Shop Press - Auto Repair News & Ideas

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FEATURE STORY

Hot Off the Press

What sealed chassis parts can teach us about shifting customer habits and technology’s march forward

When I got to Dorman, I wasn’t bowled over by our chassis parts for one reason: for the most part, they are sealed. We do have a line of severe-service chassis parts (Premium RD™), but the bulk of our passenger-car offerings feature polymer bearings and the grease...

TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: Can you identify these dash lights? (VIDEO)

Description Think you know your dash lights? Shop Press contributors Keith, Miriam, Chris, and Greaser try their best to identify all kinds of lights, symbols, and indicators. Some are easy, others obscure, and a few are even fakes. How many can you identify?

I’ll gladly pay an independent shop more for a rush repair, and I’m not alone

On a Sunday morning last May, the day before the planned start of a long-awaited vacation highlighted by a 1,200 mile road trip, I awoke to find a very slow but very obvious leak on one of the very expensive performance tires on my fancy SUV. My first and only call...

Dash warning lights: feature or bug?

Warning lights are something we’re all familiar with—all too often, they’re the reason a customer steps into your shop. Mechanics of a certain age will remember a time when the phrase “idiot light” was used to describe a dash light. The derisive term referred to the...

PSA: Check that cabin air filter

Most of us know that we should change the filter in our home heating and air conditioning system monthly, but why? What does it do? The role of the filter is twofold. First, it traps dirt, dust, pet dander, pollen and other allergens and helps keep the air you’re...

Why sidewall styling is both worthless and wonderful for drivers and tire shops

I know the title is a little spicy, so I’ll get right into the meat of this piece: Over the past few years, I have seen more and more tires, usually all-terrains, that have been redesigned with very, very aggressive sidewall styling, and I think it’s fantastic....

Surprise: having snacks and phone chargers in your repair shop’s waiting room makes customers happier

If you’re an auto repair shop owner, you’ve probably heard advice before about the value of improving your waiting room. However, it can also be hard to gauge how much that extra expense makes a difference to your customers. Is it really worth it? Well, we have some...

Exhaust tips: three ways to fine-tune your method

Exhaust work is straightforward and (I think) easy to understand. If you’ve got a lift and a ‘cety torch, it really should be gravy work. That said, I have made plenty of my own mistakes and repaired the mistakes of others. Hopefully this article helps a few of you...

How Does Regenerative Braking Affect Brake Wear?

Regenerative systems slow the vehicle electrically, but the reduced use of friction brakes creates new maintenance challenges.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

Stop beating your sockets to death.

Shop Profile: Locked N Loaded 4×4

Learn about a shop that’s making Jeeps all they can be.

Why you should empty the master cylinder before bleeding brakes (VIDEO)

Why you should empty the master cylinder before bleeding brakes (VIDEO)

Removing old fluid from a vehicle’s braking system can be a time-consuming chore, but it doesn’t need to be.

ABOUT SHOP PRESS

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle. With interesting stories from around the world, features on creative people and solutions, and all kinds of other stuff that’ll make you use your mind and your hands.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Don’t Get Hung Up on Hanging Calipers

Don’t Get Hung Up on Hanging Calipers

A household trick to save time — and brake hoses.

Better ops with SOPs

Better ops with SOPs

Why you should use standard operating procedures for customer communications.

Cars that make you think of something specific

Cars that make you think of something specific

Chances are you’re going to have a Pavlovian response when seeing one of these vehicles.

Photo gallery: Auto repair (and a few motorcyclists) in Indianapolis, Indiana

Photo gallery: Auto repair (and a few motorcyclists) in Indianapolis, Indiana

Shop Press photographer Mike Apice recently visited Indiana, exploring the local scene and a few repair shops. Here’s a bit of what he saw behind his lens.

Using voltage to locate electrical faults

Using voltage to locate electrical faults

Understanding how voltage is used in an electrical circuit can help your troubleshooting.

Want to contribute an article to Shop Press?

Are you a wrench and a writer? A counterperson and a communicator? A service writer and a scribe? Get paid to share your experience and expertise with thousands of Shop Press readers.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Decreasing Circuit Resistance – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Decreasing Circuit Resistance – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

When the resistance of a circuit is decreased and voltage remains constant, what happens to current?

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

When plastic parts break, sometimes replacements can be prohibitively expensive or hard to find. Learn how to use a hot staple tool to salvage broken plastics for auto repairs and other projects.

How stop drilling can help to save cracked parts (VIDEO)

How stop drilling can help to save cracked parts (VIDEO)

Learn how stop drilling can help to prevent cracks from propagating with a little know-how and a drill.

Tool Review: FNIRSI DSO152 Oscilloscope

Tool Review: FNIRSI DSO152 Oscilloscope

Lemmy tries out the cheapest lab scope available on Amazon.

Making custom coiled wire is easier than you think (VIDEO)

Making custom coiled wire is easier than you think (VIDEO)

Coiled wire is a smart idea for adding service loops or mechanical strain relief on automotive electrical jobs or other projects.

VIDEOS

“Can you drive a stick?”

“Can you drive a stick?”

It’s been asked of every new mechanic for more than a century. Does it matter in 2025?

Five best car and truck tips from mechanics to non-mechanics (VIDEO)

Five best car and truck tips from mechanics to non-mechanics (VIDEO)

Want to make your vehicle last? Not sure how to talk to a shop about car repairs? Nick and Lemmy offer their five top recommendations.

Pulse width modulation and automotive lighting

Pulse width modulation and automotive lighting

Once the most basic of circuits, the humble lamp has also progressed.