TechTalk: A Chevy Tahoe with Shifting Issues
A customer with a 1996 Chevy Tahoe brought the vehicle in, stating that it was shifting erratically, the cruise control would surge from 50 mph to 60 mph and then cut out completely and the speedometer, at times, was drifting. (This Tahoe had a 5.7L vin R engine with a 4L60E transmission coupled to a
Mighty Repair Hotline Offers Technical Assistance for Technicians
Fast and accurate technical assistance is key to successfully running your automotive business. This is where the Mighty Repair Hotline comes in – each and every call is answered by a master technician who specializes in only your make of vehicle.
Viewpoint, Is the Wrench More Powerful Than the Pen?
nzy of press kits, executive fluff interviews and the free meals, the journalists become brainwashed by their own egos. They think that their words are selling cars and putting wind into the sails of car companies’ stock prices. But, many of their facts and opinions are quickly disproved in a very short period of time.
Polk Study Finds Rising Gas Prices Getting Personal
Consumers are telling auto manufacturers they want fuel-efficient vehicles; they are reducing how much they drive and they will factor the price of gas into decisions concerning both the timing and type of vehicles they purchase, according to results from a public opinion poll and forthcoming study by the Polk Center for Automotive Studies.
Eyeball Estimates: Stop Using Percentages if You Cannot Show Your Work!
I have been seeing a lot of estimates recently that project how much “life” is left in the brake pads. This number is often expressed as a percentage. While I do realize that it is a number most customers might be able to understand, it is misleading and often inaccurate. The typical estimate says, “20
Tire Speed Ratings
The Alphabet Soup Debate
Aftermarket Update
Las Vegas – It’s on everyone’s mind: How do you find better customers? That question was posed during a special event held during Independent Warehouse Distributors’ (IWD) recent national membership meeting. IWD’s meeting, held March 30 through April 1, was the 20th annual such meeting for the Connecticut-based program group. It was held at the
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Navigating OBD II Scan Tool Diagnostics
Although some hybrid OBD I/OBD II versions existed as early as 1994, the current version of OBD II was introduced in 1996. Because OBD II is a scan tool-based diagnostic system, diagnostic techs have become much more reliant upon the scan tool as a primary method of diagnosing malfunction indicator light (MIL) issues. In addition
Viewpoint: Criminal Inspection
I often work on co-worker’s cars in the BRAKE & FRONT END company garage. Some of the pictures that you see in this magazine are taken while I am working on their cars. Usually, beer and a home-cooked meal are all that I ask for in return for my work. But, a recent case in
Engine Maintenance: Head Gasket Failure Symptoms and Diagnosis
Over the last decade, the engines that have been used in the Honda and Acura line of cars and SUVs not only deliver many miles of service, but their performance level sets a standard that few car makers in their class have been able to match. Additional proof of both the reliability and potential of