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My 98'Saturn won't shift out of 2nd gear. Could it be a shift solenoid for 3rd & 4th?
Hi there. Are there any lights on; check engine, transmission, etc.? A code retrieval may be helpful if there are any codes stored. Codes/data could lead a qualified technician in the right direction of diagnosis as this could be a...
Question
What is difference between ticking and knocking?
Hey there. The engine knocking is caused by colliding flame fronts in the combustion chamber. Knocking does not stem from any mechanical fault but rather is caused by cylinder carbon deposits, low octane fuel, incorrect spark plugs, wrong engine timing...
Question
The etc light came on
Hi Daniel. Thanks for submitting your question tonight. The ETC light is an indication of a fault with the Electronic Throttle Control. This system is responsible for relaying your physical input when applying pressure to the throttle pedal and sending...
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My valve cover gasket is visible from outside after replacement i haven't fastened to proper torque yet. Should metals touch?
Hi Paco. It depends on what type of gasket you've used. An OEM replacement gasket for the 4-cylinder Toyota Corolla engine will fit snug under the valve cover after installation and wait 24-hours for the silicone to cure. If you...
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2009 Audi A4 2.0t Quattro, I think the oil sensor might be bad.
The oil pressure light will usually come on when a few things could be happening. Either the motor is in fact low on oil, the oil pump could be failing or not pumping oil sufficiently or the oil pressure sending...
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My car won't go into park or any gears and I think my wheel bearing went out will this cause this to happen
Failed wheel bearings will cause a lot of noise. You also might be able to detect "roughness" if you turn the wheel/tire by hand if the car is on a lift. However, wheel bearing failure will not cause difficulties in...
Question
Check engine light came on. Had it checked and it was a right wheel speed sensor. Showed code error. Is this a serious problem?
Hi, thanks for writing in. With a failed wheel speed sensor, your anti-lock brakes, traction control and/or stability control systems will not function properly. These systems rely on wheel speed sensors to determine when and if braking needs to be...
Question
Car accelerating while in park, shifts slowly.
The most likely issue here would be a faulty idle air control valve. This can cause the RPMs to rise when the transmission is in park and the engine is just idling. When the engine is not running correctly, the...
Question
Key fobs not working
Hi there. A lack of communication between your key fobs and your vehicle can point to the receiver that detects your key in its presence. Also, your key fob battery itself can be completely dead or no longer be communicating...
Question
Why does my wheel cylinder keep breaking?
Without specifying exactly what keeps happening, it's hard to tell exactly what problem you are having. The replacement of the wheel cylinder should be straight forward by removing the brake shoes on one side only. Remove and replace the wheel...
Question
How can I turn the back windshield wiper off?
Hi Sam. Thanks for sending in your question today. It's quite possible that you have an electrical short or perhaps a stuck open or damaged electrical relay that is activating the wiper when the brake pedal is pressed. As such,...
Question
Battery light
Hello. This may be caused by a faulty ground connection or potentially a bad voltage regulator. Try checking to be sure you have a good connection from the battery to the car's chassis (black negative battery cable from the battery...
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My 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 will not start
Hi. There could be several different things causing your no start problem. The crankshaft position sensor and or camshaft position sensor could not be working and causing the truck not to have spark so it will not turn over. The...
Question
Engine swap
Unfortunately, yourmechanic.com does not do engine replacement or engine swaps. We would not have any helpful information for that. However, I personally have seen both a 370Z and G37 Coupe both with Chevy LS-3 engine swaps. Your best bet would...
Question
Various warning lights on
Sounds like you might have an electrical issue going on or multiple unrelated issues. None of those lights are related other than being on the instrument cluster. If the engine light is red, it could mean low oil pressure or...
Question
Lose rpm and hard to start. I have a code p0336 that is read on a scanner.
Hi there. The code for P0336 is referring to the crankshaft position sensor loosing a signal to the computer. I recommend replacing the crankshaft position sensor and it should fix all of your problems. If you need further assistance with...
Question
What is the car finder feature on the remote control?
Your car’s remote offers quite a bit of functionality. You can lock and unlock the doors, open the liftgate glass, open the liftgate itself, set off the panic alarm and more. You can also use it to locate your car...
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Constant clicking noise from flasher or blinker when neither of them are on
I do not think the issue is your blinker at all, but the A/C blend door or temperature door electronic actuators are clicking. Try to change the A/C from vent to floor or defrost and see if noise changes or...
Question
What means error fault code p1978
The trouble code you listed is a manufacturer specific code, designated by the P1xxx. I have searched my files and cant find that DTC trouble code. Can you please verify that the code is P1978? However, if you'd like to...
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Outside of an engine rebuild, what can I do to get high-end horsepower rather than the low-end torque inherent with american cars?
Hello. Due to the design of the engine, there's not much that can be done, aside from completely rebuilding the engine, to achieve high rpm power. Typically V layout engines are designed to provide low end torque and a smooth...
Question
Car won't turn over but has new battery
YourMechanic next door was most likely correct and you have a problem with the key anti-theft system disabling the vehicle. You will either have to have a specialized locksmith come to you, program the key and make new ones, or...
Question
Power steering is making a high-pitched noise 2011 Chevrolet Impala
Hi there - unless the power steering has run low on fluid, there should not be air in the system. However, the symptoms you describe suggest the pump may be starved for fluid - which could occur from a low...
Question
Sputtering and shaking - 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan
Hello. If this occurred right after the oil change then the first thing I would do is check the oil. This will occur if there is too much oil in the engine or if they forgot to put oil back...
Question
Engine malfunction light comes on with reduced engine power and rough idle
Generally, the check engine light comes on when something fairly serious is going on with the vehicle. This can happen for many different reasons such as a faulty mass air flow sensor, a faulty O2 sensor, a bad catalytic converter,...
Question
Engine oil leak
Hello there, thank you for asking about your 2007 Mercury Mountaineer. This is a fairly common issue on many cars. Your car is equipped with a V-8 motor which has two separate "sides" of the motor where the cylinder heads...