Last month, a reader emailed me a photo of a green puddle under her Honda Civic. She thought it was antifreeze. It turned out to be a windshield washer fluid line that had cracked where it met the reservoir. Color saved her a tow truck and a panic attack. Learning how to identify a fluid … Read more
You have oil spots under the car, but staring at the engine bay tells you nothing. The oil migrates across covers, down bell housings, and pools in places that hide where it actually started. If you want to trace an oil leak to its real source using UV dye, you need a method that follows … Read more
You pop the hood, check underneath, and there it is: a fresh oil spot on your driveway. Now the panic sets in. Is it a cheap oil pan gasket fix, or the dreaded rear main seal leak that can cost thousands? Figuring out how to tell the difference between a rear main seal and oil … Read more
If you have ever walked out of a parking lot and seen a reddish or amber puddle under your car, you probably asked yourself one question first: is this power steering fluid? I have been there. After spending a weekend chasing an elusive leak on my old Ford F-150 and then another on a friend’s … Read more
Knowing how to check and top off every fluid in your car correctly saves you hundreds of dollars in mechanic fees and prevents roadside breakdowns. I spent a weekend cross-checking my own vehicles against the owner’s manual, a Chilton guide, and three mechanic forums to put together this guide. By the end, you’ll know exactly … Read more
Last summer, my cousin called me in a panic. Her car was jerking between gears, and when she checked the dipstick, the fluid looked like used coffee grounds with a smell that hit her from across the driveway. That was her first lesson in how to tell when transmission fluid is burnt, and the repair … Read more
Last month I came out to my truck and found the driver’s side tire 4 PSI lower than the others. By the next morning, it had dropped another 3 PSI. That’s a classic slow tire leak, and finding the exact spot losing air is the only way to fix it properly. After spending a weekend … Read more
If your front tires are bald while your rear tires still have tread, your rotation pattern is wrong. Learning how to rotate your tires correctly based on drivetrain and tire type saves money, extends tire life, and protects your drivetrain, especially on all-wheel-drive vehicles where even minor mismatches cause expensive damage. I have rotated tires … Read more
I still remember the first time I tried to change a motorcycle tire in my garage. I had the bike on a stand, my hands were greasy, and I figured I could muscle the tire off the rim in about ten minutes. Forty-five minutes later, my arms were shot and the bead had not moved … Read more
That steering wheel shimmy you feel at 60 mph could mean more than an out-of-balance tire. I learned this the hard way when a pothole damaged a belt inside my tire, and a mechanic showed me the bulge I’d missed for weeks. If you’re wondering how to tell if a tire is out of round … Read more