Car Questions (Page 46)

Have you ever heard a noise coming from somewhere in your car that you can hear, but the service center mechanic you went to cannot? This can be a problem if your transmission is still under warranty, but the mechanic denies there is any detectable problem. Here’s a simple tool to solve this problem that can be especially useful for diagnosing transmission problems and other vehicle noise maladies.

We measure and test the all-new three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L to see if it fits inside a typical garage. What we found was surprising.

Looking at buying a used car from a dealership that claims all of their cars go through an inspection checklist before selling? Think again if you believe this or a CARFAX report will prevent you from buying a lemon that could easily cost you up to $10,000 in repairs to make it safe let alone drivable. Here’s what one mechanic in the business has to say about this type of scam.

Here’s some good DIY advice for the most important used car test that used car buyers should follow when inspecting a used car---or make sure a mechanic does this for them---before deciding to buy a used car.

Are you the owner of a Ford Escape and looking to save yourself a significant amount of money and headache? Then you really need to consider changing the fluid on your Escape’s PTU as on easy DIY maintenance job that you can do at home in your garage or driveway to avoid eventual disaster. Read along and watch an informative video that takes you step-by-step through this maintenance procedure.

How do you tell if a battery cell has gone bad as opposed to the battery simply having lost some of its charge because your car has not been driven in a while? Discover the answer to this and other questions from a highly recommended ultimate guide on how to maintain, test and replace your car battery with nothing more than some simple tools and an inexpensive multimeter. Plus, a few caveats many car owners are not always aware of when testing batteries using a multimeter.

Contrary to what car manufacturers and dealers are saying, newer model cars actually need a transmission fluid change every 30,000 miles says this popular YouTube channel mechanic. Here’s why and how you can do it yourself without having to remove the transmission fluid pan.

Can you spot the mistake in the engine image above that is a sign of a common car maintenance mistake owners often make when working on their car engine problems? Read on to discover if you are correct, and find out what was the unusual mystery source of the real problem behind this engine that some owners face with their Toyota and other makes of cars.

With the hurricane season approaching, we can likely expect to see a surge in used cars that have been swamped in storm water and then flipped after the flood for resale. Here’s some good advice from Consumer Reports automotive experts who explain what you need to look for in order to spot a used car carrying hidden problems from flood damage.

Sometimes to save money, we are tempted to mix car tires. But is this really safe to do? Here’s what some automotive experts have to say about the practice.

Swapping out a vehicle cabin air filter is a piece of cake. We can show you how to do it in under 3 minutes and tell you how you can get the filter for under $20 delivered to your home.

Looking to make your car standout at night? There’s a number of LED lighting kits for cars; however, not all work the same, or offer features that might not be right for you. Here’s an informative video instruction on the different types of LED light kits for cars that covers the basics that you need to know before ordering a kit.

Costco’s Auto Program is one way that shoppers can try to fight dealer market adjustment price adders.

Have you ever had new spark plugs installed by a service center or perhaps even did it yourself, only to discover something was not quite right with how your engine ran afterward? Here’s a Toyota Maintenance warning concerning your spark plugs that many people make.

Looking for some car maintenance you can do yourself? Here’s an excellent demonstration of just how simple it is to change the headlight bulb on a Prius---and do it correctly---by following just a few important provisions.

Finding a trustworthy mechanic is easier than you might think. Here’s the latest update from Consumer Reports car experts on what you should be looking for in a mechanic, the garage and their estimates before deciding on whether this is the right person and place for your car.

Here’s the latest on both a top rated high-end and a bargain brand cordless tire pump review that alerts consumers to the fact that they no longer are limited to yesteryear’s anemic handheld tire inflators. As an added plus, included are two videos demonstrating these Consumer Reports recommended models in action.

Looking to save money on gas and repairs by finding a reliable and fuel efficient used car? Then look no further as Consumer Reports recently released their list of these used car models that make sense for those earning a living as an Uber or Lyft driver.

Assessing a used vehicle’s true value is more than just taking a look into Kelley Blue Book value listings---it’s also partly about understanding where the vehicle is being sold and what this means to you. Here’s a summary of the latest Consumer Reports recommendation about what you need to know about where a used car is being sold from, while comparison shopping for a used car.

New Hampshire’s Public electric vehicle charging infrastructure is horrendous. Here is one popular destination in New Hampshire's White Mountains that offers EV-driving visitors ample charging options.

If you have rusty brake rotors and are concerned that something is wrong, this story will help explain when you need to take action and when to stop worrying.

We break down four common brake issues and tell you how much you can expect to pay.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) the number of car thefts increased by 9.2 percent per their most current statistical analysis. To help car owners prevent becoming part of this growing statistic, here is a summary of some helpful tips from Consumer Reports on car theft prevention, plus a Toyota Tundra crazy theft story from our favorite Toyota Maintenance mechanic.

Here’s the latest used car buyer alert from Consumer Reports that warns some dealerships will scam used car buyers with bogus pre-owned car certifications that originally were intended to protect used car buyers from buying lemons.

Here’s a must-see video if you are concerned about protecting your Prius from catalytic converter theft with a DIY solution.

Have you ever wondered if you were being scammed into paying more on your oil and filter change because the service tech told you that if you switched to synthetic oil then you would actually save money in the long run with less-frequent oil changes needed? Find out what really matters according to Consumer Reports car experts who have this to say about your car’s oil changes.

Transmission service does not always require a licensed mechanic with specialized tools to do the job correctly. In fact, in many cases it is almost as easy as changing your engine oil and filter. Here’s a well-made video about how servicing an automatic transmission is basically done that can save you hundreds of dollars by doing it yourself; or at the very least, provide you with an understanding of what is involved so that you do not get gouged by a service center or garage.

To flush or not to flush---that is the question a former car dealer and now-popular YouTube channel mechanic answers as he explains the sealed automatic transmission deception to car owners and why spending $200 in fluid is a much more sensible approach than spending six to eight thousand dollars for a new transmission.

Consumer Reports mechanics listed 9 models you should keep an eye on if you are a current owner (or totally avoid, if you are looking to buy a used car among the models listed) and want to significantly decrease your risk of having to pay for one of the three biggest repair bills common to cars.

Our long-term test is interrupted by a puncture. Here’s our 3,600-mile update and why we continue to be impressed with Michelin.