Performing Brake Service On 2006-Current Cadillac DTS
The 2006-current Cadillac DTS is the largest sedan that General Motors offers. The DTS incorporates the K-platform as denoted by the 4th letter in the VIN. It is built on the same line as the Buick Lucerne. The two vehicles share many brake components, but option packaging is different for the Lucerne. The brake system of the DTS is simple to work on and has a lot in common with other GM vehicles. When one comes into your shop, remember that every DTS is equipped with stability control and TPMS, so have a scan tool and TPMS tool on hand.
Suspension Service On 2007-2011 Toyota Camry
Toyota designed the control arm on the Camry to absorb and deform during impacts so the body and suspension cradle will not be damaged. Replacement control arms are readily available for this vehicle. Pay attention to the included angle or SAI. This diagnostic angle can help you determine if the control arm or knuckle has been damaged.
Top TPMS Tools for Under $250
When even tire irons are being designed to be TPMS sensor friendly, advice on TPMS tools may be welcomed. Andrew Markel, editor of Underhood Service and Brake & Front End, offers his take on what to look for when purchasing new tools.
Brake Service On 2011-Newer Buick Regals
The fifth-generation Buick Regal on the surface might seem like an easy car to work on when the pads need replaced, but if you assume that this is just another Buick, you could quickly find yourself in trouble. The Regal has standard brake features that were once only found on high-end imports. This makes the Buick a game changer in the brake job world.
Brake Service On A 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer
The Chevrolet Trailblazer is based on the GMT 360. The brake system on the Trailblazer is not groundbreaking by any means, but there are some intricacies technicians should be aware of on this common platform. The front brakes utilize dual piston calipers with phenolic pistons. The most important thing to remember when replacing the pads on this vehicle is to replace the hardware.
Periodic Alignment Checks Can Detect Damaged, Worn Or Bent Parts
Normal driving usually won’t knock the wheels out of alignment or damage the suspension. However, normal driving also involves encounters with the unexpected, which often includes potholes, curbs, railroad crossings, parking lot speed bumps and other things that jar and stress the suspension. For this reason, periodic alignment checks are a good way to ensure proper wheel alignment and to detect damaged, worn or bent parts that might need attention.
ASE L1: Understanding Scan Tool Modes
Section B, Item 8 of the ASE L1 certification task list states:
“Interpret OBD II scan tool data stream, diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), freeze-frame data, system monitors, monitor readiness indicators, and trip and drive cycle information to determine system condition and verify repair effectiveness.” What ASE is talking about are the modes of OBD II scan tool protocol. Modes are usually denoted by a dollar sign and a two-digit number.
‘Cash For Clunkers’ Cars Are Now Your Stimulus Package
In 2009, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) or “Cash for Clunkers” incentivized drivers to trade in their gas guzzlers for more efficient vehicles. Most of these 690,114 vehicles are now four years old and have almost 50,000 miles on the odometer. This is a sweet spot you can’t ignore.
Brake Job On 2000-2006 Chrysler Sebring
The second-generation Chrysler Sebring brakes are problem free when compared to the previous generation. There are very few reports online about pulsation problems that seemed to plague the previous generation. The 2000-2006 Sebring front brakes can have different caliper designs depending on the engine and model year, and even if it is a convertible. Make sure the parts store has all the information before you order parts.
Three Phases of NOT Selling Shocks & Struts
Often, you are your own worst enemy when selling ride control. It happens to most salespeople, over time they become apathetic to selling ride control products to the customer. It is a cycle with three phases as the sales person starts to speak no evil, hears no evil from the technician and eventual sees no evil when it comes to recommending ride control replacement.
TPMS Tire Service: Why, Where And When
To understand any TPMS relearn procedure, you have to understand this: sensors only transmit, they do not receive. No vehicle asks a sensor for information on how it is doing. I know you’re thinking a sensor does receive signals when the vehicle is in relearn mode and the technician holds a TPMS tool to the sidewall of a tire. The tool excites the transmitting antenna with either a magnet or a radio signal at a preset frequency. This is more like a “poke” or “nudge” that triggers the device.
Alignment Specs For 2010 Camaro
The 2010 Camaro was GM’s re-entry into the pony-car wars with Ford and Chrysler. Like the Dodge Challenger, the Camaro borrows its platform from an existing rear-wheel-drive platform. The Camaro is based on the Zeta platform that includes the Chevrolet Police Patrol Vehicle and Pontiac G8. The front suspension uses strut and dual lower control arms. Always check the front lower control arm’s inboard bushing for damage in the form of rubber separating from the metal components. When this bushing goes bad, it will change the SIA and caster.