August 16, 2007
Q. I have a 1994 Geo Prizm in which I just replaced the belts. Now I am getting a very loud squeal when turning left or right. Belt dressing silenced it for a bit, but now it’s back. What is my next step to fix this annoying problem?
A. Since you have identified the belt as the problem, you need to remove the belt and carefully inspect the pulleys and the belt tensioner. Worn pulleys, a weak belt tensioner or oil contamination could be a problem. As a side note, belt dressing is never a good idea. Due to its sticky nature, it tends to attract dirt. A properly installed belt never needs belt dressing.
Q. My 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier has a problem that the “trac” light comes on sometimes. When this happens, it makes the car jerk forward. This will stop once you turn off the car and restart it. What’s going on?
A. A repair shop will need to check the car’s computer for a “trouble” code. The most common issue with this model is poor electrical connection caused by moisture and corrosion.
Q. I have a 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5-liter engine with an automatic transmission. The car has 66,000 miles on it. My problem is when I start the engine and put the gear in reverse or forward, there is a noise and vibration. Also, when I put the air conditioning on, the noise gets worse. If I drive without the air conditioning on, the noise is still there, just not as loud. The faster I drive, the noise goes away. What is wrong?
A. Many items could be causing a running vibration. The first thing you should do is road-test the car with a technician so you are looking for the same problem. The rough running could be caused by any number of things, but one of the most common is oil leaks in and contaminates distributor.
Q. I have a 2003 Nissan Maxima with little over 60,000 miles on it. I bought it used two and half years ago with about 30,000 miles on it. Should I have the plugs changed, and is it possible to do it myself? I have changed spark plugs before, but I can’t figure out where the plugs are located in the engine. Should I have the dealer replace the spark plugs?
A. Replacing the spark plugs on this car is no easy task. In some cases, it is necessary to remove the intake manifold to gain access to the spark plugs. The good news is that Nissan doesn’t recommend replacing the spark plugs until the car has 105,000 miles on it.
Q. My 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe Hyundai has 112,000 miles on it; I bought the car new and have always kept up with the maintenance. One morning I couldn't put the car in reverse or drive, but after a few tries of moving the gear and gunning the engine I was able to reverse. This hasn't happened since, but I was concerned and thought it might be the transmission, so I brought the car to a Hyundai dealership. They did the transmission service for $149.95. They drained the fluid (as much as they could) and refilled it with new fluid. The dealership told me there were metal filings found and that this means some of the gears have disintegrated. I was shocked when he told me this because I never heard of gears disintegrating. I am very disappointed in Hyundai because I thought they were great cars and reliable. I expected to get about 150,000-200,000 miles out of the vehicle. Do metal filings mean gears have been damaged? Have you heard about this problem in other Hyundais? Any advice you can give me will be appreciated.
A. Metal filings in the transmission indicate that some part of the transmission is starting to wear. This could be a bearing, gear or steel clutch plate. Although this wear is disturbing, the problem you had with the vehicle not shifting may have been related to the shift mechanism itself. Have the dealer take a look at bulletin number: 05-40-016. This bulletin describes your model not shifting into drive or reverse.
Q. My ’96 Acura Integra is getting up there and I need to buy a new car in the future. I am relocating to the New Hampshire area, so my question is which cars are best for New England roads and bad weather?
A. In general, front-wheel drive offers more traction than rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive offers more traction than front-wheel drive. You first need to access your own needs, then decide if all-wheel drive is the right choice. A small SUV like the Honda CRV or its sporty cousin the Acura RDX may be perfect if you need to carry cargo. For something a little sporty, the Audi A4 Quattro or BMW 328xi both offer luxury, great handling and the additional safety of all-wheel drive.
