Category Archives: In The Shop

Aftermarket Remote Starts

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Dan

A CR-V came into the shop with a complaint that it went dead every few days. After confirming that the battery is good, the next step is to check for a parasitic draw on the battery, which is when something … Continue reading →

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Filthy Interiors

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Dan

I’ve seen cars filled with trash, I’ve seen dirty floor mats, but then there are some cars where I put on gloves before driving.

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It May Look Like A Walnut

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Dan

And it is a walnut. But walnuts have caused a surprising number of problems in cars compared to other plant material.

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Recalls Bring the Odd Cars

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Dan

Sometimes I wonder if people compete to bring in the worst condition car to get recalls done. This one was impressive.

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Hitting Curbs and Potholes

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Dan

Winter brings more hazards for driving. The freeze/thaw cycle wreaks havoc on pavement, causing cracks and potholes to form, which can cause big problems with today’s low profile tires. The snow and slick conditions also make it easier to slide … Continue reading →

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A Pilot’s Untimely Demise

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Dan

In the few years I’ve been a mechanic, I’ve seen a few cars that were rusted to the point of being scrap. Sometimes they’re repairable, like with the rusted out subframe on my 96 Civic. Other times it’s the floorboards … Continue reading →

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Leaking Heater Core Cleanup

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Dan

Normally you do everything you can to keep water out of the passenger compartment of a car. However, if you don’t want to freeze when it’s cold outside, you need to bring some water inside, preferably contained within the heater … Continue reading →

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Stripped Lug and Stud

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Dan

It’s the beginning of winter, so there are a lot of cars getting snow tires. I was taking off the wheels of a car to do another set when one lug nut gave me trouble.

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The Civic Brake Line Ordeal

Posted on November 30, 2017 by Dan

Back in March my dad’s 2001 Honda Civic developed a leak in one of the brake lines. The ensuing repairs ended up taking until September to finally finish, partly due to my free times and partly because I just had … Continue reading →

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Duct Tape Van

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Dan

At the dealership we don’t see a lot of cars older than 10 years old, often when we do it’s for a recall or check engine light. Sometimes those older cars are in pretty bad condition.

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