The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread (merged)

[twa]

But ,but , it's a miracle repair

[mark327]

My wife's mini van a 2000 Ford Windstar dashboard has recently started acting up tachometer and speedometer (spelling) have started going crazy ,the needle jumping up and down almost like it just wants to spin in a complete circle . last night the tach got stuck all the way over to the right and now has interfered with the steering collum shifting needle which show wether your are in park , Reverse , neutral ,drive etc.
What do you think is causing this and about what price am i looking at to fix it.

Thanks

[drums and skins]

Bump.

I have a new car, a 2010 Honda Insight. I got an email from the dealership telling me that maintenance was due at 4000 miles, but the manual says maintenance isn't due until the light comes on. The Insight has a "Multi Information Display" that displays oil life and will light up when it reaches something like 15%. I believe it won't tell you to change the oil until 7500 miles. So which is it? I've always been in a car where the recommended oil change was every 3000-5000 miles. Every 7500mi seems high, but since this is a hybrid and a new car, maybe its a little different to what I've been used to.
Thanks

[twa]

Bump.

I have a new car, a 2010 Honda Insight. I got an email from the dealership telling me that maintenance was due at 4000 miles, but the manual says maintenance isn't due until the light comes on. The Insight has a "Multi Information Display" that displays oil life and will light up when it reaches something like 15%. I believe it won't tell you to change the oil until 7500 miles. So which is it? I've always been in a car where the recommended oil change was every 3000-5000 miles. Every 7500mi seems high, but since this is a hybrid and a new car, maybe its a little different to what I've been used to.
Thanks

Unless you are running synthetic,I recommend changing oil every 3500-4k

The oil is still good for the 7500,but depending on your driving conditions more often is better.

[SkinnedAussie]

If it's brand new, and its first service, I'd be booking it in asap. You said the email said the service WAS due at 4000 miles. How many over is it? With any new car, the first service is generally the most important. During the initial 'breaking in' process, things might come loose, other things might tighten up, etc, so it's best to get the dealership to check it when due.

Just make sure you retain a copy of all emails received from the dealership, and take a copy with you when you book it in.

[Prosperity]

Cool.


They will likely tell you what code it is but nothing else. Come here and tell me what code they pulled from your car (plus what the year, make and model is) and I should be able to send you in the right direction.

oh I should have come back to this thread, but anyway... it was a failed spark plug

I went and got my spark plugs exchanged and the lights gone now

I got charged $90 for parts and labor

[SpringfieldSkins]

My wife's mini van a 2000 Ford Windstar dashboard has recently started acting up tachometer and speedometer (spelling) have started going crazy ,the needle jumping up and down almost like it just wants to spin in a complete circle . last night the tach got stuck all the way over to the right and now has interfered with the steering collum shifting needle which show wether your are in park , Reverse , neutral ,drive etc.
What do you think is causing this and about what price am i looking at to fix it.

Thanks

I would say a bad connection at the wiring harness to the instrument cluster, a bad instrument cluster or even a weak battery causing insufficient voltage (and spikes) to the speedo and tach.

The only problem is that you're going to have to take the instrument cluster out and flip those needles back over.

[SpringfieldSkins]

Bump.

I have a new car, a 2010 Honda Insight. I got an email from the dealership telling me that maintenance was due at 4000 miles, but the manual says maintenance isn't due until the light comes on. The Insight has a "Multi Information Display" that displays oil life and will light up when it reaches something like 15%. I believe it won't tell you to change the oil until 7500 miles. So which is it? I've always been in a car where the recommended oil change was every 3000-5000 miles. Every 7500mi seems high, but since this is a hybrid and a new car, maybe its a little different to what I've been used to.
Thanks

New Hondas (06 and up) use a "Maintenance Minder". They will display a service which is due when the "Oil Life" reaches 15%. This will be something along the lines of "Service A-1", "Service A-2", "Service B-1" or something like that. There is a list of what you need to do with A, B, C, etc and with 1, 2, 3, etc. This is now Honda's "Factory Recommended Service" on new Hondas. There are no longer 30K, 60K, etc services on those cars.


As far as the oil. I haven't seen a 2010 Insight yet, but I'd bet it's like the rest of the Honda hybrids out there and requires a 0W20 oil. The only oil I've ever seen in 0W20 has been a full synthetic. That means you can go ahead with the longer oil change intervals.


Hope that helps.


EDIT: That Email... the Dealership you just bought your car from is just trying to solicit service from you. They likely have made up their own 4K service that may or may not be exactly what your Owner's Manual says. Tricky moves those dealers do.

[SpringfieldSkins]

oh I should have come back to this thread, but anyway... it was a failed spark plug

I went and got my spark plugs exchanged and the lights gone now

I got charged $90 for parts and labor

Sweet. Glad to hear you got that taken care of and it wasn't too expensive.

[Buford T. Justice]

I have the following situation.

2000 kia spectra

After driving for a while (car is sufficiently warmed up) and coming to a complete or near complete stop, my vehicle will backfire out of the tailpipe for about 5 seconds (not long). It is not loud or very noticeable but if it goes on for a couple of seconds the idle will drop and the car will sputter. It does not do it all the time but here the situations where it can happen:

1. Cool-cold days
2. Cool rainy days (never noticed while warm-hot outside)
3. When complete stop or slowing while going up a hill.

More info...
About 1 year ago I got the spark plug holes wet and the car ran poorly. I ended up changing the plugs but not the wires (never in stock in my area). I tested the resistance of the ignition coils and they seemed within spec.

HEELLLLLP!


p.s. What are everyone's opinion of "performance rotors" i.e. cross drilled slotted or over-sized rotors?

[grhqofb5]

The power lock on the passenger side of my Ford Explorer no longer works. The buttons all work, but the actual lock itself on that side seems as if its not catching or something. Any thoughts on how to fix without paying out the ass?

[mark327]

Originally Posted by mark327
My wife's mini van a 2000 Ford Windstar dashboard has recently started acting up tachometer and speedometer (spelling) have started going crazy ,the needle jumping up and down almost like it just wants to spin in a complete circle . last night the tach got stuck all the way over to the right and now has interfered with the steering collum shifting needle which show wether your are in park , Reverse , neutral ,drive etc.
What do you think is causing this and about what price am i looking at to fix it.

Thanks


I would say a bad connection at the wiring harness to the instrument cluster, a bad instrument cluster or even a weak battery causing insufficient voltage (and spikes) to the speedo and tach.

The only problem is that you're going to have to take the instrument cluster out and flip those needles back over.


Springfieldskins,

Thanks , it was a bad connection ( dirty) , says the mechcanic i took the van to. To fix the connection and take the dash apart to unstick the needles was $138 which i thought was a fair price.

[twa]

The power lock on the passenger side of my Ford Explorer no longer works. The buttons all work, but the actual lock itself on that side seems as if its not catching or something. Any thoughts on how to fix without paying out the ass?

Not following you

If the actuator(motor) in the door is working(you can hear it) then it is likely a nylon clip broke.
You will have to remove the inner door panel irregardless which is not too difficult.

What yr?

[grhqofb5]

Not following you

If the actuator(motor) in the door is working(you can hear it) then it is likely a nylon clip broke.
You will have to remove the inner door panel irregardless which is not too difficult.

What yr?

Right, I can hear it clicking but nothing happens to the actual lock. Its a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport.

[twa]

Right, I can hear it clicking but nothing happens to the actual lock. Its a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport.

either the clip on the rod is broke or the actuator has come loose from the mount...just have to remove the door panel to see...clip is usually less than a buck.