Hello, thank you for writing in. The automatic transmission starts in first gear always. Considering the age of the vehicle, there are a large number of components that can be contributing to your symptoms. Start with the simplest fixes. When...
As with any used vehicle purchase you should always get a pre-purchase inspection to see if the vehicle has major mechanical problems. A vehicle over 16 years old is going to have some problems and without an inspection like one...
What you are describing sounds like a dirty or failing idle air control valve. The idle air control valve monitors the air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the engine at low speeds and...
Hi Eugenia. Thanks for contacting us today. Oil leaking into the spark plug wells is an indictor of a fairly serious problem that should be inspected and repaired immediately. It is almost always due to a failing gasket or O-ring...
Turning on the headlights creates an electrical load that the alternator must supply. Of course, as the alternator works harder to supply the electrical energy, the engine must in turn supply more power. One possible explanation for the fluctuating idle...
Ethanol is a convenient octane booster. If the fuel as vended has no ethanol in it, and you are able to obtain an octane booster that is 100% ethanol (i.e., has no other "additives"), you can add that "booster" up...
Look in the tail pipe for oil residue indicating excessive oil or look for any blue smoke coming from exhaust when running. Other than this you would need to do oil consumption test. See when last oil change was done...
The crankcase is a closed system and this kind of test does not show anything on this cars engine since if you open the oil cap the engine will run rough due to sucking in all the fresh air. The...
It sounds like you may have a damaged AC compressor or compressor clutch. As you may know the AC Clutch is the pulley that spins with the Belt. There are two ports on the rear of the Compressor. One is...
Valves of this type typically have a spring loaded, small metal "shut-off" within. The spring is calibrated to allow a certain flow rate of blow by gases depending on crankcase pressure versus intake vacuum. The valves are fairly reliable and...
Hi there. Today's automotive tune-up is mainly based on mileage or the recommended services by the individual manufacturer. To review what services are due for your BMW, and determine what maintenance services are recommended, click this link to the service...
This may be a sign of a vacuum leak. High idle speeds or in some cases rough idle, stalling and hissing sounds are common signs of a vacuum leak. When a vacuum leak is present in an engine, this causes...
YourMechanic offers a complete slate of maintenance and repair services. All of these offerings are listed on YourMechanic's services page. The cost to service your car will depend on exactly which service you desire but in all events you will...
Hi Fairh. Most of the time, when you have water collecting behind the driver seat, it's due to door or window seals that have worn out or perhaps might be loose. If your vehicle is a convertible, it could be...
The cost of YourMechanic inspections, diagnostics, and repairs are based on industry standard and cataloged "repair times". In other words, the price you pay is calculated based on an industry standard "average" time that it takes to perform the specified...
Engine coolant can leak externally through a hose, radiator, water pump, etc. or internally due to a leaking head gasket and sometimes a leaking intake manifold gasket depending on the engine design. External leaks are typically found by simple pressure...
The check engine light indicates that there is likely something wrong with the engine or transmission in your vehicle and will usually come on in conjunction with the vehicle going into the reduced power mode. This happens when the vehicle...
This sounds like you started off with the coolant getting low due to a leak and then it got worse when overheated and blew the head gasket causing the misfire and no starting from coolant getting inside cylinders. You will...
The first thing I check for in any drivability problem is air leaks. Any air that gets into the engine without going through proper channels will lean out the system and cause these kinds of problems. Look under the hood...
Hi Jory. Thanks for contacting us today. As a safety measure, all manufacturers recommend starting a manual transmission in neutral gear. If it's started in a forward or reverse gear, sometimes the clutch master cylinder will engage prematurely - causing...
