Shop Press - Auto Repair News & Ideas

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle.

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FEATURE STORY

Hot Off the Press

The best way to help customers find your auto repair shop

Description If your customers can’t easily find your location, hours, or contact information, you’ll clearly struggle to earn their business. That’s why creating and updating your Google Business account is both one of the simplest and most important things you can do...

TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: Can you identify these dash lights? PART 2 (VIDEO)

Description Think you know your dash lights? Shop Press contributors Keith, Miriam, Chris, and Greaser try their best to identify all kinds of lights, symbols, and indicators. Some are easy, others obscure, and a few are even fakes. How many can you identify?Other...

How to service spark plugs the professional way

The spark plug has a tough job to do, and it has to do it under extreme conditions. The terminal (top) end of the spark plug is connected to a high voltage supply source, the ignition coil. As current flows from the coil, a voltage potential builds between the center...

Report: cars are the worst products for protecting user privacy

Data security is one of the most frequently cited arguments automakers make in their fight against right to repair. For instance, in a memo published last October by their advocacy group, they called a new right to repair ballot initiative in Maine a “monetizable data...

Preventative maintenance is great, but are you performing preventative repairs?

In the world of commercial aircraft, parts are almost always replaced before the end of their expected service lives. Rather obviously, a plane that stops flying mid-flight presents some pretty serious hazards to the health and safety of the passengers and people on...

A/C bypass pulleys: a history lesson on a part you can’t get from a dealer

I’m going to share some theory behind bypassing air conditioning in this article. I recognize it may be elementary for some of you (who probably lived through the whole history I’m gonna delve into), but it may be quite the revelation for those who have not. In most...

The pros (and more than a few cons) of chrome

My Shop Press colleague Lemmy and I have had an ongoing debate about chrome. Since I’m a lover of antique cars, particularly Tri-Five Chevys, you can guess that I’m a pretty big fan of chrome. I think it makes any car look luxurious and stylish. Lemmy, on the other...

PSA: Make sure your Loctite isn’t fake!

Loctite’s threadlocking compounds are used by automotive professionals everywhere to secure critical fasteners. Unfortunately, Loctite's popularity has resulted in a wave of counterfeit products that can look remarkably like the real deal. Everything from the bottle,...

Modern Power Window Switches: Smarter than You’d Think

Window buttons and toggles are going the way of the dodo. That’s by design.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Tire techs: Elevate your work with this one humble task

Tire techs: Elevate your work with this one humble task

A set of tires is expensive. Make it special.

Tools beyond the basics for DIYers

Tools beyond the basics for DIYers

Step up your repair game with sensible choices.

Transfer cases: how to talk to your customers

Transfer cases: how to talk to your customers

You can’t sell what you don’t understand.

ABOUT SHOP PRESS

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle. With interesting stories from around the world, features on creative people and solutions, and all kinds of other stuff that’ll make you use your mind and your hands.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Testing Battery State of Charge – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Testing Battery State of Charge – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Technicians discuss battery testing, one says open circuit voltage of less than 10.5 volts indicates a bad battery, while the other says that a reading of 12.5 volts indicates an 80% state of charge. Who is correct?

How do you handle billing shop supplies?

How do you handle billing shop supplies?

You ARE accounting for them, right?

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

When plastic parts break, sometimes replacements can be prohibitively expensive or hard to find. Learn how to use a hot staple tool to salvage broken plastics for auto repairs and other projects.

How stop drilling can help to save cracked parts (VIDEO)

How stop drilling can help to save cracked parts (VIDEO)

Learn how stop drilling can help to prevent cracks from propagating with a little know-how and a drill.

Tool Review: FNIRSI DSO152 Oscilloscope

Tool Review: FNIRSI DSO152 Oscilloscope

Lemmy tries out the cheapest lab scope available on Amazon.

Want to contribute an article to Shop Press?

Are you a wrench and a writer? A counterperson and a communicator? A service writer and a scribe? Get paid to share your experience and expertise with thousands of Shop Press readers.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Troubleshooting a “No A/C Compressor Engagement” Fault

Troubleshooting a “No A/C Compressor Engagement” Fault

Why a compressor clutch doesn’t engage, and tips to find the cause quickly.

New techs: hang in there. An old transmission pan mystery exemplifies the difficulties of being a mechanic

New techs: hang in there. An old transmission pan mystery exemplifies the difficulties of being a mechanic

What do you do when a part isn’t in an IPD/fiche?

Choosing the right brake fluid

Choosing the right brake fluid

Just because it says “DOT 4” on the bottle doesn’t mean it’s the correct DOT 4 for the vehicle.

Five ways repair shops can address the rising costs of car ownership

Five ways repair shops can address the rising costs of car ownership

The struggle is real for many of your customers.

ICYMI: Secondary hood prop positions

ICYMI: Secondary hood prop positions

Props to second place, too.

VIDEOS

Shop Profile: Top Auto Center

Just when you thought The Golden Rule was out of style, this independent repair shop and used car sales center proves otherwise.

Are you servicing your car’s oil correctly?

Are you servicing your car’s oil correctly?

It might be time to rethink oil changes.

No bead seating tank? No problem!

No bead seating tank? No problem!

There’s two ways to use tire mounting compound.