A: Typically, tires should be replaced when they have worn down to 1/16-inch of tread depth. However, 1/8-inch is the optimum tread depth for driving in the rain, and tires should have a minimum of 3/16-inch of tread to create adequate traction for driving in snow. Letting your tread get too worn results in an increased risk of hydroplaning – a dangerous situation in which your car loses traction and literally floats on the water.

A quick way to check your tire’s tread depth is to place a quarter between the treads in several places. If part of Washington’s head is always covered, you have enough tread to drive in the rain. Test for snow tread depth by placing a penny between the treads. If the top of the Lincoln Memorial is always covered, you’re ready for winter driving.

A: Common locations for your vehicle's "VIN" include:

• Firewall of the Vehicle
• Left Hand Inner Wheel Arch
• Steering Column
• Radiator Support Bracket
• On the Windshield near the Dashboard,
• Driver's Door,
• Doorjamb Frame
• Passenger Side Door
• Maintenance Book

A: The procedure is relatively simple.

1. Park the booster vehicle close to, but not touching, the one needing a jump and turn off the ignition.
2. Connect once positive (+) clamp to the positive terminal of the healthy battery and the other positive clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
3. Next, connect a negative (-) clamp to the negative post on the good battery.
4. Finally, connect the other negative clamp to the engine block, frame or other grounded metal on the dead vehicle away from the battery. (You want to avoid sparks in the vicinity of the explosive hydrogen gas that emits from the battery.) Do not connect it to the ground terminal (negative).

Start the booster vehicle first and let it idle for a moment. Then try to start the dead vehicle. Once you get it started, let it idle for a few minutes before disconnecting the jumper cables in the reverse order in which they were applied.

When using a portable battery booster, the process is the same.

A: It’s a common misconception that only car dealers can perform the maintenance services on a newer vehicle that is under warranty. You can have maintenance services performed by local independent service shop (such as your neighborhood Tuffy) without affecting your warranty, even though dealers and manufacturers often suggest the opposite.

A: Always defer to what your car manual says, but a good rule of thumb is to rotate your tires at every other oil change visit.

A: If your ‘Check Engine’ light comes on, first check the gas cap to make sure it wasn’t left loose after refueling. Sometimes this can trigger the ‘Check Engine’ light. If the cap was loose, the light should go out after a few short trips.

If this doesn’t appear to be the case, a glowing ‘Check Engine’ light doesn't mean you have to immediately pull the car over to the side of the road, but it does mean you should get the car checked out as soon as possible. Ignoring the warning light could severely damage engine components and incur additional repair expenses.