Q & A #66 With The Auto Specialist
Q & A #66 With The Auto Specialist
Thanks for joining me for another installment of the Auto Specialist. First, the news. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Ford Motor Company is receiving loan guarantees from the U.S. government to help slash its debt. You might remember that Ford was the only car company among the Big 3 that did not receive a bailout. They were, however, a proponent of General Motors and Chrysler receiving bailouts to prevent the auto parts supply base from imploding. Ford hopes to use the loan guarantees to push their debt rating to investment grade by the end of 2011. If they can manage it, they’ll be much more competitive.
Today, we’re going to help diagnose an engine cranking problem that Stefan is having with his Altima. We’ll also help Steve figure out the reason white smoke is coming from his exhaust pipe. Lastly, Eileen has a question about tire wear. There’s lots to cover, so let’s get started.
Question: I have a 2001 Nissan Altima and it has a little over 118,000 miles. I bought it about a month ago. Two weeks ago, I started to have problems starting it. The engine would eventually crank over, but it was labored. This has steadily grown worse, and today, I can’t even crank the engine. Everything is dead, including the windows, locks, and CD player. Here’s the thing: if I jumpstart it, the car will run fine all day. If I leave it sit overnight, though, I can’t crank it the following day (without another jump). Can you tell me what is happening?
Answer: Thanks for writing in, Stefan. This problem does sound frustrating. From what you have described, it sounds like the issue is somewhere in your charging system. The challenge is isolating it. Here’s what I would do. First, load test the battery. Second, test the alternator for voltage. After you’ve made sure the output of each is sufficient, look for an indication of a battery drain.
Disconnect the battery cable from the negative post. Then, connect a test light to the post and the disconnected cable. If the light shines brightly, there’s a drain. Go through your fuses until you find it. Once you fix the drain and jumpstart your battery, you should be able to crank your engine easily going forward.
Question: I drive a 1997 Subaru Impreza with 157,000 miles. For the last three months, I’ve noticed white smoke coming from my tailpipe whenever I drive. It’s relatively cold where I live (under 40 degrees Fahrenheit), but no one else on the road is dealing with this. My car is the only one with the white smoke. What is causing the smoke in my exhaust?
Answer: Thanks for your question, Steve. I’m going to assume you’re not referring to the small wisps of smoke that come from the tailpipe when you first start your car. You probably already know that’s caused by condensation. White smoke is thicker, and indicates coolant is leaking into one of your engine’s cylinders. The bad news is that this typically happens when the cylinder head cracks or the head gasket blows. Both are expensive to repair. With 157,000 miles on your engine, you may want to consider buying a replacement.
Question: I own a 2005 Hyundai Tucson with 67,000 miles on the odometer. I have a very simple question. My front tires are wearing down more quickly than my back tires. The wear is happening on the sides of the tire, but the middle of the tread seems fine. What is causing my tires to wear like this?
Answer: Thanks for sending in your question, Eileen. The wear pattern you’ve described is usually caused by underinflation. That is, the pressure in your tires is less than it should be. When your tires lack sufficient pressure, the outer treads have too much contact with the surface of the road. This causes them to wear down faster than they should. If you check the air pressure and the setting is correct, the problem is likely due to misalignment.
That’s it for today’s installment. Thanks again to Stefan, Steve, and Eileen for letting us help with their automotive questions. I’ll have a new group of car problems next time, so be sure to come back. Until then, drive safely.
