Replacing a bad headlight bulb on a 2003-2008 Toyota Corolla is a straightforward DIY task. Of course, if in doubt, take your car to a professional. There are two bulbs located at the back of the headlight assembly. The outside bulb is for Low Beams, and the inside bulb is for High Beams. 2003-2008 Toyota… Read More »
Most everyone has been in a situation where they have a scratch on a car that they wish was gone. Thankfully there are many low-cost scratch-removal kits for cars and trucks that make removing them a straightforward process. These kits contain everything needed to remove an unsightly scratch from your vehicle. How To Tell if… Read More »
If you find yourself with a vehicle where the engine does not start, the first things to check are the spark and gas. All mechanics will eventually find themselves with this problem and need to diagnose the electrical problem. Knowing whether an engine has a spark will quickly help narrow the problem with a vehicle… Read More »
Having a good heated car seat goes a long way in helping to stay warm and comfortable during cold days. They have many uses, from simply getting warm quickly or even getting heat when a vehicle’s built-in heater stops working. There are many units available, including material type and heat output. There are many good… Read More »
Replacing the headlight bulbs on a 2000-2004 VW Passat is not a difficult job and falls into the DIY category. As always, if in doubt, take your car to a certified mechanic. The process is simple enough by pulling out the bad bulb and inserting a new one. The difficulty will be how hard the… Read More »
If you have a Dodge car or truck with a P0420 code, the onboard computer (ECM) is seeing an issue with the catalytic converter. The P0420 code can be caused by several things, including failed converter or failed 02 sensors. What is a Dodge P0420 Code? A Dodge P0420 OBDII error code is a “Catalyst… Read More »
A Honda CRV with a P2646 error code is having an issue with the oil pressure. A P2646 code in a Honda can have various symptoms, such as stalling or going into Limp Mode. What is a Honda CRV P2646 OBDII Error Code? A P2646 OBDII error code is an “P2646: Rocker arm actuator A-… Read More »
If your car or truck has the dreaded check engine light come on, there are Do-It-Yourself scanner tools that can show the problem. All cars and trucks built after 1995 come with a built-in port called an OBDII. The OBDII port talks directly to the vehicle’s computer and, when used with an OBDIi scan tool,… Read More »
If you have a leaking plastic radiator, it can often be fixed using two main methods. The main methods include using an Epoxy DIY repair kit or melting the plastic back together using a soldering iron. Often when a leak is seen on a plastic radiator, many think it must be replaced when it can… Read More »
If you have a 2001-2005 2.4 Liter Mitsubishi Galant that is giving a P0340 OBDII Code the Camshaft Position Sensor usually needs replaced. A bad Camshaft Position Sensor will cause a vehicle to not start at times and other times work intermittently. What is a P0340 Code on a 2001-2005 Mitsubishi Galant? A P0340 Code… Read More »
A Honda Accord with a P1259 code means there could be a problem with the VTEC control system. The VTEC control system generates more horsepower by varying the oil pressure going to the cams when the engine speeds up, which allows for a larger valve lift. What is a Honda Accord P1259 Code? A Honda… Read More »
If you have a Nissan and it gets a P0500 code, it is an OBDII error for the “Vehicle Speed Sensor Circuit“. This is usually a bad speed sensor or wiring but can sometimes be other components. What Is a P0500 OBDII Code? A P500 OBDII code on a Nissan happens when the ECM can… Read More »
If your engine light comes on and using an OBDII scan tool, you get a P0443 code; it can be diagnosed and fixed in several steps. A P0443 OBDII engine code means the computer sees a malfunction with the EVAP (Evaporative Emission) Control System Purge Valve Circuit. The EVAP system sends fumes from the gas… Read More »
If you have a Toyota that is giving a P0401 Code, there is a problem with the EGR valve. A P0401 OBDII error code is an “EGR Insufficient Flow Detected. “ This can be caused by three main components, including the EGR Valve, EGR Vacuum Modulator, or a Vacuum Line Leak. The location of the… Read More »
If your car has long start times and hesitates to start, there are several things that can cause it. While usually a sign the vehicle needs to be tuned up, there are other causes that can occur. A car needs the correct mixture of gas and air combined with a spark to start immediately. If… Read More »
A car or truck engine light can come on for many reasons, from a loose gas cap to a more serious engine problem. Clearing an engine light can be done in a few ways depending on the vehicle. Keep in mind unless the problem is fixed, more than likely, the engine light will come back… Read More »
Having an OBDII scan tool is useful in many situations when an engine light comes on. But what if you don’t have an OBDII scan tool and need to know the code? Many vehicles have a built-in diagnostic that will give the code, as I recently found out with Dodge cars and trucks. I have… Read More »
If you have a Dodge with a P2181 OBDII code, there is a problem with the coolant temperature. The onboard computer (ECM/PCM) is seeing a temperature out of range problem with the engine. What is a Dodge P2181 OBDII Code? A P2181 OBDII code is a “Cooling System Performance ” error. When the onboard computer… Read More »
Having a good book on automotive repair can go a long way to help understand how a vehicle works. Repair manuals are good but require the fundamentals of mechanical repair to be already understood. Many articles online are also a good resource but can often skip subjects and leave gaps in explanations. This is why… Read More »
Automatic Shifters are a specialty performance part that gives more control to a driver and looks cool doing it. While mainly used for drag racing, they also can be used whenever more control over a vehicle is needed. If you are looking to get an automatic shifter, there are many available with those below some… Read More »
If you have a Chevy with a P0452 OBDII error code, there is a problem with the fuel tank pressure sensor. An OBDII scan tool will give a “P0452 Evap Emission Control system Pressure Sensor Low.” While the sensor may be bad there are other things that can cause the error. When a problem with… Read More »
If you have a GMC Acadia with a P0017 OBDII error code, there is a problem with the timing. An OBDII scan tool will give the error P0017 Crankshaft Position (CKP) – Exhaust Camshaft Position (CMP) Correlation Bank 1. Several failed components can cause a P0017 OBDII error code with the GMC Acadia, including sensors… Read More »
If your car or truck is misfiring, you may wonder, “how long can I drive with a misfiring cylinder?” The quick answer is it varies greatly and depends on how bad the problem is and how many cylinders you have. For example, if you have an 8-cylinder engine and a single spark plug wire is… Read More »
If you have a Chrysler 300 and the ESP BAS light comes on, there can be several causes and fixes. The main fix is to do a reset procedure, and if this does not work, an OBDII scan tool will be needed to read error codes. An advanced OBDII scan tool will be needed to… Read More »
If you have a Chevy and get an “SVC Tire Monitor” error message on your dashboard, the onboard computer sees a low tire. It can also be an error from a bad sensor, but usually, it is a low tire that needs air. The vehicle may also give a “Tire Low Add Air” message. The… Read More »
A common problem with many Ford vehicles is a door ajar message comes on even though all the doors are closed. This can be very annoying, especially when driving at night since often the dome light will also come on and sometimes the door chime. The door ajar light is controlled by the door light… Read More »
If you have a vehicle that is giving you a P219A error code, it is having an issue with the fuel delivery on bank-1. The official definition of a P219A Code is “Fuel Trim Cylinder Balance Bank 1 – Malfunction”. The most common cause of a P219A OBD2 error code is a fuel injector that… Read More »
If the check engine light comes on in your car or truck, there are a few ways to find out why on a budget. The check engine light will come on when a vehicle’s computer receives an error from the engine and will store the code. Reading the code will point to the problem the… Read More »
Replacing the headlight bulb on a 2014-2015 GMC Sierra is an easy task that falls in the DIY category. The passenger side has the air filter box in the way that needs to be removed. The air filter box is not difficult to remove with a few screws and a hose clamp holding it in… Read More »
Changing the headlight bulbs on a 2011-2013 Kia Optima is not difficult and very much falls into the DIY category. Below are the steps with screenshots to replace them, along with a video if needed for a visual walk-through. There are two bulbs, Inner and Outer, both of which are changed out the same way.… Read More »
I recently needed to replace the fuel pump on a 1970 Dodge Monaco with a 383 engine. The Dodge 383 was a popular engine in many vehicles, including the B-Body Mopar muscle cars Charger, Roadrunner, and Challenger. Having replaced fuel pumps many times in the past, I ordered a new unit and started to install… Read More »
Converting old 1960s Dodge vehicles with front drum brakes to disc brakes is a topic talked about countless times in many articles. I found myself in this situation with my 1968 Dodge Charger project and needed to do a conversion. Old articles and forum posts are very helpful in how to go about doing the… Read More »
The 1968-1970 Dodge Chargers are some of the more popular muscle cars with a unique aggressive body style. It has been used in countless movies and TV shows as the fast muscle car, such as the Blade movies, Fast and Furious, Bullitt, and many more. I am one of those fans of the old B-body… Read More »
Changing the motor oil on a 2012 Toyota Corolla falls in the backyard mechanic DIY category. The steps will be the same for any 2009-2016 Corollas. Usually, the Maintenance Required (MAINT REQD) Light comes on when it’s time to change the oil. Read here for the steps to turn off the Maintenance Required (MAINT REQD)… Read More »
Resetting the Service light on a 2011-2015 Mini Cooper is easy to do. The Maintenance light can come on for a variety of reasons and will need a reset, mainly after an oil change. A series of buttons are pressed in the right combination of steps to reset the light. These same steps are used… Read More »