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Friday, September 27, 2013

Dr. Gizmo Column


 "Dr. Gizmo"
By Phil Arendt


Hubby Strikes Out
Question 1
I treated my wife by detailing her 2007 Honda Odyssey.  I power washed the exterior, engine and underbody.  I also vacuumed and shampooed the seats and carpeting.  Then I waxed the exterior.  It looked like new inside and out.  The problem was that after I did the work the wipers only worked on low speed, the power door locks and remote key did not work and the high beam headlights and turn signals did not work.  My wife was happy that the car was clean but upset about the troubles. 


I checked all the fuses.  None were blown.  I disconnected the battery as I remembered you mentioned in your column that sometimes this fixes problems but the malfunctions did not clear.  I was at a loss.  Cold adult beverages and a peanut butter sandwich were for dinner that night.  I left the vehicle parked and two days later the van returned to normal.

Is this just a fluke?  Or did I mess something up that will return or strand my wife along the road.  K.F., email

Answer 1
Wow, sometimes trying to score points backfires.  You could blame this on gremlins but I don’t think she will buy it. 

It’s difficult to determine what happened but more than likely the high pressure from the power washer forced water into an electrical device and caused the issues.  Two days later whatever was wet dried out and all is well. 

It’s not likely to happen again as long as you keep the power washer away from the vehicle especially the engine bay and cowl area.  Power washers are great for cleaning concrete and grungy wheels but not vehicle engine bays.   

On another note, flowers may return your beloved wife to wedded bliss.

Morning Starts Out Rough
Question 2
In the morning when I first start my 2008 Cadillac SRX the engine runs rough.  Once it runs a couple of minutes the rough condition goes away.  I took the car to my local repair shop where tests found a misfire in one cylinder.  Their best mechanic replaced the spark plug and ignition coil.  He also cleaned the fuel injectors and cleaned carbon deposits from the cylinders.  He also checked the compression.  After all of this work the trouble continues.  Now he says there is something wrong with the valves in the cylinder that is causing the engine to misfire.

My car only has 28,000 miles.  The rough condition does not occur each morning.  It may surface twice in a week or once or twice a month.  My mechanic has been looking for the trouble on and off since the beginning of the year.  My question is if there is a bad valve wouldn’t the trouble occur every day?  B.D.P., email

Answer 2
Generally, a burnt valve or worn valve guide will cause symptoms that are consistent on a regular basis.  Be this as it may it is possible there is an issue such as a fault in a valve lifter that does not occur on a regular basis.  A lifter may leak hydraulic pressure.  It might not pressurize as quickly as designed.  An issue such as this could cause a cylinder to misfire intermittently. 

Ask your technician to consider this the next time you take the car in for diagnosis.  Also since your vehicle only has 28,000 miles you might ask your dealer if General Motors will help participate in the cost of the repair.  Trouble such as you describe should not surface in such a low mileage vehicle.

Brake Job Needs More Work
Question 3
I replaced the front brake pads and rotors on my 2008 Ford Fusion.  After driving the vehicle for about a week the brake pedal began to feel soft and it would sink nearly to the floor.  Also, the ABS light turned on.  Immediately, I checked the fluid in the master reservoir but it was full. 

Next I stopped at a repair shop.  They checked over my work and checked for fluid leaks.  They didn’t find any problems.  They thought air is in the lines but I never opened any lines when I replaced the brakes.   They also think there might be something wrong in the ABS pump module or it might have air in it but they don’t have a scanner to test it or run a program that can bleed the module. 
My car has 77,000 miles.  Do you have any suggestions? J., email

Answer 3
At this point it’s important to have the brake system returned to full function.  While you did not open the hydraulic part of the system a full flush of the system might return normal operation. 

It’s also possible there is a fault in the master cylinder or ABS module. 

Flushing the brake fluid while cycling the ABS pump with a scan tool commanding the unit might be the cure.  Since the shop that examined your work does not have the tools to perform these tasks it’s time to find a shop that can.

A/C Turns Warm During Long Drive
Question 4
I have a 2001 Mercury Sable GS with a problem in the air conditioner.  When I have traveled a while the air condition blows hot and cold at the same time.  Around town during short trips the a/c works normally.

I went to a repair shop to have them look into the trouble.  A mechanic did some tests but there were no computer codes and the a/c was working normally.  He does not have any idea what causes the trouble.  He suggested waiting until the trouble becomes worse.
Do you know what’s wrong?  H.D.R., email

Answer 4
The symptoms seem to point toward a troubled blend door.  It directs air that blows over the air conditioning evaporator core and heater core.  If this moves once the controls and temperature are set there is an issue that might require replacement of the part. 

Another area to investigate is the control head.  Sometimes faults here cause symptoms such as this.  Tests with a scan tool should show if there are any inconsistencies as the tool commands the various heating, ventilation and air conditioning modes.  If it fails to function as designed during tests, it’s time to replace it despite the lack of malfunction codes.

Wrong Part Or Improper Installation Impairs Antilock Brake System
Question 5

A week ago, a front wheel bearing failed in my 2003 Mercedes-Benz E320.  After the work the ABS light turned on.  I returned to the garage where they tested the brake system.  A mechanic thinks there is something missing at the front wheels that a sensor uses to determine the speed of the wheels.  The shop says they installed parts from a dealer so nothing should be missing.  They said I need to leave the car so they can disassemble the wheels to determine what is causing the trouble.  I need the car so I declined to leave it but I will soon return to the shop.
Do you know what’s missing?  C.J., email

Answer 5
More than likely there are two possible causes.  The part that the wheel sensor uses to determine wheel speed is a reluctor.  This part is within a seal near the bearing.  It’s possible that the mechanic was given an incorrect part that does not have a reluctor or the installation of the seal is not proper causing the air gap between the reluctor and wheel speed sensor to be too great.

Your technician will know for sure what is causing the trouble once he disassembles the wheel hubs.

Misfire Leading To Installation Of Used Control Module
Question 6
The 3.4-liter engine in my 1997 Toyota T100 pickup is misfiring.  My mechanic has replaced the spark plugs, spark plug wires, ignition ignitor and coils.  He also has swapped fuel injectors, checked the compression in the cylinders, tested the camshaft sensors and much more.  All his work is in vain.  The engine still misfires.  Now he is fairly certain the engine control module is bad but he is having a difficult time finding a new one.  He thinks he might be able to find a used or remanufactured part.

Will a used module be reliable?  J.B.M., email


Answer 6
A salvage yard unit might perform fine perhaps for many years.  The only way to find out is to install it.  It may or may not function.  A remanufactured unit is renewed and tested under controlled conditions at the remanufacturing company.     

Before you authorize the work compare the warranty policy and cost for both units.


Thank you for all the great questions.  Dr. Gizmo can’t wait to answer more.

Phil Arendt is a columnist, consultant and A.S.E.-Certified Master Technician.  Readers may send questions to Dr. Gizmo at P.O. Box 548, Cary, IL. 60013 or e-mail address mailto:drgizmo@hotmail.com09/02/2013 ® DR. GIZMO © 1989 - Present

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Recall Recap For Last Week.

Good morning everyone.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued their recall recap for the week of September 16, 2013.  Issues this week might literally smack in the face. as one recall has an issue with inadvertent air bag deployment.  Other issues include tail light failures, improper adhesives, locks that fail, weak seat belt anchor points, ungoverned speed and other faults.

If your vehicle is affected by any of these troubles please have the condition repaired as quickly as possible.      

Please click on the following NHTSA Campaign ID links to view the recall information.

NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Make / Model Years :
ACURA / 2003
HONDA / 2003-2004
Subject :
Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
BMW of North America, LLC
Make / Model Years :
BMW / 2008-2010
Subject :
Tail light Failure
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Corp. Micro Bird Inc.
Make / Model Years :
MICRO BIRD / 2013
Subject :
Panel Glue/FMVSS 221
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Homesteader, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
HOMESTEADER / 2006-2010
Subject :
Interior Side Door Lock May Become Inoperable
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Daimler Trucks North America
Make / Model Years :
WESTERN STAR / 2009-2014
Subject :
Seatbelt Anchorage Point may be Weak
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Oreion Motors LLC.
Make / Model Years :
OREION / 2011-2013
Subject :
Ungoverned Speed/Missing Reflectors/Incorrect GVWR

Monday, September 16, 2013

Recall Recap For The Week Of September 9, 2013

Last week the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced several vehicles for safety issues.  The safety issues could cause property damage, injury or even death.  The issues include faulty sensors, fasteners that could break, faulty locks, improper child seat tethers, problems with seat restraint barriers, incorrect labels, clamps on fuel lines not positioned correctly, brake system valve cracks, cracking wheels, awnings that unfurl and faulty equipment on police motorcycles.

Please click on the following NHTSA Campaign ID links to view the recall information.

NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
SUZUKI / 2006-2011
Subject :
Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor mat
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Daimler Trucks North America
Make / Model Years :
FREIGHTLINER / 2014
Subject :
Caliper Mounting Bolts
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
ShowHauler Trucks, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
SHOWHAULER / 2006-2013
Subject :
Interior Side Door Lock May Become Inoperable
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Winnebago Industries, Inc
Make / Model Years :
ITASCA / 2013-2014
WINNEBAGO / 2013-2014
Subject :
Child Seat Tether Position
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Columbia Northwest, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
ALINER / 2006-2013
Subject :
Interior Side Door Lock May Become Inoperable
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Navistar, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
IC BUS / 2013-2014
Subject :
Seat Restraining Barrier/FMVSS 222
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC
Make / Model Years :
HEARTLAND / 2013
Subject :
Incorrect Certification Label/Part 567
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Dutchmen Manufacturing, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
DUTCHMEN / 2014
Subject :
Generator Fuel Line Clamp Installed Incorrectly
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Spartan Motors, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
SPARTAN / 2009-2014
Subject :
ABS Modulator Valve Fracture
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Indian Motorcycle Company
Make / Model Years :
INDIAN / 2009-2013
Subject :
Rear Wheel Rim may Crack
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Altec Industries Inc.
Make / Model Years :
ALTEC / 2012-2013
Subject :
Winch Bolts May Loosen
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Peterson Industries, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
EXCEL / 2013-2014
Subject :
Unexpected Unfurling of the Awning
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.
Make / Model Years :
KAWASAKI / 2009-2013
Subject :
Police Use Modifications/Various Safety Issues

Study: 1 in 4 Parents Drive with Children Unsecured in Vehicle

Dear Readers,

I'm confident most of you buckle-up your kids all of the time with every ride even if it's from the front of your garage to the foot of your driveway.  For those who might be a little lenient, please buckle them in no matter if you're headed a few feet from the garage or only a few blocks away.

Besides the driver, the most important safety feature in a vehicle that saves more lives everyday than all the other safety equipment built into vehicle is the seat belt.  Use them!     


New Safe Kids Worldwide report made possible by a $2 million GM Foundation grant
2013-09-16
 
DETROIT – One in four parents and caregivers responding to a Safe Kids Worldwide survey said they have driven without making sure their children are safely secured in vehicles.
The report, funded as part of a $2 million grant from the General Motors Foundation, is based on a national online survey of 1,002 parents and caregivers of children ages 10 and under. It reveals that one in four parents admit to having driven without their child buckled up in a car seat or booster seat.
Safe Kids released “Buckle Up: Every Ride, Every Time,” today as part of National Child Passenger Safety Week, which began Sunday and continues through September 21.
“As kids grow up, it can be easy to forget the importance of taking time to buckle up, especially on a quick or overnight trip,” said Mike Robinson, GM vice president of Sustainability and Global Regulatory Affairs, and a GM Foundation board member. “Unfortunately, exceptions can lead to tragedies. The research findings underscore the importance of remaining vigilant about buckling up throughout a child's lifetime. There is no reason important enough to take the risk.”
About Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations dedicated to providing parents and caregivers with practical and proven resources to protect kids from unintentional injuries, the number one cause of death to children in the United States. Throughout the world, almost one million children die of an injury each year, and almost all of these tragedies are preventable. Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 600 coalitions in the United States and in 23 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings and more. Since 1988, Safe Kids has helped reduce the U.S. childhood death rate from unintentional injury by 55 percent. Working together, we can do much more for kids everywhere. Join our effort at safekids.org.
About General Motors Foundation
Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates.  Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM.  The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001. For more information, visit www.gm.com/gmfoundation.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Recall Recap For The Week Of September 2, 2013

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released their recall recap for last week.  Issues covered by the recap include, hybrid inverter system trouble that causes vehicles to stall, valve system faults, brake master cylinder failure, awnings that unfurl, suspension system corrosion, premature piston wear, spare tires that could fall off a vehicle, exhaust system troubles, electrical shorts, and current monitoring system faults.

These issues could cause injury, property damage and even death.


Please click on the following NHTSA Campaign ID links to view the recall information.

NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Make / Model Years :
LEXUS / 2006-2008
TOYOTA / 2006-2010
Subject :
Inverter Failure may cause Hybrid Vehicle to Stall
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Make / Model Years :
LEXUS / 2006-2011
Subject :
Variable-Valve Timing System
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.
Make / Model Years :
CAN-AM / 2013
Subject :
Brake Master Cylinder Manifold Inlet may Melt
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Sunset Park & RV Inc.
Make / Model Years :
SUNSET PARK & RV / 2014
Subject :
Unexpected Unfurling of the Awning
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Make / Model Years :
LEXUS / 2010
TOYOTA / 2006-2011
Subject :
Rear Suspension Arm (Tie Rod) Corrosion
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Make / Model Years :
HONDA / 2013
Subject :
Premature Engine Piston Wear
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Starcraft RV, Inc.
Make / Model Years :
STARCRAFT / 2014
Subject :
Spare Tire Bracket May Detach
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Manning Equipment Inc. LLC
Make / Model Years :
FORD / 2012
Subject :
Insufficient Tailpipe Length
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
DDT Mobility Inc.
Make / Model Years :
DDT / 9999
Subject :
Wheelchair Lift Armored Cable Short Circuit
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Altec Industries Inc.
Make / Model Years :
ALTEC / 2005-2013
Subject :
Current Leakage Monitoring Cable
NHTSA Campaign ID Number :
Manufacturer :
Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC
Make / Model Years :
VOLVO / 2014
Subject :
CEM/Electrical Components may Work Improperly