Rhode Island mechanic lifts the lid on car repair secrets your mechanic won't want you to know

A Rhode Island mechanic just shared five car repair secrets that every driver should probably know.

Scotty Kilmer has been fixing cars for more than 50 years, and he says most people get overcharged because they don’t know the basics.

His tips cover everything from warning lights to batteries – the small stuff that turns into big bills fast.

And once you hear them, a lot of confusing car problems suddenly make sense.

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1. Three warning lights can point to one problem

If your check engine light pops on and drags the ABS and traction control lights with it, don’t assume the whole car is staging a revolt. 

On a lot of modern cars – especially Toyota and Lexus models – the computer shuts off ABS and traction control automatically when there’s a check engine fault.

So instead of chasing three repairs, scan the check engine code first. 

Fix that, and the other two usually vanish like they were never there.

2. The maintenance required light is mostly a mileage timer

Kilmer calls this one ‘one of the biggest scams’ in the industry. 

That little orange reminder doesn’t mean your car is falling apart – it often means it hit a preset mileage interval, usually tied to an oil change.

Dealers know it spooks people into booking big service packages, but you can look up the button sequence to reset it yourself in under a minute.

3. Don’t waste money on pricey additives

Fuel system cleaners, oil boosters, transmission revivers – most of them are just expensive confidence tricks. 

Modern gasoline already has government-mandated additives, and modern engine oil comes stacked with chemical packages from the factory – one of those overlooked car repair secrets most drivers never learn.

Unless you’re running a tired old junker that burns oil or leaks like a sieve, additives won’t do anything except drain your wallet.

4. If your heater blows cold, check your coolant first

A lukewarm or dead heater in winter feels like a major failure, but Kilmer says most of the time it’s just low coolant. 

The heater core sits high in the system – if coolant drops, air collects there instead of hot water.

But while air can’t heat a cabin, water can, so top it up, and in most cases, the heat comes right back.

5. Car batteries have a sell-by date

Modern batteries are filled with acid at the factory, which means they start aging the moment they’re made. 

The longer they sit on a shelf, the shorter their lifespan once they go into your car.

Kilmer compares them to eggs: you want the freshest one in the store, ideally less than a month old. 

And skip the giant battery pyramids at big-box retailers – the ones at the bottom might’ve been sitting there since flip phones.

Kilmer’s whole point is simple: you don’t need to be a mechanic to avoid getting steamrolled. 

A tiny bit of knowledge keeps your wallet intact and stops those dashboard lights from triggering full-scale panic.

In his words? Knowing what not to fall for is half the battle, and these car repair secrets are exactly how you stay one step ahead.

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