Others
The Parking Brake Is Off, but the Red Light Stayed On. Check the Fluid

The parking brake has been released, but the red warning light remains on. The first reaction is usually to pull the lever again or press the parking-brake switch a few times. Perhaps the sensor

AutoExpert
Tips & Tricks
Your Car Looks Clean but Feels Like Sandpaper. The Dirt Has Bonded to the Paint

The car has been washed, rinsed, and dried. From a few steps away, the paint looks spotless. Run a hand across the hood, however, and the surface tells a different story. Instead of feeling slick, it

AutoExpert
Others
Your Car Pulls Right on One Road and Left on Another. The Alignment May Be Innocent

The car drifts gently toward the shoulder, and suspicion immediately falls on the alignment. That is understandable. A car should travel where it is pointed, and anything that seems to tug at the s

AutoExpert
Others
Your Tires Gained Pressure on the Highway. Do Not Let the Air Back Out Yet

The tires were set perfectly that morning. Then, after a long stretch of highway, the pressure display shows every one of them sitting several pounds higher. Out comes the gauge. Sure enough, the d

AutoExpert
Others
Your Parked Car Started Whirring Hours Later. It May Be Running a Secret Test

A parked car should understand the concept of being parked. The engine is off. The keys are inside the house. The garage has been quiet for hours. Then something beneath the car begins to hu

AutoExpert
Others
Your Turn Signal Started Clicking Frantically, and It Is Probably Trying to Warn You

A turn signal normally keeps a relaxed, predictable beat. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Then, without warning, it sounds as though someone has doubled the tempo. The arrow on the dashboard flashes furiously

AutoExpert
Others
Your Car Is in Neutral, but Towing It This Way Could Still Destroy the Drivetrain

Neutral has a reassuring name. It sounds harmless, disconnected and mechanically impartial. Put the selector in N, release the parking brake and the car can roll. Surely that means it can also be towe

AutoExpert
Others
Your Brake Pedal Turned Rock Hard With the Engine Off. Here Is What Happened

The engine is off. You push the brake pedal once, then again. Each push feels a little firmer than the last. After several presses, the pedal barely wants to move. That sensation can make it s

AutoExpert
Tips & Tricks
Your Tire Pressure Rose on the Highway. Put the Gauge Down Before Letting Air Out

The sticker inside the driver’s door says 35 PSI. After an hour on the highway, the dashboard says 39. Four extra pounds of pressure sounds like a problem. The tires were set correctly that morn

AutoExpert
Others
That Tiny Slot Beside Your Shifter Has a Job Most Drivers Never Discover

A dead battery is annoying in any parking space. It becomes considerably more awkward when the car is nose-first inside a garage and the tow truck needs it in Neutral. The brake pedal feels normal.

AutoExpert
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