The DriveSense Journal
Browse the latest Tips & Advice stories, analysis, and automotive guidance for readers in the U.S. market.
48 stories · Page 2 of 4
Learn how to read tire sidewalls load index vs speed rating and why two ‘same-size’ tires can drive totally differently in safety, ride comfort, noise, and handling.
A practical suspension-noise guide from Brian O’Connor: how to describe clunks like a mechanic, run safe driveway checks, and narrow down common causes without crawling under your car.
A practical decision-tree guide to fix Apple CarPlay dropouts: isolate cables and ports, reduce wireless interference, reset pairings, check power settings, and update software safely.
Getting flashed at night? Learn how headlight aim, heavy loads, hazy lenses, lifts, and LED bulb swaps create glare and how to diagnose safely and fix it without illegal mods.
A practical guide to direct injection carbon buildup why it happens on some engines, what symptoms are real (rough idle, misfires), what’s forum myth, and how proper diagnostics should proceed.
A practical checklist to tell tire roar from wheel-bearing hum using safe driving observations: speed range clues, lane-change load tests (gentle), road-surface dependence, uneven-wear ‘song,’ plus what notes to bring to your service center
Chicago-based automotive engineer Brian O’Connor explains how EV heat pumps differ from conventional electric heaters—and what drivers feel in winter: warm-up speed, defogging behavior, noise cues, and practical tips to reduce range loss.
Chicago-based engineer Brian O’Connor explains where road-salt rust begins wheel arches, sills, subframes, brake lines, fasteners, and door drains and shares a no-frenzy rinse checklist plus a simple 2–3 week inspection routine.
AWD improves acceleration traction in snow but doesn’t shorten stopping distances or boost cornering grip like many drivers assume. Clear winter driving tips covering traction vs braking vs turning, plus how tires, ABS, and ESC really work.
A practical symptom map for intermittent no-start problems no cranking, clicking, cranks-but-won’t-fire, and starts-then-stalls with safe observations like headlight brightness and cluster behavior.
Learn when ADAS camera/radar recalibration is needed after windshield replacement, bumper repairs, or wheel alignment and how to spot warnings and verify proper operation safely.
Learn how to tell a leaking heater core from an under-hood coolant leak using a practical symptom map: sweet smell, fogging windows, greasy film, damp carpet, low coolant, overheating plus safe checks and tow-truck red flags.
DriveSense
