When people speak casually about vehicle suspension, they often throw around the terms “shocks” and “struts” as if they are the same thing, or interchangeable. They’re not. Every wheel on your vehicle has either a shock or a strut – never both, never neither. However, you may have struts on your front wheels and shocks on your rear wheels. To determine what combination of shocks and struts you have on your vehicle, first we need to learn a bit more about what they are. What d

Your car’s power steering system plays an important role in vehicle handling, making it easier to turn corners and maneuver in tight spaces. In cars with a hydraulic-controlled system, a dedicated pump transfers fluid from a reservoir to the steering gear. However, when power steering problems arise, turning can become a chore. Identifying the related symptoms can lead to a quicker repair solution. Signs of Power Steering Problems Like most emerging car problems, your vehicle

A radiator leak is a fairly serious problem to have with any vehicle. While it might be tempting to just keep adding coolant to the top-up line and continue driving, your car or truck’s cooling system has one of the most important jobs under the hood, and an issue like this one can’t be ignored for long. Rather than running the risk of suffering a more catastrophic failure that could leave you stranded, let’s take a look at the three signs that the leak is indeed coming from

Engines have evolved — they need less maintenance, produce more power and require less fuel. With a reduced maintenance regime, oil change services become even more important. Here are five common questions regarding engine oil change services. 1. When Does the Engine Oil Light Come On? All cars have an oil warning light, usually red, which illuminates when the oil pressure or oil level is too low. Don’t ignore the engine oil pressure warning light. Shut the engine off immedi

You’ve probably heard it can be an expensive repair, but do you know what causes a blown head gasket? Here’s what your head gasket does to keep your engine running smoothly, common causes of a faulty one and what you should do if you suspect something is wrong. What Is a Head Gasket? A head gasket is a relatively straightforward part. It’s basically a seal that sits sandwiched between the engine block and the cylinder head. The head gasket doesn’t look like much, but it’s one

Chase Elliott and the NAPA AUTO PARTS team finished seventh in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Elliott and the NAPA AUTO PARTS team rolled off the grid in 14th Sunday afternoon. On Lap 14, Elliott began reporting that his NAPA Chevy was “tight in the center” and loose handling on entry and exit racing around the slick surface at the South Florida track. Elliott visited pit road on Lap 36 for four fresh tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment

Does your differential mount need to be replaced? You might not think about it often, but it’s crucial to both the comfort and the safety of your daily driving experience. By supporting the differential in place, it cushions the car from vibrations on the road and also positions the component so that it plays nicely with other crucial driveline pieces, such as driveshafts, transmissions and axles. These three signs will let you know if it’s time to replace it. Continuous Shak

Modern car filters can be confusing, especially since they’re each on their own unique maintenance and replacement schedules. These schedules can change depending on how, where and for how long a vehicle is driven. While the replacement interval recommendations for most of your vehicle’s filters can often be found in the owner’s manual, it may be helpful to have a brief rundown of what each one does, along with some general advice on their maintenance. 1. Oil Filter Of all th