Car Connection Workshop

It's Fun Friday with Motormouth! How'd your week go? Before you head into the weekend, let's take s few minutes to talk about getting your vehicle ready for whatever Winter 2026-27 decides to throw at us. Today I've got five fall vehicle tips to put on your radar: brakes, tires, fluids, wipers and washers, plus headlights and tail lights. Remember, it's not enough to be seen- you need to be able t...

A brake line doesn't have to look completely rotten to become dangerous. In this episode, Motormouth explains why continuous inspection of steel brake lines needs to be part of every vehicle service - especially around the brackets and fasteners that secure the lines to the vehicle's underbody. Those little rusty "carbuncles" around a brake - line retaining bracket can be telling you something imp...

A brake pedal that suddenly goes to the floor is not something you want to discover in traffic. In this episode, Motormouth explains what can happen when you lose brake pressure, what you should do if the pedal suddenly drops, and - more importantly - why brake maintenance cannot stop with the last brake job. Brake lines, fluid, hydraulic components, calipers, wheel cylinders, hoses and the master...

The brake pedal doesn't magically stop a vehicle - there's a whole chain of components working together to turn your foot pressure into stopping power. Today on Motormouth's Morning Drive, we're looking at the power brake booster and it's relationship with the master cylinder, and I'm breaking it down in plain language so you can understand what's actually happening every time you step on the brak...

Your brakes don't begin at the wheels - they begin at the master cylinder. On today's Motormouth Morning Drive, we're continuing our brake - system education by looking at the component that turns your foot on the nrake pecal into hydraulic pressure throughout the system. We'll talk about what the master cylinder does, where it lives, how it works, what can go wrong, and the warning signs drivers...

Fall is coming, winter is right behind it - and if you're a newer driver, an older-car owner.or just wondering whether winter tires are really worth the money, today's Motormouth Q&A is for you. Jessica wants to know what she should do to prepare her six-year-old for fall and winter. Alicia asks the big winter-tire question : Are they really necessary? And Louis wants to know how much is too m...

Your Vehicle doesn't just need fuel and insurance - it needs maintenance. And when maintenance gets ignored, the bill isn't always the biggest problem. Sometimes it's the stress, uncertainty and frustration that come with suddenly discovering a long list of things vehicle needs. Today on Motormouth Morning Drive, we're talking about vehicle maintenance, peace of mind, and the unknown. From putting...

Dem's the Brakes officially kicks off 🚗🛑 today we start with one of t he most overlooked - and misunderstood - parts of your braking system: brake fluid. No , brake fluid is NOT maintenance free. It gets heated and cooled ,absorbs moisture, becomes contaminated over time, and has to handle some serious heat every time you use your brakes. yet far too many vehicles go years without having the bra...

Think a four - wheel brake job means you're good for the next 18 months or two years? Think again. In this introductory episode of "Dem's the Brakes," Motormouth explains why neglecting regular brake service can turn a relatively simple maintenance job into an expensive replacement of pads, rotors, calipers and hardware. A brake system needs more than parts replacement. Cleaning, lubrication, insp...

The cooling system revival is wrapped up, but before we move on, there's one often-forgotten part of the HVAC system that deserves some attention: the blower motor. That little motor works behind the scenes every time you ask for heat, defrost, or air conditioning. If it's making a strange noises, slowing down, or struggling to move air, don't ignore it-winter is coming. And if your vehicle is equ...

Three great questions are on the table for this Saturday's Motormouth Q&A! Cindy is on a fixed income and wondering how she's ever going to replace her vehicle as it gets older, especially with today's new car prices. Shirley has been told her eight - year - old vehicle needs approximately $2,800 in repairs . With money tight, should she spend the money on an older vehicle or start thinking ab...

Before you hit the road, there are five simple things you should know about your vehicle. On this Fub Friday, we're doing a quick multi-point vehicle inspection and looking at five that can tell you a lot about the health and reliability of your car: 🔧 Belts - condition and signs of wear 🔧 Hoses - how old are they and what condition are they in? 🪫 Battery - age, condition and whether it's still...

The Accessory drive belt may not look like a cooling-system component, but on many vehicles, it plays a critical role in keeping the engine alive. If that belt drives water pump, a broken or failed belt can stoop coolant circulation almost instantly-and the engine can go from running normally to catastrophic overheating in a very short time. So how long should you keep that belt. in service? Until...

Got a cooling system leak? Before you pour a bottle of "fix - It" into the radiator, let's talk about what those cooling system leak sealers actually do - and what they can potentially do to your cooling system. In this segment of the Cooling System Revival, we're separating the promise from the reality when it comes to radiator stop -leak, cooling system sealers, and those miracle-in-a-bottle fix...

Are your cooling fans supposed to be running? And what does it mean when they aren't? As we continue our Cooling System Revival, today we take a close look at one of the most important parts of keeping your engine at the proper operating temperature -the cooling fan system. We'll explain what the cooling fans are, what it means when they're running, and what it means to you when they don't turn on...

You've got a good thermostat, a good heater core,coolant is flowing, and yet..... NO HEAT! What gives? Todauy we'ree looking at the Heater Control Unit (HCU) - the commander that tells the heating system what you want it to do. And sometimes, that command has to travel to a component you may know as the hot water valve, but the manufacturer may call something completely different. Case in point: a...

Winter is coming, and today's Motormouth Morning Drive is all about getting your vehicle ready before the cold weather arrives. Denise asks what we should do now to prepare our vehicles for winter. Carol wants to know how to properly care for a 10-year-old vehicle that doesn't get driven much. And gary asks the big question: is it really worth keeping an older vehicle? We unpack all three question...

Fall is coming, and your vehickle needs a little attention before cold weather arrives. today on Fun Friday, we're running through five simple car checks you can do now-before they become winter problems. 🔑 Key fobs: When was the last time you changed the battery? Hmmm 🔋 Battery: Is it good, marginal, or ready to leave you stranded on a cold morning? ❄️ Winter Tires: Bring them down, inspect the...

It's called a heater core-but there's nothing "little" about the job of replacing one. As we continue our Cooling System Revival, we're getting right into the core of things: the heater core. What exactly is a heater core? What does it look like? Where is it hiding? How does it work? And why can something that looks like a tiny radiator turn into a major repair bill? The heater core is part of you...

📝 The water pump is the driving forcer behind your vehicle's cooling system. It keeps coolant moving continuously, maintains proper flow and pressure, and helps the entire system do its job. But here's the catch: the water pump can't overcome a cooling - system component that has already failed. A restricted radiator, faulty thermostat, clogged passage, or another problem upstream can prevent the...

Cooling System Revival continues-one nugget at a time! This morning, Motormouth puts the spotlight on one of the most overlooked components in your cooling system : the thermostat, or as I call it, the Temperature Navigator. It's job is simple but critical-help keep your engine operating at its proper temperature by regulating coolant flow. On many modern engines, normal operating temperature is a...

Your radiator doesn't just keep the engine cool - it protects the engine, transmission, and your wallet. But how old is the radiator in your car, how much longer can you realistically expect it to lat? In today's Motormouth Morning Drive, we breakdown the purpose of the radiator and leave you with three questions every vehicle owner should be asking : 1) How old is your radiator, and How many kilo...

Three questions, three real world vehicle ownership problems, and three Motormouth answers. Allison's service light has returned for the third time after oxygen sensors were replaced - so where do we go next? We breakdown the diagnostic process and why throwing parts at a problem isn't a game plan. Diane asks the big question : Is my 10 -year-old car worth keeping, or is it time to move on? The an...

It's Fun Friday on the Motormouth Morning Drive, and today we're doing a little priming of the pump before heading into the weekend. Fall is coming, schedules are changing, and we're continuing our "one nugget at a time" approach to vehicle maintenance. But I left you with two questions today-and I want to hear what YOU think before we reveal the answers the answers on Monday. Question#1: We're ge...

🎙️Podcast #247-Cooling system Revival, Part 2 Coolant isn't just "antifreeze", and the bottle you buy can make a big difference to your wallet and your cooling system. In Part 2 of Cooling System Revival, Motormouth breaks down what coolant actually is ,how antifreeze is made, what the different colours really mean, and why you should pay attention to what you are putting into your vehicle. we'll...