Pat Goss
Automotive repair expert
Thursday, May 15, 2008; 11:00 AM
Pat Goss has worked on cars for more than 40 years. He owns a car repair company that bears his name, has authored numerous books on auto maintenance, and makes weekly appearances on 'Motorweek,' a PBS television program.
He visits right here once a month to answer questions about fixing your car.
For more auto advice and industry news, visit our Cars section.
The transcript follows.
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Rockville, Md.: My metal car key broke off in my car door. How much does it generally cost to get rid of that broken piece of key stuck in the lock? I'm trying to decide if it's worth it.
Pat Goss: The going rate is about $75 to $100.
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McLean, Va.: Hi Pat,
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I have a mysterious left front turn signal. It blinks rapidly, much quicker than normal, which usually indicates a burned out bulb. However, it will then revert to working normally. The right signal is unaffected. Any ideas?
Pat Goss: Check the condition of the socket the bulb sits in and check for corrosion on the gorund wire where it connects to the body. Many such problems will be the result of a poor connection.
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Washington, D.C.: I own a 4.5 year old vehicle with a V-8 that just rolled up 70,000. I've always maintained it per factory instructions, including timely oil changes with proper viscosity, but have not used synthetic oil. Question: For an SUV with this mileage which I intend to keep for awhile, is it worth the extra cost to switch to a synthetic oil for high-mileage vehicles with my next change? Do any of these oils really work better?
Pat Goss: DO NOT DO IT! Switching to synthetic is fine but do not use any high-mileage oil until there is a problem with the engine that warrants its use. There is no way to know that all engines with 75,000 miles have the same amount of wear therfore no way to make the changeover recommendation. With most high mileage oils once you start you're hooked and when the car really does need it there is no benefit. The benefit was used up before it was needed.
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Mt. Airy, Md.: Hi Pat. Thanks for taking my question. I've got a '94 Sedan DeVille. The right hand blinker flashes rapidly. I've changed the bulbs, but that did not fix it. I know it's usually the simple things, is there something else I should be looking at?
Pat Goss: See my previous answer and carefully examine the bulb sockets. GM sockets have lots of problems.
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Columbia, Md.: I have a 1999 Ford Escort ZX2 and my check engine light came on. It came up System Too Lean and a friend who is a former mechanic replaced the O2 sensors. However, it came back on so I took it to my regular shop and they said they could not find anything and that I would have to take it to the dealer because there are some areas of the computer that only dealer can access. The Ford garage was charging me $99 to do the computer check then 10 minutes later told me there was a hole in my PCV ventalation hose. They charged me $300 to replace it. My friend told me that they really ripped me off. Is this a $300 job?
Pat Goss: One of the first parts of testing for a check engine light or performance problem is a visual examination. This should have shown the problem.
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Fairfax, Va.: Hi Pat,
What level of customer service should I expect from the owner of an independent garage? I believe there are only 3 mechanics there. I took my car there and he tried some things to fix the problem but eventually told me he had no idea what was wrong with it. The problem is, I only hear that if I call him. There's no follow up. Then when I call it's either "I haven't had the chance to look" or "I have no idea." Finally he said that I should just take it to the dealer because I reminded him that he'd had my car for a week. Is this what I can expect from other private mechanics? I don't care for the dealership for my particular car but at least they call!
Pat Goss: No --- absolutely not! This is horrible customer service. If you look at the various surveys independent shops usually rate better than dealerships or chains. This is partly because they are usually smaller and therfore more able to personalize their service. You just picked the wrong shop, possibly someone who is struggling would be my guess.
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Downtown: We recently bought a Toyota Camry Hybrid, which we absolutely love. Before buying it, I noted that you said in a previous chat that you also loved your Hybrid Camry.
My husband accidentally scraped the paint (above the read passenger tire rim) while pulling into a parking space. I was able to rub some of the paint off with a tissue so we went to a auto supply store and got a chamois cloth and scratch off stuff. By attempting to rub off the scrape/scratch, are we going to cause further damage to the paint? Thank you.
Pat Goss: Maybe maybe not! You have to be careful but if you have one of the extremely fine scratch removing polishes and follow the directions carefully there should be no problem.
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Arlington, Va.: How would you rate the performance of Honda and Toyota 4 cylinder engines versus their 6 cyclinder engines? My experience with 4 cylinder engines in 92 and 97 models is that they are under-powered. I am now looking at buying a Camry or Accord (or maybe Altima) and can't decide if the 6 cylinder engine is worth the extra $$$ (upfront and for gas). Are there any long term maintenance issues I should be aware of? thanks
Pat Goss: No issues that I'm aware of. V6 versus 4 is strictly a personal choice. I have always felt the fours were more than adequate. Right now I drive a Toyota Camry Hybrid which is a four and think it is wonderful. But then I also have a sports car if I feel the need so maybe that alters my feeling. I certainly wouldn't want to feed a 6- or 8-cylider car on a regular basis these days though.
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Shepherd Park, D.C.: Hi,
We have a 1996 Honda Civic hatchback that collects water in the spare tire well. Two questions: Where would you suspect the leak is? Hatch seal? Tail light seal? Somewhere else?
Second, what is the best way to drain the water? I looked for some kind of dtain plug but couldn't find one. Thanks for your advice.
Pat Goss: A small hand pump works well for removing the water and the first place to look for the leak is at the tail lights. Seals on rear lamps dry out and cause leaks plus rear lamps are oftemn bumped in parking lots causing leaks. Could be the hatch but the lights are much more common.
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Silver Spring, Md.: Pat,
Should I be losing sleep over this? My 2001 Honda Odyssey minivan has 122k miles and the engine and transmission have never given me a hiccup. Over the weekend (before the rain) I was driving straight and steadily at a modest speed (40 mph) when the check engine and TCS (traction control system) lights came on, although the van continued to drive just fine.
I drove directly to my independent shop and he worked on it earlier this week. He said the codes indicated an EGR problem and he cleaned out the intake manifold with the appropriate BG products. He said it was dirty but the EGR did not require replacement. I'm fine with all this and the car is driving just fine (and no idiot lights).
What has me losing sleep is the TCS light. Am I facing a huge transmission bill in my future? Is it possible for an EGR code to cause the TCS light to come on? My mechanic says not to worry. Thanks.
Pat Goss: The traction control light is indicating the computer lost communication with one of the sensors that tell it how fast each wheel is turning. This is often caused by water intrusion into a poorly sealed electrical connector or similar.
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Rockville, Md.:
Hi Pat, I'm planning to buy a 2006 or 2007 Mustang GT (manual transmission). I would have a technician check it out before purchase but I was wondering if there is any problem in these vehicles that I should alert him to? Thanks.
Pat Goss: No, the cars are nearly bullet-proof. Just make sure you don't get one that has been run hard or raced.
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Cheverly, Md.: Hi Pat. A few weeks ago I asked you about a burning smell when I run my heat or air conditioning, that stops when I turn it off. You said it was a sign of an oil leak, and you were right (of course!). I took it to a Ford dealership and also told them about a rattling/ticking sound when I press the gas pedal. They kept the car for three days and couldn't find the source of the oil leak, so they put dye in the oil and want me to go back. As for the rattling noise, they said it was a manifold exhaust issue, and I paid $700 to replace it. Now I hear the rattling sound even more. Any ideas? Was I swindled? Thanks so much.
Pat Goss: Check the readings on the Mass Air Flow sensor. The rattling is often caused by a lean fuel mixture and the lean fuel mixture is often caused by the MAF sensor. See the appropriate Ford TSB.
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Arlington, Va.: Hi Pat,
I recently replaced the transmission on my 1998 V8 AWD Mercury Mountaineer (w/ a 3 year warranty). After sitting overnight (or for a long period of time), I hear an audible "clunk" when engaging reverse. This noise does not occur after the truck warms up and all other shifting is fine. Do you think this has something to do with the installation of the new transmission, or could this be an unrelated problem?
Pat Goss: It could be related or unrelated. No way to know without actually checking it. That means leaving the car overnight in most cases but it should be checked.
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Columbia, Md.: Hi Pat,
I had a flat tire while driving home earlier this week (I saw 2 other cars changing tires in the same area so I wasn't the only one!) I put the temporary spare on and went straight to the tire shop but the flat was unrepairable. They don't stock my tire type/size in the store so I am now waiting 3-5 business days for a replacement. Should I be overly concerned about driving with the donut for several days? It's not on the drive axle, I can't find any mileage limitations on the tire or in the owner's manual, and I do not exceed the 50 mph speed limit set by the tire. Thanks for your expert advice.
Pat Goss: Normally the use of a temporary spare is limited to 50 miles at one time and not more than 50 miles per hour. As far as driving less miles and maintaining the required speed limit but for more cycles that is no problem. Following those rules you then just keep an eye on the tread for excessive wear as temporary tires don't wear long.
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Toledo, Ohio: Pat, I've been keeping up with the scheduled maintenance on my car as per the owner's manual at regular mileage intervals. Lately, however, I've been driving it much less frequently (biking to work); it might be a year or more before I hit the next scheduled maintenance according to mileage. What kind of service should I have done to keep the car in good shape, and how often?
Pat Goss: I have never seen an owner's manual that didn't have both a time and mileage recommendation. For cars that get a lot of use service is perfomed based on miles. For cars that get a little use service is performed based on time. If you want a generic service schedule go to www.goss-garage.com and download mine.
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Silver Spring, Md.: Looking at a used Mazda MX3 for commuting. How is that 1.8 V-6? I hear bad things about head gaskets and such.
Pat Goss: Most problems are service related -- or more specifically the lack of service. Get one with a well documented service history and keep up the service and you should do fine.
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Catalytic Converter Conundrum: Hi, Pat --
2000 Passat 6-cyl., 109,000 miles. I replaced one of the catalytic converters on my dealer's advice at 96,000. They told me to keep an eye on the other one, but that I didn't need to change it right away. I'd like to keep the car for at least another year or two, and I don't want the converter to fail in the middle of nowhere and take other parts with it. Would I be better off to change it pre-emptively now, or wait it out and hope that when it fails, I won't be on the interstate?
Pat Goss: Converters don't normally damage other parts when they fail. The only thing that hapens is the check engine light comes on and the computer generates a code. The only exception to that would be if the car has a performance problem and you continue driving it. It won't hurt other parts but the inside of the converter will melt and the car will have a serious lack of performance. But the poorly running engine caused the conevert failure not the other way around. Keep it running properly and you should do fine with what you have.
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1997 Saab: I love this car. It has never broken down on me and gets great mileage. Recently, the wipers stopped working, but were fine when I put a new fuse in. Then, the fuse blew. What could I possibly be looking at here? Thank you.
Pat Goss: Shorted wire or more likely a bad wiper motor.
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Takoma Park: What is the deal with high mileage oils that you cannot go back to regular oils once you start using them?
Pat Goss: High mileage oils have more seal swellers to make seals fit more tightly. This is great if the engine is burning or leaking oil but if it isn't the seals will be tighter (when they don't need to be) and will wear into this new tigher attitude. Take the high mileage oil away and you lose the extra seal sweller now the engine may burn or leak oil forcing you back to the more expensive more more additive intensive product. High mileage oils are wonderful when you need them not so much if you don't.
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Silver Spring, Md.: Pat,
Love your show. With all the new technology being built into cars nowadays, are cars more or less prone to developing problems? For example, some cars seem to have very elaborate drive systems, traction control systems, braking systems, etc. Does this all add up to more frequent and more expensive trips to the local mechanic?
Pat Goss: Actually modern cars are much less prone to problems than older cars. But when they do have a problem they are a lot more difficult and a lot more expensive to diagnose and repair.
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Vienna, Va.: Pat: Unusual problem. A friend says that the exhaust on '91 Fleetwood "roars" when she goes through heavy rain or rain puddles. The exhaust system was replaced a year ago. Have you ever heard of this and what could be the cause?
Pat Goss: The pipes may be aftermarket instead of the dual layer original type. This sometimes causes contractions in the pipes leading to intermittent exhaust leaks or in some cases even blockages when the parts get wet.
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Fairfax, Va.: Good morning Pat! I have watched, listened and read you for years. I have a 2002 Ford Explorer 4WD with 96,000 miles that needs lower ball joints. I have been quoted a price of $530. Question is, what are lower ball joints? How critical are they if I don't get them replaced? Is the $530 quote reasonable? Thanks.
Pat Goss: Lower ball joints are only critical if you want the front wheels to stay connected to the car. Ball joints are what attach the wheel assemblies to the car's suspension and allow the wheels to turn from side to side. Bad ball joints are exceedingly dangerous.
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Washington, D.C.: Hi, Pat, thanks for doing these chats! I drive a 2002 Mercedes C230 Kompressor. The parts guy at the dealer insists that it's dangerous to buy replacement light bulbs (say, a wedge bulb for the license plate) anywhere else. Gave me some story about what if I remember correctly was ballast being an issue. Seems like a bunch of hooey to me. Besides, the bulbs I saw at my local auto parts store are marked OEM. I don't have to pay the dealer's inflated prices, right?
Pat Goss: Don't be fooled by OEM there is an aftermarket company called OEM that makes auto parts. OEM of course stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. But in the case of the OEM company it does not. That said, there is absolutely no reason that you have to use bulbs from the dealer as long as you buy a name brand and get the right part number.
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Arlington, Va.: How does the Yaris stack up when it comes to safety and reliability? From what I've seen, they get just 4 mpg less than the Smart car, yet offer more room and power. Plus the approximately 13K sticker price is very attractive.
Pat Goss: I can't tell you about the safety aspects of the Yaris. For that you should go to www.nhtsa.gov and from that site follow up with a link to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Other than that I would much prefer the Yaris to the Smart because it is more practical.
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Detroit, Mich.: OK, Pat, be brutally honest with me.
I want a 05 Mustang GT. I would have to drive it year-round. I can afford snow tires for winter, and I have a job that is flexible enough that I can avoid driving in the worst weather.
Is making this car a daily driver still a bad idea in Michigan? Our weather is not as bad as, say, North Dakota. More like Chicago.
Pat Goss: I have an '06 Mustang GT convertible that has been a wonderful car but I can tell you I wouldn't consider driving it in the snow as-is. Rain is bad enough. However if you outfit it with four snow tires leave traction control turned on and go gently on the accelerator you should be okay. After all, everyone drove rear-wheel drive cars for the first 75 years of the automobile and did just fine.
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Falls Church, Va.: There are currently three types of gas on the market: Regular, Super and Premium. What is in the Super and Premium that the Regular fuel does not have? Thanks.
Pat Goss: Actually there is regular (87 octane) mid grade (89 octane) and premium (91 or 93 octane). The only difference is in additives that make the fuel burn more slowly. The higher the octane the slower the fuel burns. This allows designers to increase the arrival time of the spark to the spark plugs in premium fuel engines. In reality there is slightly more energy in a gallon or regular than in a gallon of premium. By law the minimum cleaning additives are the same for all three grades.
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Washington, D.C.: Electric tape near engine? I've got an older car ('97). Some of the plastic protection around electric wires is cracking with age. I'd like to re-warp it with electric tape -- but I'm concerned about the heat (one part of the wiring bundles passes right next to the valve cover). Any suggestions?
Pat Goss: Manufacturers use a high-quality plastic electrical tape for most of their bundling. If the wires are too close to something hot or sharp they put a sleeve around the harness. The sleeve is usually made of plastic and is available at most auto parts stores in varying sizes by the foot.
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Silver Spring, Md.: Pat,
With gas prices where they are I'm interested in purchasing a hybrid car. But I'm worried about the maintenance and repair for hybrids. Are their special considerations when owning a hybrid? I've heard that for the Prius for example, that owners have to replace the battery every seven years at a significant cost.
Pat Goss: The battery comes with an eight-year warranty as do most of the really expensive control parts. I own an '09 Camry Hybrid and am not the least bit concerned about relaibility. We see almost no problems with hybrids.
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Herndon, Va.: Pat,
I love your radio show on Saturdays. A few weeks ago you were talking about the Nissan Pathfinders and the rust problem they are having. What year(s) were you talking about? Thanks.
Pat Goss: The Pathfinders with the rust problems in their frames are mostly in the '90s. Remove the rear wheels and look at the frame where it arcs over the axle for damage.
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Healdsburg, Calif.: I bought a 2008 Honda Accord 4 cyl last November. I am approaching 8,000 miles and the oil change sensor still reads 30%. I have not yet changed the oil because the dealer has told me to rely on the sensor.
In any event, I called the dealer to make a service appointment, and again I was dissuaded from doing so. Of course, they were happy to make the appointment and I will have it serviced early next week.
But, my question is whether the dealer's confidence in the sensor on the car is misplaced. 8,000 miles and almost 6 months seems too long for an oil change to me. Thoughts?
Pat Goss: The sensors do not check oil condition they rely on a computer program to make a calculated guess at when the oil should be changed. I use that as a very last line of defense not a primary indicator. I change my cars at 5,000 miles regardless of what the sensor says.
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Shady Side, Md.: I have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee that is making a high-pitched whining sound when I drive between 5MPH and 35MPH. It stops over 35MPH. I had the serpentine belt changed but it still makes the sound which is very annoying. Any ideas? Thanks.
Pat Goss: Recheck the belt. Most specifically the belt tension. We find lots of cars with weak belt tensioners that allow even new belts to slip. Also check for a vacuum leak as vacuum leaks ofte cause such noises.
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Rockville, Md.: Pat, thank you for answering my question about problems with a 2006 or 2007 Mustang GT. You stated that, "Just make sure you don't get one that has been run hard or raced." Could you please outline how one could figure out if it had been run hard? Thank you.
Pat Goss: Have a good technician check the car from bumper to bumper get all service documents and run a vehicle history report on it.
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Germantown, Md.: I have a 1998 Dodge Caravan SE and peridocally the speed odometer will just bounce back and forth from 0 to 120 when I let up off the gas pedal. When this happens it stops shifting right and if I stop then start moving again the rpms just rev up but it will not shift. If i simiply turn the van off and restart it everything works fine until the speed odometer messes up again. Any ideas?
Pat Goss: Check the Vehicle Speed Sensor.
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Bowie, Md.: We took our 2001 Nissan Frontier to the dealer for some routine maintenance. The dealer advised us that there was a recall outstanding and that they would do that work also. A week later we were contacted that the part needed for the recall (the fuel tank) was not available. The part is manufactured in Brazil and they do not know when they will have it. They have already removed the fuel tank and say that they cannot put it back on the vehicle -- they must have the new part. Have you ever heard of anything like this?
Pat Goss: Yes unfortunately I have! But it is very poor management. The car should not be dissassembled until all the replacement parts are in the technician's hands and known to be proper. Auto repair 101. Now you're in a position where there really is nothing the dealer can do because of liability. In most cases though the manufacturer will provide substitute transpotation.
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ABS issues?: Our 2003 Maxima was on a side street when we heard an odd sound when the brake was being applied lightly -- a "thup thup thup" that at first we thought was radio interference. Then it came again with a "sproing"-y sound, and we identified it as ABS. But then it went away and we drove it as usual. Yesterday, the ABS light came on. We are taking it in this weekend. Are we in for a big bill here or could it just be something small?
Pat Goss: Could be very minor and although it is related to the ABS may be in the service brake system. The most common ABS problem is faulty wheel speed sensors.
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Anonymous: Pat:
So many fuel options and new stuff in cars coming out in the next few years, has me wondering how to know if the local gargages and mechanics are up to speed on all this new technology -- any suggestions ?
Pat Goss: Look at the certifications.
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Odenton, Md.: Hi Pat and thanks for taking my question. I'm considering purchasing an Infiniti G37 and was wondering what your impression of this car is?
Pat Goss: Absolutely wonderful car.
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McLean, Va.: Besides the fact that it has a plug hanging off of it, what makes a plug-in hybrid different from a regular hybrid? If I have a regular hybrid, is there anything that I can be doing to charge to the battery when my car is parked so that I'm using less $4/gallon gas when I'm driving?
Pat Goss: The battery on a regular hybrid is constantly being charged so there is no need to plug it in. The conventional hybrid has limitless range where the plug in has to be charged and has a limited number of miles it can go before having to be recharged. The plug in is more economical but less useful.
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Ditch It or Trade? Dallas, TX: I had a car accident in my 2006 Hyundai Elantra. I bought it new. I didn't hit another car but I ran over something in the road that scrapped up under the car. It affected the gas tank and I don't know what else. Every since the accident my check engine light comes on and off. When I take it to the dealership they say I didn't turn the gas cap tight enough. Well the accident happen earlier this year. I went to get my car inspected for my state it failed inspection. I took back to the dealership they fixed it and it passed. I'm still paying a car note but I'm thinking of trading for a newer car. My car doesn't run any differently but I keep having problems. Three weeks ago I couldn't start the car. I had to get it towed to the dealership. They claim some fuses blew out in the car that's why it wouldn't turn on. It wasn't the battery because the car would turn over not on. I have a 100,000 mile warranty and currently have 36,000 miles. I'm afraid problems will keep ocurring and then the warranty will be up and have to pay for the services I'm getting free now.
Pat Goss: You may have a lemon but that would be pretty unusual these days. I would get the manufacturer involved because it sounds like it could be repair related.
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Chevy Chase, Md.: PG: While having my 1995 Acura Integra's air conditioner checked, the mechanics told me that they could not do anything to the AC because the compressor "locked up." If I don't spend the $1000 or so for the repair -- will this be a fatal for the engine? Or does this just mean I won't have air conditioning? Thanks.
Pat Goss: It will have no affect on the engine just no cool breeze until its fixed.
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Richmond, Va.: Thanks for taking our questions. We have a 2002 Toyota Sienna that is about to turn 90K miles. According to the maint. book we need to change the timing belt. Two questions: Is it important to do this at 90K on the dot? And... is it worth pay the extra to go ahead and replace the water pump even if there isn't any problems with the original? Thanks.
Pat Goss: Do the belt as close to the 90K as possible but it doesn't have to on the dot and yes always replace the water pump with the timing belt. That makes financial sense.
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Fredericksburg, Va.: Pat, great chat. I have got an '02 Accord with 103k miles on it. Yesterday, I turned the headlights on and the SRS and maintenance lights came on the dashboard for a couple seconds. Those two lights come on briefly more often when something is plugged into the cigarette lighter such as a cell phone or GPS. Do you think this is a problem with the alternator, battery or neither. Also, I changed the oil on the car a couple months ago and 6 quarts of oil drained out. The car only calls for 4 1/2 quarts. A name brand store changed the oil previously and nothing was added between changes. I called the store and the manager told me they have procedures in place where this couldn't have happened. He also told me the extra 1 1/2 quarts wouldn't do any harm to the engine. Thoughts?
Pat Goss: It probably didn't do any damge or you would already know it. Can't happen? Give me a break. Sure it can happen because it did happen. Check the condition of the diodes in the alternator for the source of the mystery lights.
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Alexandria, Va.: Have you heard about modifying a car to run on water using hydrogen from the water to power it? Is it a scam?
Pat Goss: Sure have, and if you buy into that one I have this wonderful piece of property I'll sell you. At low tide it is waterfornt -- at high tide it doesn't exist -- just like cars running on water from some $200 kit.
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Pat Goss: Thanks for joining me today and taking your time to communicate. I really appreciate and enjoy your questions and comments. Until next time please remember and support our military and please everyone -- drive gently!
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