What is a TPS? (Throttle Position Sensor)
November 10, 2024
You know you have an accelerator pedal; step on it and your vehicle is supposed to go. But did you know there is a part in your vehicle that keeps track of where the throttle is? It's called the Throttle Position Sensor, or TPS. The TPS is a sensor that helps your vehicle figure out the right mi... More
Move it or Lose It (Dormant Vehicles)
October 27, 2024
When it comes to your vehicle, driving it too much can cause some issues. But what about not driving a vehicle enough? That has consequences as well. Here are a few things that can happen if a vehicle isn't driven enough. When the engine doesn't operate, the oil isn't lubricating. That means so... More
Wiper Blades in Illinois
September 8, 2024
If you're gonna drive around the Sparta area, you've got to be able to see! So having a good set of windshield wipers is extremely important. We've all experienced the frustration and fear of not being able to see clearly during a storm or when our windshield is just dirty.It seems like your wip... More
Poor Reflections (Door Mirror Problems)
August 18, 2024
Mirror, mirror on the door, why is my vision there so poor? Well, you could have a broken outside rearview mirror that's disabled your blind spot vision there and endangering your ability to see some of the traffic around you. Outside rearview (or door) mirrors are important safety devices that ... More
The Third Brake Light (Third Brake Light Service)
August 11, 2024
So you thought you only had two brake lights. Look again and you'll see one in the center at a higher level than the two on either side of the vehicle. They're sometimes in the inside of the vehicle behind the back window, or they could be in the deck lid, on the roof or on the spare wheel carr... More
The Neglected Windshield (Windshield Care)
July 14, 2024
You look at it every day, yet you don't really see it. We're talking about your vehicle's windshield, and if you're not seeing it at all, that's probably a good sign. The fact is that unless our windshields get fogged up, hazy or cracked, we don't pay all that much attention to them. Consideri... More
Steering You Right (Tie Rod End Replacement)
March 31, 2024
For drivers, S stands for safety. And there are three other words that start with S that are all equally important: starting, stopping and steering. For your vehicle to be at its safest, all three functions must be in top shape. Steering is one of those things we take for granted. After all, y... More
"Current" Affairs (Blown Fuses)
March 3, 2024
You may be driving along and find that suddenly your radio stops working. There are no numbers on the display. Then when you get home, you notice the garage door opener doesn't do a thing when you press the button. Hmm, this was working just fine this morning. Are the two problems somehow rela... More
DOG FOOD IN YOUR ENGINE (Keeping Rodents out of your Engine)
December 24, 2023
A technician was telling us the other day that he was servicing an engine and spotted something he'd never seen before: A collection of dry dog food siting on a horizontal metal ledge near the base of the engine. It was neatly stashed and was in a spot where the food pellets couldn't have simply... More
Make your Service Visit at Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta a Good One
November 26, 2023
Most people don't love going to get their vehicle serviced, but it's one of those things you just have to do. So you might as well get the most of out of it. There are some steps you can take that will likely help you get the best results possible. For one thing, it's important to describe your p... More