O'Fallon Auto Repair

  You’re cruising down Highway K, you press the brake pedal to slow down for a light, and suddenly your steering wheel develops a case of the jitters. Or worse, the entire car seems to shudder beneath you. It’s more than just an annoyance; it’s a clear signal that something in your braking or suspension system is crying out for attention. For drivers in O'Fallon, where smooth stops are essential for navigating busy intersections like the one at Bryan Road and I-70, understanding the cause of this shake is crucial for your safety. At Hillside Auto Repair, we diagnose this common issue daily. Let’s break down the usual suspects, from the simple to the serious. The Usual Suspects: What’s Causing the Shake? The nature of the shake is a big clue. Does the steering wheel vibrate? Or does the entire car shudder? Here’s what each symptom likely means ... read more

If you’re a driver in O’Fallon, you know our roads, from the stop-and-go on Highway K to cruising down I-64 towards St. Louis. Your engine handles a lot, and it relies on a symphony of components working in harmony to stay efficient and clean. One of the most misunderstood, yet critical, players in that symphony is the EGR valve. When it starts to fail, it doesn’t send a singing telegram; it sends a series of frustrating and performance-killing symptoms. At Hillside Auto Repair, we see confused drivers every day wondering why their faithful sedan or sturdy SUV suddenly feels like it’s on its last leg. More often than not, a diagnostic scan points directly to this culprit. So, let’s pop the hood and demystify the EGR valve. What Exactly is an EGR Valve? EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation. In simple terms, the EGR valve is a gatekeeper between two worlds: your engine’s intake manifold (where air and fuel m ... read more

If you’ve ever walked out to your car in the O'Fallon Post Office parking lot, only to find a low tire or the dreaded sound of a slow leak, you’ve probably wondered: “Can I just get this plugged?” The answer: sometimes yes, sometimes no, and knowing the difference matters. When You Can Plug a Tire Tire plugs are a quick, cost-effective repair, but only in specific circumstances. If the puncture is: In the tread area (the flat part of the tire that makes contact with the road) Smaller than ¼ inch in diameterNot near the sidewall or shoulder …then a professional plug-patch repair may be a safe, reliable option. When You Cannot Plug a Tire Shops will often refuse to plug a tire when the puncture is too close to, or on, the sidewall. Why? Because the sidewall flexes as you drive, and a plug won’t hold up under that stress. If the hole is too large or the ... read more

You just press a button and your car maintains its speed. Simple, right? But the story of cruise control is a 70-year saga of genius, irony, and one man's impeccable sense of feel. Let's rewind to the 1940s. The inventor was Ralph Teetor, a brilliant mechanical engineer who, after a childhood accident, was completely blind. Don't for a second think that held him back. He had a legendary sense of touch—colleagues said he could detect surface imperfections a thousandth of an inch deep just by running his fingers over them. By day, he was the revered president of a major auto parts manufacturer and held over 40 patents, including ones for early automatic transmissions. But his masterpiece was born from a backseat frustration. As a frequent passenger to his lawyer, he was driven nuts by the man's inconsistent driving style: accelerating while talking and decelerating while listening. Teetor thought, "There has to be a better way." His solution? In 1948, he ... read more

There's nothing quite like the smooth, responsive feel of a well-tuned steering system as you cruise down the streets of O'Fallon. But have you ever stopped to think about the engineering marvel that makes turning your multi-ton vehicle as easy as spinning a dinner plate? That's the magic of power steering. For most drivers, it's an out-of-sight, out-of-mind system…until something goes wrong. At Hillside Auto Repair, we believe an informed driver is a safe driver. This guide will dive deep into everything you need to know about your power steering system: what it does, how it works, the warning signs of trouble, and why proper maintenance is crucial for your safety on Missouri roads. What is Power Steering and What Does It Do? Simply put, power steering is a system that uses an external power source to reduce the effort required by the driver to turn the steering wheel. Before its invention, steering required significant physical strength ... read more