Stumpy's Garage

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Stumpy's Garage Welcome to Stumpy’s Garage.

I started this during my senior year in college because I grew tired of both the prices and ethics of the nearby auto shops I can do most repairs on cars along with diagnostics for electrical, mechanical and more

Elantra owners, an open recall does not go away on its own.The VIN sits on the dash, right where the windshield meets th...
10/14/2026

Elantra owners, an open recall does not go away on its own.

The VIN sits on the dash, right where the windshield meets the hood. Look that number up. If a safety recall is open, a Hyundai dealer does the repair, and you do not pay for it.

The car will not flash a light for this. It can drive fine for months with the recall still sitting there.

Check it this week. If one is open, take it to the dealer and get it closed.

Civic owners: if your windows fog up easily this fall and the vents don't push air like they used to, the cabin filter i...
10/14/2026

Civic owners: if your windows fog up easily this fall and the vents don't push air like they used to, the cabin filter is a good place to start.

Honda calls it the dust and pollen filter. It sits in the climate control system and catches pollen, dust and other debris in the air. Honda's owner's manual says that if the airflow drops off noticeably and the windows fog up easily, the filter may need to be replaced.

On newer Civics, the maintenance reminder on the dash tells you when it's due. Honda also says to replace it sooner if you drive where there's a lot of dust. On older Civics without the reminder, check the schedule in your owner's manual.

Defroster season is almost here in Ohio. If your Civic is slow to clear the glass, stop by Stumpy's Garage and we'll pull the filter and take a look.

Ohio winters eat brakes.That's the caliper and rotor behind the wheel, and this one's still clean. Salt changes that fas...
10/13/2026

Ohio winters eat brakes.

That's the caliper and rotor behind the wheel, and this one's still clean. Salt changes that fast. It gets into the hardware, rotors rust between drives, and pads wear uneven.

Grinding or a weird pedal isn't something to "watch for a bit." Catch it early and it's pads and rotors. Wait, and it's hardware too.

Days are getting shorter, and in Ohio your headlights aren't optional once the wipers come on.Ohio law says your lights ...
10/13/2026

Days are getting shorter, and in Ohio your headlights aren't optional once the wipers come on.

Ohio law says your lights have to be on from sunset to sunrise, any time you can't see people and cars 1,000 feet ahead, and any time your windshield wipers are running because of rain or snow. Parking lights alone don't count.

Whether you drive an Elantra like this one or a Civic, take 30 seconds tonight: turn the lights on, walk around the car, and make sure both headlights, both taillights, and the brake lights all work. Better to find a dead bulb in your driveway than on a dark, wet I-71 commute.

If something's out and you're not sure if it's the bulb or the wiring, send me a message.

A fuse like this is supposed to be the weak spot. The thin strip in the window carries that circuit's normal load and st...
10/12/2026

A fuse like this is supposed to be the weak spot. The thin strip in the window carries that circuit's normal load and stays in one piece. When the load runs hard enough, and long enough, the strip heats up and melts. The gap you can see is the fuse opening so the wire in the harness doesn't have to.

The 30 on top is the rating, not a promise that it pops at 31 amps. It is built to hold the circuit's normal draw, including a short surge, and to open on a real overload. A short to ground will do that. So will a load that stays on and pulls well past what this fuse can carry. A new fuse of the same rating comes after that cause is found, or the next one opens the same way.

Never put a larger fuse in its place, and never jump across it. That only moves the failure into the wiring by melting it and can start fires.

RAV4 owners: one hard pothole can knock your alignment out, and sometimes you won't feel it until the tires start wearin...
10/12/2026

RAV4 owners: one hard pothole can knock your alignment out, and sometimes you won't feel it until the tires start wearing unevenly.

Toyota's schedule for the 2026 RAV4 plug-in hybrid calls for a tire rotation every 5,000 miles, and Toyota says to check for damage and uneven wear while you're at it. That's a good time to have the alignment checked too. Kelley Blue Book suggests an alignment check about every six months or 6,000 miles, and no more than 10,000 miles without a technician looking at it.

Get it checked sooner if your RAV4 pulls to one side, the steering wheel sits off-center when you're driving straight, the wheel shakes, or one edge of a tire is wearing faster than the rest. Same goes after a hard pothole or curb hit, and any time you put on new tires.

One thing people miss: Toyota's warranty covers alignment only for defects, and only for the first 12 months or 12,000 miles. A pothole isn't a defect.

AAA puts a front-end alignment around $100 and a four-wheel alignment around $200 nationally. That is a published range, not a Cincinnati quote. Ohio's freeze-thaw winters make for a long pothole season, so if yours is pulling or chewing up one edge of a tire, get it checked at a shop that looks at the tires, steering and suspension before adjusting anything.

The starter doesn't just spin the engine. It has to mesh with it first.The smaller cylinder on the left is the solenoid....
10/11/2026

The starter doesn't just spin the engine. It has to mesh with it first.

The smaller cylinder on the left is the solenoid. Inside it is an electromagnet, and that magnet only needs a small amount of current. Turn the key and it pulls a plunger, which shoves the drive gear out to meet the flywheel. Once that gear is in, the solenoid closes a heavy switch, and the starter motor draws a lot of current to turn the engine. The braided copper strap between them is the path for that current.

A single click and no crank is often this, not a dead motor. The solenoid threw the gear, but the heavy contacts didn't pass enough current for the motor to turn. A low battery or a corroded cable does the same thing, so I load-test the battery and check the cables before I condemn the starter.

Civic owners: a cold morning can turn on your tire pressure light without a nail in sight. Honda says low outside temper...
10/11/2026

Civic owners: a cold morning can turn on your tire pressure light without a nail in sight. Honda says low outside temperature directly affects tire pressure and can trigger the light on a 2024 Civic sedan. Tires filled in warm weather can come up low once it gets cold.

Check them cold, after the car has sat at least three hours or gone less than a mile. Use a gauge at least once a month and before long trips. Honda says even good tires can lose 1 to 2 psi a month. The right number is on the label on the driver’s doorjamb. The number on the sidewall is the most the tire can hold, not what your Civic needs.

Here’s the part people miss. The 2024 Civic doesn’t measure the pressure in each tire. It compares how each wheel rolls. Honda says you have to calibrate the system every time you adjust the pressure, rotate the tires, or replace a tire. It takes about 30 minutes of total driving between 31 and 62 mph to finish. If the light stays on with the tires set right, have it checked.

Ohio mornings are only getting colder. Bring your Civic to Stumpy’s Garage and we’ll set all four tires and start the calibration for you.

The alternator is what keeps the battery charged once the engine is running. The battery only starts the car.The belt tu...
10/10/2026

The alternator is what keeps the battery charged once the engine is running. The battery only starts the car.

The belt turns that pulley, and the pulley spins a magnet inside a set of copper windings. Spinning the magnet makes alternating current, and a set of diodes inside turns it into the direct current the car actually uses. A regulator controls how hard it charges, so the voltage stays in a narrow band, usually about 13.5 to 14.5 volts, instead of cooking the battery.

When it quits, it usually isn't dramatic. Worn brushes or a bad diode mean it stops charging, and the battery light comes on because system voltage dropped, not because the computer named the alternator. A bad bearing is the noisy one, a growl that changes with engine speed. I check charging voltage, and I look for AC ripple, before I call the alternator bad. A battery that won't hold a charge can look just like this.

Camry owners: Toyota’s maintenance schedule for the 2019 Camry calls for a drive belt inspection at 60,000 miles or 72 m...
10/10/2026

Camry owners: Toyota’s maintenance schedule for the 2019 Camry calls for a drive belt inspection at 60,000 miles or 72 months, then every 15,000 miles or 18 months after that.

On most 2019s, the 72-month mark has already come and gone. If nobody has looked at your belt yet, it’s due. That schedule is for the gas Camry. Toyota’s guide for the Camry Hybrid doesn’t list a drive belt inspection.

The check itself is simple. Toyota says to inspect the belt for cracks, excessive wear, and oil on it, check the tension and adjust it if needed, and replace it if it’s damaged.

Cold weather is on its way to Ohio, so now is a good time to get it done. Bring your Camry to Stumpy’s Garage and we’ll check the belt while it’s here. Check the schedule for your model year.

Address

Cincinnati, OH

Opening Hours

9:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+15135041343

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