Tires
Are You Going Nuts? (Lug Nut Replacement)
If your vehicle has a few years on it, you’ve no doubt had your tires rotated a few times. That means, of course, that a technician has loosened the lug nuts (which hold the wheels on) to remove the wheels and then put them back on. Many vehicles have lug bolts that go through the…
Read MoreSelecting Tires
Do you need new tires? How do you know which tires to get? Let’s look at selecting new tires in light of three factors: Function, Fit, and Value. Function: This gets at what your needs are for new tires: weather conditions, terrain, temperatures, etc. New family vehicles come with all-season tires. They can be used all year long and do…
Read MoreTire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
All new cars and light trucks since 2008 have come equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, or ‘TPMS’. The TPMS system detects when a tire becomes under-inflated and lights up a warning light on the dash. So what’s the big deal for drivers? Well, underinflated tires can be a real safety concern. First of all, they don’t handle properly…
Read MoreSelecting Tires
So you need new tires. How do you know which tires to get? Douglas Automotive Repair looks at selecting new tires in light of three factors: Function, Fit, and Value. Function: This gets at what your needs are for new tires: Illinois weather conditions, terrain, temperatures, etc. Most new family vehicles come with all-season tires. They can be…
Read MoreCare About Your Spare (Spare Tire Care)
Most of us don’t worry about getting a flat tire. After all, it rarely happens, and if it does, we might think we can just call someone and have them put on the spare. That’s all fine and dandy if your spare is in good shape. But how many of us even think twice about…
Read MoreTire Pressure Monitoring System
What does it mean when your tire pressure warning light comes on? It means that one or more of your tires has low air pressure. The dashboard warning light, which looks like a cross-section of a tire with some lines in it, comes on when the tire pressure is 20% below what the vehicle manufacturer…
Read MoreTPMS Light
Never ignore your TPMS light. Automotive service terms can be confusing. Case in point: TPMS. If the acronym TPMS sounds like a foreign language to you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. TPMS, or Tire Pressure Monitoring System, has been mandatory on cars for the past 10 years. If your vehicle is a 2008 model year or later,…
Read MoreTire Wear
At Douglas Automotive Repair we frequently get questions about tires, and what our customers can do to make them last longer. Here are some suggestions on ways to lengthen the life of your tires: First, tires lose air pressure over time, so check them at least once a month and fill them up as necessary.…
Read MoreWinter Tires
Hey Plainfield drivers, let’s talk about winter tires. We’re not talking about all season tires here, but dedicated winter tires. Modern winter tires do a terrific job for drivers in a wide range of Illinois winter conditions. First of all, below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, regular tires become hard and inflexible. That means they don’t provide the road grip…
Read MoreUpsizing Wheels and Tires
Hello! Let’s pretend you have three doughnuts right in front of you for our discussion of upsizing wheels and tires. Hey, don’t eat them now – you’re going to need them later. Many drivers want to accessorize their car and make it theirs. One of the easiest ways to get a custom look is to…
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