CAR DOCTOR Q&A
Q. I have a 2005 Honda Pilot and two months ago I changed my power steering pump and it started making this whining sound. It wasn’t making that sound before I changed it, I replaced it due to a leak. Any suggestions?
A. If it was a rebuilt power steering pump (most are) it could be faulty. The other issue is, if the power steering pump was not bled prior to starting the car it could have even damaged the new pump. Although Honda doesn’t have a specific procedure, in my opinion bleeding a power steering system in still necessary. The procedure I have used for bleeding a power steering pump is to fill the reservoir and turn the wheel from lock to lock without the engine running until all the air is out of the system. I have seen incidents of new pumps having issues if that isn’t done. The other possibility is a slight restriction in one of the hoses. One last note, only use Honda power steering fluid, using other power steering fluid or transmission fluid as a substitute can cause a multitude of issues.
Q. Not question for you, but I read your bio and it said you once owned a Lectric Leopard. I just wanted to say that I grew up in the next town over from where the Lectric Leopard was built and remember checking them out as a teenager. A far cry from the Chevrolet Bolt that we have now!
A. Those electric cars built in that era (mid 1970’s) such as the Lectric Leopard, Vanguard CitiCar and a few others as well as homebuilt vehicles were certainly crude and looking back dangerous by today’s standards. In many cases the batteries, maxed out the vehicle weight limit. And at least in the case of my car, the batteries were held in place with angle iron brackets and threaded rod. Who knows what would have happened in a crash. The Chevrolet Bolt in spite of some battery issues is a very good car, functional and fun to drive.
Q. I have A 2009 Grand Marquis with what I believe is a factory autostart. Over the last couple of years, the car has occasionally started itself. I have recently noticed that it seems to occur if I use the auto start to melt snow, until it times out but don’t actually get in and drive it. It will start itself 4-6 hours later. My mechanic had no clue. Any thoughts?
A. Looking at the trouble shooting fault diagnosis it could be any number of items. Ford’s first recommendation is to start with disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes. Since this is simple and doesn’t cost anything, I would start here first.
Q. I read once that you own a Hyundai, because it met all of your needs. With all of the news of Hyundai thefts, and engine issues can you still recommend Hyundai as a good brand?
A. I have owned several Hyundai models over the years and they have worked out quite well.
The theft issue is now being resolved, with a software fix. In the case of my Santa-Fe Sport the alarm will sound, hopefully scaring away any thief, providing you lock the doors. Regarding their newer products, I recently evaluated a Hyundai Palisade and it was a very good vehicle, nice ride, good use of interior space and decent fuel economy.
Q. I have a 2008 C300 Mercedes 4wheel drive with 125,000 miles. I have been told there is an oil leak. However, cause has not been determined. I was given an approx. $2500-$3000 to fix the issue by the dealer. It is due for a “B” service and the line to the windshield washer is broken and was told it could not be fixed. Otherwise, the car is good a few body scratches. Is it worth putting $3000 in to a 15-year-old car or go for a good new vehicle in the $20,000 to $25,000 range. I am retired and my use is errands and an occasional long distance to see friends and family 400 hundred miles away. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
A. Not counting the environmental issues of oil leaking on the ground, an oil leak is only a serious as how often you need to add oil. The common source of an oil leak on this model are the camshaft cover seals on the back of the engine and the oil pan. I’m a bit concerned the dealer couldn’t pinpoint the cause of the leak but could come up with a price to fix it. Depending on the oil leak, I would be tempted to check the oil periodically and just drive the car. You may also be in for a little sticker schock, the average new car price today is just over $50,000.
Q. Are you still on the radio, I used to listen on the Irish station before the Irish Hit Parade.
A. Yes on Sunday live at 11 on http://959watd.com and you can find my podcast on http://johnfpaul. podbean.com
Q. I have a six-year-old Ford Focus and the right side windshield wiper stopped working. I took it in for service and the mechanic just shrugged and said he had no idea how it works. Isn’t it just a wiper motor and switch, it can’t be that complicated!
A. Yes it can be that complicated. Your Ford Focus uses two wiper motors controlled by the LIN BUS — Local Interconnect Network. Vehicles today use a CAN bus which allows computers to “talk” with each other. The LIN bus allows control of components such as these wiper motors. The issue could be the wiper motor or the wire to the wiper or any other communication error. Once the wiper motor or wiring is repaired the wiper system needs to be initialized using a scan tool.