Shop Press - Auto Repair News & Ideas

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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FEATURE STORY

Hot Off the Press

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

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...

The pros (and more than a few cons) of chrome

My Shop Press colleague Lemmy and I have had an ongoing debate about chrome. Since I’m a lover of antique cars, particularly Tri-Five Chevys, you can guess that I’m a pretty big fan of chrome. I think it makes any car look luxurious and stylish. Lemmy, on the other...

PSA: Make sure your Loctite isn’t fake!

Loctite’s threadlocking compounds are used by automotive professionals everywhere to secure critical fasteners. Unfortunately, Loctite's popularity has resulted in a wave of counterfeit products that can look remarkably like the real deal. Everything from the bottle,...

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...

Is Your Shop Ready? ASCE 2025 Report Card Ranks U.S. Road Systems a D+

Aging roads and infrastructure might play a role in planning your shop’s future business.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Are You Properly Checking Hub Bearings For Wear? (VIDEO)

Are You Properly Checking Hub Bearings For Wear? (VIDEO)

Pete Meier explains how a dial indicator is necessary for a true wear check.

Efficiency is the Name of the Game

Efficiency is the Name of the Game

Four proven ways to run a tighter ship at your shop.

Misfire Cause–ASE Practice Questions (VIDEO)

Misfire Cause–ASE Practice Questions (VIDEO)

Technician A is diagnosing a misfire. He states that a misfire is caused by a fault in the ignition system and that new plugs and coils will repair the problem. Technician B says that a misfire is detected when the ECM detects a variation in crankshaft speed.

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.

The One Tool That Knows More Than Any Tech (VIDEO)

The One Tool That Knows More Than Any Tech (VIDEO)

A factory service manual gives you every spec, procedure, and diagram—stop guessing, start fixing smart.

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.

Top tips for car and truck fleet maintenance: what repair shops need to know (VIDEO)

Top tips for car and truck fleet maintenance: what repair shops need to know (VIDEO)

Ready to grow your shop’s business with fleet maintenance, service and repairs?

Another specialty punch

Another specialty punch

There are many types of punches. There’s a reason for that.

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.

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

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

A nationwide framework of safety regulations has transformed vehicle design and saved countless lives since its introduction in 1968.

The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

It’s much more than just Christine.

Shop Profile: Top Auto Center

Just when you thought The Golden Rule was out of style, this independent repair shop and used car sales center proves otherwise.

Are you servicing your car’s oil correctly?

Are you servicing your car’s oil correctly?

It might be time to rethink oil changes.

No bead seating tank? No problem!

No bead seating tank? No problem!

There’s two ways to use tire mounting compound.

VIDEOS

Commercials That Make Technicians and Dealers the Stars of the Show

Commercials That Make Technicians and Dealers the Stars of the Show

Here are some outlandish—and not so outlandish—examples of mechanic and dealership TV commercials.

Store stuff in your glove box? Thank automobile pioneer Dorothy Levitt (VIDEO)

Store stuff in your glove box? Thank automobile pioneer Dorothy Levitt (VIDEO)

Ever wonder why virtually all cars and trucks have glove boxes? A visionary woman and her little book about driving changed in-vehicle storage over a hundred years ago.

Inside Global (Generic) OBD-II

Inside Global (Generic) OBD-II

You don’t need an expensive scan tool to diagnose the cause of an illuminated check engine light.