The Cable Guy (Battery Cables and Maintenance)

April 18, 2021

If you've ever noticed your vehicle's lights are dim or not working at all, the problem could be many things. But one possibility is your battery cables aren't doing their job. A power outage in your vehicle is similar to one in your house and needs to be repaired to get things back to normal. ... More

Automotive Tips from Charlie's Fast Lube Jackson: Timing Belt Overview

April 11, 2021

In your engine, valves over each combustion chamber open to allow fresh air in, close during the combustion event, and then other valves open to let out the exhaust. All of this happens over and over thousands of times a minute when you are driving around Jackson. The timing belts important job i... More

Cool Running (Water Pump)

April 4, 2021

Your vehicle is like you in a way. When it gets hot, it needs to be cooled down. And one of the key parts to keeping it cool is the water pump. Now, that's a bit of a misnomer. It IS a pump, but it's pumping coolant, not pure water. Cooling off your engine is vital since it builds up heat whe... More

Alternator Facts (Failing Alternator)

March 28, 2021

If you notice that your headlights are flickering at night, that's something to pay attention to. While there could be many different things that could cause that problem, one possibility is your vehicle's alternator. The alternator takes mechanical energy from the engine and turns it into electr... More

Breathe Free in Jackson: Cabin Air Filter Replacement at Charlie's Fast Lube Jackson

March 21, 2021

There are a lot of new features, both optional and standard, on Jackson drivers' vehicles these days. One you may not have heard of is called a cabin air filter. Simply put, its job is to keep the air in the passenger compartment of your car nice and clean.A cabin air filter is similar to the fi... More

Drive Train Service in Jackson at Charlie's Fast Lube Jackson

March 14, 2021

The drive train in your vehicle includes all the components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. Those components differ depending on what type of vehicle you drive, namely, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The preventive maintenance y... More

Sniffing Out a Problem

March 7, 2021

Your parents probably taught you to have common sense. When it comes to your vehicle, common scents can also come in handy. Different smells may tell you about some conditions in your vehicle that need attention. For example, you know what rotten eggs smell like. If you smell them around your ve... More

Not a Good Vibe (Driveshaft Failure)

February 28, 2021

When you feel your vehicle vibrating as you're driving down the road, one cause could be something you may not have ever seen: your driveshaft. It is underneath the vehicle and most drivers don't climb under there to take a look very often. The driveshaft is a cylindrical part that helps conduc... More

Emergency Items for Jackson

February 21, 2021

Safe Missouri travel starts with preventive maintenance and good vehicle care at Charlie's Fast Lube Jackson. But there are other things Jackson residents can do to prepare for emergencies on the road. Here's some auto advice that can help you plan for emergencies, and just may save your life o... More

"Current" Affairs (Blown Fuses)

February 14, 2021

You may be driving along and find that suddenly your radio stops working. There are no numbers on the display. Then when you get home, you notice the garage door opener doesn't do a thing when you press the button. Hmm, this was working just fine this morning. Are the two problems somehow rela... More