Auto Repair

The heater in a Dodge Ram depends on the heater core assembly in the passenger footwell. The engine coolant gets routed into the heater core and heats up the core. A fan blows on the core to...

The BMW Mini is regarded by its owners and the general public as a fun and durable car. BMW's legendary German engineering helps to ensure that the Mini maintains its composure over thousands of...

Hard water spots have a variety of causes. You can eliminate most spotting by carefully drying your vehicle after washing. Staining can occur as a result of minerals in rain water, and other...

When a car starts to rust, it's literally being eaten alive; if it gets bad enough, the panels need to be replaced. A common area to find rust are the rocker panels because of their proximity to...

Transmission leaks can come from different parts of the transmission. The most common area for leaks is the pan at the bottom of the transmission that holds the fluid. Between the pan and the...

Saturn vehicles use a small metal lock cylinder to secure cargo stored in the trunk. If your trunk has been broken into, in most cases this cylinder will be damaged and must be replaced. Replacing...

A pulley is a devise used to transfer power from one component to one or more other components. A Chevrolet 305 engine features a single pulley which transfers the power generated by the engine to...

It has happened to just about everyone. You were going about your day, perhaps stopping at the post office or visiting the grocery store, when you hear it ... a faint hiss. Maybe you saw it...

Most automotive A/C compressors will give clear indicators of imminent failure or problems with lubricant levels through a series of sounds and mechanical issues. Determining the cause of the A/C...

The front axle joints on a 1995 Dodge Ram are flexible joints on the axle shaft. The shaft transfers the power from the transmission to the front drive wheels. The axle joints prevent the shaft...

The axle on a Dodge Grand Caravan transfers power to the wheels from the transmission. The axle's only weak point is the CV joints on either side of the shaft. These joints provide flexibility in...

Often times ball joints go on cars. This happens more often than not when the roads you drive are bumpy and gravel. Sometimes an automobile owner can tell when a part such as a ball joint is...

The CV joints on a Toyota provide flexibility to the CV shafts. The CV shafts are responsible for transferring power from the transmission to the drive wheels. The shafts must be able to flex...

The thought of transmission repair will often cause one's heart to sink automatically--unfortunately, repairs to a vehicle's transmission are usually expensive, or if you decide to try and make...

The Ford Ranger nameplate refers to a compact line of pick up trucks produced by the Ford Motor Company since 1983. The Ford Ranger's camshaft sensor is located on the engine block and is used to...

Orange peel is a condition in a paint job caused by additional coats of paint being applied on top of paint that is not cured. As the droplets of new paint hit the soft uncured paint, a small dent...

Dodge power door locks use a simple push/pull-type solenoid actuator. When voltage is applied in one direction, the actuator becomes an electromagnet and draws a steel rod into the solenoid....

Most modern autos have started using sealed wheel bearings in the hubs to prolong the bearing lifespan and make replacement simpler. The hub contains the wheel bearings and attaches to the axle...

Valve cover gaskets can start to lose small drops of oil after about 30,000 miles even while driving. Valve cover gaskets over time become weak and worn out, and you'll eventually start to notice...

The camshaft position sensor monitors the rotation of the engine and supplies the on-board computer with information concerning degrees of rotation for identification of piston position in each...

The CV joints on a 1994 Toyota 4-Runner are on the driveshafts of the 4-Runner. The shafts use these CV joints to provide flexibility in the shaft during corning and straight-line travel (when...

Saturn is a division of General Motors. The car company ceased production of its vehicles in October 2009. While Saturn placed a high emphasis on quality, in practice the vehicles' plastic molded...

The motor mounts on the 1998 Honda Accord hold the engine to the frame of the car. The engine mounts use a rubber bushing in the center of the mount to absorb the shock of the engine's normal...

The Chevrolet 434 cubic inch small block engine is a popular engine used in drag racing. These engines are smaller than the 565 cubic inch big block engines. Because of their smaller size, the...

Carburetors are components that draw in outside air and mix that air with gasoline from the fuel tank. The carburetor is responsible for making sure that the engine has the proper mix of fuel so...

As cars get older, parts wear out and need replacing. When it comes to the front suspension, a common part to wear out over time is the ball joint on the upper and lower control arms. The ball...

The Dodge Ram 2500 series pickup truck is manufactured with sealed front wheel bearings, which require the removal of the entire front hub to replace. Wheel bearings that are incorporated into the...

Drum brake pads are more popularly known as brake shoes. Before the introduction of disc brakes, drum brakes were featured on both the front and rear axles of vehicles. Because disc brakes are...

The wiper arms on your Honda Odyssey are an important part of your windshield wiper system. The wiper arms provide a link between the wiper blades and linkage, ultimately receiving power from the...

The internal combustion piston engine has been used in countless applications from small engines for lawn mowers,to larger engines for aircraft and automobiles, to large diesel engines for trains...

A properly functioning power steering pump makes driving an enjoyable experience. This pump helps your Cummins truck maintain a proper steering radius. The steering pump uses hydraulic pressure to...

While they make not seem like much, little gaps and cracks around your bathroom windows can not only let in the elements, but also reduce your heating and cooling efficiency, making it more...

There is no single car problem that strands drivers as often as a dead battery. A battery often dies suddenly. It can be fine one day and ready for recycling the next. Drivers think very little...

Fuel is supplied to the fuel injection system of modern cars and light trucks by an electric fuel pump located in the fuel tank. Theses systems operate at high pressure and when the pump fails, or...

Recharging an automotive air conditioner is a simple procedure but necessitates taking the vehicle to a garage or oil change facility for professional evacuation. There are inexpensive home...

When your Jeep starts to overheat, it is a sure sign of a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. Heater cores may become clogged, trap air inside or fail all together. No one wants a...

The power steering pump in your Chevrolet Suburban helps you turn the wheels of the car easily when you use the steering wheel. If the power steering pump does not function properly, steering will...

The dreaded "Check Engine" light on your dash is illuminated and taunting you. You fear the worst. You can't afford a big repair bill, or worse, being without your car for an extended period....

A car's air conditioning compressor can fail due to a lack of lubricant or a mechanical issue, and a broken compressor usually will have to be replaced. Checking for a broken compressor involves...

Car headliners start to pull away from their boards and sag as a part of normal vehicle wear. The headliner is a simply a piece of fabric glued to a board, so the glue loses strength because of a...

The anti-lock braking system (ABS) in a big truck is very similar to those in most vehicles. A sensor at each wheel monitors wheel speed. During hard braking, the wheel sensor controls the braking...

With today's increased demand for versatility, it comes as a small wonder that there are so many transfer case-equipped vehicles on the road. Once a gear-driven appliance for off-roaders,...

Rivet nuts have a cylindrical body with a flared head. Inside the cylindrical body are threads for locking a fastener to the rivet nut. A rivet nut tool collapses the cylindrical body of the rivet...

The headlight assembly on the Ford Explorer is a sealed unit. Over time, moisture may work its way into the housing assembly due to failure of the seal that holds the headlight housing lens to the...

Unattended rust can develop into several problems. Blisters and ugly rust stains along with the eventual complete destruction of metal body parts can and will occur unless rust is eliminated....

The door glass, or window, in a Chevrolet S-10 truck is supported and held in place by two tracks, a side track and a bottom track. Removing the window isn't difficult; in fact, the hardest part...

The driveshaft on a vehicle is responsible for delivering power to the wheels. The shaft has two constant-velocity (CV) joints that flex. These joints are protected by a rubber boot. When the boot...

The transmission fluid level in an Isuzu Trooper should be checked every six months, especially if you suspect that you might be leaking transmission fluid (i.e., the vehicle is hard to shift)....

The GM alternator used in all Chevrolet models is easy to install, as it is connected using only a few wires. The alternator converts the engine's mechanical rotations into an electrical current...

Troubleshooting starting problems on a Ford Ranger is necessary when you can't start the vehicle. The problem isn't always obvious, so you'll need to consider a variety of issues. The starter...