HEADING OFF
PROBLEMS
The more you know
about your vehicle, the more likely you'll be able to head off
repair problems. You can detect many common vehicle problems by
using your senses: eyeballing the area around your vehicle,
listening for strange noises, sensing a difference in the way
your vehicle handles, or even noticing unusual odors.
Looks Like Trouble
Small stains or an occasional drop of fluid under your vehicle
may not mean much. But wet spots deserve attention; check puddles
immediately.
You can identify fluids by their
color and consistency:
- Yellowish green, pastel blue
or florescent orange colors indicate an overheated engine
or an antifreeze leak caused by a bad hose, water pump or
leaking radiator.
- A dark brown or black oily
fluid means the engine is leaking oil. A bad seal or
gasket could cause the leak.
- A red oily spot indicates a
transmission or power-steering fluid leak.
- A puddle of clear water
usually is no problem. It may be normal condensation from
your vehicle's air conditioner.
Smells Like Trouble
Some problems are under your nose. You can detect them by their
odor:
- The smell of burned toast - a
light, sharp odor - often signals an electrical short and
burning insulation. To be safe, try not to drive the
vehicle until the problem is diagnosed.
- The smell of rotten eggs - a
continuous burning-sulphur smell - usually indicates a
problem in the catalytic converter or other emission
control devices. Don't delay diagnosis and repair.
- A thick acrid odor usually
means burning oil. Look for sign of a leak.
- The smell of gasoline vapors
after a failed start may mean you have flooded the engine.
Wait a few minutes before trying again. If the odor
persists, chances are there's a leak in the fuel system -
a potentially dangerous problem that needs immediate
attention.
- 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.
- A sweet, steamy odor
indicates a coolant leak. If the temperature gauge or
warning light does not indicate overheating, drive
carefully to the nearest service station, keeping an eye
on your gauges. If the odor is accompanied by a hot,
metallic scent and steam from under the hood, your engine
has overheated. Pull over immediately. Continued driving
could cause severe engine damage. The vehicle should be
towed for repair.
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 related to engine speed:
- Loose or worn power steering,
fan or air conditioning belt.
Click - A slight
sharp noise, related to either engine speed or vehicle speed:
- Loose wheel cover.
- Loose or bent fan blade.
- Stuck valve lifter or low
engine oil.
Screech - A high-pitched,
piercing metallic sound; usually occurs while the vehicle is in
motion:
- Caused by brake wear
indicators to let you know it's time for maintenance.
Rumble - a low-pitched
rhythmic sound.
- Defective exhaust pipe,
converter or muffler.
- Worn universal joint or other
drive-line component.
Ping - A high-pitched
metallic tapping sound, related to engine speed:
- Usually caused by using gas
with a lower octane rating than recommended. Check your
owner's manual for the proper octane rating. If the
problem persists, engine ignition timing could be at
fault.
Heavy Knock - A
rhythmic pounding sound:
- Worn crankshaft or connecting
rod bearings.
- Loose transmission torque
converter.
Clunk - A random
thumping sound:
- Loose shock absorber or other
suspension component.
- Loose exhaust pipe or muffler.
Feels Like Trouble
Difficult handling, a rough ride, vibration and poor performance
are symptoms you can feel. They almost always indicate a problem.
Steering
- Misaligned front wheels and/or
worn steering components, such as the idler or ball
joint, can cause wandering or difficulty steering in a
straight line.
- Pulling - the vehicle's
tendency to steer to the left or right - can be caused by
something as routine as under-inflated tires, or as
serious as a damaged or misaligned front end.
Ride and Handling
- Worn shock absorbers or other
suspension components - or improper tire inflation - can
contribute to poor cornering.
- While there is no hard and
fast rule about when to replace shock absorbers or
struts, try this test: bounce the vehicle up and down
hard at each wheel and then let go. See how many times
the vehicle bounces. Weak shocks will allow the vehicle
to bounce twice or more.
- Springs do not normally wear
out and do not need replacement unless one corner of the
vehicle is lower than the others. Overloading your
vehicle can damage the springs.
- Balance tires properly. An
unbalanced or improperly balanced tire causes a vehicle
to vibrate and may wear steering and suspension
components prematurely.
Brakes
Brake problems have several symptoms. Schedule diagnosis and
repair if:
- The vehicle pulls to one side
when the brakes are applied.
- The brake pedal sinks to the
floor when pressure is maintained.
- You hear or feel scraping or
grinding during braking.
- The "brake" light
on the instrument panel is lit.
Engine
The following symptoms indicate engine trouble. Get a diagnosis
and schedule the repair.
- Difficulty starting the
engine.
- The "check engine"
light on the instrument panel is lit.
- Rough idling or stalling.
- Poor acceleration.
- Poor fuel economy.
- Excessive oil use (more than
one quart between changes).
- Engine continues running
after the key is removed.
Transmission
Poor transmission performance may come from actual component
failure or a simple disconnected hose or plugged filter. Make
sure the technician checks the simple items first; transmission
repairs normally are expensive. Some of the most common symptoms
of transmission problems are: