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Heading Off Problems
Become familiar with your
car. The more you know, the better you will be
able to prevent repair problems. You can detect
many common vehicle problems by listening for
strange noises, sensing the way your vehicle
handles, or even smelling odd odors.
Looks Like Trouble
Small
stains or an occasional drop of fluid under your
car may not mean much. But always check puddles
right away.
Fluids can be identified by
their color and consistency:
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- Yellowish green, pastel blue or florescent
orange colors show that your engine is overheated or
antifreeze is leaking from a hose, water pump or
leaking radiator
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- A dark brown or black oily fluid is oil. A bad
seal or gasket could cause the leak
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- A red oily spot indicates the transmission or
power-steering fluid is leaking
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- A puddle of clear water usually is not a
problem, as condensation from your vehicle's air
conditioner can drip
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Smells
Like Trouble
Your
nose can alert you to many car problems. You can
detect them by their odor:
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- The smell of burned toast (a light, sharp odor)
can indicate an electrical short and burning
insulation. Have the problem diagnosed immediately and
do not drive the car until it is checked
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- Rotton eggs (a continuous burning-sulphur
smell) can signal a problem with the catalytic
converter or other emission control devices. Get a
diagnosis and repair fast
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- A thick acrid odor usually means leaking and
burning oil
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- After a failed start, gasoline vapors can mean
the engine is flooded. Wait a few minutes before
trying to start your new
car again. A persistent odor, can signal a leak
in the fuel system, which can be a dangerous problem.
Get immediate attention
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- Burning resin or an acrid chemical odor may
signal overheated brakes or clutch. Check the parking
brake. Stop. Allow the brakes to cool after repeated
hard braking on mountain roads. Light smoke coming
from a wheel indicates a stuck brake. The vehicle
should be towed for repair
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- A sweet, steamy odor suggests that you have a
coolant leak. Keeping an eye on your gauges, drive
carefully to the nearest service station. If you see
steam, your engine has overheated. Pull over
immediately. The vehicle should be towed for
repair
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Sounds
Like Trouble
Squeaks,
squeals, rattles, rumbles, and other sounds
provide valuable clues about problems and
maintenance needs. Here are some common noises and
what they mean:
Squeal
- A shrill, sharp noise, usually associated
with engine speed:
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- Power steering, fan or air conditioning belt
that are worn or loose
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| Click
- A
slight sharp noise, usually associated with either
engine speed or vehicle
speed | |
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- Stuck valve lifter or low engine oil
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| Screech
- A
high-pitched, piercing metallic sound; which
usually occurs while the vehicle is
moving | |
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Rumble
- a
low-pitched rhythmic
sound | |
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- An exhaust pipe, converter or muffler that is
defective
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- The universal joint or other drive-line
component is worn out
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| Ping
- A
high-pitched metallic tapping sound, related to
engine
speed | |
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- Usually caused by using gas with a lower octane
rating than recommended. Your owner's manual will tell
you what proper octane rating is best for your
vehicle. A persistent problem could indicate the
engine ignition timing could be at fault
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| Heavy
Knock - A
rhythmic pounding
sound | |
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- Worn crankshaft or connecting rod
bearings
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- Loose transmission torque converter
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| Clunk
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Random thumping
sounds | |
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- Loose shock absorber or other suspension
component
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- Exhaust pipe or muffler which is loose
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Feels
Like Trouble
Difficult
handling, a rough ride, vibration and poor
performance are symptoms you can feel. They will
almost always indicate a
problem | |
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- Misaligned front wheels and/or worn steering
components, such as the idler or ball joint, can cause
steering difficulty
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- Pulling, to the left or right, may be the
result of something as simple as under-inflated tires,
or as serious as a damaged or misaligned front
end
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- Shock absorbers that are worn, or even improper
tire inflation, can make handling corners
difficult
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- To help figure out when to replace shock
absorbers or struts, test your shock absorbers by
bouncing your vehicle up and down hard at each wheel
and then letting go. See how many times the vehicle
bounces. Weak shocks allow cars to bounce twice or
more
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- Springs do not normally wear out. You will only
need to replace them if one corner of the vehicle is
lower than the others. Overloading can damage your
car's springs
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- Tires should be balanced properly. Otherwise a
vehicle can vibrate and may wear steering and
suspension components prematurely
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Brakes
Brake
problems have several symptoms. If you notice any
of the following, schedule
maintenance | |
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- When you brake, the car pulls to one
side
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- The brake pedal sinks to the floor you step on
it
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- You hear or feel scraping or grinding when you
use the brakes
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Engine
Engine
trouble is indicated by the
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- Starting the engine is difficult
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- The "check engine" light is lit
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- The car idles rough or stalls
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- Acceleration is poor or difficult
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- The car is no longer using fuel
economically
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- Excessive oil use (more than one quart between
changes)
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- Engine continues running after you remove the
key
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Transmission
Poor
transmission performance can be from actual
component failure or a disconnected hose or
plugged filter. Always check the simple items
first because transmission repairs normally are
expensive. Some of the most common symptoms of
transmission problems
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- Abrupt hard shifts between gears
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- Delayed or no response when shifting from
neutral to drive or reverse
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- During normal acceleration your car does not
shift
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- Slippage during acceleration where the engine
speeds up, but the car does not respond
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