September 6, 2007
Q. I have had my 2003 Lincoln Navigator for less than a year. Everything seems to be fine, except I will be traveling down the road and a high-pitched noise will come from the back right of the vehicle. It sounds like steam from a teapot. I notice that it happens more on hot days than cold and only when driving, not when idling. Any suggestions on how to find the source of the noise?
A. From your description, it sounds like a wind noise. This may be caused by a poor-fitting window, loose trim or even the roof rack. A simple way to duplicate a wind noise is to use a two-speed leaf blower. Start your inspection with the leaf blower set on the lowest setting. With air speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, you should be able to find the source of the noise.
Q. I drive a 1994 GMC Sonoma with a 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder engine. Recently when I was driving I heard a "pop" noise and then the truck started to bog down a little. I pulled over on the side of the road, opened the hood and saw one of the spark plugs still attached to the wire, lying on top of my engine. What would cause that to happen? How do I prevent that?
A. The spark plug came out of the engine because it was not installed properly. The spark plug holes should be cleaned before the spark plugs are installed. Once the spark plug holes are cleaned, the spark plug should be installed with a torque wrench. If it is installed too tightly, the spark plug could fracture due to engine heat. If it is loose, then the plug will not transfer heat and will cause detonation -- and as in the case of your engine can fall out.
Q. My 2000 Honda Civic makes a screeching sound for at least couple seconds when I start it up. I was wondering if it could be the alternator, starter, or something else?
A. The most common cause of screeching when a car is first started is a loose or worn alternator belt. When the car is first started, the alternator is trying to replenish the electricity in the battery that was used to get the car started. As the alternator is called upon to recharge a battery, it takes more force for the alternator belt to spin the alternator pulley. Once the new belt is installed, run the engine for at least five minutes and check it for proper tension.
Q. Recently, I got my car back from the repair shop and the right front headlight was cloudy. It isn’t dirty, but actually cloudy. I asked the shop about it and they said it couldn’t have been anything they did. They made it a point to tell and show me they always use fender covers on all their customers’ cars to prevent damaging the car. I know this wasn’t anything I did. What happened?
A. Putting a heavy fender cover over a plastic headlight assembly will cause just this condition if the headlights are on. The fender cover doesn’t allow for heat dissipation and the headlight lens “crazing” will result. Many vehicle manufacturers have sent out technical bulletins warning their dealers of this phenomenon.
