Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice » Repair Topics

Clear an airbag code

Rick — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:40:35 +0000

Clear an airbag code? I get asked this all the time, “Can’t I just clear the airbag code before I take it in for inspection?” The answer is no. There is no way to clear the code. When you turn the key the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) computer does a check on the airbags. If it finds a problem, it lights the light. The system was designed so NOBODY can clear the code. Get it? The manufacturers set it up this way for liability reasons, yours AND theirs. Once the SRS light turns on, the computer keeps track of how many times you started the car with the light on. So, if you carry a passenger and that passenger gets injured because the airbag didn’t go off, you’re going to get sued for every penny you have. The injured party’s lawyer will have the computer read and they’ll present that evidence at trial that you knowingly transported a passenger with a faulty airbag system. See where this is going? And the car makers get off scot free too because they use the number of starts to proved that it was YOUR fault the airbags didn’t go off. You knew they weren’t working (can’t claim the light didn’t come on because it always comes on when you turn the key) and yet your drove with a disabled safety features. So bottom line, quit whining. Stop asking how you can “trick” the safety inspectors. Stop asking how you can bypass the system. You can’t. Just get it fixed. For more information on this repair or any others for your vehicle, buy an online subscription to either Alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net. Click on this link to compare the two services: Compare Alldata and Eautorepair. If you just need information for a single repair and want to save money,eautorepair offers a lower price 1-week subscription for only $11.99. Or, if you’ll be working on this vehicle in the future, you can buy a 1-year subscription (Alldatadiy.com for $26.99, or eautorepair.net $29.99) © 2007 Rick Muscoplat

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Won’t shift out of park

Rick — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:23:52 +0000

Most vehicles now come with a shift interlock device to prevent you from shifting into or out of gear without having your foot on the brake pedal. The switch is built into the brake light switch and when it determines your foot is on the pedal, it energizes a shift interlock solenoid. The solenoid pulls a locking pin out of the way so you can shift. When the system fails, it’s either the brake light switch of the solenoid. In the past you’ve had to buy the solenoid from the dealer. Now Dorman makes an aftermarket solenoid to fit

Dorman 924-705

Want more more information on this repair or any others for your vehicle, buy an online subscription to either Alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net. Click on this link to compare the two services: Compare Alldata and Eautorepair.

If you just need information for a single repair and want to save money,eautorepair offers a lower price 1-week subscription for only $11.99. Or, if you’ll be working on this vehicle in the future, you can buy a 1-year subscription (Alldatadiy.com for $26.99, or eautorepair.net $29.99)

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Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!

Busting rusted fasteners

Rick — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:36:55 +0000

How to I free up a rusted bolt? I get this question all the time. And I see a lot of bad advice online. Let’s cut right to the basics. In order to free up a rusted fastener you have to get a penetrating fluid through the rust. That’s where most people screw up. Think of rust like paint around a ceiling light fixture in your house. If you want to remove the fixture, you’ve first got to cut through the paint.

Well, some rust penetrants can find small cracks in the rust and wick their way in where they dissolve more rust. But on a heavily rusted bolt, that’ll take a long time. Here’s a tip to crack the rust. Use a hammer or an air chisel with a hammer bit (shown below). Your goal is to set up enough vibrations to just crack the rust. Then soak it with rust penetrant and repeat the vibrations. That almost always works. In fact, if you use the air chisel hammer I show below, I’ve seen screws and bolts vibrate themselves right out.

SG 91125 Air Chisel Hammer

If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to try heat. And this is another really misunderstood issue. Your goal is to shock the fastener, not destroy it. Everyone says to heat the bolt so it’s cherry red. Well, guess what? They’re wrong. You do that and you’ve destroyed the temper of the bolt and you MUST replace it. Repeat after me: The goal is to shock the bolt, not destroy it. So heat the bolt until it’s hot. Then shoot it with water to shock cool it. The expansion and contraction will break up the rust. Keep spraying until it cools. They shoot it with rust penetrant again.

Now let’s talk about rust penetrant. Everyone uses WD-40. WD-40 is a great lubricant and in some situations it can free up a rusty bolt. But it’s made as a lubricant, not a rust penetrant. So my advice is to skip the WD-40 and buy a REAL rust penetrant like Liquid Wrench, PB Blaster, or FreezeOff. Next, understand that it takes at least 15-mins for

FreezeOff

a rust penetrant to work. Remember the paint scenario above? Well, paint stripper doesn’t work immediately and neither does rust penetrant. So soak it and walk away.

Here’s another trick. Instead of always trying to loosen the bolt, try tightening it. If it moves at all, resoak it with penetrant and alternate between tightening and loosening. That’ll work the penetrant into the threads.

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Slipping Transmission—is it toast?

Rick — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 17:04:45 +0000

Every day I get questions from readers about their transmission behaving badly. They always want to know if a transmission fluid change will fix the problem. I’ve got news for you. If you’ve neglected your transmission to the point where the fluid is a dark brown, a fluid change will NOT fix your transmission. This isn’t even a case of “what have I got to lose by trying it.” It’s simply a total waste of money with almost NO chance of making the transmission better. In fact, adding fresh fluid to a neglected transmission has a very high chance of totally destroying it. The fresh fluid will dissolve the varnish buildup from the burned oil and that can clog up everything.

How about transmission additives?

Well, if your car is an old junker and you only need to get a few more months of driving out of it, then by all means, pour in a can of transmission fix. That stuff works by swelling the rubber seals and that can improve the shifting. But only for a little while. It’s going to fail completely—and soon.

Transmission Conditioners?

If you drive an older car and the transmission operates well, you can extend its life by adding a transmission conditioner like Lubegard, ProLong, or Lucas Transmission Fluid conditioner. If you drive a late model car that uses synthetic fluid, you won’t benefit from any of these products.

What’s the bottom line on fluid flushes?

Like I said, if you’ve neglected your transmission and the fluid is dark brown and burned, a fluid flush may make it worse. But what if you haven’t neglected your transmission? Well, dealer shop must use the proper fluid for flushing and that’s why they charge so much more than the independent shops. For example, if you drive a Ford, the Ford dealer must use Mercon V to flush your transmission. Mercon V costs about $6/quart and the shop uses almost 16 quarts. But independent shop use older and much cheaper Dexron III to do the flush. Then they add a bottle of friction modifier to change to alter the friction characteristics of Dexron III to match Mercon V. NO MANUFACTURER approves that method. Also, keep in mind that Mercon V, Dexron VI, and Chrysler ATF+4, Toyota and Honda transmission fluids are all fully synthetic. Dexrron III ISN’T. So you’re basically flushing with an inferior fluid. So what if they modified it to match the friction characteristics of the factory fluid? It’s still not synthetic. In other words, the flush is cheaper than the dealer, but you’re basically getting screwed. Always ask the shop which flushing fluid they use. If they say Dexron, don’t get your vehicle serviced their anymore. If they tell you they use the factory fluid, do the math. Sixteen quarts of synthetic fluid at a minimum of $6/quart is $100. The flush itself in an hour labor. So, if the shop is charging you $149, you’re probably NOT getting synthetic fluid. The price should be closer to $200.

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Sensor Codes

Rick — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 01:32:05 +0000

I can’t tell you how many times forum members write in and say, “The computer said to replace the oxygen sensor. I replaced it and now it says to replace it again.” Let’s get one thing straight…..the computer NEVER says to replace a part. It only tell you what condition the sensor is reporting.

Here’s a typical example:

P0137 – Oxygen Sensor Circuit Low Voltage (Bank 1 Sensor 2)

Now most of you would say the computer has determined that the oxygen sensor is bad. That’s NOT what the code says. It merely says the circuit voltage is low. Low voltage on an oxygen sensor is almost ALWAYS caused by a vacuum leak. Why? Because as air gets into the system, the air/fuel mixture is too lean. A lean mixture produces a low voltage on the oxygen sensor. Replace this oxygen sensor without fixing the vacuum leak and you’ll get the exact same code again. Only this time, you’ll be out $80 for a sensor.

How can you tell if you should replace the sensor? Get a REAL scan tool. Then learn how to interpret short term and long term fuel trims. It’s actually very easy. Read this article on scan tools.

For more information on this repair or any others for your vehicle, buy an online subscription to either Alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net. Click on this link to compare the two services: Compare Alldata and Eautorepair.

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Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!

Clear an airbag code?

Rick — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 20:33:31 +0000

I get asked this all the time, “Can’t I just clear the airbag code before I take it in for inspection?” The answer is no. There is no way to clear the code. When you turn the key the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) computer does a check on the airbags. If it finds a problem, it lights the light. The system was designed so NOBODY can clear the code. Get it? The manufacturers set it up this way for liability reasons, yours AND theirs.

Once the SRS light turns on, the computer keeps track of how many times you started the car with the light on. So, if you carry a passenger and that passenger gets injured because the airbag didn’t go off, you’re going to get sued for every penny you have. The injured party’s lawyer will have the computer read and they’ll present that evidence at trial that you knowingly transported a passenger with a faulty airbag system. See where this is going?

And the car makers get off scot free too because they use the number of starts to proved that it was YOUR fault the airbags didn’t go off. You knew they weren’t working (can’t claim the light didn’t come on because it always comes on when you turn the key) and yet your drove with a disabled safety features.

Bottom line, quit whining. I didn’t design the system. It’s just the way it is. So stop asking how you can “trick” the safety inspectors. You can’t . Stop asking how you can bypass the system. You can’t. Just get it fixed.

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Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!

Fixing electrical corrosion

Rick — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 01:39:41 +0000

Today’s computerized vehicles send fairly low voltage to the sensors. Any small amount of corrosion can really screw up the signal back to the computer. Before you replace a sensor, pull off the electrical connector and check for corrosion (green stuff). If you find it, clean it with electrical contact

Spray contact cleaner

cleaner. Then apply a coating of stabilant 22 contact conditioner (or deoxit). That will prevent further corrosion. If you don’t apply a conditioner, the corrosion will return.

Stabilant 22

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Extended Warranties—are they worth it.

Rick — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:55:09 +0000

It’s a dilemma every new car buyer faces. You’re sitting there at the dealership and they’re pressuring you to buy “on the spot.” That’s no way to buy an extended warranty. So first, let’s talk about whether you need one. Then I’ll walk you through the best kinds to buy and how to buy them.

Do you need one?

I’ll cut right to the chase on this. When my daughter was a senior in high school, I bought her a brand new Honda Civic and a genuine Honda extended warranty. In fact, I bought a 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty with a $100 deductible. She drove that car all through college and well into her first job. She sold it at 145,000 miles. Did I get my money’s worth? Let’s see. The igniter coil went out one winter. Honda towed it in and replaced it. My cost? $100. The head gasket leaked oil. Honda replaced it. My cost $100. A CV boot broke. Honda replaced it. My cost? $100. Morale of the story? The warranty cost me $1,100 and the three repairs added $300 to the total tab–$1,400 in all. How much would all the repairs have cost had I not had a warranty? About $,1500. I consider it a wash. Yes, I had piece of mind, but money wise, it wasn’t such a good deal.

When we bought my son his Toyota Tercel, I also bought the extended warranty–$1,100. He sold the car at 125,000 miles and never once had to use the warranty. But we still bought one for his 2003 Toyota Rav 4. Yep, never used it.

So the first point I’d like to bring up is that if you buy a dependable car to start with, you don’t NEED an extended warranty. Isn’t that why you bought the dependable car in the first place?

But what if you’re not buying a dependable car? Let’s say you ignored the consumer reports stats on dependability and you bought a 2005 Chrysler Minivan. Well, you can count on replacing the electric door motors, intelligent power module, sliding door wiring harness, EGR valve, stabilizer bar end links and bushings, and most likely a body control module. Total tab? Around $3,000. Hmmm, extended warranty might have been a good idea. Same thing holds true if you bought a mid-2000 GM vehicle like an Oldsmobile Alero. You could count on new intake manifold gaskets ($800), two new window regulators ($800), new PassLock anti-theft system ($600), faulty ignition switch ($250), burned up blower motor resistor ($125), and a bum multifunction turn signal switch ($250). Yeah, you should have bought an extended warranty.

So my answer to the question of whether you need one or not depends entirely on what vehicle you buy. Don’t go into la la land on this. Some vehicles are simply more reliable than others. Check Consumer Reports first. If you’re buying a vehicle with a history of repairs because you like its features, then consider the cost of an extended warranty just a part of the vehicle cost.

Now, let’s talk about which warranty to buy.

Car dealers sell extended warranties for one reason—they make a LOT of money on them. If the dealer is selling you an aftermarket (non-manufacturer) warranty, they’re making at least 50% profit. If they sell you a genuine manufacturer’s warranty, they only make about 25% profit. Guess which one they’ll push? Bingo. Are the aftermarket warranties any good? Some are really good. Others are plain awful. Here’s how to shop for an extended warranty:

1) Does the warranty cover diagnostic charges? Something’s broken and the tech has to perform test to find out what’s wrong. Crummy warranties say that they won’t pay for the diagnostics UNLESS the tests show that the fault lies in a COVERED part. Here’s an example: Car won’t start. Tech attaches scan tool to see if there are any trouble codes. There are none. So he tests fuel pressure and determines you’ve got a bad fuel pump. Yup, the pump is covered and so is the fuel pressure test. But the scan tool charge isn’t covered and that’s $100. This is a crummy warranty.

2) Does the warranty cover wear and tear? This is what separates the good from the weasels. Crummy warranties cover “defects.” Is a worn part defective, or is it just worn? The crummy policy will deny the claim on the worn part. So you have to be really vigilant in reading the fine print in the “definitions and exclusions” section of the warranty. Don’t blame me if you skip this part.

3) Does the warranty pay for shop supplies? You know you’re going to get hit up for shop supplies and it’s usually 10% of the labor. Will the warranty company pay for that? Think about it, if you’re dealing with a major repair where the labor is $1,000, shop supplies can run $100.

4) Does the warranty pay for NEW parts? Yes, you read that right. Some weasel warranty companies will force the shop to put in used parts. Some companies refuse to pay the shop RETAIL prices for the parts they install. That’ll really piss off your shop. Why should a shop owner agree to repair your car and buy parts for it when the warranty company will only reimburse them for the cost of the parts. Other weasel warranty companies go out and buy the cheapest parts they can find and deliver them to your shop. Is the part a name brand you can trust? Who pays if the replacement part fails? Who knows?

5) Does the warranty cover other damaged parts. Your water pumps croaks and seizes up. The belt shears off and flies into the radiator. A crummy policy will cover just the water pump and leave you holding the bill for a new radiator and belt along with the labor costs for those two items.

6) Does the warranty really cover bumper to bumper. A crummy warranty covers the drivetrain. Think you’re covered if the powertrain control module blows up? Nope. The PCM is considered part of the emissions control system. Same with most of the sensors and solenoid valves. They’re all part of the emissions system. Make darned sure the warranty covers it.

7) Does the warranty cover other electronics? A crummy warranty doesn’t even mention ABS brakes, traction or stability control, climate control, or entertainment or navigation. This one is a no-brainer. If you want coverage on those items, the warranty damn well better not exclude those items in the exclusions section

Does the warranty company pay promptly? I bought an extended warranty from Warranty Direct. They did pay all the claims, but only after wrestling them to the ground. They found every excuse in the book to pay less than the dealer charges, claiming that they were not “customary.” Bullshit. I checked around town. The dealer was charging the going rate. I had to force the company to prove otherwise. I won the debate, but it cost me a lot of aggravation. This is just my opinion, but based on that experience I would never buy from them again. Do you want to fight every claim? Fine, then buy from a company like them. How do you find the good ones? Simple. ASK THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER which warranty companies they like to do business with. They’ll tell you. But do NOT take the finance guy’s word for it. He doesn’t have to get the claims through.

9) Is the warranty transferable? If you sell the car to a private party, including the extended warranty can be a huge selling point. So you’ll want to know if the warranty can be transferred. By the same token, if you trade in the vehicle and don’t need the remainder of the warranty, you’ll want to know if you can get a refund on the unused balance. A good warranty is pro-rated. If you have two years left, you get the refund for that value. But a crummy warranty either doesn’t pro-rate or states that once you file a claim, there’s no refund at all for cancellation. Those conditions vary by which state you live in and how strict the consumer protection laws are. Because some states call them a Service Contract, while others call them an extended warranty and classify them as an insurance policy. Check with your state’s consumer affairs office before buying any extended warranty.

10) Some shops report that warranty companies don’t pay on time. Guess who gets stuck paying? YOU. Some shops have had such bad luck that they won’t even deal with the warranty companies anymore. Take your car in. Pay the bill and then YOU try to get reimbursed. Having fun yet?

11) Check out their reputation. No extended warranty company bats 1,000. You’ll always find complaints online. But the worst companies have far more complaints. Start by checking the Better Business Bureau. Also check the states consumer affairs office. Finally, ASK the service writer at the dealer. They keep a list of “black balled” warranty companies.

How to shop for a warranty

Always do your homework BEFORE you go to the dealer. Get on-line quotes for factory AND aftermarket warranties. Just do a search for Chevrolet OEM warranty. Then fill out the quote forms. You’ll get many responses. Many dealers are happy to sell a genuine factory warranty on-line for 20% off list price. And, some will even sell an aftermarket warranty for 40% off list. TAKE their prices with you to the dealer. Show them the prices. Make them match or come close to those prices.

Which one to buy

Remember, the extended warranty only kicks in AFTER the factory warranty. So, if you buy the cheapest 60,000 mile warranty, it won’t kick in until after the factory 36,000 mile warranty expires. That’s not a lot of coverage! If you’re going to keep the vehicle for many years, buy a 100,000 or 120,000 mile warranty.

GF-5 and Dexos Oil–synthetic oil in general

Rick — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:51:58 +0000

Lately I’ve seen lots of discussions on auto help forums regarding synthetic oil. I’m not surprised that many of those comments comes from Amzoil dealers. They’re extremely loyal to their brand. I’m not going to diss Amzoil–it’s a good product. But it’s important to keep in mind that Amzoil isn’t a refiner (as far as I know). They buy base synthetic oil on the open market. The same is true of Royal Purple. Just because they don’t refine their base oil themselves doesn’t make them less reliable. In fact, Valvoline doesn’t even refine their own base oils. My point is that if you’re buying base oil on the open market, your claim to fame comes from your proprietary additive package. So let’s focus on additives.

Engine oil is made with about 25% additives. They include dispersants to keep crud in suspension so it can be carried off to the filter, anti-foaming agents, pour-point depressants to prevent the oil from thickening at low temps and viscosity improvers to maintain viscosity as load and temps change, as well as, anti-corrosives, detergents, and anti-wear agents. It’s the anti-wear agents that have gotten the most “press.”

In the past many synthetic and traditional oil companies used zinc/phosphorous combos to protect against wear. One additive, Zinc Dialkyl Dithio Phosphate (ZDDP) has been used. But ZDDP has been proven to leave deposits in catalytic converters and the EPA has been leaning on oil makers to reduce or eliminate it. So oil companies have reformulated in order to meet the newer GF-5 standards.

To meet the new GF-5 standards, blenders will use more Group III base oils and that’ll allow them to sell 0W-20 and 5W-20 multi-viscosity oils. To tackle the zinc issue, they’ll incorporate polyalphaolefin and molybdenum disulfide. The new lower starting viscosities will get you better fuel economy. But it doesn’t come cheap. ZDDP costs about $1-lb. But molybdenum costs around $22-$38-lb. It’s high right now because of the overnight demand.
It’s also important to note that some off-brand oil companies keep reporting their results based on now-obsolete testing procedures—the engine sequence test. The new testing procedures are known as the Sequence VI-D test to measure fuel economy. It requires testing on late model engines, as opposed to older engine designs. The new test also looks at emission control system protection, testing how much phosphorous remains in the used oil. And the newer oils must meet different test for seal compatibility.
Then there’s the “Dexos-1” issue. That’s the oil GM will require on 2011 vehicles. While fuel economy is one of the drivers in the Dexos design, GM really wanted a more robust oil. Simply put, GM wants an oil that’s consistent throughout its life. That’s because the GM Oil Life monitoring system will determine when to change oil based on the number of cold starts, engine RPMS, engine load, etc, etc. These are all the factors that affect engine oil life. If you can’t depend on the oil to be consistent throughout its life, then you can’t come up with an oil life monitoring system.
Then there’s the whole oil filter issue. Most cheapo oil filters are designed to last 3,000 miles. Open them up and you’ll find cardboard end caps, cellulose filter media, and nitrile anti-drainback prevention valves. That’s what you get for $3. But that won’t cut it for synthetics that are designed to last longer between fills. If you slice open the higher end filters, K&N, Mobil 1, and Fram’s extended guard, you’ll find metal end caps, silicone anti-drainback valves, and synthetic glass filter media. The cost? $8 and up. However, these high end filters are tested and rated for 7,000 to 10,000 miles. Just a note here: If you take your vehicle into a quick oil change place and ask for synthetic, the chances are almost 100% that they’ll install a $3 filter. Yup—same filter for regular and synthetic oil. In other words, you may want to bring your own filter.+

Finally, I’d like to address the issue of Magnuson-Moss. Some people have on the forums have mis-stated the act. If a car maker specifies an oil like GF-5 or Dexos, that doesn’t mean they have to give it to you for free. That’s not what Magnuson Moss says. Manufacturers are allowed to specify the type of oil. Many oil companies make GF-5 and Dexos compatible oils. You do not have to buy them from the dealer. But if you put any other type of oil in your late vehicle, you WILL void the warranty. You can argue all day that you’re covered by Magnuson-Moss. But you’ll lose the argument

For more information on oil filters, click here

For more information on those bogus oil filter studies, click here.

For more information on high mileage oil filters, click here

For information on synthetic oil facts and myths, click here.

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Subaru ABS unit runs all the time

Rick — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:56:41 +0000

Some Subaru report that the ABS hydraulic motor runs all the time. Subaru issued a TSB 06-28-96 to address the issue. The TSB covers refers to Subaru SVX, Impreza, and Subaru Legacy vehicles. The identified problem refers to ABS hydraulic motors that run or buzz even when the key is turned to the off position or when the ABS warning light comes on and a trouble code 52 is stored in memory.

Subaru has released a modified Hydraulic Motor Relay. The part number is 26735AA012. The new unit carries a white line right under the word JAPAN on the relay case.

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