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How Does Regenerative Braking Affect Brake Wear?

We’ve come a long way since the days of rubbing wooden blocks against a wagon wheel to slow down a carriage. Modern braking systems are amazingly effective at halting several thousand pounds in a safe, controlled manner. The most common automotive braking technique is...

Air Conditioning Service Fundamentals – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Description A/C system designs are changing, and new refrigerants are being introduced. Technician A and Technician B are discussing the importance of proper diagnosis and repair of today’s climate control systems. Which of the following statements related to A/C...

Don’t Overlook the Elementary

Today’s article is one borne from experiences. Exasperating experiences, no less. All novice mechaniclets are taught engines need fuel, air, spark, and compression to run. This is true, but we often take those for granted, and diagnosing even one vehicle with a basic...

ADAS Alignment and Calibration – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Description Technician A says that the thrust angle must be maintained at zero degrees when performing an alignment on many vehicles equipped with certain ADAS systems (like lane departure warning). Technician B says that the steering angle sensor must be properly...

What are Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Why are They Important?

It may sound crazy, but there was a time when automobile manufacturers were not required to make vehicles safe. Many manufacturers touted the safety of their vehicles, but some of those features were just as much marketing as they were practical. In the 1960s,...

Writers, Print Vehicle Service Histories for Every Vehicle

The fellas who taught me to write service were arguably some of the best I’ve seen do the job. They had all sorts of tricks up their sleeves, like the boomerang business cards you’ve read about before. Today, I’d like to share another tip my friend Sam gave me. It...

The JDM Class of 2001 Comes of Age

Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars during their heyday in the 1990s were the unattainable treasure, not for North American consumption, only accessible in video games. They were tantalizingly close but not truly attainable. Turns out all it takes is patience: 25...

It’s That Time of Year to Change Your Clocks. And Your Gasoline Blend.

For those of us wrenching here in Uncle Sam’s country, we prepare for the arrival of spring by “springing forward” an hour with our clocks. (And maybe even helping a few customers fix the time on their dashboards.) But there’s another seasonal change going on behind...

A/C bypass pulleys: a history lesson on a part you can’t get from a dealer

by Lemmy | Sep 21, 2023

I’m going to share some theory behind bypassing air conditioning in this article. I recognize it may be elementary for some of you (who probably lived through the whole history I’m gonna delve into), but it may be quite the revelation for those who have not. In most...

How to install a brake cable slack eliminator (VIDEO)

by Shop Press Staff | Aug 3, 2023

How to install a brake cable slack eliminator (VIDEO) Description If your parking brake is weak or not working at all, a stretched cable is usually the issue. The Dorman 03006 parking brake slack eliminator is a quick and easy way to restore brake function. Related...

Test fuses without removal! (VIDEO)

by Shop Press Staff | Jul 6, 2023

Test fuses without removal! (VIDEO) How to test for blown fuses in a car or truck | Fast and easy method Description Checking fuses is one of the most basic (and important!) tests you’ll use when diagnosing a vehicle’s electrical system. Most cars and trucks on the...

Catalytic converters are the coolest car parts that get no respect

by Lee Procida | May 25, 2023

The air in Detroit during the 1960s was so polluted that mothers were scared for their children to play outside. In certain places, you couldn’t see the sun at noon, and buildings had to be cleaned or repainted every six months. Some people wrote letters to...

The surreal appeal of steel wheels

by Bryan Joslin | Apr 11, 2023

By some estimations, steel wheels should have faded into obscurity about two decades ago. That’s based solely on my highly unscientific and not-at-all-researched memory of when the used hub cap shop in Downers Grove, Illinois, closed its doors for good. Nothing left...

There really are a ton of automotive door styles

by Lemmy | Feb 21, 2023

The Shop Press team was sitting around jawing the other day about the history of the term “suicide doors.” I read a number of explanations, but none were very satisfactory. During my cursory research, however, I did start noting the rather large number of door styles...