Sikeston Customer Detective Work
March 3, 2022
One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician at Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed.
Cars are made up of a bunch of complex systems. There usually could be a number of reasons for any given symptom. So, it's challenging to track down the actual cause of the problem. And it can be frustrating for the vehicle owner because it can take time and money to get to the bottom of a problem. If it's not something obvious, it's easy for the customer to focus on the fixing and not the diagnosing.
Let us at Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston introduce you to something we'll call 'Customer Detective Work' – helping your technician find clues to what's wrong.
We start with the detective basics: What, Where and When. Play along with me; You come in to Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston and your car is making a funny sound...
- Q: Where's the sound?
- A: Around the right front wheel.
- Q: What kind of sound?
- A: Kind of a clunk, clunk sound.
- Q: When do you hear the sound?
- A: When I turn and accelerate.
- Q: Right and left? Forward and back?
Do you see where we're going? You're gathering additional information to help your technician at Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston know where to start. Based on your car and the tech's experience, he'll know where to look and can start with the obvious suspects.
You can see how that would be more helpful than dropping the car off with a note that says "making a funny noise."
If the tech can experience the problem personally, he's better able to make a diagnosis and repair and then test to see if the repair solved the problem.
Ask us for details.
Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston
2017 E. Malone
Sikeston, Missouri 63801
573-472-1139
http://www.charliesfastlubesikeston.com
Need Service?
More articles from Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston

In the Red (Why a Vehicle Overheats)
January 18, 2026
Heat is one thing that can damage a vehicle, especially if a problem isnt taken care of soon. Be on the lookout for signs that its getting too hot in some parts of your vehicle, starting with the most obvious one: the heat gauge/warning light on your instrument panel. When you see that heat gaug... More

The Cable Guy (Battery Cables and Maintenance)
January 11, 2026
If you've ever noticed your vehicle's lights are dim or not working at all, the problem could be many things. But one possibility is your battery cables aren't doing their job. A power outage in your vehicle is similar to one in your house and needs to be repaired to get things back to normal. ... More

Beginning to See the Light (Check Engine Light Diagnostics)
January 4, 2026
It's a light many drivers fear they'll see turn on at the most inopportune time. It's the one on the dash that says "Check Engine," "Service Engine Soon," or it may be simply an engine-shaped light. Your first instinct may be to pull off to the side of the road and turn off the engine. The truth... More
