All About Auto Zone

Clicking Sound When Car Turns

2010-07-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: Clicking sound when car turns especially while driving on curves.
Car problem diagnosis: Clicking sound when car turns is an indication of problem involving CV joints. Only cars with front wheel drives have CV joints. Constant Velocity joints or commonly known as CV joints is a flexible joints that allows a smoother application of engine power into your car’s front wheel, there are two types of CV joints the inboard and the outboard, of the two types the outboard joints is the one nearest to the wheel. When this type of joints is worn or damaged this produces sound, this sound is the clicking sound you heard when you’re car turns on a curve.

Car problem: Damaged or Worn CV Joints

All about auto zone repair tips: Inspect the side of the car where you suspect the clicking sound occurs, check the outboard CV joints boot, it is the rubber that contains the CV joints underneath your car. Inspect if the boot is damaged or torn, if the boot is torn the dirt will start entering the joint this causes a clicking sound while turning, with this there is no other option but to replace the CV joint.

However, when the CV joint boot is not torn this does not mean that there is no problem with the car CV joint, you’ll to bring your car to a reputable auto repair shop and ask the mechanic to inspect your car CV joints for any problems that causes your car to produce clicking sound when car turns.

Temperature Gauge Reads Hot After Starting Engine

2010-07-21T00:12:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: Temperature gauge reads hot after starting the engine this occurs in a short period of time after starting.
Car trouble diagnostics: Temperature gauge that read hot after starting is an indication of three possible reasons, lack of coolant, damage radiator hoses, or a bad water pump or thermostat. The first thing to do is to check your car if there is sufficient amount of coolant, look into the radiator fill hole (after the engine cools down) and check if the coolant level covers the metal fins inside the radiator, if not then the radiator lacks coolant and this causes the problem.

If there is a sufficient amount of coolant the next part to look at is the radiator hose. Start the engine and observed the radiator hose, look for the collapsing hose. If you found a collapsing hose then this prevents the flow of coolant from the radiator into the engine thus making the coolant heats up shortly after starting the engine causing the temperature gauge reads hot.

However, if the radiator hose is in good condition then the problem is either the bad water pump or thermostat. The water pump is the one that circulates coolant from the engine into the radiator and back into the engine. If the water pump is defective there will be no circulation of coolant and it will become too hot. This will make the temperature gauge reads hot. Likewise if the thermostat is bad this can cause the problem, thermostat is the one that keeps the coolant to reach the radiator when the engine is cold. When the engine warms up the thermostat will open then it allows the coolant from the engine to reach the radiator.

Car problem diagnose: Insufficient amount of coolant, collapse radiator hose, or a bad water pump or thermostat

All about auto zone repair tips: For the insufficient amount of coolant just ad the necessary amount of coolant, a 50/50 mix of water and anti-freeze will do, however you must also take into consideration why the radiator lacks coolant? There might be a leak somewhere in the system. It might also possible that there is an internal leak usually causes by a blown head gasket you can easily determine if this is the cause when there is a white smoke that comes out the exhaust while your driving, have your car check by a mechanic to make sure. As for the collapsing radiator hose, no other option but to replace the affected parts.

As for the bad water pump or thermostat, bring your car to a reputable auto repair shop and ask the mechanic to inspect the water pump and the thermostat to determine which of the two is the cause and replace if necessary to avoid temperature gauge that reads hot after starting the engine.

Car Jerks When You Accelerate

2010-07-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: Car jerks when you accelerate to gain speed.
Car problem diagnostics: When the car jerks during acceleration occurs when the temperature is cold or the engine is cold, this only indicates a problem on the distributor cap. Moisture is formed inside the distributor cap during the night when the weather is cold or when it’s raining. The moisture that forms will cause the engine to misfire thus engine power becomes not even and the car will jerk when accelerating.

However if the problem occurs gradually and as the day passes it becomes worst then the possibilities is that there is problem of vacuum leak. Vacuum leak start small then become worst gradually because of the pressure inside the engine, the vacuum is one of the key factors in determining how much fuel is needed by the engine, if there is a vacuum leak the air/fuel mixture will not be in the right proportion thus making the car jerks when accelerating.

Another possible cause is a bad throttle position sensor, this will be the cause if the problem occurs at any engine temperature and if you encounter the problem constantly since the time you start noticing it but this is only possible for fuel injected vehicle. Throttle position sensor is a device that measure the distance of the accelerator pedal from its original position when you depressed the pedal. The reading of the throttle position sensor will be transmitted to the car computer system to determine how much fuel is injected by the fuel injection system into the car engine. If the throttle position sensor is bad then the data that it will send to the computer will be wrong and will affect how much fuel will be injected inside the engine thus making the jerk during acceleration.

Car diagnose trouble: Problem on the distributor cap, vacuum leak or bad throttle position sensor

All about auto zone tips: Moisture forming inside the distributor cap can be avoided by parking your car inside the garage especially when raining or when the weather is cold. As for the vacuum leak, no other option but to bring the car to a reputable auto repair shop and ask the mechanic to check your car for vacuum leak the parts to be checked is the EGR and the PCV valves. If the problem is the throttle position sensor, likewise bring the car to auto repair shop and ask the mechanic to check the throttle position sensor. The solution will depend on which of the three causes mentioned above is the problem car jerks when you accelerate can be fixed.

Oldsmobile Cutlass Stalls While Idling

2010-07-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

For Oldsmobile cutlass stalling during idle with fuel injection engine is either caused by a bad idle air bypass valve, a bad cold start valve or a bad fuel pressure regulator. To establish which one is the possibilities try to do the following car diagnostics.

Lightly stepped on the gas pedal and checked if the engine will continue to run. If the engine continues to run then the problem is a faulty idle air bypass valve. Fuel injected engine has a device called the idle air bypass valve. This valve is the one responsible in maintaining the engine idle speed if the valve is faulty the engine will stall. By stepping the gas pedal when the engine is about to stall the throttle increases which makes the engine fuel supply enough to run the engine.
If the car will not continue running while you step on the gas pedal then the idle air bypass valve is not the problem, continue the diagnosis and do the following.

Observed if the stalling only occurs when the engine is cold, if this is the case then the problem is the cold start valve. Fuel injection engine also has a part called the cold start valve, the purpose of this valve is to make the engine continue running when the engine is cold by supplying the engine extra gas so that the air/fuel mixture will become rich.

However, if the problem does not only occur when the engine is cold then the problem is a faulty fuel pressure regulator. The purpose of the fuel pressure regulator is to maintain the fuel pressure on each fuel injectors. If the fuel pressure regulator is faulty the engine will get starved with fuel thus making the car stall.

All about auto zone advice: To fix the problem have a mechanic to verify that the idle air bypass valve or the cold start valve or the fuel pressure regulator is faulty, if the mechanic confirmed that one of those parts is the problem then have it replace. If the mechanic tells you to replace other parts, don’t agree just replacing the faulty parts is enough to correct the problem of your Oldsmobile Cutlass that Stalls While Idling.

Mildew Smell Removal on Car A/C

2010-07-12T05:06:00.000-07:00

Mildew smell removal on car air conditioning can only be done if the cause of the problem is identified. Usually a mildew smell that comes out the a/c vents is cause by a drain pan on the evaporator of air conditioning that is not draining. One of the key components of the air conditioning system is the evaporator. When the car air conditioning is on, the evaporator becomes cold. The blower will then blows air through the evaporator fins and comes out the air conditioning vents this is why the air that comes out the vents is cold.

When the temperature of the surroundings is hot and the air is humid, since the evaporator is cold there is a condensation that forms on the evaporator. This condensation is drained down into the street by the use of drain hose. If the drain pan is not draining the moisture will get trapped inside the drain pan, this will serves as the breeding ground of the algae-like organism that produces mildew smell that mixes into the air that comes out your car air conditioning vents.

Now to remove the mildew smell on the a/c unit you have to make sure that the drain pan is draining. To ensure that the drain pan is draining you need to remove any clogging that causes the moisture to get trapped inside the drain pan. How do you do this? Just crawl under the car and locate the drain hose the leads to the evaporator drain pan. Clean the hose ends for the debris that causes clogging. Clean the clogged up to the base of the drain pan. You may need an assistance of a professional to get rid of the clogging located at the base of the drain pan. Once the drain pan is free of clogging the moisture will be funneled out the street, however the mildew smell removal will take about a couple of days before it completely remove.

Car Heater Not Blowing Hot Air

2010-07-10T00:08:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: You car heater not blowing hot air even when the engine is hot.
Car diagnostics: When your car is quipped with the standard heater system or if it is not equipped with an automatic temperature control system, this kind of problem is an indication of a heater control valve that is not opening. A standard car heater operates using a heater core similar to a small radiator that is located behind the dashboard. The purpose of heater core is to emit heat because of the hot coolant that circulates around the core. The heat that emits by the heater core is then blows by a fan out of your car a/c vents into the passenger compartments.

The heater control valve is the one that controls the flow of the coolant into the heater core. When the valve is open the coolant will flow into the core making the fan to blow hot air into the passenger compartment. Now, when the heater valve is closed the coolant will not flow into the heater core resulting from blowing of air that is not hot out the a/c vents. Since the problem is a heater that is not blowing hot air inside your car passenger compartments then it’s obvious that the heater control valve is not opening.

Auto diagnostics results: The heater control valve is not opening.

All about auto zone tips: Bring your car to a reputable auto repair shop that is specialized in heater repair and ask the mechanic to inspect the heater control valve as well as the device that controls the opening and closing of the valve and repair if necessary. After the repair the mechanic might tell you to replace the heater core also to improve heater performance. However, replacing the heater core will not contribute that much in improving the heater performance, by just repairing the heater control valve will do in improving the performance of your car heater that is not blowing hot air.

Transmission Jump Out of 3rd Gear

2010-07-02T03:29:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptom: The transmission jumps out of third gear while you were driving your car.
Car diagnostics: Transmissions that jump out the 3rd gear is an indication of a problem of faulty shift linkage or excessive input shaft movement. It is very difficult to understand if you are not a mechanic why the faulty shift linkage or excessive input shaft movement can cause the transmission to jump out of 3rd gear because of the complexity of manual transmissions. However, just understand that shift linkage and standard play of shaft input movement is causing the transmission to stay in gear. Therefore if the shift linkage is faulty of if there is an excessive input shaft movement it can cause the transmission to stay out of gear. The problem we indicated is just a possibility that is more likely the cause there are other cause which can be determined by conducting actual inspection on the transmission.

Transmission troubleshooting diagnose caused: Faulty shift linkage or excessive input shaft movement

All about auto zone repair tips: If your car is under warranty your car will be covered for any work that is necessary. Otherwise find a reputable auto repair shop specialized in manual transmission. Ask the mechanic to inspect the shift linkage and adjust if necessary, also ask the mechanic to inspect the input shaft movement if within specifications. If after the adjustments, the problem of the transmission that jump out of 3rd gear still occurs then expect a more costly repair.

Car A/C Initially Blows Cold Air then Followed by Warm Air

2010-06-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

Car A/C trouble symptoms: Car air conditioning system operates in the following patterns. Initially cold air comes out the a/c vents then after a while warm air comes out the a/c vents.
Car problem diagnosis: A/C system has a component called an expansion valve. The expansion valve controls the amount of refrigerant that flows into the evaporator. If the expansion valve is blocked the refrigerant will stop flowing into the evaporator, if this happens the a/c system will only produce warm air. What causes blocking on the expansion valve? Well, after the car a/c is turned on the expansion valve starts to freeze, soon after it will totally freezes up and causing the blocking of refrigerant that flows into the evaporator. An expansion valve will freezes up when there is moisture in the refrigerant. This moisture will accumulate into the expansion valve and freezes there thus creating a block on the valve.

Diagnosed car a/c problem caused: A/c expansion valve freezes up

All about auto zone repair tips: Bring the car to a reputable shop specialized in car air conditioning system. Ask the mechanic to check the a/c system for leak this is probably the cause why moisture gets into the refrigerant. Once the leak is detected the mechanic will remove the refrigerant then repair the leak including the replacement of the component called the receiver/dryer and then refill the system with a new refrigerant. Probably there is no problem with the expansion valve the real problem is the moisture content of the refrigerant. You might be wondering why the receiver/dryer is replaced? The receiver/dryer is the one that removes moisture from the refrigerant, since the expansion valve freezes up because of moisture then it means that the receiver/dryer is not functioning properly that is why the car a/c system initially blows cold air then soon after it blows warm air.

Transmission Jump Out of 2nd Gear

2010-06-27T00:37:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptom: While driving your car, the transmission jumps out of second gear.
Car diagnostics: When the transmission jumps out of second gear it indicates a possible problem of loose shifter fork or out of adjustments shift linkage. Because of the complexity of manual transmission it is very difficult to explain to non-mechanic why either a problem with the shift linkage or something called a shifter fork can cause the transmission to jump out of second gear.

The shift linkage and the shifter fork have something to do why the transmission stayed in gear. Therefore, if the shift linkage is out of adjustment or the shifter fork is loose the transmission will jump out of gear. The cause of the transmission trouble that we mentioned here is only a possibility but probably the most possible cause of the transmission problem. There are other causes of this problem but it can only be determined by inspecting the actual transmission, without inspecting the actual transmission the two causes we mentioned are likely the culprit.

Transmission problem: Loose shifter fork or out of adjustment shift linkage

All about auto zone repair tips: If your car is under warranty you will be covered for any cost incurred necessary for the repair if not then seek a reputable auto repair shop that specialized in manual transmission. Ask the mechanic to inspect the shift linkage and the shifter fork and adjust if necessary. If after the adjustments, the problem of the transmission that jump out of 2nd gear still not fixed then you will be facing a costly repair.

Battery Warning Light Comes On

2010-06-20T02:18:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: Battery warning light comes on steadily while driving this light can be notice when you look at the car instrument panel.
Car problem diagnostics: Battery warning light that comes on steadily indicates a serious problem, usually it indicates a problem of broken alternator belt or failed alternator. Lets discuss first background information of the involve parts. Alternator is a belt driven parts that charges your car battery and provides electricity to the various accessories including the ignition while the engine is running. If the battery warning lights comes on usually the alternator does not function properly. Consequently, your car accessories and the ignition must draw power from the battery. With the above information two possible causes of the problem are mentioned.

When the alternator belt is broken the alternator cannot generates any electricity since there is nothing that drives the alternator, this triggers the battery warning lights to come on. Same with when the alternator fails it cannot generate electricity thus the warning light will come on.

Diagnose auto problems: Broken alternator belt or failed alternator

All about auto zone repair tips: If the engine conked out while the battery warning lights is on, have the car towed to a reputable repair shop. If the engine does not conk out, the first thing to do is to open the hood and locate the alternator, when you found the alternator check the drive belt. If the drive belt is broken have the car towed to the nearest repair shop to replace the belt with a new one. However, if the belt is not broken or damages then probably the problem is the alternator, the alternator is failing and causes the battery warning light comes on steadily, bring the car to a nearest repair auto repair shop and replace the alternator.

Transmission Jump Out of 1st Gear

2010-06-19T05:27:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptom: While driving your car, the transmission jumps out of first gear.
Car diagnostics: When the transmission jumps out of first gear it indicates a possible problem on the shift linkage. Manual transmission is very complex part of your car that is why it is very difficult to explain to non-mechanic why the shift linkage can cause the transmission to jumps out of gear. The shift linkage has something to do why the transmission stayed in gear. If the shift linkage is out of adjustment it can cause the transmission to jump out of gear. There are other causes of this problem but it can only be determined by inspecting the actual transmission, without inspecting the actual transmission, the cause of the transmission trouble that we mentioned here is only a possibility but probably the most possible cause of the transmission problem.

Transmission problem: Out of adjustment shift linkage

All about auto zone repair tips: Seek a reputable auto repair shop specialized in manual transmission, if your car is under warranty you will be covered for any cost incurred during the repair. Ask the mechanic to inspect the shift linkage and adjust if necessary. If after the adjustments, the problem of the transmission that jump out of first gear still occurred then you will be facing a costly repair.

Auto AC Repair

2010-06-18T02:10:00.000-07:00

Auto air conditioner provides comfort not only for the driver but also for the passenger as they travel on a hot summer day. Auto ac now a day becomes a necessity rather than luxury. However, when the car air conditioning goes bad this can make you uncomfortable. With the sophisticated technology available, auto air conditioning becomes complex in terms of repairing auto ac.

Auto ac repair is not the same with the past do-it-yourself repair, now it takes a skilled mechanic to repair the car air conditioning problem that involve new technology such as computerized automatic temperature control. On this section of all about auto zone we provides information on car air conditioning troubleshooting to guide you on determining the cause of you’re a/c problem.

Auto ac problem directory

Oil Warning Light Came On Steadily

2010-06-13T03:21:00.001-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: Oil warning light came on steadily while you were driving your car.
Car problem diagnosis: This kind of problem indicates that there is a lack of oil pressure inside the engine. If the oil pressure is not sufficient the engine will not be lubricated and will freeze up, to make identify the cause of problem check first the car engine oil level.

If the oil level is low then this is the one that causes the oil warning light to come on steadily. However, if the oil level is within the sufficient level then the possible cause of the problem is a bad oil pump or a faulty oil pressure sensor/wiring.

The oil pump is the one that creates oil pressure inside the car engine, the oil pump goes bad the oil pressure inside the engine will drop this drop will trigger the oil warning light to come on. On the other hand if the oil pressure sensor/wiring is faulty it will incorrectly read the oil pressure inside the engine, at times it will read that the oil pressure is low even though in actual it may not. This scenario will send electrical current to the oil light causing the warning light to come on. Also if the wiring that connects the oil pressure and the sensor is faulty or loose, this would cause the oil warning light to come on.

Car diagnostic cause: Low engine oil level, bad fuel pump or faulty oil pressure sensor/wiring.

All about auto zone advice: Check the engine oil level, if the oil level is low refill the engine with the sufficient amount of engine oil. If after checking you found out that the engine oil is enough, then tows the car to a reputable auto repair shop and ask the mechanic to inspect both the oil pump and oil pressure sensor/wiring. When the car encountered this kind of problem it is advisable not to drive the car because if the problem is the oil pressure sensor/wiring or the oil pump, you may cause the engine to freeze up, usually when oil warning light came on steadily this is cause by a low oil pressure and the cause is bad oil pump.

Car Not Starting Only Spinning Sounds Occurred

2010-06-08T05:20:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: Car not starting and only an spinning sounds occurred during starting.
Diagnosing car won't start: When a car is not starting and only an occurrence of spinning sound is heard during starting this indicates that there is slipping on the car starting drive. The starter drive is a part inside the starter that is when slipping can caused the car not to start.

Auto diagnostic caused: Bad starter drive

Auto specialist Advice: With this kind of problem the only option you have is to replace your car starter. If the car is still under warranty, have it towed from your garage to the authorized dealership and have it replaced by the dealership.

However, if it is already beyond warranty, it will cost a lot to repair this kind of problem. To save cost bring the car to a reputable auto repair shop and ask the mechanic to have the starter be replaced with a rebuilt one since it is nearly as good as a new one with a much cheaper price, or you may want to do it yourself you’ll only need a repair manual of your car model then follow step by step procedure indicated in the manual.

Car Brake Light is Flickering

2010-06-08T01:50:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: While driving your car, the car brake light indicator is flickering and can be noticeable while driving on a bump road.
Car problem diagnosis: While driving the car and the car brake light indicator start to flicker especially on a bump road this indicates that there is a slightly low brake fluid level. Car brake has a sensor to inform the driver that the brake fluid level was already below the standard level and need to be refill. The sensor is located on the top of the brake fluid reservoir. If the brake fluid is low the sensor will trigger the brake indicator light to turn on to warn the driver that the fluid is low. Now for the above problem, since the car brake light indicator is flickering or flashing and won’t stay long especially when the car passes thru a bump road then this only means that the brake fluid is slightly low.
The flashes of the indicator light happens because when the brake fluid slosh inside the reservoir the fluid will not be in contact with the sensor for a second, this triggers the brake indicator light to turned on.

Car diagnostic: Slightly low brake fluid level

All about auto zone advice: To fix this kind of car trouble, just add enough amount of brake fluid into the reservoir, there is a line on the reservoir that will indicates the maximum brake fluid necessary, when you add brake fluid the level of fluid must coincide with the reservoir line. Be careful not to spill the fluid on the car panel because it can cause damage on the car paint. Also never leave the reservoir open for long because the fluid will become contaminated due to moisture in the air, if this happen it can cause trouble on the car brake system and the problem of the car brake light that flashes will become worst.

Related post: Battery warning light comes on steadily while driving

Out of Balance Wheel or Out of Round Tire

2010-06-05T03:56:00.000-07:00

Effect of car trouble: Your car will vibrate on a certain speed. When the steering wheel vibrates most likely the problem involves the front tire, however if the rear tire has problems, the vibration can also be felt on the car body.
Diagnosing car trouble: When vibration occurs in your car, the first thing to check is the tire imbalance depending on where the vibration is felt, body or steering vibration. Tire imbalance is when the tire is not evenly rotates when the car is driven, this will make the car vibrates, this occurs at a certain speed where the tire severely vibrates that can cause the car suspension components to also vibrates and transferred to the steering wheel and the car body, causing the entire car to vibrates.

There are two reasons why the tire will not rotate evenly. The first one is when the wheel is out of balance. This means that there is an uneven weight distribution within the wheel which is why the wheel will not rotate evenly and cause the steering wheel or the car body to vibrate. The second one is when the wheel is out of round. This means that the tire is not perfectly round causing the wheel to rotate awkward and causes the entire car to vibrate while being driven.

All about Auto Zone advice:

For the out of balance wheel, the problem can be fixed by having all of the four wheels balanced. Two methods are used to balance the wheel, the first one is the static balancing and the second one is the dynamic balancing. The dynamic balancing method is the better of the two because it gives consideration of the brake disc or drum and the influence of those parts on a wheel balance.

For the out of round wheel, this can be corrected by rotating the tire 180 degrees on the wheel then test the car if the vibration still occur, if there is vibration rotate the tire another 90 degrees, then another 180 if the vibration still occurs. If the vibration is still present measure the runout of wheel and the runout of tire. Replace whichever is out of specification.

Steering Wheel Won’t Return After Turning on a Curve

2010-06-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptoms: While driving the car on a curve and after coming from a curve, the steering wheel won’t return easily.

Car problem diagnosis: To better understand why after coming from a curve the steering wheel won’t return requires a lot of knowledge about the car front ends and wheel alignment. Wheel alignment has something to do with the various setting of the car’s wheel, front and rear. There are several settings on wheel alignment. However, the setting that is related to the problem is the caster and steering axis inclination. When those setting is beyond the specification or standard setting for a particular model of car, it can cause the steering wheel not to return easily while the car is driven coming from a curve. The higher the difference in specifications the worst the problem will be.

Auto diagnostic caused: Front wheel alignment problem

All about auto zone advice: Bring the car to a shop that specialized on wheel alignment job, have the wheel aligned. Usually this can fixed the problem. If the problem still occurs then the problem is caused by a binding steering component, this kind of problem is not mentioned on the car problem diagnosis because it is very rare to happen. Have the binding steering component fixed and lubricated to correct the problem of steering wheel that won’t return after the car is coming out of a turn.

Cold Air that Comes out Car A/C Suddenly Stop

2010-05-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

Car problem diagnosis: While car A/C system is in operation, cold air that comes out the vents suddenly stopped.

Auto Diagnose: When the cold air that comes out the A/C vents suddenly stopped while the air conditioning is in operation is an indication of two possible reasons, a major refrigerant leak or a car air condition electrical problem.

As you may not know refrigerant is the life blood of the car A/C system, refrigerant carries the heat from the car passenger compartment to outside the car making the car passenger compartment cooler.

Now, if one of the car air condition system hose or seal was ruptured it can cause a very rapid leak of refrigerant from the air condition system, thus making its function to reduce suddenly.

However, there is also another cause to this kind of problem, this is when the car A/C unit has electrical problem, since the blower suddenly stop delivering cold air out the car A/C vents, the possibility is that a wire or a switch on the A/C has been shorted which causes the circuit breaker to pop, this can cause a sudden reduction on the performance of the A/C unit, usually cold air that comes out the A/C vents suddenly stopped.

There are other possibilities but is very rare to happen like having a compressor related problem, more specifically the belt that drives the compressor could be slipping or much worst it is broken or the compressor clutch might not be engaging.

Car diagnostic caused: Ruptured car air condition hose or car air Condition electrical problems

Auto Specialist Advice: First thing you should do is to check the A/C system. Open the hood of the car and check for something that is more obvious to see such as ruptured air condition hose or broken compressor belt. If you cannot find the obvious problem, then its time to bring the car to a reputable auto repair shop specialized in car air condition repair, then ask the mechanic to examine your car air conditioning system including it's wiring system, tell the mechanic of the trouble of having the A/C system stopped delivering cold air from A/C vents.

Air with Mildew Odor Comes out the Car Air conditioning Vents

2010-05-31T03:49:00.000-07:00

Auto Diagnose Trouble Symptoms: The air that comes out the car air conditioning vents has mildew odor.
Car diagnostic: When an air has mildew odor comes out the car air conditioning vents this indicates that the car air conditioning system has a drain pan problem. The evaporator drain pan is not draining properly and the reason is that there is clog somewhere the drain hose.

Evaporator is the main component of the car air conditioning system which makes the air that comes out the vents to become cold, the process is that when the car a/c unit is turned on, the air that is blown from the blower passes through the fins of the evaporator once it passed the evaporator it becomes cold until it comes out the a/c vents and circulate inside the car cabin.

During the process especially on hot and humid days, moisture is formed on the evaporator and drips down to the evaporator drain pan, the moistures will then pass through a hose all the way to the streets. When the drain pan does not drain because of clogging, the moisture will get trapped inside the drain pan, when this happens an algae-like organism starts to grow, this algae produce mildew odor that is carried out by the air to the a/c vents which the driver and the passenger smells.

Auto Diagnose Caused: Clogged Evaporator Drain Pan

All about auto zone advice: Locate the car a/c drain pan hose. Usually it is located under the vehicle. Remove any clog or debris that is located from the start of hose end, all the way up to the base of the drain pan, if you are not familiar with this kind of works seek an assistance of a reputable auto repair shop specialized in car air conditioning repair. Once the clogged was removed from the hose, it will take about a couple of days before mildew odor that comes out the a/c vents will completely be gone.

Warm Air Randomly Comes Out the Car Air Conditioning

2010-05-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

Car trouble symptom: Warm air randomly comes out the car airconditioning vents, the problem is somewhat on and off.
Car Problem Diagnosis: When a car airconditioning system blows warm air in randomly fashion, this is an indication of two possible problems. The first one is that the car a/c unit has a failing compressor and the second one is that the a/c unit has a problem on the electrical system.

Let’s have a look first at failing compressor. The compressor is the heart of the car airconditioning system and the refrigerant moves through every components of the system because of compressor. Once the compressor fails, the flow of the refrigerant within the system will stop, thus a warm air will start to come out the the airconditning vents.

Now, another problem is when the air conditioning unit has electrical problem, usually a loose wire. When the wirings is loose, it can affect the components of the airconditioning system, the components will seize to function and can cause the warm air that comes out the airconditioning vents. However, once the wire regains contact, the affected air condition components will start to work making the airconditioning unit to function normally.

All about Auto zone Advice : Bring the car to a reputable auto repair shop that specialized in car air conditioning system, and ask the mechanic to inspect the compressor and air condition wiring for any trouble and repair if necessary. Tell the mechanic that the problem is randomly encountered and that you have done your diagnosis.

Engine of Car Suddenly Losses Power

2010-05-26T05:26:00.000-07:00

Car trouble: The car engine suddenly loss power while you were driving on a flat road or going uphill.

Car diagnostic: An engine of car suddenly losses power while driving on both flat road and uphill is often caused by the following:
For the carbureted engine, this problem occurs when there is a failure on one of the component of the ignition system or a sudden failure of the carburetor.

Carburetor is the one that supplies the engine with an adequate amount of fuel. If the carburetor fails the engine will not get a sufficient amount of fuel this causing the engine to loss power. As for the ignition system, this system provides current to the spark plugs to make them ignite causing the air/fuel mixture to burn inside the engine combustion chambers and provides power on the engine. If one of the spark plugs is faulty or not firing properly, the engine will losses power. With this kind of problem you’ll need to bring the car to reputable repair shop and ask the mechanic to determine the exact cause of the problem and have it repair.

For the fuel injection engine, if the top speed is less than what it once was the possible problem is a clogged catalytic converter. Catalytic converter is a device located along the exhaust system that cleans unburned gasses. If the catalytic converter is clogged the unburned gasses will not pass through it and out the tail pipe. If this is the case a backpressure is created which in turn causes the car to loss power and lesser top speed. This kind of problem can be corrected by installing a new catalytic converter since it cannot be cleaned.

Another cause of loss power for a fuel injected engine is when the fuel injector is clogged. Fuel injector is a key component of a fuel injection system it sprays fuel into the engine. If the fuel injector is clogged or partially clogged the amount of fuel that is sprayed inside the engine combustion chamber is not sufficient thus making the engine starved of fuel and loss power. To fixed the problem, before going to a repair shop, try filling you car with a high quality gasoline because it consist additives that automatically cleans residue off the fuel injectors, you can will notice the change on the performance of the engine after a few tanks. However, if the problem still occurs then that is the time to bring your car to a reputable auto repair shop and asks the mechanic to clean the injectors and fixed the problem of sudden loss of engine power.

Grinding Sound When Shifting to Forward Gears

2010-05-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

Transmission trouble: Grinding sound occurs when shifting into a particular forward gears.

Car diagnostic: When a grinding sound only occurs on a particular forward gears, usually is an indication of a problem involving the synchronizer of that particular gear. Synchronizer is a device inside a transmission, the purpose of this device is to bring the rotating shafts/gears together at the same speed for smoothly shifting into a one gear. When the synchronizer is faulty, grinding sound can be heard while shifting into gear. Also, an extreme faulty synchronizer can cause an impossible shifting into a particular gear. However, when the affected gear is the first gear and the grinding sound only occurs when shifting from a stop position, but not when downshifting, its possible that the problem is too much clutch pedal “free play”. Free play is the distance that a clutch pedal moves before the clutch start to disengage. In a case of grinding sound occurrence, even when the clutch pedal is fully depressed, the clutch is not fully disengaged that is why when there is a grinding sound when shifting into first gear.

Auto specialist advice: Find a reputable auto shop specialized in transmission problems and bring your car for inspection. Ask the mechanic to check the first the clutch pedal free play a simple adjustment can fixed the problem. If the problem is not corrected and the mechanic might told you to overhaul the transmission, in this case never agree to transmission teardown, and seek first for a several opinions from a different shops. Repairing grinding sound on forward gears can sometimes expensive therefore before agreeing for a repair make sure that the correct problem is identified to avoid paying for a repair job that is not necessary.

Clutch Disc Problem or Loose Engine/Transmission Bolt

2010-05-05T05:26:00.000-07:00

Car trouble effect: Your car shakes when the clutch pedal is released while the car is from stop.

Car diagnostics: Determining the exact cause of this car problem can only be done by a professional mechanic by checking the actual unit. However, we can pinpoint the cause of the problem but only a possibility based on the experience on the workshop, and the possible cause that we identify is either a clutch disc problem or loose engine/transmission bolt that causes the car problem. Engine and transmission is a separate parts joint together by the engine/transmission bolts and keep the two parts to become stable while in operation. When one of the bolts is loose, the tendency is that the transmission vibrates. The vibration that caused by the transmission can be felt, and enough to cause your entire car to shake when the clutch is engage while the car is at stop.

On the other hand, when the clutch disc is faulty it can also cause the car to shakes when the clutch pedal is released. When the pedal is released the clutch disc is pressed against the flywheel to allow the engine power to transfer into the transmission, when the disc is faulty it will create uneven contact with the flywheel and this can cause the vibration between the transmission and the engine, as a result you can felt this vibration on your entire car.

Mechanic advice: In this case, you have no other option but to bring your car to a reputable auto repair shop that specialized in transmission problems. Ask the mechanic to check the clutch/transmission assembly, this kind of job is costly that’s why it is better that the work to be done on your car is covered by a warranty.

Tags : transmission, clutch, automotive

Nissan Navara Brake Fluid Drain and Refill

2010-04-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

When draining the Nissan Navara brake fluid, refill with a new brake fluid “DOT 3”. Never reuse the brake fluid drained from the unit. Brake fluid can cause damage on your car paint, therefore avoid the brake fluid to splash on the car painted areas. If splashing of brake fluid are cannot be avoided, immediately wipe off the affected area and rinse with water.

When working with your Nissan Navara model, it is advisable to disconnect the connector of ABS actuator and electric unit or the battery negative terminal before you start any of the repair work.

When doing the brake bleeding, pay attention to master cylinder fluid level,
For LH Drive Navara

Connect a vinyl tube to the load sensing valve.
Fully depress brake pedal 4 to 5 times.
With brake pedal depressed, loosen bleed valve to let the air out, and then tighten it immediately.
Repeat steps 3, 4 until there is no more air comes out.
Tighten bleed valve.
From the steps 1 to 5 above, with master cylinder reservoir tank filled at least half way, bleed air from the rear left, front right, rear right, and front left brake, in that order

For RH Drive Navara

Follow step 1 to 5 specified for the LH drive Navara except that from the steps 1 to 5 above, with master cylinder reservoir tank filled at least half way, bleed air from the rear right, front left, rear left, front right brake, in that order.

When doing your routine maintenance always makes sure that your Nissan Navara brake fluid level are between “MAX” and “MIN” lines on the reservoir.

Tags : nissan, automotive, Navara

A/T Vehicle Won’t Hold on P Position

2010-04-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

Transmission Troubleshooting: When the car selector lever for automatic transmission is in “P” position the car won’t hold and have a tendency to move.

Car problem diagnosis: Problem of car with automatic transmission that won’t hold even when the selector lever is in “P” position is often cause by an out of adjustment linkage. Transmission internal component and the gear selector is connected by a linkage, when this linkage is out of adjustments the automatic transmission will not be in “P” position even if it shows that the lever is correctly positioned, thus the car won’t hold.

Another cause of a car not holding at “P” position is by having bad parking lock pawl. The parking lock pawl is the one that helps to keep the car stationary when the gear selector is in “P” position. When this part is faulty the car will move even when the gear selector is in “P” position.

Auto diagnose caused: Bad parking lock pawl or out of adjustment linkage.

Auto specialist advice: The only option that you have is to bring the car to a reputable auto repair shops specialized in automatic transmission and ask the mechanic to check the gear selector linkage and the parking lock pawl then repair if necessary. As for the meantime use the parking brake to keep the car from moving while the car is in stationary to avoid accident that may cause due to your car that won’t hold in “P” position.