Writer’s vehicle may have more than one problem
Q . I have a 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek with 154,000 miles on it. The air conditioner compressor has recently been making a loud noise on and off. I also haven’t had working air conditioning in a little over a year. A few days ago, I was driving home from work and the car’s blower wasn’t working at all (no heat on any of the 1-4 settings). The car turns on fine but the noise coming from the AC compressor is loud all of the time now. I was curious to know if this could just be a bad A/C compressor that needs to be replaced or if there are multiple issues going on as to why the AC compressor is loud and I don’t have any air blowing into the car? Any help is greatly appreciated.
A . From you description, it seems as if you have two different problems. The blower motor issue could be a faulty fan motor, switch, wiring or fuse. The air conditioner compressor making noise is likely a worn bearing or clutch. I would have the compressor looked at soon. If the compressor seizes up the drive belt will fail. That one belt runs the alternator and water pump which are two critical items in the operation of the vehicle.
Q . I recently had a PCV valve replaced in my 2016 Buick Encore because of a noise. Then a few days later heard the noise again. The dealer said it was a loose spark plug, tightened it and it’s all set now. Can you tell me if they had to remove the spark plugs to redo the PCV valve and they just forgot to tighten the spark plug or did it somehow come loose?
A . Replacing the PCV valve and even the hose assembly doesn’t require removal of the spark plugs. It is very odd that a factory-installed spark plug would just come loose. Spark plugs typically get replaced in that model at 60,000 miles. Perhaps earlier the spark plugs were replaced and not torqued properly and one came loose.
Q . I have a 2015 Jeep Wrangler limited, and I have a ticking noise under the hood. My husband, who is mechanically inclined, said not to worry about it, that it’s probably the fuel injectors. I don’t recall this noise previously but maybe I’m wrong. Is this normal for a Jeep? I have about 72,000 miles on it.
A . Not to disagree with your mechanically inclined husband but the noise is not likely a fuel injector. The issue, and it’s common to this engine, is that the rocker arm assembly, which opens and closes the valves of the engine, is worn. When these rocker arm bearings wear the engine will tick. Eventually, if allowed to wear enough, the engine will start to misfire and the check engine light will start to flash.
Q . In September 2022 I bought a AAA Battery for a 2019 Kia Soul, which my wife drives on a daily basis to work. Today, the car will not start. I am waiting for AAA Road assistance. What should I do after the car is jumped? Take it to a mechanic or dealer?
A . At this point I would take the car to any repair shop and have the battery fully charged. When the AAA technician arrives, they will test the battery, but if it is discharged for some reason (lights left on, door ajar etc.) the testing is not as accurate. The roadside technician will also test the alternator to verify the charging system is working properly. Once the battery is charged the battery can be fully evaluated. If for some reason the battery is faulty, all AAA batteries have a three-year 100 percent replacement warranty and a total of a six-year prorated warranty.
Q . I have a 2004 Ford Explorer Limited, purchased new. Lately, the display on both the radio/ CD player and the climate control panel stopped displaying the readings. This is not all the time every time, but it is annoying. The settings do not stop functioning, but they are not displayed. What are your thoughts on this matter?
A . The most common cause on these older Explorers is a poor solder joint on the back of the display board. Your repair shop may suggest taking the display out and having it sent to an electronics shop where the display can be repaired or exchanged for a remanufactured unit.
Q . My son drives a 2014 Jeep Cherokee, when the weather gets cold, he has a hard time starting
the car. We have taken it to the mechanic who claims to find no issue. My son now drives with a portable charger for the times the car won’t start. So far, the battery has been replaced, the starter checked. This is very frustrating for everyone involved. Any ideas?
A . Since the engine starts with a jumpstart, the issue is related to the battery, cable connections or other wiring. There are no specific technical service bulletins for that year’s Jeep, but earlier models did have some very specific wiring issues and software updates that could cause a nostart. It is very difficult to fix a problem based on history that doesn’t present itself on inspection. Short of waiting for the problem to get worse, all a technician can do is spend time (and your money) looking at both wiring and software updates. Visually the wiring can look fine, but the best method is to test for voltage drop to rule out poor connections.
Q . I put full synthetic oil in my 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 201,000 miles. I’ve noticed a slight oil leak and drops in my driveway. Is that new oil causing the leak? Should I switch back to conventional oil, or add an additive to plumb up my seals?
A . Synthetic oil will not cause a leak, but it can find leaky seals that may not leak with conventional oil. At this point, I would want to find where the oil is leaking from before either adding an additive or changing back to conventional oil. I remember an older Acura with very high miles. When synthetic oil was used, the rear main oil seal would leak. With conventional oil it would only seep, but not drip. You could try high-mileage synthetic oil. Readers have told me they have had good luck with Lucas engine oil stop leak.