Reader Question Hi Austin. I have a Nissan Maxima 1999 with 105,000 miles on it. I am told by the dealership service that I need new front CV boots and they are costing this out to $400. What’s the likelihood that this is truly a problem considering the vehicle age and mileage? How can I be sure this is legitimate? If it is, is it better to replace the whole CV shaft and should that be cheaper?

Any advise is so appreciated. I just want to make sure I am not getting bad advice, especially since I am a woman.

Hi there,

It would not surprise me one bit to see broken CV boots with that mileage and age. You can easily get a second opinion though from a local repair shop or a fast lube place. Just have them raise up the vehicle and look at the rubber boots to see if they are torn and grease is coming out of them. If the boots are just cracked, you could postpone this repair awhile longer. If the boots are broken and you can put your finger inside the boot, they need to be replaced.

It is sometimes better to replace the entire CV shaft instead of just the boot. The dealership is not going to have the inexpensive rebuilt shafts like your local repair shop will have, so you might want to call around and get prices after you are sure you really need to do this repair. $400 is about right for the boots at a dealership; I would charge you about $500 parts and labor to replace both shafts.

The big question is do you really need to replace the shafts? If the boots have been torn open and grease has been slinging out of the boot and dirt and road debris has been getting inside the joint, then in my opinion I would recommend replacing the shaft.

If you have a “clacking” noise when you make a hard turn, definitely replace the shafts as the joints have been damaged by the loss of grease. On a side note, if the boots are in deed torn open, and have been that way for awhile….you need to have a strong talk with your oil change mechanic. Inspecting the CV boots is a free service when getting an oil change. If they overlooked something as simple as a torn CV boot…what else did they not inspect?

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Dear Austin,

I own a Toyota Rav4 – 1999 model. Of late I hear a screeching sound from the tyres while taking a turn. I showed it to my mechanic. He visually checked all the bushes and says they are in good condition. He feels the sound is
because of uneven wear of the front tyres.

His suggestion is to interchange both the front tyres with the rear tyres.

What in your opinion could cause this type of problems.

Thanking you for your time.

Regards,

Anilson

Hello Mate

You can try what your mechanic is suggesting, it won’t hurt anything. I feel however that the problem is the front end is out of alignment, causing the noise. Have the alignment checked.

You might also want to check the tire pressures and make sure they are correct.

Blessings,
Austin C. Davis

A friend of a friend of mine just got his hands on these new air less tires and wheels from Michelin Tire and Rubber Company. They are called Tweel – Tire and Wheel are one unit. No air, no valve stem, less petroleum to produce, better stability, less weight, easy to produce, and cost more!!! hahahaha

Looks different to say the least…if you have a set on your car, email me a picture and I will post them. Also tell us if you like them and how the ride is….please.

Reader Question

Austin – I have a ’97 Mustang GT 4.6 with 64K miles on it. The problem I have isn’t new, its actually been with the car since I bought it four years ago. I just didn’t know who to ask.

It shakes at the oddest times, and I can’t duplicate anything to make it happen. It’s not a steady shake that’s caused by alignment or tire balance, there’s no noise when it shakes, and there’s no certain speed that I have to be driving before it shakes.

I’ve asked the Ford mechanic if the motor mounts were loose, and he said no. So I’m at a loss as to what it could be. Would Dr. Austin have any ideas?

Thank You in advance,

Rick

Hi there Rick

Hi, thanks for your email. I have more questions than answers.

You say “shake” does it do this when you are driving (usually freeway or slower speeds…on acceleration or just a steady speed or at a stop light)?

Get back to me and I will see what I can assist with.

Blessings,

Austin C. Davis

Thank you for getting back to me Austin,

The “shake” happens during both city & highway driving, it could occur during acceleration but no guarantee. On a scale of 1-10, ( 1 being least likely ) I’d give it a 2 for during acceleration. It never shakes when just idoling, I have to be traveling slow or fast, and it happens at random.

The only way I could describe it is this:

As if the car was on top of a big massge pad and it turned on at random times for maybe 10 seconds at a time.

I don’t notice an exact amount of time in between shakes either.

If you have any idea, that would be great.

I think this is one those times where I need someone to drive it for a week and feel it themselves.

Thanks Austin,

Rick

Thanks for the clarification Rick

If you live in the Houston area I would be glad to take a ride with you and see if I can determine the problem.

If you have a shimmy or shake while you are driving it most likely is coming from one of these:

Wheel balance problem – usually the shimmy is always there because the tire is always out of balance, but hitting a pot hole can cause a shimmy for a few seconds until the wheel comes back into balance…or close to it. I would rotate and balance the wheels, moving front wheels to back and back to front.

Run your hands along the tread of the tires (this will get your hands very dirty) and see if you can feel any rough or high spots that might be caused from uneven tire wear. If you have a tire that has some high spots that you can see with your naked eye and feel with your hand…this will and can cause vibration problems.

Slight vibrations, but enough that will cause your coffee cup to shake when you have it in your cup holder. These rough and high spots will cause the tire to be out of balance just slightly and will be felt at certain speeds and on certain pavements, not all the time. So one day you might be just on the right pavement at just the right speed to feel it. Most vibration complaints I see are caused by rough and out of balance tires.

Rule of thumb – the more aggressive the tire I,E like a competition low profile tire which you probably have or a tall more off road tire like most SUVS the more you will feel a vibration than if you had some “grampa” highway radial tire that is soft and absorbs more of the road. The shorter the tire profile the more of the road vibration you will feel in the seat. Switch to a taller, highway type tread…and get a softer ride but less handling performance on turns.

Driveshaft or u – joint problem Again, this is an out of balance problem and once out of balance it is usually always out of balance, but checking the u- joints is easy to do. There should be no play in the joints or the driveshaft.

Steering stabilizer shock – Your car probably has this option. When you hit a pot hole the front end gets all shaky and squirrelly because the stabilizer shock is worn out. If you have one, and it is old….replace it as maintenance ….your car will handle better anyway with a new one even if you don’t solve the problem.

Worn or loose tie rod ends or worn control arms – if you have not had an alignment in awhile, get an alignment and have your mechanic “shake the front end down” to check for anything that is loose or worn in the steering and suspension system.

Blessings,

Austin C. Davis

Reader Question:
Let me first thank you for your help. I sure don’t know what I should do. I have a 94 Nissan Altima.
On the driver’s side, the tire is wearing down pretty good. It also has a bumping feeling.
I know is not the tire because when I bought new ones it still did the same thing. Any advice?
Thanks so much, Lori

Hello Lori,

Without looking at the tire myself, I can only assume you have an “out of alignment” issue.
If one tire is wearing unevenly or more so than the others, there is probably something out of
whack with the alignment of the vehicle.

If a tire has some raised bumps on it, called scallops, this is usually caused by lack of tire
rotation and wheel balancing. If the driver side tire is not deemed a dangerous condition by your
mechanic, you might be able to rotate and balance all four wheels, move the driver tire and
wheel to the rear of the car, put the best two tires on the REAR of the car, and then check the
alignment of the vehicle.

The tire manufacturers have determined that the best tires with the deeper tread should be placed on the rear of the vehicle control (prevent oversteer) while driving on wet and slippery conditions, which is surely an accident waiting to happen.

Don’t be swayed into buying shocks and struts as a remedy for this situation. These items are
commonly sold when abnormal tire wear is present. In my opinion, they are sold more because
the customer is familiar with the terms shocks and struts, and the slick advertising done by the
strut companies. In 90% of the tire wear cases shocks and struts are not the culprit. Rather,
out of alignment, lack of tire rotation, and wheel balancing or the failure of some front end
alignment part is the cause for tire wear.

Blessings,

Austin C. Davis

Tires? Expensive enough without having to pay extra for road hazard warranty, but will road hazards prove to be worth the extra expense?

What is Road Hazard Warranty? Do You Really Need It?

by: Gene Grant

You are prepared to spend an average of $300 – $500 for new sneakers for you vehicle. It’s a maintenance item that is not optional and then the salesperson asks you if you want to purchase the Road Hazard warranty.

“It’s ONLY an additional $10 – $20 for each tire,” he or she says. So, you’re thinking, “Don’t my tires come with a warranty already?”

Great question! Most tires come with a warranty which covers workmanship and materials. In other words, the tire maufacterer covers things which are in their control, like defects. They are not interested in warranting the condition of the roads or your inability to hit debris.

This is where a Road Hazard warranty can save you money and aggravation. Road Hazard warranties are one of the best values, yet one of the most misunderstood benefits. Let’s start off by expalining exactly what is a Road Hazard warranties and how does it save me money?

Most Road Hazard warranties are set up to protect you, from paying full price, even if you happen to get a flat or even destroy a tire beyond repair. If you are fortunate enough to have purchased the warranty, you will only pay for the amount of tread that you used prior to the needed replacement. (This is called pro-rated).

Here is an example. Let’s say your tire is 1/2 way worn at the time of the flat. With tires averaging $100 each, your replacement cost would only be $50.00. Much better than full price, yes? Definitely – great value.

Typically, Road Hazard warranties will cover things like nails, glass, metal, stones etc. and almost anything else that could puncture or damage a tire. Some Road Hazrd packages provide a nationwide coverage, which are great for people who are traveling, or vacationing, because you now have peace of mind knowing that you are protected while away from your local area.

In addition, many Road Hazard warranties offer other benefits like free rotations and free balancing (check where you purchase your tires for all the details). Regular maintenance is the best way to extend the life of your tire and get as many miles as possible for your investment.

Next time you are ready to purchase tires, ask your tire dealer for the road hazard warranty. You’ll be glad you did.

About The Author

Gene Grant is retired from the automotive industry after 25 years and has created the resource http://www.acarmart.com.

Checking Tire Inflation Pressure

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  The driver-side door or door jamb (Ford vehicles on the rear passenger door jamb)

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  Glove box or counsel door

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  Fuel filler door

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  The engine compartment