Popular questions

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Smoking/steam from back of engine.
When you install new parts, there could be some initial smoke or unusual vapors as factory coatings burn off, so the first thing you want to do is make sure that this is not a transient issue or false alarm....
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Wheel stud replacement
The easy way to do it is to replace the hub assembly if you have a lot of miles on them since it will give you new studs and bearings. If you want to just replace the studs, you can...
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Car will not stay started
I often hear about getting an oil change then something is wrong afterwards. I can say from experience that that the oil change itself won't cause your car not to start. I explain coincidental failures by relating them to a...
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Should I keep using high mileage oil?
The term "High Mileage" is a marketing term only and thus has no meaning in Tribology, the relevant science one relies on to measure and evaluate the technical appropriateness of engine oils. I am not aware of any published, public...
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My car is jerking. When I plug in the idling sensor, especially after driving a few kilimeters and when I unplug it, the car travels well
Hi - it is quite possible your engine is running in "open loop" when the idle sensor is disconnected, simply because the engine computer realizes that a crucial sensor is missing. By design, open loop running will be a richer...
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Truck keeps turning off after 10-20 mins of driving and when its at low idle. Not sure why?
Hello. P0340 is the trouble code for an issue with the vehicle's camshaft position circuit. The circuit includes the sensor built into the distributor, as well as the wiring that carries the signal to the computer. If the distributor is...
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Van squealing and leaking power steering fluid.
The noise you hear is the power steering pump whining from lack of fluid. The leaking fluid is most likely the pressure line leaking fluid and would need to be replaced. The power steering pump may have to be replaced...
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My car's fuel efficiency is poor and it starts rough
There is a valve that is by the fuel neck next to the fuel filler inlet that measures the fumes from the gas cap and related areas. This valve is known as the EVAP purge solenoid valve. This valve controls...
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When my car is idling at a stop sign, I have a rattle coming from the front right.
Hi there, thanks for writing in. If the noise is there even when the engine is running, then the balancer needs to be checked as well as the engine mounts. Either one of these will cause this to occur. I...
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What are the uses of the ABS module?
Hello. Your car is equipped with wheel speed sensors at each of the four wheels which monitor wheel speed while relaying this information constantly to the ABS and traction control system which are controlled by the car's ECU. When the...
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My car is hesitating and shifts hard - could that be a sensor or is the transmission going out?
If the transmission has over 200,000 miles, there might be a benefit to changing the filter and fluid in response to the shifting issues you are describing. Before you do that, though, have a professional carefully check the fluid level...
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Car is loud when accelerating
Hello. Based on your description, it does sound like this is an exhaust leak. Because exhaust pipes are made of metal, moisture will cause them to rust. Although it seems like this problem happened out of nowhere, it has actually...
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Why would my car shake while driving?
Hi, thanks for writing in. The first thing to evaluate is the condition of the tires and their balance. If you have a tire defect, such as a belt separation, that will cause shaking at any speed. Tires can also...
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Engine is misfiring and the service engine soon light is on.
Hi there. If the engine is misfiring you would need to check the spark plugs and fuel injectors to see what is not working. If the spark plug has no spark, then check the spark plug wire for spark by-passing...
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When turing the car abs on & car stuck trac light blink why
If your traction control and ABS lights are on at the same time, the usual cause of this is a wheel speed sensor or a tone ring. The tone ring is what the wheel speed sensor picks up on. This...
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Car will start but not turn over
Hi There, Depending on whether or not the vehicle will turn over will determine what the next step should be. If the engine does not turn over, I would recommend checking all connections related to the battery and check to...
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Engine will not stay started. I have replaced idle control valve map sensor spark plugs spark plug wires no check engine light is
You have a problem with the distributor assembly. I recommend replacing the distributor assembly. This will replace all the possible sensors and coil for the ignition and fix the problem you have.
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The emission light has just come on after my car slowly leaking a clear fluid out of the back for two days but cant bring it to the shop for a week, is it safe to drive?
Does the fluid smell like gasoline? If it has no smell it is probably just condensation coming from the exhaust. If is is just water from the exhaust there is nothing to worry about. The light is probably on for...
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Inconsistent RPM. It is too high majority of the time
Hi there. If a high idle is the concern a sticking idle air control valve or a vacuum leak could be the problem. Has anyone attempted an idle adjustment? If so, reset it back to the factory position. Listen around...
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Brakes hard to press
It sounds like your brake booster is worn out. There is a diaphragm inside the booster that wears out and will not allow the booster to get enough vacuum to work properly. I would have a technician from YourMechanic come...
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Car died while driving
There are a few different possibilities here: The engine lost spark, the issue is with your coil, cam or crank sensors, or the fuel pump stopped working. The vehicle would need a diagnostic check to see if you lost spark...
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AC/heat suddenly stopped working
If no air hot or cold is blowing from the vents, there are a couple of possible causes. Air is moved through the heating and air conditioning system by the blower motor. Typically the blower motor is located on the...
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My car acts like it’s about to die.
If you have a battery that is on the verge of going bad and is only at 79% then what can happen is you could have the other electrical loads cause erratic operation at lower engine rpms. If you have...
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Got my fuses checked and my headlights still don't work but high beams do what else could it be
It is possible both bulbs are burned out. The filament in each bulb should be tested with an ohmmeter. The bulbs can also be powered off the car to see if the filaments work but be wary of short circuits...