I Had No Idea! (Four Things You Didn't Know About Vehicles)
May 23, 2021
Bet you didn't know: Some of the earliest rearview mirrors were marketed as "Cop Spotters" so drivers would know when police were following them. Who wants a ticket, anyway? According to eBay Motors, Elmer Berger first patented a rearview mirror that was mounted on the front fenders, on the spare... More
The Byte Stuff (Your Vehicle's Computers)
May 16, 2021
Nobody has to tell you that computers are a part of so many things in our lives. Smartphones, kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners, televisions. You name itit has a computer in it. And your vehicle is no exception. The earliest cars relied on the technology of their time, and there was no such ... More
I NEED All Wheel Drive (Pros and Cons of AWD)
April 25, 2021
So winter has arrived and you don't feel confident in how your 2-wheel drive vehicle does in the snow and ice. You envy all those people with all-wheel-drive (AWD) and 4-wheel-drive (4WD) cars, trucks and SUVs. You start thinking, "I need one of those. I'll be able to go anywhere without any w... More
Rear Window?Not the Movie! (Why Some Rear Windows Don't Go All the Way Down)
April 4, 2021
Alfred Hitchcock once made a mystery thriller film called "Rear Window." It had nothing to do with the rear window of today's cars, SUVs, CUVs and light trucks. But there is one thing that some drivers DO find mysterious. Why don't the rear windows in the second row of many of these vehicles go... More
Such a Little Part (Climate Control Resistor)
January 17, 2021
You expect your heater/air conditioner to work like it should. You have a control for temperature and one for fan speed. You even have a control for what vents the air comes out of. Don't be surprised one day if your blower fan develops a mind of its own and starts going crazy. Most of the ti... More
The Third Brake Light (Third Brake Light Service)
December 20, 2020
So you thought you only had two brake lights. Look again and you'll see one in the center at a higher level than the two on either side of the vehicle. They're sometimes in the inside of the vehicle behind the back window, or they could be in the deck lid, on the roof or on the spare wheel carr... More
Out with the Old (Vehicle Parts that Wear Out)
September 20, 2020
Some drivers don't pay any attention to their vehicles until something breaks. Others take them into their service repair facility for maintenance even before a problem develops. Still, even if you fit into the second group, there are some parts on a vehicle that will simply wear out over time.... More
Greeted by a Screech (Loud Noise when Starting Vehicle)
September 13, 2020
No one likes to be greeted in the morning by having someone screech at you. The same goes for a loud, high-pitched noise your vehicle greets you with every time you start the engine. If you're wondering if that's normal, no, it isn't. And it is worth getting checked out. The good news is that... More
Automotive Tips from Blair's Ferry Automotive: Wiper Blades ? Signs of Wear
August 30, 2020
90% of our driving decisions are based on vision. Anything that impedes your vision can affect your driving safety including a dirty windshield. In that sense, your wiper blades are an important safety system. Most Marion drivers will wait until their wipers have failed before they replace them.... More
Visibility Disaster! (Windshield Washer Pump Replacement)
March 8, 2020
Let's say you live in a cold climate where the snowy, icy weather challenges you to clear the salt and debris tossed up on your windshield. You push your windshield washer switch expecting a good stream of fluid so the blades can wipe the glass clean. Yet nothing comes out. Nada, zip. What's g... More