Improve Your Night Vision When Driving in Chicago
November 15, 2020
Night driving in Chicago is not as safe as daylight driving as evidenced by the increased accident rate at night. Much of that is simply because it's dark outside.Visibility is important to safe driving. Ninety percent of our driving decisions are based on what we see. And at night, we just can't... More
The Part You've Never Seen (Flat Tires and Solutions)
November 8, 2020
They say your vehicle has one, but you've never seen it. And you might not even know it if you stumbled on it accidentally. We're talking about the jack, that tool that allows you to lift one corner of the vehicle up so someone can change a flat tire. So you say you'd never try to change a flat ... More
What Is an EGR Valve? (EGR Valve Service)
November 1, 2020
If you've ever felt your vehicle hesitate, go, then hesitate again, you might think there's something wrong with the transmission. After all, it's not moving smoothly down the road. But there are plenty of malfunctions that can cause those symptoms, one of them being something you may have nev... More
Such a Little Part (Climate Control Resistor)
October 25, 2020
You expect your heater/air conditioner to work like it should. You have a control for temperature and one for fan speed. You even have a control for what vents the air comes out of. Don't be surprised one day if your blower fan develops a mind of its own and starts going crazy. Most of the ti... More
Will Proper Auto Maintenance at Tuffy Chicago (Diversey Pkwy) Really Save Gas?
October 18, 2020
Have you ever thought about all the little things we do to keep our lives running smoothly - like vacuuming? It makes a room feel fresher and more comfortable. We may not consider that we're also prolonging the life of the carpet by keeping it clean. But Chicago drivers don't always extend those ... More
Taking the Heat (Heater Hose Maintenance/Repair)
October 11, 2020
If you have an internal combustion vehicle, you know it has a lot of hoses that carry various fluids. And if you have a heater in your vehicle, you'll have heater hoses. A heater hose connects to and from the engine so some coolant can be circulated through a little radiator called a heater core... More
Ask Tuffy Chicago (Diversey Pkwy): What Happens When a Serpentine Belt Breaks?
October 4, 2020
The serpentine belt is aptly named since it snakes around under your hood. It may lack its namesake's fangs, but it sure packs a wallop when it breaks.The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine systems. It runs the alternator, which charges the battery; the water pump (on some vehicles), which co... More
How Much Does It Cost? (Variations in Vehicle Repair Costs)
September 27, 2020
Ever wonder why it costs so much more to fix a similar problem in two different vehicles? Let's say you now own an SUV and before that, you owned a car. Your SUV's air conditioning system needs a new evaporator, but the cost for the new one is way more than you remember it was for your car. How... More
Cruisin' on Down Main Street
September 20, 2020
When automakers first came out with cruise control, it was a real luxury item. The older cruise controls used a mechanical vacuum system but it worked. Well, some of the time. Now days, cruise control is all electronic, thanks to computers. It's reliable and a real convenience on long trips. ... More
Chicago Safety Systems: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
September 13, 2020
Flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances can all be the result of driving around Chicago on underinflated tires. Admittedly, it's hard to tell when a radial tire is underinflated. If your vehicle manufacturer recommends 35 pounds of pressure, your vehicle tires are considered signif... More