General Auto Repair

Windshield wiper arms can bend for a variety of different reasons. From something as simple as putting on new wiper blades to having them frozen to the windshield and everything in between. If the...

If you suspect sugar has been put in your gas tank by a vandal or merry prankster, don't fret too much about it ruining your car's engine even though it can be a headache to fix. Sugar does not...

The window mechanism in a Ford Focus consists of a window motor and regulator contained in a single unit. To remove this unit, you must first remove the interior door panel. This repair is within...

Automotive air-conditioning systems on the Chevrolet Camaro utilize a refrigerant called Freon to generate the cold air that is blown into the passenger cabin. The heart of the system, the...

The ball joints on a Chevrolet vehicle are the joints which connect the control arm to the steering knuckle. The ball joint allows the front wheel to travel up and down when traveling over rough...

Depending on the vehicle, there are two ways to access the bolts for the torque converter. There will either be a cover or plate at the bottom of the bellhousing that conceals the converter, or...

The ball joints of your front suspension are critical components. Their job is to allow the spindle to travel vertically with the suspension, but not tilt in or out towards the fenderwell or...

The Ford Taurus uses an electrical water pump to circulate engine coolant throughout the engine. The electric motor inside the pump can burn out, or the seals inside the pump may begin to leak,...

Every vehicle has a paint color code provided by its manufacturer. It is located in different places depending on the vehicle's make, model and year. If your vehicle needs to be repainted, it is...

Riding around in older cars is something a lot of people do because of budget considerations, love of older cars, and to keep from forking out tons of money on a newer model. Older auto...

Ford diesel engines utilize a mechanical water pump to circulate engine coolant. Over time the seals inside the water pump can wear out and cause the pump to leak, subjecting the engine to...

A 1959 Chevrolet Stepside Pickup utilizes a leaf spring rear suspension. Leaf springs are long thin strips of metal that are stacked together in packs. The ends of the spring are mounted to the...

The GMC Jimmy utilizes an electrical fuel pump mounted inside the fuel tank to move gasoline from the fuel tank to the engine. Symptoms of a faulty fuel pump include hard starting, engine stalling...

Vehicles on public roads in the United States, and in most other countries, are required to illuminate the rear license plate. These lights must be illuminated whenever the head or tail lights are...

The fuel filter is a necessary part of a vehicle, its purpose being to filter any impurities out of the fuel before it reaches the engine. A clogged or dirty fuel filter can restrict or even...

The Pontiac Grand Prix featuring the 3.8-liter supercharged engine comes equipped with two drive belts. The primary serpentine belt functions as a serpentine belt does on most cars. The secondary...

The C4 Corvette was manufactured by Chevrolet from 1984 to 1996. While many advancements were made in engines, transmissions and other parts, the window seals remained unchanged. The life span of...

When changing the fork oil in a Harley-Davidson, it is advisable to use Harley-Davidson oil or an equivalent. This procedure works on all but '02 through '06 models with a cartridge on the left...

Seized bolts that snap off flush with a part's surface create a frustrating, time-consuming issue. The majority of bolts seize due to corrosion in the form of rust. Rust forms when fasteners from...

The Honda MAP sensor measures the amount of air flowing into the engine. In this way, the sensor is able to help the Honda ECU (central computer) adjust the fuel ratio for optimal fuel efficiency...

Bolts and other fasteners seize up predominantly from corrosion. Corrosion forms on the fastener as it ages or is subject to repeated bouts of heating and cooling. The corrosion locks the fastener...

If there is one thing you don't want to be leaking in your car or other vehicle, it's gas. A leak or hole in your car's gas tank is not only going to supply you with a bad smell, but is also...

The driveshaft, also known as a propeller shaft, on a C4 Corvette is the long tube that takes power generated by the engine and delivers it to the rear wheels. The drive shaft must be removed if...

Damage to threads occurs when the fastener is cross-threaded, over-tightened, or frequently inserted and removed from the threaded hole. Replacing the damaged threads with a threaded insert allows...

The door lock or lock cylinder on a car or truck is a small metal cylinder you insert the vehicle's key into when you want to lock or unlock your door. Lock cylinders usually need to be replaced...

A door hinge pin on a 1979 Chevrolet Camaro is the pin that connects the two door hinge brackets. This part allows the door to swing open or closed. These vehicles are equipped with heavy steel...

Removing rust from cut glass is essential if you want the glass to be clear enough to see through. Although rust isn't generally associated with glass, rust can be deposited onto glass surfaces...

Whether you are fastening a screw or running a line through metal, at some point, you will need to drill a hole through a galvanized metal panel. Drilling into galvanized metal is no different...

The heater fan switch on a Chevrolet vehicle is the electrical switch mounted in the dash that controls the speed at which the blower motor spins. Over time the contacts inside the heater switch...

Replacing the side-view door mirror on the Buick Regal is a very expensive repair at the local body shop or repair station. Not only are the replacement mirrors expensive, but the labor to install...

A vacuum booster uses vacuum pressure from the engine to boost the amount of pressure going to the brakes. The check valve on vacuum booster regulates the amount of pressure in the booster. If...

Removing the interior door panels on a Subaru is widely standardized, no matter what the model. If you must replace a side-view mirror, replace the power window module or motor, or upgrade the...

Having to remove the door panel on a Chevy Tracker may intimidate many do-it-yourself enthusiasts. Realigning a window on its track, replacing a power window motor, replacing a powered side-view...

While using jack stands on trucks or any other vehicle seems like simple common sense, misuse or not paying attention to detail can lead to hazardous or fatal conditions. All jacks and jack stands...

It could happen to any of us: You're leaving work and notice that your car has a scratch in the side that was not there before. Depending on how deep the scratch is or how long it is, you might be...

The EGR or exhaust gas recirculation valve on a Chevrolet pickup is located on the intake manifold near the carburetor. The EGR valve draws exhaust gases from the exhaust system and reintroduces...

The air bag on a Ford Focus is an important safety feature that protects the driver and passengers in the event of a collision. Some repairs and maintenance procedures, especially work that...

The heater fan (blower motor) on a Pontiac Sunfire is an electric motor that works in conjunction with the car's heater core to provide heat to the passenger cabin. Engine coolant flows from the...

Trailers can take a lot of abuse, but at the same time, most of them don't get regular maintenance. One of the items that can either wear out from overuse or break are leaf springs. Replacing a...

Chevrolet Cavaliers equipped with electronic fuel injection utilize a high pressure electric fuel pump mounted inside the gas tank. Fuel is pumped to the engine and whatever is unused is returned...

A heater core on a Chevrolet Cavalier is a small radiator located inside the vehicle's dash that supplies heat to the passenger compartment. Heated coolant from the engine is routed to the heater...

The starter on a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is what gets the engine moving. Turning the ignition triggers the starter motor---which draws power from the battery---to engage, turning the flywheel and...

The Chevrolet S-10 pickup endured 23 years of production in the United States. Although a few different generational designs occurred as the truck matured, one of the mainstay features of this...

The outer tie rod end on the Ford Explorer bridges the connection between the rack and pinion steering and the front wheel knuckles. Unlike front-wheel drive vehicles, the outer tie rod end on the...

Many Ford trucks and older model rear-drive Ford cars utilize leaf springs to mount the rear drive axle to the vehicle's frame. Leaf springs resemble long thick steel plates that are grouped...

When doing the brakes on a vehicle, one of the most common things to do is to remove the rotors and get them turned. With the rotors off, the wheel bearings are accessible and should be replaced....

On most conventional light-duty GMC trucks, the left rear shock angles towards the rear of the vehicle, while the right rear angles towards the front. Replacing the shocks every 50,000 miles or...

The Chevy Tahoe began production in 1994, following the full-size conversion of the GMC Jimmy to a Yukon in 1992. Throughout its tenure, the Tahoe has come featured with four types of engine and...

Although the Toyota Tacoma became available in 1995, it was already on its second generation by 1997 through 2000. Featuring a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine,...

in a Chevrolet Camaro, the mechanical fuel pump is driven via a pushrod that rides on the camshaft. It draws fuel from the tank via a steel and rubber fuel line and pumps it to the carburetor....