We recently took our 2005 Kia Sorento into have the oil changed and all fluids checked and topped off. Yesterday while in idle waiting for a light my coolant reservoir popped! I thought it had blown a hose because the coolant was leaking every where with little smoke and the cap was still on. But after removing the tank we found a giant crack along the bottom of the tank and the plastic was warped.

The local dealers service was able to install a new reservoir and refill the coolant and assured me the coolant cap must have been to blame for causing too much pressure in the tank, we got the OK so we left. After about 20 min of driving the yellow check engine
light is on and remains on after several starts of the engine and there is a faint fast paced clicking.

The service provider was full and recommended we run the engine thru a cleaning at a local car wash and then see if the light persists while waiting for our appointment tomorrow morning. Stating that
the leakage may have caused deposits of fluid on the belts or sensors.

Do you have any suggestions as to what may be causing the engine light, and clicking. And can you shed any wisdom as to what would cause the reservoir to pop? I am only slightly mechanically inclined and do not want to miss something that can potentially lead to serious problems.

Hi there,

Hummm, interesting problem which I have not seen yet.

I would first rule out the possibility of a faulty radiator cap that is not allowing the cooling system to vent, thus building up pressure and causing the coolant overflow tank cap to blow off. Usually the upper radiator hose will also swell very large when the coolant system is not venting properly.

So get the engine to normal operating temp and see if the upper radiator hose swells in size from its cold state. I would bet they removed the cap, so make sure the radiator cap is in good shape and is installed correctly.

A stuck thermostat could also cause this issue and not allow coolant to flow properly in the system, thus build up too much pressure and blow off the over flow cap.

Another thing that comes to mind here is a faulty electric cooling fan motor up near the radiator. The fan should come on and off at slow speeds and at idle to cool down the engine. The fans should be ON when the A/C is on, but it should cycle on and off as the engine temp rises. If the fan is not coming on it will cause the engine to overheat and the coolant will boil over into the overflow tank.

You did not mention overheating, but make sure to watch the temp gauge on the dash as you let the engine sit at idle with the hood up so you can see what is happening. If the temp is rising past normal, check the radiator fan to see if its running. You might have 2 electric fans, one for the engine coolant and one just for the A/C system, so check them both if you have 2.

The engine light could be coming on due to overheating or the electric fan not operating properly. I would not drive this vehicle in this condition, overheating the engine could be very costly.

Start ruling things out yourself if you can. Make sure you do not see any loose connections or wires that might have been accidentally pulled off during the oil change and inspection.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Hi Austin, how are you today?  I am a newsletter reader of yours and your last email about being prepared for an auto accident could not have come at a better time.  My 2009 Kia mini van was involved in a pretty nasty accident recently and I have been getting the go around with the body shop lately.

Your email was spot on and I encourage your readers to take the time now to try to prepare themselves for hassle of dealing with an auto accident later.

 My question to you now is about an insurance betterment?  I am being charged $29 for my battery and another $41 for a new tire. I have argued with the body shop about these charges but they insist it is my insurance company who is charging me and not the shop.  Why would I have to pay more than my deductible amount?

Thanks

Ann

Hi there Ann

Sorry to hear about your recent accident and the fun and excitement you are having now with the repair shop.  I am also glad you took the time to read my email about accident preparedness, although it might have come a little too late?

 Good question you raise about what an insurance betterment really is.  The “betterment” you are being charged is basically depreciation on auto parts that either have normal wear or a limited lifespan.

For instance, a battery should have a normal life span of about 4 years (the estimated life span is usually stamped on the battery case) so in your case I would assume your battery to be about 3 years old. The depreciation value, or betterment that is being assessed on you is the used portion of the battery life span.

So the insurance company paid for a new battery but they assume you did use the battery for the first 3 years of its normal life and the battery was due for replacement soon and they expect you to pay for the normal usage that has occurred.  Consider the betterment as a pro-rated warranty.

The tire is also a wearable and replaceable item and they have concluded that you have used a majority of it’s useful life and should pay for the time you used it. They are paying the difference between what you used (which you pay) and the remaining life of the part.

A betterment would not be placed on a hood for instance, because the hood should last the lifespan of the vehicle, so the insurance company will pay the full replacement cost.

There is nothing illegal in charging you this betterment, and the shop is correct in saying the charge is being assessed by the insurance company not the shop. The shop just collects the betterment and usually the deductible from you the customer.

Now that being said. I recommend to my customers a simple little trick that usually works every time. Get a copy of the insurance estimate and go over it carefully.  Look for any items that are on the estimate that might not actually need to be replaced or repaired. If the job is completed, make sure the shop replaced or repaired everything they were supposed to!

Second, look at those betterment items, the battery and the tire.  IF the shop has not replaced them yet, offer to either supply the parts to the shop yourself if you think you can buy it cheaper elsewhere and ask the shop to not collect the betterment from you. Or find a cheaper replacement part for the item that is less than what the original estimate called for.

Example. Say the estimate is paying $120 for a replacement battery, but you can buy one at Walmart for $70 and supply it to the shop for replacement. The shop will still be paid the labor fee to replace the battery and they are not responsible for the warranty (Walmart will be). The shop should then not collect the betterment from you, and either subtract the difference from your deductible amount or give you cash back.

If the shop is not willing to let you supply the parts, try this.

Contact your insurance company (or the one paying the repairs) and give them an option of the part replacement. Tell them you can buy a battery that you will be happy with for $70 not the $120 the estimated and you would like to have them apply the difference to your betterment but still allow the repair shop to provide their battery.

In 99% of the cases where I had the customer contact the insurance company and apply a small amount of pressure on the adjuster to remove the betterment they did so.  Most adjusters are not going to take the time to re-write the estimate and send it to the repair shop for $50-$100, they will just call the shop and tell them not to charge you and will make it up to the shop some how or they will issue you a check for the betterment later on.

If the shop has not started on the repairs I would tell them you are NOT going to pay the betterment and they need to find a way to help you cover those costs if you are going to leave the vehicle there for repairs. If you told me that and I was going to loose a $5,000 repair I would find anyway possible to absorb the betterment myself to keep the job.

In all honesty you DID get the use of the parts in question and should pay the betterment, BUT the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Hope this finds you well,

Blessings

Austin Davis

P.S. take just a minute and compare your auto insurance rates using the form on this page. Just enter your zip code to see rates in your area.  It’s free and there are no obligations to buy anything.  Many readers tell me State Farm and Liberty Mutual gave them great rates.

Hey there Austin. What is a good repair kit for hail dents?
Don

Hey there Don

We don’t get much hail here in Houston so I can’t honestly give you a recommendation. We have tried using dry ice on top of the dent (old school method) and it actually did help some, but I have not tried anything else personally.

The theory is that if you place dry ice on top of the dent, then allow the heat from the sun to warm up the metal it will “pop” back into place. We tried this years ago on some very small hail dents and it did seem to help some, enough that the customer was happy anyway.

There are “paint less dent removal” companies that do good work on door dings etc, they might be worth a shot. Look in your phone book or ask a local body shop for a recommendation.

I have seen some pretty large door ding type of dents get pushed back into place and it looks pretty darn good…and MUCH cheaper than repairing and repainting.

The problem with hail dents is there is usually alot of them, so it might not be cost effective to have each one worked on. Replacing the hood for example might actually be cheaper than paying to have each little dent pushed back into place…if that is even possible in your situation.

Sorry cant help more than that

Blessings
Austin Davis

Mr Davis , I have a Jeep Cherokee I had for about 6 yrs. I’ve had everything fixed on it as it needed it ..I just paid over 800.00 to have a starter and alternator put in and now 3 months later I drove around this morning, stopped, parked an then got in an came home a half hour later its dead no noise at all no lights no key alarm nothing.

I’m a single woman an I don’t have money or know anyone to help me ..what do I check to see if its a battery or what please help ..
thanks Mary

Hi Mary,

It does sound like you have a dead battery from what you told me. I would first open the hood and make sure the battery cables are tight and clean of corrosion. If the cables are tight and the battery is more than 3 years old, I personally would replace the battery.

There could be a problem with the alternator not recharging the battery so you might want to have that checked if you replace the battery and in a few days have a dead battery problem again. The average life of a battery is about 3 years though and a weak battery causes the alternator to work harder which in turn can cause premature alternator failure.

More cars that come to our shop on a tow truck have loose or dirty battery cables than anything else, so rule that out first.

Blessings
Austin Davis

Reader Follow Up

Mr. Davis, thanks for your speedy reply. Can I try to charge the battery overnight fist and see if that solves the problem. I really can not afford to buy a new battery right now.

Hi Mary,

Sure you can try to charge your existing battery for 12 hours and see what happens. Although, if the battery is “bad” it will not hold a charge for very long so you might be stranded again real soon. Make sure to carry some jumper cables with you. I would still double check the battery cables and the connections to the battery first to rule that out.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Reader Follow Up

Mr. Davis….me again. Just wanted you to know that the battery cables were in deed loose and was causing the problem. I am so happy I did not have to buy a new battery. Thank you so much!
Mary

Hi Austin

I have a Buick Century, 1998.  I have noticed motor oil in the coolant. I had it flushed a year ago but after a while the oil was back in the coolant.

Someone told me to have the coolant flushed again and add Blue Devil Head Gasket Sealant to the radiator, and  it would solve all my problems. Do you think that will fix the problem or is there something else you would recommend.
Regards
Chris

Hi Chris

Wellllllll, not real sure you have a “problem” not to uncommon to see a little oil residue in the coolant from time to time. I would first HIGHLY recommend you get a cooling system pressure test, which will tell you if there is an internal coolant leak inside the engine.

This is a quick and cheap test any mechanic can do for you. If you still suspect there is an internal issue then sure, it won’t hurt to try a “head gasket” type of coolant sealer.

I have never used or heard of the sealer you mentioned, but have had GREAT success with  K&W Engine Block Sealer, which is available at any auto parts store.

That sealer really works well if you follow my instruction not that on the can.

Here is the link to MY instruction on how I use K&W Engine Block Sealer to repair blown headgasket issues and internal coolant leaks.

Click To  – How To Use K&W Engine Block Sealer

Blessings
Austin Davis

There is blue smoke coming from my car only when it idle when I stand at a stop light and on a hot day there is a lot of blue smoke coming out of my exhaust when I do a reversed parking. I did replace my O rings but know this is happening.

Please tell me what can the reason be for this smoke, after all I did put on new o rings.

Thanks
Franklin

Hi Franklin,

I would probably be more suspect of a valve type of problem in the cylinder heads, worn valve stem seals possibly. You might make sure the PCV system is working properly and can try a can of Engine Restore motor oil additive (available at any auto parts store) to see if that helps. A valve job is probably the solution…but I would need to do some testing to be sure, that is a big job to be guessing at.

The Engine Restore motor oil additive should be used after each oil change. It will help slow down oil consumption, which is what is happening if you have BLUE smoke out the exhaust tailpipe.

Blue smoke is due to an internal oil leak and oil is getting on the spark plugs.

Black smoke is from too much un-burned fuel (engine running “rich”)

White smoke is from coolant leaking internally in the engine and coolant is getting on the spark plugs.

Blessings
Austin Davis

When I first got my truck, an automatic 2004 Ford F150, it had 40k miles. It now has 93k. At first the truck ran great with zero problems, and now some are starting to pop up. I’ve had an excellent mechanic change the spark plugs at 85k miles and I change the oil at every 2,500 miles.

The transmission has been acting weird for about 6 months now and hasn’t gotten any worse. When I stop completely and go to accelerate, I can feel a slight shake, like something is slipping. When I slow down to make a turn or pull into my neighborhood, the RPMS drop and take longer than normal to pick up after downshifting I changed the tranny filter and noticed the dipstick plug was still in the pan.

I was surprised to see it and had no idea what it was at the time. Knowing that it had the factory filter at 93k miles, I would like to know what these problems are and how I could possibly solve them.

P.S. I am taking my truck to a dealership to have them reset the transmission memory to learn my driving style.
thank you,
Montie

Hi there Montie

Let me know if the reset helps. I think you might have a worn valve body issue inside the transmission which it going to require removal of the transmission and an overhaul

Blessings
Austin Davis

Reader Follow Up

Thanks Austin. Can you give me an estimation on how much you would charge to fix this? I’d like to know a price range so I won’t get scammed!!!

Hello again Montie

You would basically be looking at an overhaul…I’m guessing from what you told me. I would estimate about $2200 – $2600?

You used to be able to buy a Ford rebuilt transmission from the dealership parts department and have your local mechanic install it…or so it yourself it even comes pre-filled with fluid. Just bolt it on.

You then get a Ford national warranty and it’s installed in hours not days to overhaul. Worth calling the parts department and comparing prices with a transmission shop

Blessings
Austin Davis

Reader Follow Up

I talked to an assistant at the dealership and he thought it was the torque converter. I doubt its that so I will take it to another shop my friends uncle owns to see what he thinks. The reset did zero good.

Hi Montie, Sorry to hear the transmission reset did not help the problem.

Well…the real bad news is there is basically nothing external to do, the transmission pan and the transmission really have to be removed to see what the problem is….so once that happens be prepared for a complete overhaul.

Replacing just one component is a waste of time and money. Personally I would buy the Ford rebuilt unit instead of a transmission shop overhaul, I have been burned too many times.

I would definitely rule out any engine problems like an engine miss that can feel like transmission problems before I remove this transmission. But at your mileage I would not be surprised to see a worn out transmission

Blessings
Austin Davis

I have a 323 Mazda 1987 at present I have a problem. When I
start the car it is idling good. When I put it into drive the gear,after driving for (5) minutes the engine is racing and the gears is not changing,the car will lost power and cut off.

Then I will restart the car after (10) minutes I will put it into drive gear,after driving for (5) minutes the same will happen
again.

Can you please assist me with your knowledge.
Thanks in advance
Patrick

Hello back Patrick

Hummm interesting. I think I would first look under the good to see if there is a vacuum leak somewhere, like from the air cleaner to the engine…that large black hose. Do you see a hole in it, or can you hear a sucking noise coming from it with the engine running in park?

If you have a broken motor or transmission mount, it will allow the engine to move up and down and could have plugged apart that hose or it’s connections. You might be able to see if there is excess movement in the engine by having someone inside the car place the transmission in drive and also reverse then with one foot on brake slowly bring up the engine speed with the accelerator.

If the engine moves more than an inch, your motor mounts are probably bad…watch the black hose as this happens and any other rubber hoses to see if they cause an air leak/vacuum leak.

Blessings
Austin Davis

When I turn the key on my 1998 Chevy Lumina it seems everything is dead. No clicking or anything.

I can short the starter and it starts right up and runs great. The tested ok at the dealer. The security light and airbag light is on when it is running. I just installed a new battery which did not help. Thank you
Randy

Hi Randy,

Do you have another ignition key you can try? There is a security chip on the ignition key and it can become worn and not send the proper signal to the onboard security system to give authorization to start the engine.

If another key does not seem to help you might have a problem with the ignition lock cylinder itself. The lock cylinder is the part where you insert the ignition key. It too becomes worn out over time and can cause the security chip on the ignition key to not send the proper start signal.

Having lots of keys (excess weight) on your key chain can place undue stress on the ignition lock cylinder causing premature wear.

Blessings,
Austin Davis

Hi Austin, been a reader of your site for many years now and I have a question for you. I have a 2007 Ford F250 pickup with the large V8 engine and an automatic transmission. As you are aware, the cost of unleaded fuel is pretty high and I have been trying various attempts to improve my fuel economy. My friend told me to take the transmission out of gear and place in neutral when I am sitting at a stop light or when I am coming to a stop. Will this help?

Thanks
Dan. R

Hi there Dan,

Yes, I definitely feel the pinch of $3.75 a gallon gasoline myself. I have been getting a lot of questions about how to improve fuel economy lately, so perfect timing on your question.

Let me first say, I am not some brainy number crunching type of guy that will take the time to figure out how to improve fuel economy by .092%. I don’t have the time to do that, nor would that “improvement” really be of much concern to me…and my readers/customers. I can comment on your friend’s suggestion, and that would be…it would be a waste of your time for the minimal improvement you MIGHT get. It might just wear out your hands and might actually do more harm to the transmission that it would improve fuel economy.

Let me tell you what really DOES NOT seem to help that much:

1. Turning off the air conditioner ( I live in Houston, no way I am going to do that!) My personal verdict – not worth the effort and discomfort.

2. Placing the transmission in neutral when at a stop – my personal verdict – not worth the hassle.

3. Installing high performance spark plugs – my personal verdict – not worth the added expense UNLESS your spark plugs are totally worn out and need to be replaced anyway. It might not hurt to try it.

4. Putting the tailgate down on a pick up – The TV show Mythbusters proved this can actually hurt your fuel economy, although slightly. The liability of having something blow out, and the overall look of driving with the tailgate down would also deter me from doing this as well.

5. Using a fuel injector cleaner type of additive to your gasoline. Again, if you NEED to clean your fuel injectors…sure, why not try it but I have yet to see a magic bullet additive you can add to your gas tank that really does much good.

6. Installing a new computer chip which changes some transmission and engine settings. I have seen these chips increase performance and even some horsepower improvements although fairly slight but have yet to see any significant improvement in fuel economy. Doing this has a trade off somewhere, so improving performance might increase fuel consumption. I have found that changing just about anything that was set at the factory pretty much will decrease fuel economy to a certain degree.

So, what DOES help improve fuel economy?

1. If your vehicle is due for a tune up (spark plugs, spark plug wires, fuel and air filter basically) then YES this should help to restore the fuel economy back to what it was originally but not more than it was originally.

2. Proper tire pressure – in my opinion probably the biggest killer of fuel economy is improper tire inflation. Just like trying to ride a bicycle with a low or flat tire, it takes more effort to pedal.

3. Improper engine oil weight usage – using the wrong WEIGHT of engine oil can have an impact on fuel economy. Too thick of engine oil and the engine has to work harder than it should. Check the manufacturer’s suggestion and stick with that, although, this will not make the fuel economy better than it originally was from the start. But if your fuel consumption has decreased, it would be something to check out.

3. A dirty air filter (part of a tune up and regular maintenance) is just like trying to ride a bicycle at 20 mph with your mouth closed. The engine needs enough air to breath properly, too little air flow internally and it has to work harder. Working harder requires more fuel. Change your air filter regularly. Although again, this will only restore fuel economy back to what it was to begin with.

4. Check engine light ON? – If your check engine light comes on that means your onboard computer has detected a problem and has stored a code in memory for your mechanic to investigate. Often the problem is one of the many sensors on the engine. A faulty sensor (like an oxygen sensor) can have a negative impact on fuel economy.

5. Drive the speed limit (or the old speed limit I should say)! I know this is not rocket science, but I am baffled as to why we have increased the speed limits here in the states to 70mph+ in many areas. The faster the engine spins around the more fuel is needed. If we as a nation really wanted to be more energy independent why did we increase the speed limits…which burns more fuel. 55 MPH, is fast enough and will greatly improve your overall fuel economy…and really, you won’t get to your final destination that much faster at 70 MPH anyway. In my opinion, raising the speed limit pushed us as a nation farther away from energy independence.

6. And the BIGGEST improvement in fuel economy is….drum roll please…. drive an efficient vehicle! Before you scoff at me, hear me out. You really can’t have your cake and eat it too. Do you want a big V8 engine that has a ton of horsepower and can do 0-80MPH in 7 seconds, or pull a load of 3 tons up a muddy hill in the rain as you see in the new truck TV commercials? If you want THAT, or think you really need THAT, then fuel economy is not part of the overall picture.

My personal opinion…we need to check our egos, as a nation, all of us. We are constantly shown TV commercials of flashy new vehicles with BIG engines and lots and lots of bells and whistles attached inside as creature comforts (heated seats, satellite radios, TV screens etc. etc.)and all those comforts take energy to operate. Can we not watch TV for 3 hours as we drive to grandma’s house anymore? Do we feel like a “geek” driving a smaller more efficient vehicle, and need the big $50,000 SUV to empower our ego?

A V6 engine in a truck is plenty of power for most people, and was pretty much standard in the 1980s during the oil crisis. Do you remember how small the cars in the 80s were? I see a few 1980′s vehicles on the road and I am shocked at how small they look to me now. Nowadays it’s totally common, if not almost expected, to see a parking lot full of SUVs at the grocery store…because we need all that horsepower for groceries?

Yes, a SUV is nice if you have a large family or routinely carry 7-8 people around–don’t get me wrong. Could that SUV be powered by a smaller V6 engine with no problem…sure it can, but mentally would the public buy into it? Ford has a new line of trucks called the Eco class, and it is powered by a V6 turbo charged engine. Wow, what “new” technology that is…we had the same V6 engine back in the 80s so its nothing “new” just a good marketing ploy.

I am not harping on you Dan, but honestly we as Americans want it all, then complain when we have to actually pay for it! We drive huge vehicles into town to work, then out to the suburbs where we live, sitting in stop-and-go traffic for long periods of time and we wonder why our fuel bills are so large.

The take away here is, the bigger the engine and the vehicle the more fuel it takes to power it. There is little you can do to alter that in any significant way that will not cost more money than what you would save in fuel efficiency.

Ok Ok, enough of my rant…if YOU have a suggestion or something that you have tried that actually increased your fuel economy please leave your comments below. Thank you!

Blessings,
Austin Davis

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