake light, especially on wider vehicles, is that it will be easier for the driver behind you to see when you're...

The ball joints on a Ford four-wheel-drive vehicle are ball and socket joints. These joints help the suspension by providing mobility and flexibility. Without ball joints, the suspension would...

The intermediate shaft on a Chevy S-10 pickup truck is a shaft that runs from a truck's transmission to the wheels. The intermediate shaft is connected at the transmission on one end. On the other...

The Jeep Liberty uses ball joints in its suspension setup to help stabilize the suspension. Ball joints are essentially nothing more than a ball-and-socket-type joint that help to provide mobility...

The ball joints in a Ford F350 help to provide support to the 350's suspension. The F350 is part of the F-series of Ford's heavy-duty pick up trucks. Because of this, it is important to change the...

The Caravan has been an enduring minivan in the Chrysler/Dodge family for many years, and has gone through many redesigns. As is the case with most vehicles, regular brake services are going to be...

Ball joints serve a very important function on a VW EuroVan. The joints on the EuroVan let the suspension move and flex. Without these ball joints, the suspension would literally fall apart. Ball...

The Chevy TrailBlazer is a mid-sized SUV made by the Chevy division of General Motors. Like all Chevys, the TrailBlazer uses a CV shaft and axle to transfer the power from the engine to the drive...

Wheel bearings carry the weight of the wheels in your 2001 Nissan Sentra. They also help to prevent wear on the driveshaft. When the wheel bearings begin to wear out on your Sentra, you will hear...

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 841,000 injuries and 1,747 fatalities occur every year from non-crash-related automobile accidents. A majority of...

A bad master cylinder will offer little resistance or no resistance at all, as you depress the brake pedal. The most likely cause is leaking pistons or faulty valves. Instead of trying to rebuild...

Traction control helps your vehicle mimic a 50/50 weight distribution for better handling and control. However, the efficiency and success of these systems in properly mimicking an even weight...

The power brake booster in your GM vehicle is responsible for providing vacuum pressure to the brake system. This vacuum pressure greatly enhanced the brake force you are able to apply to the...

The lower ball joint on a car is located between the steering knuckle and the lower control arm. It, along with the upper ball joint, allows the steering knuckle to pivot from left to right,...

Brake pads are part of the brake system in your vehicle. When the brake pad--or brake lining--is worn down, it's time to reline them. This means that you'll need to replace the pads in the brake...

Changing the brake light in your Dodge Stratus is a relatively easy task. Forget the high cost of labor charged at a service station. Spend $4-6 on the bulb and do it yourself!

If you are like me, when you find something wrong with your vehicle, you probably start thinking about spending big bucks. I needed to replace a wheel bearing on my van last week so I, too,...

The Jeep Wrangler/CJ is the go-anywhere do-anything vehicle that's been an American icon for over 50 years. The Wrangler version of the Jeep was introduced in 1987 and mixed updated technology...

An outer CV joint in a Mercedes transfers power from the engine to the wheels. Because your Mercedes can turn left and right, this shaft needs to be flexible. To do this, the manufacturer uses a...

The master cylinder for the clutch works very similar to the brake master cylinder. It uses Dot 111 brake fluid. Some of the clutch master cylinders have a reservoir on the master, and some are...

You’re driving along, go to hit your brakes and notice the warning, “1 Brake Light Fail” on the central computer display of your 90’s BMW. Or you are inconveniently pulled over by the local police...

Brake fluid should be changed at any time that the fluid shows evidence of moisture contamination. This can be recognized by a brownish color of the fluid. When this happens, the contamination...