Before You Buy a Used Vehicle (Car Inspection before Buying a Used Vehicle)
November 30, 2025
Before You Buy a Used Vehicle (Car Inspection before Buying a Used Vehicle) Perhaps this sounds familiar. Your vehicle seems like its been around forever, and youve decided its time to move on. But when you check the price of new vehicles, the sky-high price tags have you considering a nice, pre... More
Unlock the Secret (Malfunctioning Door Lock Actuator)
November 23, 2025
What a convenience power door locks are on a vehicle. The latest don't even require you to push the button on the key fob; all you have to do is have it with you. But sometimes there's a component of power door locks that can fail, especially when they are used several times each day. Those ar... More
Don't Neglect Your Spare (Spare Tire Care)
November 16, 2025
If you've ever had a flat tire, then you know welcome it is to have a spare tire that is properly inflated, in good shape and easy to get to. Problem is many of us don't even give our spare tire (if we even have one) a second thought. If you have an SUV or truck with a spare, it may be mounted o... More
It's Brake Time (Brake Calipers)
November 9, 2025
Race car drivers have demonstrated the advantages of disc brakes, so most modern vehicles use them. Sometimes just the front wheels have disc brakes, but many vehicles now have them all the way around. A major component of the disc brake is called a caliper. It works by squeezing brake pads ag... More
Tracking True in Dexter: Wheel Alignment
November 2, 2025
At Charlie's Fast Lube Dexter, we occasionally see severe tire damage that could have been prevented with proper wheel alignment. During a Charlie's Fast Lube Dexter alignment service, your vehicle is put on an alignment rack where the tires, steering and suspension parts are inspected for probl... More
Do you have a Clue (Get the Most Out of a Service Visit)
October 27, 2025
When you head to the doctor, you probably have it in your mind what you're going to say about why you don't feel good. That way your doctor can use that information to diagnose your problem. You might want to think of that same approach when you take your vehicle in for a repair. Experts say wha... More
Automotive Tips from Charlie's Fast Lube Dexter: Rotor Problems
October 23, 2025
The brake rotor, or disc, is attached to your wheel. The brake pads rub on the rotor to slow your car when you are driving in Dexter.Rotors can warp, crack or become misaligned. They can also be damaged by worn out brake pads that scratch grooves into the surface. These conditions result in less ... More
Improve Your Night Vision When Driving in Dexter
October 12, 2025
Night driving in Dexter is not as safe as daylight driving as evidenced by the increased accident rate at night. Much of that is simply because it's dark outside.Visibility is important to safe driving. Ninety percent of our driving decisions are based on what we see. And at night, we just can't ... More
Tacky or Techie? The Tachometer.
October 5, 2025
There's a gauge that many vehicles have that says RPM on it. And there are a lot of people who either don't pay any attention to it or don't even know what it is. Here's why it's a good gauge to know about. It's called a tachometer, and that "RPM" label means it is measuring how many revolutions... More
That Vexing Vapor Venting (Vapor Coming out of Vents)
September 28, 2025
You may have noticed sometimes on a hot and humid day, vapor will come out of your vehicle's vents when you have the air conditioning on. Is that something to be concerned about? Well, it depends. Sometimes that steam or vapor can be caused by water accumulating in the vent system after it has c... More