Back to all

Lake In The Hills Customer Detective Work

August 19, 2018

One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician at Tuffy Lake In The Hills is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed.

Cars are made up of a bunch of complex systems. There usually could be a number of reasons for any given symptom. So, it's challenging to track down the actual cause of the problem. And it can be frustrating for the vehicle owner because it can take time and money to get to the bottom of a problem. If it's not something obvious, it's easy for the customer to focus on the fixing and not the diagnosing.

Let us at Tuffy Lake In The Hills introduce you to something we'll call 'Customer Detective Work' –  helping your technician find clues to what's wrong.

We start with the detective basics: What, Where and When. Play along with me; You come in to Tuffy Lake In The Hills and your car is making a funny sound...

    • Q: Where's the sound?
    • A: Around the right front wheel.
    • Q: What kind of sound?
    • A: Kind of a clunk, clunk sound.
    • Q: When do you hear the sound?
    • A: When I turn and accelerate. 
  • Q: Right and left? Forward and back?

Do you see where we're going? You're gathering additional information to help your technician at Tuffy Lake In The Hills know where to start. Based on your car and the tech's experience, he'll know where to look and can start with the obvious suspects.

You can see how that would be more helpful than dropping the car off with a note that says "making a funny noise."

If the tech can experience the problem personally, he's better able to make a diagnosis and repair and then test to see if the repair solved the problem.

Ask us for details.

Tuffy Lake In The Hills
59 West Acorn Lane
Lake In The Hills, Illinois 60156
847-854-9850

More articles from Tuffy Lake in the Hills

Avoiding Exhaustion (EGR Valve Replacement)

July 27, 2025

No, ERG isnt the sound a pirate makes. Its a part in your vehicle that recirculates exhaust gas to reduce certain gases and pollutants in the atmosphere. In fact, ERG stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation. One gas our vehicles may make when they burn fuel is nitric oxide, which can play a big ro... More

Round and Round (Wheel Balancing)

July 20, 2025

In a perfect world, all wheels and tires would be perfectly round and weigh exactly the same at every point of the wheel. Unfortunately, they're not, and if they're out of balance, they can reduce the lifespan of your tires, make your vehicle shake like a carnival ride, and maybe even damage a f... More

Do I Need Brake Service? (Brake Service)

July 13, 2025

Think of how many times you put your foot on your vehicles brake pedal every day. And think of how much you rely on your brakes to slow down and stop your momentum. When it comes to safety systems, your brakes are at the top of the list, and thats why its so important to keep them in top condit... More