ALL OF A BUZZ
Q: I have a 1997 Ford Explorer 4WD. When driving, sometimes when I slow down I hear a buzzing sound from the dashboard, and the brake pedal feels funny at the same time. Any idea what the connection might be?
Posted by: mpatter4
A: What you're describing sounds like the anti-lock braking system coming into play when it shouldn't. But it could also be the system testing itself, which would be normal. If in doubt, have a Ford agent check it.
CAM BELT ABOUT TO GO?
Q: The 3S-FE petrol engine of my 1997 Toyota Camry makes a sound like a diesel near the timing belt, although the car runs fine. What could the cause be?
Posted by: sinzore
A: This could be the belt itself, which can make a devil of a racket if it's old and has gone hard. Alternatively it could be wear or looseness of the belt tensioning device. In both cases your engine could end up wrecked so get it to a mechanic NOW!
SQUEAKING PICKUP, WITH DRESSING
Q: My '97 Ford F150's fan belt started squeaking today, only six months from last changing it. I applied belt dressing but water is the only thing to keep it from squeaking. What should I do?
Posted by: brianpgraham
A: Is 'belt dressing' like salad dressing? Is it squeaking or screeching? If the latter when you accelerate the engine hard from cold, the belt is just slipping and probably needs tensioning. If only a squeak, and it's a vee-belt, clean out the pulley groove with alcohol, and retension the belt.
METRO'S WIRES CROSSED
Q: I have an L-reg Rover Metro. Every time I press the brake pedal the car's front lights come on, while on the dashboard most lights simultaneously flicker on. What the heck is happening?
Posted by: battyjason
A: This is a typical crazy symptom of bad circuit earthing, where one circuit tries to earth itself through an adjacent one, as its own earth point is loose or corroded. An auto-electrician will pinpoint this in a jiffy.
A BRAIN-RACKING NOISE
Q: Since having a new power steering rack fitted to my 1997 1.3 Ford Ka the engine is much noisier, making a continuous rattling noise when driving. The garage has checked again but can find nothing, although I'm sure it's somehow their fault. What do you think?
Posted by: amagrath
A: They may have left something loose or badly routed when fitting the rack. Alternatively, the noise could be being generated by the power steering pump, which might be short of fluid, or have air in it.
JUST UNFORTUNATE HAPPENSTANCE?
Q: Both brake and reverse lights have stopped working on my Vauxhall Corsa. Changing the bulbs hasn't helped and the fuses look fine. Do you have any more ideas?
Posted by: kim.dixon
A: Recheck the fuses for these two functions, as they really are the most likely causes. Otherwise you're down to rear light cluster earthing points, a continuity check along the wiring, and a reccy of the reverse-gear and brake light switches, at the gear lever and brake pedal respectively.
CHEVY’S GAME OF BUCKEROO
Q: When I'm driving my '98 Chevy Cavalier it goes fine for 5-10 minutes, but then starts to cut out like it's running out of gas. But just as soon it kicks in again... then cuts out again. I have now Idea where to start.
Posted by: jason.frost
A: Unfortunately there are many possibilities here, including an intermittently faulty fuel supply relay, an inlet air leak (check for loose/split pipes), muck in the fuel, a dry solder joint in the management ECU, ignition tracking... I could go on. You have no choice but to take it to a Chevy specialist for diagnosis.
TALE OF TWO ROVERS
Q: I have the choice of buying either a Rover 600 diesel or a Rover 800 diesel. Both are 1998 models and seem fine, both mechanically and bodily. Do you have any words of advice?
Posted by: rob.tina
A: Yes, don't buy either! But if they're real bargains, the 600 makes the wiser choice as it has a ubiquitous power unit so there's no problem getting spares and repairs. The 825d's is a rare bird, and in my opinion, none too pleasant.
CHOKING UP WHEN COLD
Q: I have a year-2000 Nissan Micra 1.1 auto whose engine is running very rich. It has been checked with a diagnostic tester that shows everything is fine when the engine's hot. So could this be to do with cold running?
Posted by: amit.kadchha
A: Most likely, as the engine has a cold-start enrichment function as part of its engine management system. There are specific checks that can be carried out on this, ideally with the proper Nissan diagnostics.
GOLF'S KNOCKING BACK END
Q: I hear a knocking sound on my Mark III Golf 1.6 from the rear left passenger side. It only seems to happen when going over bumps or potholes and is less frequent in cold weather. What might it be?
Posted by: climani
A: The most likely candidate is a worn suspension damper or damper mounting at that corner. Warm damper oil thins, which makes the damper more likely to be noisy. However, it might not be from the suspension, so check all internal and external fixtures and fittings, and have an assistant pinpoint the sound while you drive.
DRIVING ITSELF TO A HALT
Q: The brakes of my Vauxhall Vectra 2.2 SRi 150 progressively bind as it's driven, and this also happens if the engine is left running, whether or not the brakes have been used. The only way to release the brakes is to undo a bleed nipple.
Posted by: scott31
A: It sounds as if either the brake vacuum servo, or the ABS system, if there is one, is applying braking pressure when you don't want it. A Vauxhall specialist will be able to test for these possibilities, but don't rule out partial seizure of one or more brake callipers.
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Posted by: kim.dixon
A: Recheck the fuses for these two functions, as they really are the most likely causes. Otherwise you're down to rear light cluster earthing points, a continuity check along the wiring, and a reccy of the reverse-gear and brake light switches, at the gear lever and brake pedal respectively.
CHEVY’S GAME OF BUCKEROO
Q: When I'm driving my '98 Chevy Cavalier it goes fine for 5-10 minutes, but then starts to cut out like it's running out of gas. But just as soon it kicks in again... then cuts out again. I have now Idea where to start.
Posted by: jason.frost
A: Unfortunately there are many possibilities here, including an intermittently faulty fuel supply relay, an inlet air leak (check for loose/split pipes), muck in the fuel, a dry solder joint in the management ECU, ignition tracking... I could go on. You have no choice but to take it to a Chevy specialist for diagnosis.
TALE OF TWO ROVERS
Q: I have the choice of buying either a Rover 600 diesel or a Rover 800 diesel. Both are 1998 models and seem fine, both mechanically and bodily. Do you have any words of advice?
Posted by: rob.tina
A: Yes, don't buy either! But if they're real bargains, the 600 makes the wiser choice as it has a ubiquitous power unit so there's no problem getting spares and repairs. The 825d's is a rare bird, and in my opinion, none too pleasant.
CHOKING UP WHEN COLD
Q: I have a year-2000 Nissan Micra 1.1 auto whose engine is running very rich. It has been checked with a diagnostic tester that shows everything is fine when the engine's hot. So could this be to do with cold running?
Posted by: amit.kadchha
A: Most likely, as the engine has a cold-start enrichment function as part of its engine management system. There are specific checks that can be carried out on this, ideally with the proper Nissan diagnostics.
GOLF'S KNOCKING BACK END
Q: I hear a knocking sound on my Mark III Golf 1.6 from the rear left passenger side. It only seems to happen when going over bumps or potholes and is less frequent in cold weather. What might it be?
Posted by: climani
A: The most likely candidate is a worn suspension damper or damper mounting at that corner. Warm damper oil thins, which makes the damper more likely to be noisy. However, it might not be from the suspension, so check all internal and external fixtures and fittings, and have an assistant pinpoint the sound while you drive.
DRIVING ITSELF TO A HALT
Q: The brakes of my Vauxhall Vectra 2.2 SRi 150 progressively bind as it's driven, and this also happens if the engine is left running, whether or not the brakes have been used. The only way to release the brakes is to undo a bleed nipple.
Posted by: scott31
A: It sounds as if either the brake vacuum servo, or the ABS system, if there is one, is applying braking pressure when you don't want it. A Vauxhall specialist will be able to test for these possibilities, but don't rule out partial seizure of one or more brake callipers.
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