Poor Reflections (Door Mirror Problems)

August 18, 2024

Mirror, mirror on the door, why is my vision there so poor? Well, you could have a broken outside rearview mirror that's disabled your blind spot vision there and endangering your ability to see some of the traffic around you. Outside rearview (or door) mirrors are important safety devices that ... More

The Third Brake Light (Third Brake Light Service)

August 11, 2024

So you thought you only had two brake lights. Look again and you'll see one in the center at a higher level than the two on either side of the vehicle. They're sometimes in the inside of the vehicle behind the back window, or they could be in the deck lid, on the roof or on the spare wheel carr... More

The Neglected Windshield (Windshield Care)

July 14, 2024

You look at it every day, yet you don't really see it. We're talking about your vehicle's windshield, and if you're not seeing it at all, that's probably a good sign. The fact is that unless our windshields get fogged up, hazy or cracked, we don't pay all that much attention to them. Consideri... More

Steering You Right (Tie Rod End Replacement)

March 31, 2024

For drivers, S stands for safety. And there are three other words that start with S that are all equally important: starting, stopping and steering. For your vehicle to be at its safest, all three functions must be in top shape. Steering is one of those things we take for granted. After all, y... More

"Current" Affairs (Blown Fuses)

March 3, 2024

You may be driving along and find that suddenly your radio stops working. There are no numbers on the display. Then when you get home, you notice the garage door opener doesn't do a thing when you press the button. Hmm, this was working just fine this morning. Are the two problems somehow rela... More

DOG FOOD IN YOUR ENGINE (Keeping Rodents out of your Engine)

December 24, 2023

A technician was telling us the other day that he was servicing an engine and spotted something he'd never seen before: A collection of dry dog food siting on a horizontal metal ledge near the base of the engine. It was neatly stashed and was in a spot where the food pellets couldn't have simply... More

Make your Service Visit at Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta a Good One

November 26, 2023

Most people don't love going to get their vehicle serviced, but it's one of those things you just have to do. So you might as well get the most of out of it. There are some steps you can take that will likely help you get the best results possible. For one thing, it's important to describe your p... More

Chilly Warning (Diagnosing a Noise in Cold Vehicle)

November 5, 2023

When the weather gets colder, sometimes the noises your vehicle makes will change. For example, you may notice a whining sound when you get going in the morning. It may go away when the vehicle warms up, but it's best not to ignore that sound because it could be a warning of worse things to com... More

Going (Lug) Nuts (Lug Nut Replacement)

October 22, 2023

Here's a part of your vehicle you probably don't think about much: lug nuts. They're what fasten your wheels onto your axles. Pretty important, right? In order to take the wheels off your vehicle to service the brakes, rotate the tires, etc., the lug nuts have to be in good shape so a wrench wi... More

Prepare Your Windshield for Winter (Wiper Blades and Fluid for Freezing Temperatures)

October 15, 2023

Winter and freezing temperatures present challenges for different parts of your vehicles. For example, winter tires give you better traction on snow. But some parts of your vehicle that may need special attention for winter are your windshield wipers. You may have found yourself in the middle o... More