By Rick Popely, Cars.com Struts don't need to be replaced unless your vehicle is bouncing like it's on a pogo stick or bottoms out in potholes and over railroad tracks, or unless a mechanic finds that they're leaking fluid or have been damaged. In a strut-type suspension, the...
Front-drive vehicles, many all-wheel-drive vehicles and some rear-drive vehicles have constant-velocity joints that connect the transmission to the drive axles and wheels. A front-drive vehicle will have four CV joints, each covered by a boot. CV joints are covered by rubber or plastic boots...
That is a signal that the onboard diagnostics system (or OBD II) has detected a malfunction in the vehicle's emissions, ignition or fuel systems. It could be something as simple as a loose gas cap or something as severe as a faulty catalytic converter, so you shouldn't ignore it. All...
About the only vestiges of the traditional tune-up still around today are replacing your engine air filter and spark plugs, and neither is likely to void your warranty. With spark plugs, chances are your warranty will expire long before it’s time to...
Most owners probably don't know that their vehicle has a crankshaft position sensor until the engine dies, won't start or starts running poorly. Then they find out they need a new one. The crankshaft position sensor, typically mounted near or on the crankshaft, tells the engine...
It could, depending on the age, condition and brand of vehicle you're driving. The maintenance schedules for some recent Hyundai engines, for example, call for a valve clearance inspection at 60,000 miles. Some Hondas call for an inspection at 110,000 miles. Some manufacturers advise valves...
A clean engine compartment makes a used car look newer and better maintained. Some shops that perform engine cleaning services claim a clean engine even runs a little cooler because the gunk formed by dirt, oil and grease seals in some heat. Appearances aside, does an engine that sparkles like...
Replacing a fuel filter isn't listed as a regular maintenance item on most vehicles, and in those cases it generally doesn't need attention unless it's diagnosed as the cause of hard starting, loss of power, hesitation or similar issues. Some manufacturers, though, including...
The positive crankcase ventilation system was one of the earliest emission-control devices. It draws leftover combustion gases from the crankcase (the oil pan and bottom of the engine) and routes them back into the engine, where they're burned in the combustion chambers instead of escaping...
Actually, there is no such thing as a tuneup in the traditional sense of replacing parts to bring the ignition and fuel systems up to specs for maximum performance and efficiency, and there hasn't been for years.
About the only things left from the traditional tuneup are new spark plugs, which...
Vehicle maintenance schedules vary on how often the air filter should be changed. On most Chevrolet engines, for example, the recommended interval is every 45,000 miles, but Ford says it should be done every 30,000 miles on many of its engines. Hyundai also says every 30,000 miles but shortens...
CARS.COM — Your ears and nose can alert you to some exhaust leaks, but they may not be able to detect all leaks, including ones that could allow carbon monoxide inside your vehicle, which can be hazardous to your health. A hands-on inspection at a repair shop is the best way to determine...
By Rick Popely, Cars.com Oxygen sensors are not among the maintenance items that need to be replaced regularly, such as oil and air filters, so they typically are replaced only when they fail. Oxygen sensors are a critical component of the fuel and emissions systems because they monitor the...
About half of new vehicles today are equipped with a backup camera, and by 2018 all light vehicles will be required by federal regulation to have one. As a result, more car owners will have another feature that might need repair. How long a rear camera will remain fully operational, though, is...
Traditional advice says that when your tire tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch (and that's the law in some states) or when the tread wear indicators are showing, then it's time for new tires. With many tires, though, drivers will experience a significant loss of traction and...