Reader Question
Hello Austin:

I am sure you have heard this before but as a single woman I am afraid to take my car in for service. But to cut to the chase I have a 1997 Toyota 4runner. Four times now the Brake light has come on on the console and the car has made a horrible grinding noise as soon as I start it up. It lets me drive it and the brakes feel fine.

The noise lasts from 1 minute to 5 minutes this last time. I took it in and he said that he could not tell if the Master cylinder was going bad but the brakes looked fine. They are the original brakes on the car. He did adjust the rear brakes. What should I do?
Thanks, Catherine

Hi There Catherine

Thanks for the email. Is it the red brake warning light that comes on, or is it the yellow “bulb out” indicator also called “lamp failure” light?

If the RED brake light comes on the dash, it usually means that the brake pedal has traveled or been pushed too far down. If the brake pedal is pushed to the floor it would indicate that there is no fluid in the system to operate the brakes. So, when the red light comes on it is generally a low brake fluid type of problem.

Low brake fluid can be caused by an external leak in the brake system or from an internal failure in the master cylinder (the part under the hood on the driver side firewall where you pour in the brake fluid) or other internal brake part failure.

So, when the brake system is low or out of brake fluid the brake pedal will feel soft and will travel low to the floorboard. Once the fluid is completely out of the system, you will not have the use of the brakes until the brake fluid has been reinstalled…you say this is not happening.

If the red light is coming on intermittently, I would first inspect the level of brake fluid in the master cylinder, and top off as needed. It might be just low enough to turn on the light. Like when you make a hard stop or hard turn and the fluid is tilted to one side of the master cylinder just enough to turn on the dash light until the fluid settles back down.

If the master cylinder is full of brake fluid, I would probably lean towards replacing the master cylinder to correct the warning light problem.

If your brake noise is also intermittent and seems predominately worse the first few stops you make in the morning or after the vehicle has been sitting a few hours I would think the noise is probably coming from the front brake pads themselves and is not directly related to the brake warning light.

Japanese vehicles are extremely finicky about the brand of brake pad that is used. I have not had much luck with “aftermarket” non Toyota brake pads and brake squeals like I think you are describing. If the noise goes away after the first few stops, and might only “squeal” once or so through out the day as the pads get hot…I would suggest replacing the front brake pads with pads purchased from the Toyota dealership.

If it is JUST brake squeal, continuing to drive the vehicle will not cause any damage. You might want to wait until the brakes are worn down enough to warrant replacing them with dealer pads?

More about brake noises here

Brake Noises

Blessings,

Austin C. Davis

Reader Question I have been suffering for about 6 months….My mechanic for the last 25 yrs died..and I’m lost. I bought this little car new…and I know every little sound it makes,….good or bad…

Now for the last few weeks, during driving, a light comes on …it is under the odometer….has an exclamation point in it and a little “wreath ” looking symbol around it…I don’t know what it is and I’m not willing to go to a dealership…they have choked my last $1200.00 …when the light is on my car loses acceleration, chugs and coughs a bit…I cut of the motor. Cut it back on no lite and everything’s great….then about 300 miles later it did it again…

Please shed some light on the light….what is it telling me??

Thanks
Pat

Hi Pat

If this light is yellow, I would suspect that you have some kind of emissions type of problem….like a faulty oxygen sensor or something like that. If this light is red…..you need to have the car looked at IMMEDIATELY. You really need to find a BMW mechanic, those cars are “special” and you really have to know what you are doing in order to repair them, especially with computer related issues like you have.

I would start making some phone calls and make some in person visits in your quest for a new mechanic. I probably would get a second opinion on this light issue as well before I commit to the repair with someone I am not familiar with. Having the dealer at least diagnose the problem for you might be money well spent in the long run for a proper diagnosis.

Have you read my article on check engine lights?

Check Engine Light

Austin C. Davis

Reader Question I don’t want to sound like a repeat, but I have a few conditions different from the other cases I found on your site. For the past few weeks, my car has been taking a little longer to start than usual, it takes a while for the engine to turn over.

Often, I would have to try turning the key a couple of times before it would turn over. It died last week, my neighbor jumped it, and all was well until the other day when I was stranded at Food Lion. At first my friend thought it was the starter, so he tried tapping it while I turned the key, but no luck.

Here’s the wierd part- the
car went from cranking, to a click or two, to nothing- and when it got down to nothing (no sound at all), my car alarm would start going off every single time I tried to turn the key. Needless to say, this is a little frustrating. We then tried jumping the car, and it worked, but only long enough to get it to Advance (then it died exactly where I parked it). Advance checked it, said my battery was at about 11, and told me they couldn’t check the alternator (their machine was broken), but that it was most definitely the battery.

So I replaced it, and drove 15 minutes to
another Advance store, and when they checked it, my alternator was putting off 12.36, and they told me this was borderline, but definitely not the source of my problem- everything should be okay now that the battery was changed. WRONG… I noticed it was taking just a few seconds longer to crank again, and sure enough, last night I was stranded at a friends on the other side of town!

Same symptoms: at first car was cranking (but
weak), then it just clicked a few times, then it just stopped. And on comes the alarm!! Oh, and my dash lights and radio are all coming on just fine… PLEASE HELP- I am a student with limited expenses and I just wasted 50 dollars on a new battery when that’s probably not the problem…. but I need my car to get to work!!!

Thank you,
Catherine

Hello Catherine

You really need to spend a little bit more money and have a real mechanic perform an electrical test. The Advanced auto people are not really what I would call…..mechanics.

While reading your email I would suspect you had a bad battery OR dirty or loose battery cables which I see all the time in my shop.

You most definitely have a lack of battery power problem, either the battery is not holding the electricity the alternator is providing OR the alternator is NOT providing enough electricity to the battery OR the battery cables are loose or dirty and not providing a good connection for the electricity to enter the battery OR you have a “drain” something could be draining the power from the battery.

A “drain” can be something as simple as a trunk or glove box light that is left on and is sucking power from the battery when the engine is off, or it could be from a sensor or relay that is stuck on, when it is supposed to be off.

You really need to have a qualified mechanic check your entire electrical system and do a “voltage drain” test to see what is going on….otherwise you are liable to replace parts that are not needed…..which usually ends up costing MORE time and money than if you had a professional diagnose the problem from the beginning.

The 12.36 alternator voltage reading is too low…..but I am not sure I trust their testing ability enough to condemn an expensive alternator without further testing.

Keep me posted will ya?

Blessings,
Austin C. Davis

Reader Follow Up

First of all, thank you so much for such a fast response today about my car! As I’m sure you could tell, I was very stressed out about it. Your advice is incredibly helpful to me, because I know very little about this sort of thing, and now at least I know what I should be focusing on. You are doing a great and very appreciated thing through your site, and I really just want to commend you for it.

As far as my car goes, after an hour of trying to get it to jump, it finally started and I was able to get it to a mechanic. I explained what was going on, and even told him the advice you offered me, and he is going to check it out on Monday.

He already tested the alternator for me, and said that he isn’t getting any output whatsoever from it (he was a little surprised that I even made it to his shop from across town). I will definitely let you know what he
finds- but for now, once again, thank you!!!
–Catherine

Reader Email How are you doing. Hope your fine. I would simply like to thank you because visiting this site has helped me a lot. My car wasn’t starting so i got a friend who’s a mechanic to take a look. He checked the battery and everything was fine, then he said the problem is with the starter. He said it will cost me $60 dollars fof a starter and $100 dollars for the service.

For some reason those numbers just seemed too high so i went online. I read the excerpt on diferent reasons why a car won’t start and discovered the wire from the battery to the starter was in very bad shape and the starter wasn’t getting the current. So i got another friend to change the wire and everything is fine now. So thanks for helping me save $160 which is 10x’s more for a college student.
P.S. Make and model of the car is 1989 Toyota Corolla!

You are very welcome…I love it when I get emails like this!

Reader Question Austin: We bought my daughter a blue (color of her eyes) 93 Oldsmobile. It had 90,000 when We bought it. It now runs rough and my daughter says it hesitates on acceleration.

Do you think I need a tune up? We took it to our mechanic on a rainy misty day (the first day we noticed it) but it didn’t hesitate for him. So he gave it back to us and didn’t charge us. Now my daughter says it hesitates even on clear days.

What do you think?

Charlie

Hi Charlie

Needing a tune up (basically just spark plugs and spark plug wires on this car) could definitely cause an engine miss and or hesitation…BUT there are a few other things that can cause this complaint as well.

Lack of fuel pressure caused by a weak fuel pump
Lack of spark caused by a faulty ignition coil or ignition module Other electrical sensors

I would ask your mechanic to take a look at on of the spark plugs and plug wires and see if it is time to change them. If they DO need replacement I would probably go ahead and replace them just as maintenance and as a guess as to the source of the problem.

Worn spark plugs and wires can also cause lack of power, slower starts and poor fuel economy…so if they are due for a change, it will be money well spent.

If they are NOT due for a change, I would wait until the problem gets worse so it can be properly diagnosed by your mechanic.

Keep me posted as to what you find.

Have a great week!

Blessings,
Austin C. Davis

Reader Question Dear Austin:

I would appreciate your view on the following:

I have an Escort 1.8 l model 1998 car with a Zetec E motor and EEC iV engine control.

This is a model made by Ford here in Argentina.

The car is running find in every respect except when it goes into the idle mode,as when a go into neutral

in an intersection or when the car infront slows down,or even if I keep it idling for any other reason.

In that situation one out of ten times the motor dies.

Some times it starts cycling between 800 RPM and 100 RPM until it dies.

We have change the air control valve, IAC as this appear to be the most sure suspect.but without result. An electronic check-out does not show any fault.

Have you seen this fault ?

Best regards
Carlos

Hola Carlos
I would clean the throttle body bore (follow the black air filter hose from air cleaner to the inlet of the throttle body) …clean out black carbon around the “vane” or flapper valve that you will see inside once you take the hose off. And also clean the idle speed control motor itself, they are probably both dirty with carbon. A MILD solvent and a rag or tooth brush works best, or if needed use gasoline and a rag or tooth brush to clean them.

Blessings,

Austin C. Davis

Reader Questions Just wondering if you could recommend what type of brake pads to put on my car. I’ve read about ceramic and regular and was just wondering if the ceramic are better or not ?
Thanks,
Ron

Hello Ron

You need to stick with what the car came with or start changing out a few parts in order to switch types of brake pads. So if your car came with Semi Metallic, you should stick with them…if it came with an Organic type of pad you should stick with it.

Semi metallic, will last longer but sometimes will squeek or make noise. Organic are softer and usually wont make noise like metallic.

Ceramic pads are designed to last as long as metallic but are as quiet as organic…they cost more, so you have to decide if the extra cost is worth it.

If you are hard on brakes, pull heavy loads or just want a beefier pad…get the ceramic. If you “just drive” like a normal person, you probably won’t get the benefit from the extra expense of ceramic brake pads.

Blessings,
Austin C. Davis

Chicago Car Loan

Just like all other car loans, A Chicago car loan also proves to be a riskier investment for used car loan lenders. Lenders need a strong asset backing for their loans. They use such asset to realize their loan amount in case of a default. However, used cars lack asset backing as they face depreciation and hence, Chicago used car loan lenders charge higher interest rates for their loans.

Negotiations hold the key to receiving the best interest rates for your Chicago car loan. Sales representatives try their best to make you agree to high sales prices of used cars to increase their profit margins. Consequently, you pay higher interest rates. Nevertheless, you can negotiate and turn the deal for your gains if you have good credit.

If you have bad credit, you cannot negotiate much with a lender. You have to accept the often higher interest rates, which are usually higher than normal. Lenders charge higher rates to make up for your bad credit and the age of the vehicle they are loaning money on. If you default, they use such extra interest rates to clear off loan.

The best solution to avoid high interest rates on your car loan is to wait for few more months to buy a car. During this time, you can review your credit report and plan payment options. Reduce your debts, pay all bills on time, and increase your income to reflect positively on income debt ratio.

You can use this extra income to serve as a down payment on your used car loan. Down payment lowers your monthly repayments considerably. Alternatively, you can apply for a car loan with a co-signer with good credit. His good credit rating satisfies used car lenders to provide loan at lower interest rates.

Secure many quotes for your Chicago car loan to be able to choose from the most suitable and affordable used car loan lender. The best way to receive the maximum number of quotes is to shop on the Internet like the links I have provided here.

Car Finacing Loan

Cheap Car Loan

You can employ certain strategies and techniques to receive cheap car loan. There are many agencies offering used car loans and therefore, you need not jump at the first offer you receive. Intense competition among many used car loan lenders enables you to receive a cheap used car loan easily.

The buyer is the king here and hence you can choose or reject any offer for cheap used car loan. Collect as many used car loan quotes as possible from different used car loan lenders and compare each one of them in detail. This helps you in availing the best suitable offer.

Before applying for a cheap car loan, analyze your financial position. If you can afford to pay a substantial amount as down payment, it is beneficial as you can lower your loan amount considerably. Most dealers offer higher interest rates and they entice you by their sales talks. Hence, avoid a car loan through dealers and instead, avail through online car loan lenders.

Online lenders do away with most costs, as they do not have any overhead costs. Hence, you need not pay application and other fees for processing your cheap used car loan online. Besides, online lenders process your loan within the same day and you save on your time, effort, and money.

While processing your cheap car loan, also focus on factors like repayment options, repayment time, etc. Check if lenders have any penalties for prepayments and settlement costs. If there are penalties, it does not make sense to avail such used car loan if you intend to pay before expiry of the term. You lose all your gains by paying penalties and settlement costs.

You can opt for refinance of your car loan to make it cheap used car loan. Compare interest rates between different car loan lenders and avail the suitable refinance car loan. This pays off your existing car loan and you gain through lower interest rate and lesser repayment period of your loan.

My Free Car Repair Ebook

Hi there, thanks for visiting my site. Awhile back I wrote a very popular 142 page Ebook ( an electronic book you read online…very easy to do by the way) and I have been selling it online via my many websites for $19.95 and sales have been great.

I have been asked by a few visitors for a free version….and I want to do something better than a free trial copy…hoping you will upgrade to the paid version. I want to give away my full version and all the really cool bonuses for FREE!!!

I really hate to “upsell” people…I am a tell it like it is guy and I hate surprises.

So what do you have to do to get your copy of ALL my popular ebooks?

Support my sponsor – It’s Fast – No Obligations and FREE

Click here and enter your email address on the form shown ,

I am also including these fantastic bonus items!

Free bonus one: Don’t Get Scammed After an Accident . The tow truck driver, body shop, auto insurance company and YOU! This is a reference guide to help you deal with the headache that follows after having an auto accident. Automobile repair help in a nut shell.

Supplements, salvage value, depreciation and betterments–what does this all mean to you? If you don’t know what those terms mean, you could be in for a rude awakening. We have been in the body shop business well over 25 years, this concise 8 page report WILL save you time and money! ($19.95 value)

Free bonus two: Stop Paying For Cheap Auto Parts. Is your auto mechanic selling you cheap auto parts at brand name prices? How to get the quality auto parts you are paying for. Don’t just ask to have your old auto parts back, use this simple technique to make sure you are getting the parts you paid for.

Are you getting cheap parts installed unknowingly, but paying brand name prices? There is a good chance you are. This is a popular “switching game” some shady shops..and some “honest shops” use to increase profits at your expense. Stop this from happening to you. ($19.95 value)

Free bonus three: The popular eBook The Motor Oil Bible exposing the myth of the 3,000 miles engine oil change. If you change your oil every 3,000 miles you will want to read what lubricant expert Michael Kauffman has to say about it. This is the complete version, not a trial offer. ($29.95 value)

Free bonus four: The “Everything Automotive Ebook” Explains how your car works in easy to understand language and pictures. If you ever wondered what your mechanic was talking about when he called up and said your ball joints need replacing… you need this Ebook. ($19.95 value) This is a PC only application…sorry.

OVER $90.00 In FREE Bonuses!
A real dollar value not an over exaggerated number