Car Doctor Q&A

Q

I just recently purchased a Jeep that was involved in a substantial front-end crash,it was actually totaled. The car was repaired, and it looks great and runs even better but is has one problem. The issue is that the seat belt light flashes. Is this a sensor of some sort? If I disconnect the seat belt wiring the light goes out. How should I proceed with the repair?

A

There is a diagnostic procedure using a scan tool that should be performed. If you don’t have access to a quality scan tool you can perform a couple of simple checks to the wiring. Although where the car was in a serious crash, I’m concerned that the seatbelt tensioners were not replaced. Depending on the crash the airbags may have deployed as well, a full test of the supplemental restraint system is in order.

Q

Recently my 26-yearold car BMW 318 with 176,000 miles was running well but then took a turn for the worst. It started to overheat and whatever adjustments or replacements made it continue. Finally, my mechanic suggested that I get a rebuilt or low mileage engine replacement. I don’t know where to start, he will be looking but has a lot of other customers, so I wanted to educate myself as well. What are the model years that are compatible? What makes more sense another engine or rebuild the old one?

A

The 1995 BMW 318 engine only fits a few years, 1993-1995, so finding a good used engine is not going to be easy and it will be at least 26 years old. I did find one in a salvage yard in Florida for $1800 with 109,000 miles on it, with a warranty. I also found newly rebuilt engines on ebay and other sites for $3500 and up. It will take about 15 hours labor to replace the engine in your car. At this point, unless your car is pristine or you have a strong emotional attachment with this BMW, putting anywhere from $3000 to $6500 into a car that according to online used car guides is worth $2500-$3500 may not a wise investment.

Q

I have a 2009 Grand Marquis that I purchase used in January 2020 with 38,000 miles. I previously owned a 2003 and love the big old Mercurys. My issue with the 2009 is there doesn’t seem to be anyway to set the air conditioner on vent only. It seems to automatically rotate between the floor, front vents and defrost resulting in cold feet or a fogged windshield which is annoying and doesn’t cool the car properly. My 2003 had separate dials to control the heat/ac and vents. Is there any way to correct this issue?

A

When the climate control is on the automatic setting it will vary air flow. But if you chose vent or floor, it should stay there and then you can vary the fan speed manually. A common problem is vacuum leaks. The controls actuate vacuum motors that open and close the ducts. Two possibilities, a vacuum leak at the parking brake release or the vacuum canister under the hood is also leaking. Without the reserve tank holding vacuum, every time you step on the accelerator the system will default to defrost. If the control unit needs replacement, it is no longer available from Ford, but it is available in an aftermarket part from Dorman for $360.