You see that car sitting on the side of the road on a cold winter night. There’s a good chance, whatever caused that car to pull over it wasn’t something the driver planned for. No one plans for their car to breakdown, especially not in the middle of winter. But, if it happens, the trick is to have a plan. If you have a plan for such an occasion, you’ll know what to do. You’ll be prepared.

Tic, tic, tic, tic, tic – no, that’s not the sound of a clock; that’s the sound of someone trying to start a car with an almost-dead battery. Instead of turning the engine over and initiating the chain reaction known as internal combustion, a nearly dead battery falls short and, when this happens, all you’ll often hear is a discouraging tic, tic, tic sound. Imagine you were out doing holiday

Winter can reach bitterly cold temperatures here in McHenry County. With wind chills, winter carries potentially fatal consequences across the barren landscape. Traveling on such days is a challenge – a challenge to safe and warm even in your car. But, when you turn on the heat in your car the heated air pours out of the vents and warms you to the bone, right? It all depends on whether your car’s

In the summer, it’s not a big deal if fueling the car is an afterthought, as long as you don’t run out of gas. Here in Northern Illinois, however, it’s not such a good idea to let the gas tank run low in the winter time. Gasoline won’t freeze until it hits 97-degrees below zero. However, that big cavity above the gasoline in a near-empty tank is an invitation to humidity laden air. Water freezes

Have you ever seen someone trying to drive while looking through a small patch of window they’ve scraped clean of snow and frost? You watch them cautiously trying to drive by touch and you shake your head at the insanity. You want to shake them and tell them to just take the time and clear their windows properly. Not only can they receive a ticket driving that way, they also are at risk of having

This WWII B-17 landing at Chicago Executive Airport has four air-cooled engines. The cars on the road below, however, must have quality coolant and cooling systems. Some piston-engine aircraft are air cooled. The engines have oil to reduce friction within but no coolant. That’s not a problem for the aircraft as aircraft don’t get caught in stop-and-go traffic while flying. The air is constantly

What kind of winter will we have here in Northern Illinois and McHenry County? Some are predicting a harsh winter this year – bitter cold and lots of snow. Hopefully, they’re wrong. But, what if they’re right? Are you prepared? Is your vehicle prepared? Preparation starts with having the right clothes and making arrangements for snow removal – either a good shovel and strong back, a snow blower

It’s comforting to know your car is ready for winter, assuming it is. Sure, we have a little while yet before we have to seriously worry about sub-zero temperatures and falling snow. But, if your car isn’t ready to start when that time comes, on a frigid day only a few months away, you don’t have to stand in a walk-in freezer wearing shorts and an Hawaiian shirt to know it will be cold. When

You’re driving down the highway thinking about work, those cute shoes you’ve finally decided to buy at the store or, maybe, that it would be nice to go out for dinner tonight. The last thing on your mind is the variance between your speed and the speed limit.Just then, you notice the nose of a white car off the side of the road behind a large clump of bushes. As you draw closer, you see the lights

Good vision is a nice thing to have when you drive. It’s extremely helpful in avoiding accidents. With good vision, it’s easier to notice potential problems while you drive. With impaired vision, your awareness is diminished.A child runs into the road after a ball. Do you see the child in time to stop or swerve away? A truck at an intersection runs a red light into your path. Will you recognize