Q: There is a leak in the antifreeze area. We put pepper and water in it so it wouldn't overheat, now the area around the battery is smoking.

Hi there. The first thing that needs to be determined is if there is a failure of a line or brake component, such as, a brake hose, caliper, or wheel cylinder. The brake fluid level needs to be checked to...

Hi there. With the exception of the oil change light, all of these issues would require closer inspection in order to determine the exact cause. A high idle and movement without pressing the gas can be caused by many problems,...

The Check Engine Light was blinking due to one or more cylinders are misfiring from coolant leaking into the cylinders. You most likely blew a head gasket. Overheating the engine may have warped the cylinder heads. The cause of the...

Hi there. This sounds like most likely a transmission speed sensor problem. Your car has a sensor on the transmission that detects the car's gear ratio and relays this information to the car's computer. If the car has trouble starting...

Hello there, this is a rare accident that can occur when oil changes are performed. In this type of situation, an oil sample is taken and sent off to a facility that can perform an oil analysis. This is done...

Hi there, thanks for writing in. Most of the time this is caused by a fuel system issue. I typically check the fuel pressure first. If the pressure is low, then the pump is bad (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-fuel-pump). If the pump is...

This can be caused by a number of things such as low coolant levels, a faulty thermostat (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/thermostat-replacement), a clogged radiator (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/radiator-replacement) or a failing coolant fan switch. As you may know the coolant fan switch (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/cooling-fan-relay-replacement) helps to maintain...

Hello. Thank you for writing in. There are several reasons you may hear a hum that is related to engine speed. Typically these noises are caused by the tires. New tires, thicker treads, all terrain tires, and others similar are...

If the car is on level ground, the 2.5 gallons should be enough to cover the fuel pickup. If the car is on a hill, or leaning to one side or the other, it might help to add more gas....