Car Doctor Q&A

Q I wondering if you can recommend any gadgets or DIY stuff to help get a car moving that has been stuck in snow and cannot get enough traction?

A When shoveling and salt/ sand do not work there are products you can try. There are temporary steel tire chains (a bit of a task to install). Over the years these chains have been replaced with rubber cleats and plastic claws that attach to the tires. They are also a bit of a hassle to install and are designed for temporary use only. There are also heavy rubber traction mats and plastic wedges which can work in both snow and mud. I even once used the floor mats in my car to gain enough traction to get moving. If driving in the snow is a necessity, there is nothing better than four winter tires and even with that keeping a show shovel handy is always a good idea.

Q I have a 2002 Toyota Camry and the ABS light stayed on. I went to a mechanic who charged me and said that it would not be worthwhile to fix it and just drive like the cars before we had the ABS system. There was a lot of rust under the car, but the pads were good. He charged me $137. One day, I had to jam on my brakes and the light went off. It goes on when I turn my engine on for a second and goes on and off. A Based on your description it sounds like there is an issue with the ABS pump, and when you jammed on the brakes it freed up one of the stuck valves. Assuming that the shop checked the relays (there are 3 and relatively inexpensive) and the wheel sensors about all that is left is the ABS control valve (pump). The part alone is $1500 so you could spend $2000 to get the ABS system to function properly. I am not sure where you live, but in my home state if the ABS light is on the car still passes the state mandated vehicle inspection. This is not the case in every state.

Q

My brother and I are having a bit of an argument over a free boat. I saw a boat about 100 miles away and according to the ad the boat only needs a timing belt. It looks complete with a trailer and the owner stated he moved on and purchased a new boat. Do you think this is worth the effort to get it going and make it seaworthy?

A

Free is certainly tempting but a couple of things you should be looking at, are there titles for the boat and trailer? When was the last time it was in the water? There is a book written by car-guy Rob Siegel titled “Ran when Parked” and in most cases these cars never “ran when parked” and took plenty of time and money to get going. If you are willing to commit to the time and expense it could be worth it. Then again, keep in mind that B.O.A.T. is an acronym for “bust out another thousand”. Clarification: A reader asked me to clarify an answer to resetting a car’s computer. The typical technique that will clear the computer memory is to disconnect the battery cables from the battery and either jumper or hold the cables together for about a minute. Then reinstall the cables. When servicing a battery always detach the negative battery cable from the battery first, then the positive cable. When reinstalling the cables attach and tighten the positive battery cable, then the negative battery cable.