Sam's Tires & Automotive Inc.

For the most part, the cylinder heads on most Porsche cars are pretty durable. However, sometimes hairline cracks appear near exhaust valve seats, some even reaching almost to the spark plug holes. Cam follower housing (at the mounting spot) can also be vulnerable to cracks, allowing coolant and oil to mix.

Your car's electrical system consists of a battery, alternator (or generator), starter, solenoid, voltage regulator, and a fuse panel. These components work together to produce and store the electricity necessary to keep your car running.

When the cold weather ices over your windshield, don’t rely on windshield wipers to scrape off the ice. The rubber could have frozen onto the glass overnight. If you turn on your wipers in this condition, you could damage wiper mechanism.

Have you wondered why they’re called smart cars? It has nothing to do with their intelligence. The Smart Car was a joint project between Swatch and Mercedes, and internally used an acronym for Swatch Mercedes Art (SMArt). When the car was released, they decided to keep using the name.

Did that loud, sharp bang that suddenly exploded from your Saab scare the bejeebers out of you? The most common cause of backfiring is an air/fuel mixture that is too rich, and an adjustment needs to be made to restore the proper mix.

When a battery needs a jump-start, it can take hours of driving for the battery to fully recharge. To charge the battery to its full charge after a jump-start, a hook-up to a battery charger may be necessary.

When you hear loud screeching or squealing noises, it is one or more of the following: the air pressure in the tires is too low, the power steering fluid is too low, or the steering belt is worn. None of these is a particularly difficult problem to correct.

Consumers are free to have their vehicles serviced where they want without risk of voiding their warranty, but read your warranty carefully. It’s important to use Volvo certified parts in your repair to maintain your warranty and the longevity of your vehicle.

One of the benefits of modern auto diagnostics is that even minor issues can be quickly and accurately diagnosed. This can lead to significant cost savings, as these problems can be fixed before they have a chance to escalate into bigger, more expensive ones.

A good idea is to get into the habit of starting your engine with the air-conditioning and stereo turned off. This will benefit your battery and starter, extending the lives of both.

If you notice steam coming from the engine of your car, and you smell antifreeze (it is a sickly sweet odor), you have a leak somewhere in the cooling system. The most common locations are the radiator, or hoses and their connection points.

Today's vehicles are loaded with an array of electronic components that would have been unimaginable just 20 years ago. Advances in automotive electronics have made routine maintenance more than just an oil change.

Car radiators have been around almost since automobiles were invented. Radiators are responsible for heat dissipation, which is an integral component of engine design.