Give me a Brake (Light)!
January 23, 2022
If that little brake warning light pops up on your dash, do you know what it means? Well, if you said no, you wouldn't be alone. You know it has something to do with your brakes, but exactly what? You're not sure. One of the reasons is that it could mean a lot of different things. It could be som... More
Don't Miss a Beat (Importance of Regular Maintenance)
January 16, 2022
In many places, license plates have to be renewed every year or else you can't drive your vehicle legally. Usually, you'll get a reminder from the agency that issues the plates. That kind of regular attention needs to be paid to your vehicle as well. Its manufacturer has determined a schedule o... More
Getting from E to F (Fuel Gauge Problems)
January 9, 2022
Who thinks about their fuel gauge? You probably don't until it doesn't work any more. Then you have to guess how much fuel is in your tank, and that's no way to live life on the road. Fuel gauges, like every other part in your vehicle, can fail. And when yours stops working, you will probably... More
What's in a Number? (What Tire Numbers Mean)
January 2, 2022
You've probably never paid much attention to the writing on the sides of your tires, but they contain a wealth of information. There's a long combination of letters and numbers that can tell you a whole lot about what tires your vehicle was designed to be riding on. Let's check out this example... More
The Truth about Tire Pressure (Tire Inflation)
January 1, 2022
Most light vehicles (under 10,000 pounds/4,500 kg) in North America sold from 2008 model year on have a feature that many people are confused about. It's the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). You may have some experience with it yourself if you own a newer vehicle. Vehicles with TPMS hav... More
Straight Ahead (Wheel Alignment)
December 26, 2021
If every road was straight and smooth, we wouldn't have to worry much about wheel alignment. But they're not, so we do. Hitting potholes or driving on rough pavement can knock your vehicle out of alignment and you'll notice it in one of several ways. Your steering wheel may not be centered when ... More
Fuel System Cleaning the Professional Way at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Batavia
December 19, 2021
Your fuel system needs to be clean to do its job properly. When it gets dirty, the results are lower engine performance, reduced fuel economy and impaired safety. It can even lead to costly repair bills for Batavia drivers. So keep your fuel system clean as part of your routine preventive mainten... More
In the Hot Seat (Repair and Maintenance of Seat Heaters)
December 12, 2021
It's chilly outside. You flip on that switch that looks like a picture of a seat with little heat waves rising from it. You expect soon you'll feel that warmth but wait! It's not getting warmer. Oh no, what's wrong with my seat heater? There could be lots of reasons it's not working, and it cou... More
If You Drive Like a Maniac (Aggressive Driving is Bad for a Vehicle)
December 5, 2021
When someone mentions driving like a maniac, they're not talking about you, surely? Besides the safety issues of aggressive driving, you should know that your vehicle will last a lot longer if you'll just mellow out a little. Here are four traits good drivers follow if they want their vehicles t... More
Don't Start with That (Bad Starter Motor)
November 28, 2021
We've all heard that expression, "That's a non starter." When it comes to your vehicle, that's not music to a driver's ears. That sickening sound when you start the ignition and instead of hearing the engine crank, you hear it slowly turn over and your dash lights go dim. There can be many reaso... More