Showing articles & questions for topic
2012

While your car’s Auto Lock feature is designed to provide enhanced safety and protection while the car is in motion on the road, you may find it necessary to deactivate it at some point. You’ll need to know how to...

Hi Kat. Thanks for the question tonight. Anytime a check engine light is illuminated, it means the onboard computer (ECU) has detected a fault from a sensor that impacts the operation of the vehicle. It then stores a code in...

If you move, or are purchasing a used car, you’ll want to clear the previous HomeLink garage door opener settings before programming your own. You can do this in a few easy steps. Locate the HomeLink garage door buttons. There...

If you’ve had the misfortune of getting a flat tire and have had to install the spare tire, you’ve seen the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) light come on in the dash. Why is that? Here’s what you need to...

The coolant reservoir on your Accord is connected to the radiator, and allows coolant to flow back and forth between the two as it heats and cools. If the coolant reservoir is completely empty, you can’t just refill it. You...

Most "fuel economy estimators" utilize the length of time the fuel injectors are open (we're talking milliseconds here) during each revolution of the engine while driving. As a result, small periods of acceleration or other load factors will have temporary...

The rear park aid is a safety feature that helps you when you are parking or are in a reverse situation. When in reverse it audibly alerts you of your surroundings, and how close you are to hitting other cars...

When the power liftgate feature is turned on, the trunk will automatically open fully when the Open Truck button is pressed. This feature can be turned on or off with just a few steps: 1. Press the Up/Down buttons on...

The Wrench symbol on the dashboard is a maintenance reminder. It will come on for a short time when you are approaching a scheduled maintenance, and it will light up more frequently and for a longer duration as you get...

The Cal message can appear on your driver information center (DIC). When the DIC displays this alert, it means that the DIC compass needs to be calibrated. If this alert is accompanied by three dashes, then your compass is not...

When you use the remote start to turn on your vehicle, the climate controls can automatically adjust the temperature based on the outside temperature, or they can resume the temperature settings that you were using when you most recently turned...

The vsa light means that the Vehicle Stability Control or Traction Control has been activated. If the engine light is on and the vsa light is on, then there could be an issue with the traction control system. Check all...

Cars equipped with the smart key system and a push-button start have a colored light on the start/stop button. This light can provide you with a lot of information about the condition of the system itself. Here’s a quick rundown:...

Hi there. You may have a dirty or failing idle air control valve. The idle air control valve reads the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the engine at low speeds and at...

Your car is equipped with a passenger side air bag to protect against possible injury during an accident. However, if you notice the Side Air Bag Off light on in the dash, it might mean there’s something wrong with the...

If there were something in the way of foreign material (e.g., road debris) stuck, you'd probably hear the noise all the time. The noise may be due to the brake pads (particularly if they are not OEM pads). Non-OEM pads...

Hello, thank you for writing in. The TPMS module is located behind the left front wheel well. Beyond the wheel well you will need to locate the first body frame mount, and the module should be fastened to it or...

Your car’s Auto Headlight functionality offers both convenience and safety. The exit delay programmed in means that the lights will stay on after you turn off the engine for a set period of time. You can change how long they...

High idle can be caused by a faulty idle air control valve (IAC valve). The IAC valve can fail or a faulty or blown fuse in other electronically controlled systems can cause the IAC motor to malfunction, leading to a...

The blind spot monitor is a key safety feature that alerts you when a vehicle is in your blind spot, and you therefore may not see it. This feature can be turned on or turned off very easily: 1. Press...

The Service All-Wheel Drive message can appear in the driver information center (DIC) when your vehicle is having an issue with the all-wheel drive (AWD) system. If the DIC displays this alert, stop your vehicle as soon as possible, turn...

The distance to empty feature gives you an approximation of how many miles you can drive on your current tank of gas. To view this feature, press the Trip button on your steering wheel until Range is displayed on your...

If you see the loose fuel cap warning shown in the vehicle information display, it usually means that the gas cap isn’t screwed down all the way. If the gas cap’s seal doesn’t lock in, the system will detect a...

Hi there - not sure how they checked your wheel bearings (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-bad-or-failing-wheel-bearings), but they are still the leading suspect. If the noise is proportional to road speed (increases with road speed), or gets louder when you are on a freeway...

Your odometer tells you how many miles your car has driven. Your trip odometer tracks how many miles you’ve gone since last resetting the trip odometer. You can use the trip odometer to calculate how many miles you’re getting on...

Quite a few different warning messages can be displayed in your car’s message center. If you see one that reads “CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM,” it means that the car’s computer has detected a problem with the Brake system and it needs...

Hello, thank you for writing in. If the vehicle's issues are resolved by you pumping the fuel pedal, you will want to look into your fuel pressure. The fuel pump may be starting to fail, and you will need to...

Your car is set by default to honk the horn when you lock your doors with the remote. However, you can change this if you prefer. Here’s what you need to do: Press both the lock and unlock buttons on...

There is a Base Message Center that logs the functions of your vehicle. You can use this message center to display your vehicle's information and features. The Miles to Empty feature will tell you how long it will be before...

If your car is equipped with the Park Aid System (not all Fusions have this system), you may see a warning reading “Check park aid” displayed in the message center. If you do, it means that the Park Aid system...