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Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle.

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Another specialty punch

Disclaimer: I purchased these tools at full retail price at my own expense, with no compensation to write about the items.If you read Shop Press regularly, you may be thinking, man, those guys really love punches. You wouldn’t be wrong. We’ve written about big huge...

Rules of the torque wrench, explained

I would bet that you and most other Shop Press readers have a pretty good handle on how to use a torque wrench. You aren’t going to get far in this industry without a proficient understanding of how to employ and care for these precision instruments. And if you’re...

The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

Given how often Stephen King references cars in his books, it’s no surprise that he’s owned some classic cars himself, including a Cadillac El Dorado and a Lincoln Continental. But not all of the cars that he features in his books are of the killer variety: sometimes...

Shop Profile: Top Auto Center

Like a clueless lumberjack who couldn’t see the forest for the trees, it took me longer than it should have to figure out the secret to Top Auto Center’s success. It was hiding in plain sight and sound in the overflowing lot of cars and trucks awaiting service, sale...

Are you servicing your car’s oil correctly?

What are the top two causes of premature engine wear and engine component failure? The first is lack of maintenance, specifically going too long between oil changes. Whether you’re taking care of the family grocery hauler or you do this kind of work for a living, it...

No bead seating tank? No problem!

If you’re a tech of a certain age, you’ll remember a time when a bead seating air tank was a somewhat exotic tool. Today, seating low-pro tires that have sidewalls resembling rubber bands is the norm and use of tools beyond the bead seater on the tire machine is the...

What are rear fog lights, and when should you use them?

If you’re a vehicle owner or auto repair professional in the United States, odds are that you haven’t seen (or even used) rear fog lights on a vehicle. The vast majority of vehicles sold in the US do not include them, and in some cases, the feature is disabled or the...

How to test and fix a car USB charger (VIDEO)

In The Bay

by | May 2, 2023 | 1 comment

Description

Most late-model cars have a USB charging port for smartphones and other devices. In older vehicles, many owners have added USB charging capabilities with cigarette lighter adapters powered by accessory circuits. USB charge ports are used frequently, and today’s techs need to know how to test, diagnose, and repair these systems. This video gives an overview of tools, techniques, and common problems for customer cars. With the right equipment, you’ll be able to test USB ports for voltage and amperage, check cables for connection issues, and even simulate a load on the charging system. Not all USB charging components are created equally, and because most customers are mixing and matching devices from different manufacturers, the right tools and techniques become essential for troubleshooting. 

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