AAA CAR DOCTOR JOHN PAUL 10/14/2005

October Chat Car care month

JohnPaul (Moderator)
11:56AM October is Car Care Month, lets chat about your car care questions.

dudeguy
12:05PM How important are those manufacturer recommended servicings. At like 50k miles, 60k, 70k, etc. Are you just overpaying for a glorified oil change?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:07PM dudeguy, its is important that someone does the service to maintain the warranty. It doesn't have to be done at the dealer but it needs to be completed and save your paperwork.

honder
12:07PM What are some things to check for to make sure my car is ready for winter? Are there any places that offer a deal on this?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:09PM honder, check the tires, belts hoses, engine coolant, oil condition, battery and charging and starting system. Many AAA repair facilities are offering a winter check-up for just a dollar.

Saaber
12:09PM JohnPaul, with the winter on the way and salt about to hit the roads (well in a couple of months anyway) what do you suggest us convertible owners do to get salt off of our cars - since we can't use the drive through carwashes?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:10PM Saaber, I use the self serve car wash on my wifes car and try to get a good coat of wax on the car before winter hits.

lali
12:10PM water has seeped inside my car thru the open window in the recent rain. What action should i take to rectify this issue. I'm worried about the mold and mild dew formation. Whom should I take the car to fix this problem.

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:12PM lali, the best thing you can do is dry the car out. If it was lots of water then you may need to pull the carpet and padding out. If it was just damp dry out the car completely (fresh air and sunshine work best) as well as a wetvac. Once completed a little Lysol can't hust.

massybird
12:15PM Hello, I'm wondering how oftern I should change the transmission oil and flush the radiator on my car. I have about 65k miles on the car.

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:17PM massybird, depending on the car. Some cars don't have an interval for transmission service. A rule of thumb might be every 50K. As for engine coolant depending on the car 2-3 years. Although some cars claim long life 5 year 100K coolant I still like to change it a bit more often.

Jazzy
12:17PM When I started my car the other day it hesitated in going into reverse and even drive.The car just didn't want to move. It was over 100,000 miles on it. Do I need to change fluids or something, or is the car dying?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:21PM Jazzy, Start with a check of the transmission fluid. If it is very low the car won't go into gear. Add to the fluid and then if it seems okay have the fluid changed.

nick
12:21PM Hi. I have 2000 maxima, california Emission Spec. It has two pre-cats, and I suspect one of them is clogged, because I loose power when car warms up. New one is over $600. Mass doesn't sell used exhaust parts. Do you know where I can get one used one, and why Mass doesn't sell them?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:26PM nick, you may be able to find a rebuilt or generic cat con. As to why you can't be a used one I beleive it has to do with EPA regulations. There seems to be moany places on the internet that sell them. I just checked on www.alldata and $600.00 is about right

B
12:26PM I have a 2000 BMW 528. I only put about 5-7k miles per year. I just brought it in for 30k tune up. Two of my tires had to be replaced because they said they were too flat to pass inspection. The reason was i don't drive a lot. Was this true? Also is there anything different I should be doing if I don't deive much? ( I live in Boston & work @ home )Thanks

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:29PM B, As for not driving much it may be more of the tires are high performance and generally don't always get great milage. At five years old the tires can just start to crack and should be replaced. The best thing you can do I drive your car at least once every week or so for at least 30 minutes this warms the car up and kicks the cobwebs out

lola
12:29PM My husband and I need something with more room than our Camry. We have a dog and my husband carries lots of baseball gear every summer. However, we are very reluctant to do an SUV. What is our best bet for a used vehicle (within 5 years)?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:31PM lola, Have you looked at a minvan or a small wagon. Perhaps a Volvo V-70 or Toyota mini van. You might give a small SUV a look something like a RAV4 or a Honda CRV

zack
12:31PM I have a 2002 passat. Oil light is on and off. Used regular oil rather then synthetic. Mechanic tells me oil pressure in low. He says that the engine is probably blown. To tell it would cost $ 300 to pull oil pan. He suggest I try to trade it in and not waste pulling the pan.

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:33PM zack, have the oil pressure tested. It may just be a faulty oil sender. Although synthetic oil in what you should use unless the conventional oil ran out or was in there for ever it isn't an oil issue. Check the oil pressure and make a determination from there.

banged up?
12:33PM Hello, My Jeep Cherokee was rear ended by an old peugeot (sp?) station wagon yesterday. I don't think they were going faster than 5 - 10 miles per hour. I brought it to a shop to get their estimate and they told me they thought the bumper was hit in a little to cause a gap between the bumper and the lock. When I began to truly question whether or not there was true damage, they began to try to point out gaps between the tailgate door and the side of the car. It seemed that they were trying to capitalize on the situation. They finally said I should call my insurance company to take a look at it. The individual who hit me acknowledged they hit me and will be responsible for damages. How much damage could this type of accident cause? I am trying to be nice and not take money unnecessarily from this person, but I don't want to have issues (water leakage for example) later on. Thoughts?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:37PM banged up, have a second body shop or a licensed insurance appraiser look at the car. There is damage and then there is damage. Since the person that hit you will be responsible and I hope they were insured thier insurance company will want look at it and estimate the damage.

Honk for the Patriot...
12:37PM Hi John, both key fobs for my 1998 CRV no longer activate the door locks. I can activate them from inside the car but the signal from the fobs doesn't seem to get through. I've tried resetting the code but that has not fixed the problem. Any suggestions?

JudyG
12:40PM JP: My 98ToyotaCamry failed inspection due to a hole in the flexible pipe at the front of the exhaust system, the one leading off the the catalytic converter. Repair guy quotes fixit price of nearly $850, mainly due to cost of the part. I called some Toyota dealers; one quoted price at $1200! I went online and found what seem to be the part needed(actually a full assembly of flexible front end with cat conv) for $336 from an on-line company. Could this be right?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:40PM HFTP, have you tested the batteries? It may be the reciever has a problem which is a $250.00 part.

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:43PM JudyG, It very well could be right as an aftermarket part. It can't be as good I just checked the price with my database and found the part to be $999.00. Considering that the car is 7 going on 8 years old I might try the aftermarket part, but before you oder it see if your shop will install it.

kiz
12:43PM If you use synthetic oil do you still need to have your oil changed every 3000--I have heard that you can extend this to every 5000 . Is this true?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:44PM kiz, I have no trouble going 5K with synthetic or twice a year

VW
12:44PM Hi I wonder if you know much about the new VW Toureg? With a baby on the way it's time for a bigger car. I like these but am hoping they care also a good car. Any opinions? It's either that or a station wagon - I refuse the minivan! Thanks.

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:47PM VW, The VW SUV is pretty good although for a mid sized vehicle I found it a little small on the inside. Personally I would look at the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander or Lexus, perhaps even the hybrid version of both.

sc
12:47PM I just bought a 2006 Impala LT2. I really like the car but I am afraid of GM's quality control problem. Did I buy a soon to be dog?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:49PM sc, GM quality has come a long way in the last few years, you get a lot of content for the money with the Impala, time will tell

wp
12:49PM I have a 1998 Acura Integra. Just as the warranty was running out, I started to hear a high pitched whistling sound just as the clutch disengaged - it happened about 90% of the times I shift. I took it to the dealer and after about 5 different service calls they said it sounded like a ball bearing on the clutch. They replaced the clutch and the noise went away completely for a few months and then came back again. I went to a different Acura dealer and they thought it sounded like the ball bearing again. They said when they took the clutch apart, it was completely dry and the first dealer did a bad job. They replaced the clutch again and the noise went away for a full year and then came back. I've taken it back a few times, but it won't make the noise when they are with me and I gave up because of the inconvenience, and I didn't think they'd fix it under warranty. Is this a safety issue if it is the ball bearing? Is it worth me trying to get this fixed (and presumably paying $1000 for t

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:56PM wp I'm assuming it is the clutch release bearing. I don't know how you can do a good or bad job installing it. The only lubricant should be on the spline of the clutch. Perhaps you "ride" the clutch causing extra wear and tear? Eventually it will get worse and go from a whistle to a growl.

rita
12:56PM I have a 1992 Toyota Corolla with 135,000 miles. A couple of days ago after I bought gasoline, the engine light started lighting up. I thought maybe water was in the gas? Then I noted some oil stain on the driveway, so we refilled the oil tank. The engine light disappeared for a while but now it's back again. The car runs okay, it starts and doesn't stop; I replaced the alternator last year, what could be wrong? Thanks

JohnPaul (Moderator)
12:58PM rita, Have a test of the computer sytem done. If it is the check engine (yellow light) perhaps you left the gas cap loose. If it is the red engine light check the oil level and if okay have the oil pressure checked. If the red engine light is on odn't drive the car you could destroy the engine

rvrdpm
12:58PM Quick question I have a hemi 1500 2003...Bottomline what is the best gas? 89 or higher...shell or mobil etc. And best oil...synthetic or traditional....I want this to last 10yrs. PS it seems with higher octane I get less gas mileage! Why? Thank You Rob

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:02PM rvrdpm, I don't think there is a major difference in gas. Use the octane recomended, which is 89. As to the best oil synthetic is certainly more forgiving. It lubricates better and flows quicker. No idea why premium should cost you mpg.

theller
01:03PM JohnPaul, here's one for you --- every time it rains, my 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse floods. From the inside! I have checked all the windows and doors, and there are no leaks. The water seems to just appear on my floor. Right now I am driving around with an inch of water under the drivers seat and I am worried about the damage it might be doing to the car. Any ideas?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:04PM theller, A guess is a leaking windshield. Once the car is dry you may be able to recreate and water by using a hose a slowly spraying water on the car from the bottom up. The other possbility is a drain for the HVAC system is clogged letting water in.

clunk
01:04PM I recently has transmission work done on my car and now when I make turns - not all turns - something under my car clunks. Any idea what it may be?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:05PM clunk, if it is a front wheel drive car it may be the front sub-frame is loose or out of alignment. Have the trans shop take another look

cal
01:06PM i have a 99 vw golf-recently the speedometer and rpm needles have stopped working-the dealership can t figure it out and they have had the car for 3 days-any idea-they put a new speed sensor in and it wasnt that-they said the pin might be frozen?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:08PM cal, try another dealer, it may need a new cluster

jr
01:08PM JP I'm thinking about buying a Honda Ridgeline but I'm reluctant to buy the first year of a new model. Have you heard anything about them?

kiz
01:08PM My 2005 Altima has 24000 already on it--I have the oil and filter changed often and the tires rotated every other time I have the oil changed---my question is-what should I have done next time i am in the dealership -given the amt of miles already on it....

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:09PM kiz follow the owners manual, you may need no more than you are already doing

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:10PM jr, the ridgeline has been good, just not selling very well. It is a bit overpriced.

Jess
01:10PM I have a 98 Neon and the air bag light is on, what does that mean?

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:12PM jess could be that the airbag might work or maybe not. You should have it tested. If the horn doesn't work the clockspring could be broken.

jl
01:12PM Hi, the tire on my mother's new 3-week old civic went flat while she was on the highway, resulting in the tire being destroyed. Honda's position is that she hit something, which she says she did not. There's no outside damage at all to the tire, in fact it still looks brand new on the outside. However, there's a smooth rubber barcode, approximately 2 inches square, on the bead on the tire. Is it possible this could have caused the tire to lose air, eventually resulting in it going flat? Both Honda and Dunlop were unresponsive to my question. Thanks.

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:13PM jl, they are problably taking the line that even if it were a slow leak it is the owners responsibility to maintain air pressure, making it your problem.

toyota
01:13PM Hello, I have a 97 toyota camry.One day while I reverse the car,lower back side (below the bumper) of it hit on a curb. I belive after that I feel the noice from the engine is more. Do you see any reason and how can eliminate that noice.

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:14PM toyota, you may have moved the exhaust pipe. Have it checked it may need to be repositioned.

JohnPaul (Moderator)
01:16PM My time is up. Look for my new column The Car Doctor in the Boston Sunday Globe on October 23 as well as a new feature here--Ask the Expert. I'll be back 10/28