Ethics of Automotive Repair in Lake In The Hills

September 19, 2021

We're going to be talking about the ethics of automotive repair. It seems like news outlets really like hit-and-run reporting; they hit everyone from groceries stores to retail to physicians. And the Lake In The Hills automotive service and repair industry hasn't been given a pass either.Unfortun... More

Breathe New Life into Your Engine (MAF sensor replacement)

September 12, 2021

If youve noticed your vehicle is hard to start, stalling, or has lost power, the culprit may be a part with an odd name: the MAF sensor. You may have never even heard of a MAF sensor, but its important that it be working correctly, or you may be experiencing some fairly significant engine issues... More

Weather Station on Wheels (Vehicle Sensor Maintenance)

September 5, 2021

You probably never thought about it, but your vehicle is like a rolling weather station. It can check the outside temperature, let you know when the roads are slippery and help you deal with rain. And how it does all those things is pretty cool. First, just like any weather station, a vehicle ha... More

The Tuffy Lake In The Hills Guide to Saving Fuel: Beware of Myths

August 29, 2021

There's a lot of auto advice in Illinois right now on how to save money on gas. Some of it is good advice. Some of it isn't. Some of it is myth. And it may well be a scam. Plain and simple. When someone offers you a product designed to save money on gas, ask yourself, Does this sound too good to ... More

Automotive Tips from Tuffy Lake In The Hills: Serpentine Belt Tensioner

August 22, 2021

The serpentine belt tensioner applies pressure to the serpentine belt, maintaining optimal tension to drive the accessories like the alternator and A/C compressor. At Tuffy Lake In The Hills we know that the service life of the belt tensioner is the same as the belt itself, so they should always ... More

Wasteful Thinking

August 15, 2021

With the weather getting colder, you might be tempted to start your vehicle up, let it idle for 15 or 20 minutes and then get in the nice, cozy cabin. Some vehicles offer remote starting that let you do that from the comfort of your home or apartment. But is letting your vehicle idle like that ... More

Don't Be Shocked (Shock Absorbers)

August 8, 2021

If you've ever ridden down a rough road on your bicycle, you know how hard a ride it can be. Yet drive down the same road in your car, truck or SUV and it miraculously will smooth out the ride. That's because it is equipped with shock absorbers. They are built to dampen impacts from road irreg... More

The Part You've Never Seen (Flat Tires and Solutions)

August 1, 2021

They say your vehicle has one, but you've never seen it. And you might not even know it if you stumbled on it accidentally. We're talking about the jack, that tool that allows you to lift one corner of the vehicle up so someone can change a flat tire. So you say you'd never try to change a flat ... More

Bad Vibes (Disc brake rotor problems)

July 25, 2021

If you were to name the most important safety feature on your vehicle right now, what would your answer be? A lot of driving experts would agree that its your brakes. Most newer vehicles use a well-engineered and efficient style of brakes called disc brakes. The name disc brakes comes from one ... More

Automotive Tips from Tuffy Lake In The Hills: Signs of an Alignment Problem

July 18, 2021

When properly aligned, all of your wheels are pointed in the same direction. Your vehicle will track true and handle the way it is designed. Lake In The Hills drivers often associate our wheels being knocked out of alignment with an event like an accident, hitting a pothole, curb or some other ob... More