Recently Indexed Messages:-
Struts - Corolla :: 2008 - Wandering At Highway Speeds At 60 Mph And Above
My wife and I have owned our '08 Corolla since brand new. It is up to 162,000 miles now, and has developed a fairly serious handling issue. The car wanders at highway speeds (60mph+). This generally only occurs with some wind, on a long straight without wind you can take your hands off the wheel and it goes straight without issues. With wind, either natural or from nearby vehicles, it wanders around even if you're in a long sweeping turn. It doesn't weave totally out of a lane, but it does feel very unstable. On dry roads it's mostly a nuisance, requiring two hands and being tiring. If it's raining, however, the car feels like it's trying to hydroplane constantly, although I don't think it's actually hydroplaning that's just the sensation.
It started probably 20,000 miles ago and has gotten dramatically worse in the last ~5,000. I took it to a shop and asked them to go through the suspension and they gave it a clean bill of health. After that I took it in for tires and an alignment (needed tires anyway) and told the tire shop what I was experiencing. They put 4 new tires on, plus an alignment, and said they didn't find anything wrong with it either. As an aside it's running the stock steel wheels still.
I drive 50 miles each way to work, mostly highway, so this is getting to be a serious problem. It's to the point that I drive my truck when it's going to be raining, and white-knuckle it in the corolla when it's dry out. I've read similar accounts, and checked everything that other people have found to cause similar issues, and so have two shops. Tierod ends and control arm bushings are good. The rack seems good (no play at all in the steering wheel) plus I've driven plenty of vehicles with slop in the steering and they didn't feel like this and only tended to wander when going straight because a sweeping turn takes the play out of the steering. The struts are original all around, but the car easily passes the "bounce test". Is there a better way to check them?
Subaru - Outback :: 2006 - Radio Lost The Ability To Pick Up AM Stations?
Just the other day the radio in my 06 Subaru Outback lost the ability to pick up an AM stations. Is this going to be expensive?
View 8 RepliesToyota - Rav4 :: 2006 - Clicking Noise In Steering Column
I have a 2006 RAV4 with a clicking noise in the steering column. The dealership says the intermediate steering shaft, which will cost over $500, but that it can wait - I can drive it safely for awhile. First, what the heck is "awhile"? And is he correct - can it be driven safely? How will I know when it is no longer safe?
View 2 RepliesJetta - Volkswagen :: Engine Makes A Squealing Noise Like Belt Is Slipping
I have an 05 Jetta Wagon GLS 2.0 which has been amazingly resilient. I had the 100k check up done recently and everything still came up positive; the battery conked out at 120k; and I just recently replaced the stock head and tail lights out of proactiveness rather than them going out. But, I think I've run into an issue now. When I drive through a puddle (or otherwise get water significantly on the underside of the car) if I am running the AC at the same time the engine makes a squealing noise as though a belt is slipping due to the water. I presume is the case that a belt is slipping--and I imagine that is part of the reason it idles noisier than when it was new, but before my wife and I make a budget I'd see whether there are other options. As it is there are 130k miles on the car, it's a 5spd standard, and other than oil changes and the checks at 30, 60, and then 100k no real service has been done.
View 4 RepliesImpala - Chevrolet :: 2001 - White Smoke And Pop Noise From Under The Hood On Driver Side
I am having a problem with rough starts/ normal starts. This issue is intermittent. Once in a while when turning on the car I'll get white smoke and a pop noise from under the hood on the driver side. It smells electrical in nature. Other times like 80% of the time it starts normal. Also I have an issue with some of the cluster panel being lit while other are dimmed slightly. What is the cause of this problem? Where should I start to look to fix these issues? 2001 Impala LS 3.8L .........
View 4 RepliesCivic - Honda - Batteries - Alternators - Starters :: Check Engine Light Blinked / No Ignition
I have a '96 Honda Civic DX model, manual transmission. I replaced the battery, sparkplugs, distributor last summer. Yesterday, hottest day yet this spring, my car wouldn't start. When cranked, the lights came on the dash, the fuel line was running, the check engine light blinked, but then no ignition. Left it overnight, started up fine this morning. Took it to a shop,Mechanic said battery and alternator were good and a replaced starter later, I took it home. Driving home, the idle dropped way too low (no tach) and almost stalled the car (battery light came on) when I pushed in the clutch. Now when I turn it on, it starts, idles regular, then the idle drops again.
View 3 RepliesMini - Cooper :: 2005 - Electrical Malfunctions - Everything Went Out For Couple Of Seconds
I have a Mini Cooper 2005. Last month the battery died. The warning sign was that when I turned the key, there was a second or two pause where everything went dead. No lights at all in cabin and clock reset. Then it started up. It did that many times before the battery went dead. I got it charged and thought all was well but now the mini did the pause thing again and I fear that I am going to deal with a dead battery again.
View 5 RepliesWindows - Mercedes-benz - C-class :: 1974 - 2 Power Windows Are Not Working?
I have a 1974 Mercedes 280 C. Two of the power windows no longer work...the driver rear (stuck down) and the passenger front (stuck up). The problem started with middle console switches...the right bank (passenger controls) the small chrome surrounding piece popped off and caused the switches to get stuck then fall apart. I was trying to put them back together and got a spark...ooops car was on and i was using metal tweezers...then the rear driver side no longer worked??? others work. Do the switches need to be replaced or is it a bigger electrical problem. Checked fuses...all fine.
View 2 RepliesInfiniti - Qx56 :: Hard To Accelerate And Car Seems To Stall After About 5 Minutes Of Driving
All of the lights that show up when starting the car are coming on when I am driving. After about 5 minutes of driving, it is hard to accelerate and the car seems to stall (like I am trying to change gears - it is automatic). The first time it happened, I took the car to a repair shop and they told me I had a leaking hose and needed a new alternator. I had them change the hose and took the car to my usual mechanic. After two days of driving my car, he could not reproduce the problem and said he didn't think the alternator needed to be changed. I started driving the car today and it happened again. When I got home and turned the car off, it would not restart.
View 6 RepliesIgnition - Mitsubishi - Mirage - Sparkplugs :: Cranks Over But Will Not Start
Details. I was driving my car yesterday. It stop as i gave it fuel to go around a corner.Its a 95 mitsubishi mirage s manufacture october 94 in japan. Its a manual turned the key. Nothing but cranking and flooding. My friend came to take a look at it. no spark.I smelled fuel and have still almost half a tank which mean its pumping but no spark came from the ignition wire.I have replaced the rotor and am waiting on new ignition wires and distro cap. When i took off the distro cap I didn't see any visible cracks.
View 9 Replies