Hanover Park Auto Repair

Make an appointment with Kamphaus AutoCare and Emission to have your on board diagnostics analyzed.1005 Irving Park Rd Hanover Park, IL 60133 Today we're going to talk about on-board diagnostics and the questions we hear from folks around Hanover Park IL who need answers about diagnostic services. They want to know what diagnostics are, what's involved and what the benefits are. They really want to understand the value of diagnostic scans by a trained technician in Hanover Park IL. These are valid concerns. If you don't understand something it's really hard to know its value. Let's start with some history. Since 1996, all cars and light trucks in Hanover Park IL have been required to use a standardized diagnostic system to help repair technicians determine what's wrong with your vehicle. The diagnostic system works with the vehicle's Engine Control Module - the computer that controls many engine functions. The computer monit ... read more

So you have some exciting plans for the IL weekend. You're going to take some of your Hanover Park, IL friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you've gotten the boat all ready. And you haven't forgotten about your tow vehicle. You've gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. However, there is something even more important than the cleanliness of the interior: you want to make sure that your pickup maintenance is up to date. Think about it - heavy highway traffic on the way out of Hanover Park. There's hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads - and it's going to be pretty hot in Hanover Park this weekend. And all the time you'll be towing around several thousand extra pounds. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes and transmission. Let's just consider the transmission. It's going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than normal. A fun lit ... read more

Today we're going to be talking about serpentine belts for our Hanover Park, IL customers. Let's start by talking about the accessories that are driven by the serpentine belt. First is the alternator. That's the essential device that makes electricity to power the pickup and recharge the battery. Then there's the air conditioning compressor that makes cool air for you while you're driving around IL in the summer. The power steering and power brake pumps are driven by the serpentine belt in most Hanover Park motorists' vehicles. Those pumps provide important pressure that assists your steering and braking. In many pickups, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt. The water pump is what circulates the coolant that protects your engine. In some cars around Hanover Park, IL, the water pump is driven by the timing belt. The radiator cooling fans on some pickups are also driven by the serpentine belt. Some have separate electric motors. That's really ... read more

Your cooling system is very important. It circulates coolant through the radiator and your engine to protect your car from overheating. There are five main components to the cooling system: The cooling system is critical for Hanover Park motorists. It circulates coolant through the radiator and your engine to protect your pickup from overheating. There are five main components to the cooling system: the radiatorthe radiator capthe hosesthe thermostat andthe water pump The water pump's like the heart of your cooling system, circulating the fluid throughout your pickup. It's a small pump that's driven by the engine; usually by belt, but sometimes by a chain or gear. The water pump only operates when the engine's running. Water pump failure is pretty routine. We see it often at Kamphaus AutoCare and Emission. Some start failing at around 40,000 miles, but most fail by 100,000 miles. Consult your auto maker's ow ... read more

Here's a travel tip that'll I'll bet you didn't know, and, it might keep you safer… The average American commuter in IL spends two and a half hours daily in their car. The government says a hundred thousand auto accidents yearly are caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. (Aggressive driving is the number one traffic safety concern.) So what does this have to do with how your car smells while you're driving around IL? Well, which scent did you think makes drivers more alert?It's C. Drivers are more alert and have less fatigue with pine scent in the car, according to AroMetrics. And, drivers were less angry with overall improved driving performance with strawberry and pine scents. And you thought they just smelled nice

Hello Hanover Park car owners! You would never like to drink a glass of mud, right? Well, your pickup feels the same way. It needs a steady supply of clean fuelin order to run well and deliver good gas mileage. The fuel filter's job is to clean dirt and rust out of the fuel before it gets to your engine. A clogged fuel filter can actually choke off the engine so that it won't start or run. Some fuel filters have a bypass valve that allows fuel to go around the clogged filter so your car will still run. But, then the contaminated fuel can clog your fuel injectors and allow detrimental particles into your engine. A car with a partially clogged fuel filter might run well around Hanover Park, but sputter and strain on the highway because it's starving for gas. There are two things that affect how often you need to replace the filter. They are: where you drive in IL and the gas you buy. If you drive a lot on dirt or gravel roads in ... read more

Most Elk Grove Village auto owners know that tires wear out and that the wear has to do with tread depth. Most of us have heard that “bald” tires are dangerous, but most of us picture a tire with no tread at all when we think of a bald tire. And when we take our vehicles in for preventive maintenance, the technician tells us they're need to be replaced long before all the tread is worn off. Just how much tire tread wear is too much? And how can you tell? Tires are costly and their condition is important to the safe handling of a vehicle, so it's essential for Elk Grove Village car owners to know the answers to these questions. First of all, it's critical to understand that there may be a legal limit to tread wear. If your tires are worn past this limit, you have to replace them to be in compliance with IL auto safety laws. That's why measuring your tread wear is part of a vehicle safety inspection. In some jurisdictions, tread must be at least 1.6 millimeters ... read more

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in Hanover Park IL: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the Hanover Park IL motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new car. Because new cars are more expensive, people in the Elk Grove Village area are driving their old cars longer. The average car is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in Elk Grove Village have more than 75,000 miles. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge - but they need a little help to keep on goin'. Give Kamphaus AutoCare and Emission a call to schedule your next maintenance.1005 Irving Park Rd Hanover Park, IL 60133 Some owner's manuals don't specify service require ... read more

Your vehicle's suspension system has two important jobs: to prevent the passengers from getting tossed around inside the vehicle every time it hits a bump in the road and to keep the tires firmly planted on the road around every corner and over every bump. To see your suspension system, you'll have to look under your vehicle. Anything that connects the wheels to the vehicle's frame is part of the suspension system. There are heavy-duty parts that work hard while you're driving and take a lot of wear and tear. Because of this, you should have your understanding Kamphaus Auto Care and Emissions service professional look at them once a year as part of your preventive maintenance routine. A good time for a diagnostic examination is every time you get your alignment checked. If your suspension is in trouble, you often feel it in how your vehicle drives. If the vehicle pulls to one side or wanders, if the steering is erratic, if your ride isn't ... read more

Your car might have an alignment problem if: it drifts or pulls to one side, your steering wheel is off center, you have uneven tire wear or your car doesn't feel like it handles right. When all of a vehicle's wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Running into potholes, smacking a curb or other object are great ways to knock your car out of alignment. Then one or more of your wheels starts pulling in a slightly different direction and the problems begin. Driving for an extended time when you're out of alignment causes your tires to wear unevenly and excessively. This can be dangerous and expensive. You'll have to replace your tires sooner, but even worse - you may cause premature wear to your suspension system, which can be really expensive. The front wheel alignment is adjustable on all vehicles, and the back wheels are also adjustable on some cars. The adjustment can go three different ways. The first adjustment is called toe. The next ... read more