RepairPal Blog: Under the Hood

RepairPal has just added another 274 vehicles to our already huge database, which means many of you with 2010 vehicles can receive your free repair estimates, open your own My Car account to start saving your service records online and a whole lot more...

We're currently processing new data, so we will be updating even more models in the coming weeks. If you don't see your vehicle here, don't hesitate to request that your vehicle be added! Just contact us at feedback@repairpal.com

Models Updated to include 2010

We've been getting quite a few questions lately in our Q&A about people replacing their battery and then having all sorts of problems. I've added two informative articles about how to avoid these problems, and if you encounter them, how to address them.

The first article looks at some of the different modules and what can happen if power is lost - Memory Loss Associated with Battery Replacement

The second article reviews what can happen when the Engine Control Module loses battery power and what can be done if a stalling condition is present after power is lost - Engine Stalling After Battery Replacement

If you're looking for a safe, protected place to park your vehicle, look no further than underneath your front yard! From the UK based company Cardok, here is the "underground parking solution that doubles your parking space and provides greater security than a locked garage". 

There has been a lot of concern in the media about the problems that Toyota has been having with their sticking gas pedals on their gas powered vehicles and the braking problems on their Prius Hybrid vehicles.  The concern is growing into a panic, and Joe White at the Wall Street Journal wrote an article with the alarmist title "Cars Are Getting Scary Again" that questions the complex nature of the modern automobile.

What's scary is that this article was written 20 years too late. The problematic drive-by-wire system in the Toyotas has been in automobiles for over 20 years.  In the late 1980s, the larger BMW 12-cylinder vehicles used it to synchronize and control the two computers that were used to manage the engine.  Over the years, this system has worked so well that The U.S. Department of Transportation has mandated that every vehicle manufactured for sale in the U.S. must have an integrated Anti-Lock Brake and Traction Control system, or drive-by-wire system, no later than the 2010 model year.

In the WSJ article, it stated that the complexity of cars began with the EPA mandated Emission Controls.  For the most part, all automotive complexity has been the result of governmental safety and environmental programs.  Even basic safety systems such as Seat Belts had to be required before manufacturers included them in new vehicles.

It has yet to be proven that the sophisticated electronics have even played a role in Toyota's problems.  Many of the Toyota complaints involve a sticking floor mat that gets caught up with the electronic accelerator pedal mechanism.  Volvo, a brand known for safety, had a similar problem in the middle 1980s that involved cutting and/or replacing the floor mats and replacing the sticking mechanical accelerator cable.  I owned a 1986 Volvo that had this update performed by the dealer.  I still drove the car and lived to tell about it.

Drive-by-wire systems, which basically turn mechanical systems into computer-aided smart systems have been in military aircraft since the 1970s, automobiles since the 1980s, and commercial airliners since the 1990s.  This is a fundamental technology that has been in play successfully for decades, and we should guard against the witch-hunt that this present situation could become.  The media should be adding facts where it has been fanning the fire.

Affected Vehicles:

Certain 2001 and 2002 Accord, Civic, Odyssey, CR-V, and selected 2002 Acura TL models.

Honda has announced they are expanding a previously announced recall of certain 2001 and 2002 cars and trucks to replace the driver's airbag inflator. This will involve an additional 378,758 vehicles in the U.S. The problem found is that the driver's airbag inflators may deploy with too much pressure. This may cause the inflator casing to rupture and could result in injury or fatality.

As of February 2010 Honda is aware of 12 incidents related to this issue, they have concluded they cannot be completely certain the driver's airbag inflator will perform as designed in the affected vehicles. As a result they have decided to add certain 2001 and 2002 Accord, Civic, Odyssey, CR-V, and selected 2002 Acura TL vehicles to this recall.

Honda will begin notifying owners of affected vehicles this month. If you wish to know in advance if your vehicle is involved, Honda owners can use the following link: Honda recall information or call (800) 999-1009; Acura owners can use the following link: Acura recall information or call (800) 382-2238. When owners of these vehicles receive written notification of this recall from Honda, they should contact their authorized Honda or Acura dealer to schedule an appointment for repair.

BACKGROUND:

16 months ago Honda informed the National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a plan to recall fewer than 4,000 model year 2001 Accord and Civic vehicles to replace the driver's airbag inflator, based on their analysis of 4 instances where the airbag casing ruptured on deployment.

After the original recall in November, 2008, 2 additional incidents from vehicles not included in the original recall were reported. Honda's ongoing analysis led them to recognize the potential for additional vehicles to exhibit this symptom. In July, 2009 Honda expanded that recall to include approximately 440,000 model year 2001 and 2002 Accord, Civic and certain 2002 Acura TL vehicles.

There were two types manufacturing machines used in pressing the inflator propellant. One process allowed Honda to verify that all of the propellant was within specification, the other process cannot be verified to their satisfaction. Even though testing has shown the inflators in question perform correctly Honda has decided to recall all inflator assemblies that were not verified during production because they cannot be absolutely certain they will all perform as designed.

Important, if you feel your vehicle has this unintended acceleration issue:

If you have noticed any of the following: Your accelerator pedal is harder than normal to depress, not smooth during operation, or slow to return after being depressed the vehicle should be stopped at the nearest safe location, the engine shut off, and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance.

The Recalls:

Toyota has issued two recalls recently related to "unintended" acceleration. They have identified two completely separate issues causing these complaints. The first recall is related to the drivers side floor mat contacting the accelerator pedal resulting in the pedal not returning properly to its rest position. The second recall is related to the accelerator pedal itself sticking due to a binding condition. While these recalls are completely separate the following vehicles are involved in both:

• Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• Certain 2007-2010 Camry
• Certain 2010 Highlander
• 2007-2010 Tundra

If your vehicle is involved in one or both of these recalls you should be contacted by Toyota when repair parts and procedures are in place for your vehicle. If you are not contacted by Toyota in a timely fashion or are experiencing a problem related to either of these recalls you should contact your local Toyota dealer.

For more information on these recalls and what they mean to you please look over the following information.

Accelerator pedal recall:

Vehicles involved:

• Certain 2009-2010 RAV4
• Certain 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• Certain 2007-2010 Camry
• Certain 2010 Highlander
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2008-2010 Sequoia

Highlander and Camry hybrids are not involved. Neither are Camry, Corolla, Highlander, or RAV4 models with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) beginning with the letter "J".

Owners of vehicles involved in this recall should be notified by Toyota when parts are available to complete the necessary accelerator repairs.

What to look out for:
If you have noticed any of the following: Your accelerator pedal is harder than normal to depress, not smooth during operation, or slow to return after being depressed the vehicle should be stopped at the nearest safe location, the engine shut off, and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance.

If your accelerator pedal sticks while driving:

• Circumstance may vary, and drivers must use their own judgment, but Toyota recommends taking one of the following actions:
• If you need to stop immediately, the vehicle can be controlled by stepping on the brake pedal using firm and steady pressure, use both feet if necessary to gain control. Do not pump the brake pedal.
• Shift the transmission into Neutral (N) and use the brakes to make a controlled stop at the side of the road and turn off the engine. If you are unable to put the transmission in Neutral, turn the engine OFF. While this will not cause loss of steering or braking control, those controls will loose their power assist and become much more difficult to operate. You can safely turn the engine off as follows:  If the vehicle is equipped with a conventional key ignition, turn the ignition key to the ACC position to turn off the engine. Do NOT remove the key from the ignition as this will lock the steering wheel. If the vehicle is equipped with an Engine Start/Stop button, firmly and steadily push the button for at least three seconds to turn off the engine. Do NOT tap the Engine Start/Stop button.

How will Toyota fix my problem?
Toyota has developed a fix that is both effective and simple. A specifically selected steel reinforcement bar will be installed into the accelerator pedal assembly, eliminating the friction that has caused pedals to stick in some cases.

How does Toyota know this solution will be effective?
They have confirmed the effectiveness of the reinforced pedals through rigorous testing on pedal assemblies that had previously shown a tendency to stick.

What is the problem that could cause accelerators to stick in the first place?
The issue involves a friction device in the pedal designed to provide the proper “feel” by adding resistance and making the pedal steady and stable. This friction device includes a “shoe” that rubs against an adjoining surface during normal pedal operation. Due to the materials used, wear and environmental conditions, these surfaces may, over time, begin to stick and release instead of operating smoothly.

Floor mat recall:

To address the risk of floor mat contact with the accelerator pedals in certain models, Toyota is conducting a safety recall.

Vehicles involved in the floor mat recall include:

• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2009-2010 Corolla
• 2008-2010 Highlander
• 2009-2010 Matrix
• 2004-2009 Prius
• 2005-2010 Tacoma
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2009-2010 VENZA

What you should do if this recall applies to your vehicle:

• Take out any removable driver's floor mat. do not replace it with any other floor mat until having the recall performed.
• After you receive a notification from Toyota that the recall remedy for your vehicle is available, you should contact your local authorized Toyota dealer.

What Toyota will do to solve the problem:
The shape of the accelerator pedal will be modified to address the risk of floor mat contact. For the Camry and Avalon models involved, the shape of the floor surface underneath will also be modified to increase the space between the accelerator pedal and the floor.

Here at RepairPal, we have heard several VW owners complain of Check Engine Lights with a misfiring engine, rough idle and poor acceleration. Well VW has sent out letters to many, if not all VW owners to notify them of a recall on the ignition coils.

From the Volkswagen Website:

Volkswagen is conducting this service program to inspect and, if necessary, replace ignition coils installed in some 2001 – 2007 model year vehicles. See if your vehicle applies: click here

The key points of the program are:

• When your Volkswagen Dealer has sufficient parts in stock, Volkswagen will notify you via First-Class mail
• Your authorized Volkswagen Dealer will repair your vehicle for this condition at no cost to you
• If you have paid to have ignition coils replaced in your Volkswagen prior to this program, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Details are available on the Reimbursement page of the VW Website
  

Now that winter is in full effect, questions have been pouring in from all over the country regarding heater performance issues. In the second installment of the RepairPal Diagnostic Series, we will be providing you with a diagnostic tool to help address heater performance problems, as well as A/C issues for all of you in South Florida!

If you are experiencing problems, print out the Heater and A/C Diagnostic Assistant worksheet below, fill it out and take it in to the repair shop and present it to the service writer, they will be impressed with your pro-active approach! If you have a request for a questionnaire that you would like to see in the future, please drop us a line at feedback@repairpal.com

For even more helpful information about addressing intermittent problems - click here

To print a copy, select from the drop down menu next to the Scribd logo at the top of the document!

Repair Pal Diagnostic Assistant - Heater and A/C

One of our resident master technicians and regular contributor to RepairPal's treasure trove of auto repair and emissions-system content, Dan Dillon, just received word from the State of California that his shop has ranked 13th in the state for performance in emissions-related repair.

Dan heads up emissions diagnosis and repair at SpeeDee Oil Lube & Tune Up in San Bruno, California.  Emissions-related and California Smog test repair is tricky and closely monitored by the State.  Each test on every vehicle is scrutinized by the state, and all shops licensed to test and repair for Smog are rated and ranked, particularly the Gold Shield-level shops.

Dan's shop ranked 13th out of the thousands of California repair establishments being analyzed for their diagnosis and repair work to lower tailpipe emissions.  This ranking is based on the overall accuracy of emissions diagnosis and repair and the quantifiable reduction in tailpipe emissions that these repairs actually achieved.

This is pretty remarkable, and benefits everyone in California, as it makes vehicle owners serviced at SpeeDee happier and cleans the air for all of us!  Congratulations, Dan and team!

It looks like Saab's days are officially numbered. Saab has been in discussions with Koenigsegg Group AB, a Swedish sports-car maker, but Koenigsegg has pulled out. There are no apparent buyers for Saab, who just announced earlier this month that they would be closing 81 of 218 their US dealers. Here is a quote from George Glassman, owner of Glassman Saab of Southfield, Michigan which pretty much sums it up:

“It is not what I had hoped to hear, but I believe it’s a dead issue. In the interim, if you know of a McDonald’s, Burger King or Dunkin’ Donuts that would like to occupy my showroom, let me know."

Any takers?

Source: Bloomberg