Hanover Park Auto Repair

Important Maintenance for Cars with Turbochargers Turbochargers are a great way to add power and performance to your car, but they also require a little extra maintenance to keep them running smoothly. Here are some of the most important things you can do to maintain your car's turbocharger: Change the oil regularly. Turbocharged engines require more frequent oil changes than naturally aspirated engines. The oil in your turbocharger helps to lubricate the bearings and other moving parts, so it's important to keep it clean and fresh. Most manufacturers recommend changing the oil every 5,000 miles or 3 months, whichever comes first. Use the right oil. Not all oils are created equal when it comes to turbochargers. Look for an oil that is specifically designed for turbocharged engines. These oils are formulated to withstand the high temperatures and pressures that turbochargers operate under. Warm up the engine before driving. Turbochargers take a few minutes to ... read more

When to Replace Your Hybrid Battery Hybrid vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, as they offer a more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly way to get around. However, all hybrid batteries will eventually need to be replaced. Here are some signs that it might be time to replace your hybrid battery: Your car's fuel economy has decreased significantly. Your car has trouble starting. Your car's warning lights are on. Your car's battery is no longer holding a charge. If you're seeing any of these signs, it's a good idea to have your hybrid battery tested by a qualified mechanic. They can help you determine if the battery needs to be replaced and, if so, what your options are. How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Hybrid Battery? The cost of replacing a hybrid battery can vary depending on the make and model of your car, as well as the age and condition of the battery. However, in general, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000 for a new bat ... read more

When the check engine light comes on it’s easy to assume the worst. You know something may be wrong under the hood and this can leave you paranoid and anxious. There can be several reasons the check engine light is on. And while it’s tempting to neglect it, it can cause costly repairs in the long run. Identifying the issue is crucial to the health of your vehicle. Below are three common reasons why the check engine light may have come on. Spark Plugs The spark plugs supply the spark that ignites a mini-explosion in the combustion chamber. The spark plugs should be replaced once a year or at least every 10,000 miles. Spark plugs that are worn or damaged will not be able to properly ignite the air/fuel mixture in the cylinders. Neglecting your spark plugs can only snowball into larger problems. Faulty spark plugs can cause a major decrease in performance, poor fuel economy, and even an engine misfire. If the check engine light comes on, try checki ... read more

Your vehicle has a filter to keep dust and debris from entering your engine. When the filter is clean, the engine gets an efficient amount of air needed to operate. A dirty filter can cause a decrease in performance. You may notice your vehicle has less power and struggles to accelerate. Engine filters typically need to be replaced every 12,000 to 15,000 miles or about once a month. Some drivers may need to replace their engine filters sooner if they're in dusty rural areas. Below are three telltale signs that the engine filter is clogged.                                      The filter is dirty.  If you don't have time to have a professional check the filter, check your vehicle's owner's manual for your specific engine filter's exact location. Give the engine filter a visual inspection. A clean filter should be white and free of pollutants. Ov ... read more

Aside from being the proverbial life blood of your engine, there is more to an oil change than just oil. Oil changes done by certified automotive technicians are accompanied by a vehicle inspection. Periodic vehicle inspections keep minor problems from becoming major disasters.  When you go to the gas station, how many people do you see with the hood up? Back in the day, people pulling up to a service station to get fuel would be bombarded with a small army of attendants checking oil, transmission fluid, air pressure in tire, coolant level etc. In todays instant gratification powered world, no one is taking the time to look at any of the critical components that need to be checked on a regular basis. Fast is not always the right answer.  I am not trying to pick on quickie oil change places, but how much really gets checked in ten minutes? A good oil change should take about 45 minutes. All the systems of the car should be looked over and all fluids should be ... read more

Sometimes busy Hanover Park residents dream about going back to the “simpler” days of our grandparents. But if you could travel back in time and take a road trip around Elk Grove Village in a Model T, you might change your mind. The improved designs and quality of today's automobiles have significantly reduced the amount of time Hanover Park auto owners spend at the side of the road during breakdowns. With proper maintenance, today's vehicles can stay on the road longer than ever before. Some of those improvements, however, have led to higher repair costs. For example, older cars often broke down from vapor lock. Gas vaporized while traveling from the gas tank to the fuel pump. No gas, no power. The car quits going. The solution was simple - you just sat by the road until the car would start up again. Today's Hanover Park drivers would hardly tolerate that kind of inconvenience; and it's likely that yesterday's Hanover Park motorists didn't care mu ... read more

A while back, the Cash for Clunkers program was all over the IL news. Hanover Park people could trade in their old vehicle for a new one that got better fuel economy and receive a government rebate. A lot of Hanover Park motorists had so-called clunkers that they wanted to keep. They're good commuters, Hanover Park grocery getters or toy haulers. They enjoy that fact that they're paid off, or soon will be. They would gladly like to keep their pickups for 200,000 miles or more - as long as it's economical to do so. There are plenty of Hanover Park drivers whose vehicles are running after 150,000or 200,000 miles. We can learn from what they're doing to keep our own pickups on the road in IL. The astute Hanover Park auto owners of high-mileage cars often report a common denominator of never skipping an oil change. That may sound a bit unsophisticated, but it's really not. First ... read more

If you're reading this article in Hanover Park, IL, then you probably care about your car and how it runs. Even though you care, there is still that moment of dread when your understanding Kamphaus AutoCare and Emission technician tells you the manufacturer recommends some additional service. Your heart beats a little faster, your blood pressure rises. You worry about spending more money than you had planned. And you worry that if you say “no”, you might be harming your pickup or risking your family's safety. At the risk of sounding like your dad, you really should have done your homework. Service recommendations are in your owner's manual. But it is not like you want to keep your pickup auto maintenance schedule on your nightstand for bedtime reading. Cars are complicated machines and it takes some effort for Hanover Park motorists to keep them running well. That is why car makers have maintenance schedules that explain how to keep your pickup ... 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

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