Auto Repair

The shifter inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle is connected to the transaxle either directly, or through some sort of linkage, such as a cable. As it is shifted into its various...

The oil pan on your Volkswagen Jetta works as a reservoir for the oil and as a bottom cover to keep dirt, water and other contaminants from the engine. Improper pan re-installation, road debris or...

Kia gave the popular Sportage SUV a relatively simple fuel pump design. The fuel pump is easy to access because of an access cover in the rear cargo area. Many other vehicles must be lifted and...

The throw out bearing in the Subaru WRX allows the clutch to engage properly and helps the transmission shift gears easily and without grinding. A worn throwout bearing will cause missed shifts...

Distibutor-less ignition systems have been around for a while now and, for the most part, have proven to be reliable. However, when they do malfunction, it can be difficult to troubleshoot them...

The Tacoma is a sturdy mid-sized truck that gets good gas mileage. Sometimes, however, the wheel bearings will wear out in your Tacoma and will need to be replaced. The wheel bearings are situated...

Thermostats control the flow of coolant through your Lincoln Mark 8's engine. The coolant only circulates when the engine's internal temperature reaches about 210 degrees F, after which the...

The Fiero sits rather low to the ground. This low center of gravity gives the Fiero excellent handling, but also makes it prone to a lot of stone chips. These tiny cracks can quickly spread, and...

Jeep Laredos have thermostat valves in their coolant systems that control the flow of coolant through the engine. The coolant only circulates when the engine's internal temperature reaches around...

The ignition cylinder lock is a device found on older Ford Taurus vehicles before Ford started using electronically chipped keys. The cylinder lock helps to keep the ignition cylinder locked in...

Thermostat valves in the coolant system of your Audi A8 control the flow of coolant throughout the engine. The coolant only circulates when the engine's internal temperature reaches a certain...

Bypassing an oxygen sensor--also called an O2 sensor--can only be done using a dummy O2 sensor. Oxygen sensors are part of the vehicle's emissions control system and it may or may not be legal to...

The oxygen sensor in your vehicle controls the air to fuel ratio. "Faking out" an oxygen sensor refers to the process of bypassing the sensor so that the sensor does not relay the correct...

Spark plug wires deliver the electric spark your engine needs to ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber. When the spark plug wires die, so does your engine. Before replacing the spark plug...

Recharging a car's air conditioner is best left to a licensed professional. If you are going to do it yourself, you can only use R134a refrigerant unless your car was made earlier than 1995. In...

The windshield wiper fluid pump dispenses the windshield washer fluid. Tubing is connected to the bottom of the washer fluid reservoir that runs to the pump which draws it down from the reservoir...

The Chevy HHR is a crossover vehicle marketed as a compact station wagon made by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. Regular maintenance is required on the HHR to keep it running smoothly,...

Cleaning an oxygen sensor on a Toyota Corolla is not a common practice because, normally, the sensor is simply replaced when it goes bad. However, cleaning the sensor can be done as a temporary...

The Check Engine Light is part of your vehicle On-Board Diagnostic [OBD] system. When an abnormal operation in an electronic circuit or component is detected, the computer uses this light to...

Having your car repainted can be one of the most expensive repairs to pay for. The good thing is, you can do it yourself and end up with a nice looking car. Auto painting is not the easiest thing...

Painting cars can be done a few different ways, but all use the same basic steps. No matter what type of paint you use, what color or brand of paint you use or whether you are painting solid...

The Mazda Miata has been a popular car since its introduction in 1990. Removing the seats from the car can be done by almost anyone. The process to remove the seats from the vehicle is basically...

Knowing how to tow your car can be a great asset to you. If you are moving to another state and have to carry your other car with you, you can tow it yourself instead of hiring a tower. Towing is...

There are several ways you can repair the paint on your car without spending thousands of dollars on a new paint job. Even the worst paint jobs can be repaired and made to look good. Scratches and...

Auto body repair can be expensive, depending on the amount of damage. It can also be hard to justify bringing the car to a collision repair shop if the only damage is a small dent. Once you...

Auto body repair can be expensive to have professionally done. You can do it yourself, but if not done correctly, it can end up causing more damage to your car than before. There are ways to...

The interior of your car is what you see while driving to work, school and on errands. If your car's interior is in need of repairs, it can be frustrating not knowing how to fix the damage and...

Scratches in car paint can make a nice paint job look bad. Scratches can also cause damage to the body of the car by allowing moisture to reach the bare metal under the paint. This eventually...

When the front marker bulbs burn out on your GMC Jimmy, it’s no easy task to replace them. You have to remove the grille since the light bulbs are embedded in the lenses which are part of the...

While changing brakes is a common automotive repair, there is no clear cut way to say that it will take "X" amount of time. Labor guides are often used to prepare an estimate for vehicles by...

Paint and body is something anyone who owns a car is likely to deal with sooner or later. Your car may be damaged in an accident, become rusted and need repairs or you may want a custom paint job....

The Audi TT is a sports vehicle produced by the German firm Audi AG. It appeared in 1995 as a concept car. Troubleshooting the Audi TT on your own is possible, but as with any car problems, it is...

If you ever have to remove the grille from your GMC Jimmy to replace a fender, the grille, the bumper, or change a front side marker bulb, you will need to properly install the grille again.

An overdrive is a system installed in many Volvos which interrupt the driveshaft leading from the transmission to the drive axle. The overdrive can be engaged and disengaged at the driver's will...

If you are having problems starting a snowblower, the best course of action is to check the spark plugs, throttle cable, fuel shot off and gas. Some start-up problems are caused by dead plugs....

A side draft carburetor is a device integral to the functioning of almost all internal combustion engines constructed prior to the 1980s. Since then they've been replaced in the automobile...

A water pump motor is a device integral to the cooling of any motor powered vehicle. Because internal combustion engines are not largely energy efficient, a great deal of the energy produced by...

On most trucks, especially older models constructed prior to 1990, a certain amount of vibration from the pedal, as well as the whole vehicle, is to be expected. However, there are certain signs...

An automobile axle is essentially two wheels separated by a rod or other stabilizing device designed to maintain the distance between the two wheels. It must bear the weight of the entire vehicle,...

An impact wrench, or air wrench, works by air power, which is supplied by a compressed air tank. Air under pressure in the tank is fed through a hose, which is connected to a nozzle on the end of...

Vehicle repairs can be costly, especially now with so many people out of jobs. People don't have the time and the money to pay for costly repairs. On some occasions, it can take longer to find the...

Driving with the top down usually means driving with the volume up. Unfortunately the inexpensive speakers that come with the stock audio system in any car are doomed to a short life under any...

Need Your Brakes Changed? This Do-It-Yourself article provides you with easy step-by-step instructions. You'll learn how to change your front brakes yourself with ease.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee was manufactured with four-wheel disc brakes in later model years, and the components can wear out and require replacement periodically, simply due to regular driving. You...

The windshield wiper arm on the Chevy Silverado is attached to a wiper motor located under the cowl at the base of the windshield. When the wiper arm needs to be replaced, it's usually because the...

The spark plugs in your Hyundai XG350 (as in any other vehicle) are responsible for providing the engine cylinders with the electricity needed to perform the car's ignition. The spark ignites the...

Through normal wear and tear, the brake pads on the Chrysler PT Cruiser will wear down and require replacement. While it is recommended to replace the rotors or have them machined when replacing...

Tie rod ends are a critical part of your vehicle's front-end alignment and steering system. The tie rod attaches your steering wheel to the strut of your vehicle and directly affects your...

The transmission on a Pontiac Grand Prix is technically called a transaxle, though the usage of the word "transmission" is common. The transaxle combines the differential gears with the...

The Hyundai Accent replaced the popular Hyundai Excel in 1995. The front disc brakes on the Accent account for 80 percent of the braking power; the rear disc or rear drum brakes account for the...