Ask Pete

[#1]

Dealing with thousands of emergency road service events per day, we hear some very routine comments...and some very bizarre ones. While both have a tendency to stick out in our mind, from the repair side of the business, the one that makes me perk up almost every time is, "I just drove to the next exit."

I usually hear this comment when talking about a vehicle that was either overheating or it had some dash indicator light on or both. In many cases, "just driving it to the next exit" was enough to cause catastrophic damage to the engine or other major component, especially if the next exit is five miles away! 

Keeping safety paramount in your mind, the best thing to do if you notice the temperature gauge climbing or you get a red indicator light on is to pull off the road as soon as safely possible and turn the engine off. With the majority of the population having cell phones, AAA should be your second call after a loved one or law enforcement (if necessary). By shutting that engine down soon after the "light" comes on or at the first sign of overheating, you can save yourself the major expense of an engine or transmission replacement.

[#2]

Good morning,  have a few problems that I think are electrical or computer related and before I go to a mechanic I wanted to ask you what do you think may be my problem. For starters, my check engine light is on continiously. At times I get indicators for ABS check your traction system, change your oil which I already did, i hear this strange noise like a pump became active and if I apply the brakes it interferes, lately now my gas gauge goes crazy, it drops to empty and I have gas in the tank. It's worth mentioning that all this problem started after I replaced the harmonic balancer and the crank sensor which is right behind it. Can you shed any light ?

[#3]

Gremlins???

If the check engine light came on immediately after changing the balancer and sensor I would make sure that you have the correct balancer and sensor for your vehicle. I would also make sure they are of the same quality and specs as OEM parts. Getting the computer scanned for codes should put you (or your  technician) on the right path for a more accurate diagnosis. It sounds like the pump like noise and the ABS may be related but again, a scan tool will be needed to accurately diagnose this system. The oil change reminder may just need to be reset and the gas gauge could be a defective sending unit in the tank. The best way to know for sure is to have a qualified technician formally inspect and diagnose your vehicle.    

[#4]

I recently purchased a 1998-99 Chevy-based Roadtrek camper van (Versatile 200 model)* with only 31,000 miles on it. My only complaint thus far is that the steering is a little loose.  A mechanic has advised me that the only way to make it more responsive is to replace all the rubber parts in the suspension system, which he surmises, without inspection, most likely will have worn evenly. This could run into hundreds of dollars, and to be fair, he has advised me to "just get used to it" - it's within safe parameters. What do you say? Is there anything I can do to make the steering more positive without breaking the bank and replacing all those parts? If I decide to do that, where would you suggest I start? In other words, what parts are most likely to have a noticeable effect?

PS: I do a fair amount of mountain driving each year, and this year plan a  5,000-mile round trip across the continent.

*Made by Home and Park, in Kitchener, Ontario Canada. The body was installed in 1999 on a 1998 Chevrolet 3500 chassis.. .

[#5]

I have to tell you that the place you need to start is to get an actual diagnosis of the concern versus an opinion without actual inspection. It could be something as simple as an adjustment of the steering box to replacement of the rubber mountings for........ or replacing a worn steering gear. Without looking at the vehicle and actually demonstrating the concern you want addressed the sky could be the limit. Pretty much any AAA Approved Auto Repair facility should be able to address your concerns and give you an estimate for repairs.