Performance Unlimited Blog

If you’ve driven a car long enough, you’ve probably heard some of these maintenance tips from the grapevine. Some are true, some have a touch of truth and some may be downright wrong. Here, as a means of separating fact from fiction, are some of the more common auto repair maintenance myths debunked. Myth: You need to change your engine oil every 3,000 miles. Truth: You’re better off checking your Owner’s manual and following the prescribed frequency for oil changes. This can also change if you use synthetic oil, which generally doesn’t require changing as frequently. Myth: You shouldn’t worry about changing your oil filter every time you change the oil. Truth: The oil filter is an inexpensive part. Considering the benefits of a clean oil filter, it doesn’t make sense to skimp when changing the oil. The oil filter’s job is to clean particles out of the oil. Those particles can cause damage and wear to your engine. A new filter will do a better job of keeping the dirt out of yo...

You weren’t always one of those conscientious auto owners. It was the luck of the draw that you would remember to bring the car in for an oil change within the recommended number of miles or time. And you never bothered to check the oil. But, the last time you had the car in for some work they told you that it was down more than two quarts of oil. The auto repair technician gently, but emphatically, warned you that driving without enough engine oil could do serious damage to the engine, especially on these hot days of summer. You got the hint and heartily agreed when the technician suggested it’s time for an oil change. Since that time, you’ve dutifully checked the oil every time you fill the gas tank. In the process, you’ve noticed something that’s disconcerting; your oil is changed from a translucent golden syrup to an opaque, dirty black. Certainly, that’s not good. Actually, it is. It’s good, that is. It means that the oil is doing its job. The oil is carrying away particles t...

You turn onto Crystal Lake Road on the way to First Midwest Bank in McHenry when you notice that the car doesn’t seem to have the same pep when you step on the gas pedal. You’re headed South on Green Street on your way to jh Events and Flowers on Municipal Drive when the engine coolant sensor comes on in your dashboard. You’re driving east on Route 120 bringing your pet to Riverside Animal Clinic when the engine starts running rough. All of these problems and more could have something to do with a sensor gone bad. Computers play an increasingly large role today in the operation of the vehicles we drive. The computers make adjustments based on feedback they receive from numerous sensors built into the vehicle. You may have as many as 30 sensors in your vehicle but probably as many as 12, unless you drive an older car – a significantly older car. When sensors go bad the information they provide is often wrong. Operating on bad info the computers fail to call for the proper adjust...

As with many technical advancements, they’re a blessing and a curse. Key fobs are a wonder when your arms are full and you need to open the car doors, trunk or rear hatch. It’s also nice, on a stormy day when you forgot to lock the car doors that you can lock them while looking out at the car from the warmth and comfort of your home or office. But, they’re a frustration when you find yourself pressing the button repeatedly and nothing happens. It’s just no fun when a good key fob goes bad. You may not think about it but there is a small battery inside your key fob that energizes the device and connects it to the door-lock mechanism in your car. Typically, that connection is good to about 50 feet. As with any battery, the energy within is not infinite. Yes, car batteries can work for years. But, they are constantly recharged by the car’s alternator, or so we hope. The little battery in your key fob will last until all of the energy inside is used up. How do you know when your car ...

What if a little reminder in the car could save your child’s life? So far this year, there have been 18 cases in the U.S. where a child died of heatstroke after a parent left their child in the car. It’s June and that’s right on pace for the figures provided by the National Safety Council. The NSC’s figures show that, on average, 37 children die of heatstroke when left in a car each year. It’s easy to look at these tragic instances as cases of parental neglect or, in some cases, even abuse. But, the reality of these cases happen because, in the hustle and bustle of their life, a busy parent forgets that their child is in the car seat behind them. You may ask yourself, “How could someone forget their child like that?” No doubt, heartbroken parents have asked the same thing about themselves. For a parent, coming to terms with the loss of a child is bad enough. When that loss is straddled with a sense of guilt it can be emotionally destructive. A simple reminder could save a ch...