Others
Your Front Brakes Do Most of the Work, So Why Did the Rear Pads Wear Out First?

The usual explanation sounds perfectly logical. When a car slows down, its weight moves toward the front. The front tires carry more load, so the front brakes provide more of the stopping force. That

AutoExpert
Others
The Seatbelt That Chased You Across the Door Was America’s Cheaper Alternative to an Airbag

Open the door of certain 1980s or early 1990s cars and a small buckle begins travelling along the roofline. Sit down, close the door and the shoulder belt glides toward the B-pillar, hopefully passi

AutoExpert
Others
Your Headlights Perform a Little Bow at Startup. They May Be Checking Their Own Aim

Start certain cars in front of a garage wall and the headlights put on a brief performance. The beams drop, rise and settle. Some sweep sideways too, giving the impression that the car has opened i

AutoExpert
Tips & Tricks
Your Seat Belt Works Everywhere Except the Steep Driveway. Gravity May Be the Reason

A seat belt can work perfectly all week, then refuse to move on the one morning when the car happens to be parked nose-down on a steep driveway. Pull gently and nothing happens. Give it a firmer tu

AutoExpert
Tips & Tricks
Your Brake Rotors Turned Orange Overnight. They Probably Did Not Wear Out Overnight

Wash a car in the evening and look through its wheels the next morning. The brake rotors may have turned bright orange. The change can happen quickly enough to feel impossible. The discs looked cle

AutoExpert
Others
Your Steering Wheel Wants to Go Straight. Power Steering Is Not the Real Reason

Turn into a side street, loosen the grip slightly and the steering wheel begins feeding itself back through the hands. The front wheels straighten, the car settles into its lane and the driver rarel

AutoExpert
Others
Your Headlights Dip and Rise at Startup Because They Are Quietly Checking Themselves

Park some cars facing a garage door at night and start the engine. Before the wheels have moved an inch, the headlights perform a small piece of theater. The beams dip toward the ground, rise again

AutoExpert
Others
Your Brand-New Car Rides Terribly. The Dealer May Have Left Its Shipping Blocks Installed

A new car is allowed a few small imperfections. The protective plastic may still be clinging to the touchscreen. The tires may feel slightly noisy before they settle in. The cabin may smell like an in

AutoExpert
Others
Your Front Tires Hop During a Tight Turn, but the Suspension May Be Perfectly Healthy

A slow turn into a parking space should not feel dramatic. The car is barely moving, the steering wheel is wound around and there is little opportunity for anything exciting to happen. Then a front

AutoExpert
Others
The Car Was Wrecked, but the Airbags Never Opened. Does That Mean They Failed?

A car can leave a collision with a crushed bumper, broken lights and a hood folded into an expensive-looking shape, yet every airbag remains neatly hidden. From outside, that makes little sense. Th

AutoExpert
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