Auto Repair Tips & Advice in Bartlett, IL

ASE Certification: Automotive Service Excellence Standards

By FTD Auto • May 7, 2026

When your car needs work, the letters "ASE Certified" carry real weight. ASE — short for Automotive Service Excellence — is the nationally recognized credentialing body that sets the professional standard for automotive technicians across the country. For drivers in Bartlett and the surrounding DuPage County area, understanding what those letters actually require can help you make a smarter, more confident decision about who works on your vehicle. What Is ASE Certification? The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence was founded in 1972 with one goal: raise the quality of vehicle service and repair through independent testing. Today, ASE administers more than 50 certification exams covering everything from engine repair and brake systems to electrical diagnostics and heating and air conditioning. To earn any credential, a technician must both pass a rigorous written exam and demonstrate at least two years of hands-on work experience. Certification doesn't stop at the initial test, either. ASE requires technicians to recertify every five years — a requirement that matters in an industry where vehicle technology evolves quickly. Modern cars are sophisticated electronic systems, and keeping credentials current ensures a technician's knowledge reflects today's vehicles, not those from a decade ago.

Illinois Route 59 in Bartlett, IL: Commercial Corridor

By FTD Auto • May 7, 2026

Illinois Route 59 runs through the heart of Bartlett as one of DuPage and Kane County's most heavily traveled north-south arterials. The route carries thousands of vehicles daily through a dense commercial strip — big-box retailers, service centers, restaurants, and light industrial operations packed along several miles of roadway. For drivers who rely on this corridor regularly, understanding its demands on vehicles is essential for keeping cars in reliable shape year-round. Traffic Volume and Daily Driving Conditions Bartlett sits along the I-90 corridor in the far northwest suburbs of Chicago, and Route 59 acts as a major feeder route connecting residents to both the expressway network and the Metra commuter rail station at the heart of town. The Federal Highway Administration tracks vehicle miles traveled across U.S. arterial roads, and suburban corridors like Route 59 consistently rank among the highest-use roadway categories in the Midwest. Segments in the Bartlett area regularly see average daily traffic volumes in the range of 25,000 to 35,000 vehicles. Stop-and-go traffic is the defining condition along this corridor. Numerous signalized intersections — at Stearns Road, Illinois Route 20 (Lake Street), and Spaulding Road — create frequent acceleration and braking cycles. This pattern is significantly harder on a vehicle's brake system, transmission, and fuel economy than steady highway travel.