Q--I am the original owner of a 2001 Honda Civic. The car has 136,000 miles on it, mostly highway miles. I have a problem that seems to come and go. The car keeps popping out of second gear. The Clutch is original and seems to operate fine otherwise. I did an Internet search and found many other Civic owners with a similar problem. Shouldn't there be a recall on something like this? I have not taken the car to my dealer yet, as I am sure this will be a costly repair.
A--The shift cable corrodes at the end near the transmission, making it difficult to shift and/or causing it to pop out of second or fifth gear. Since it is not a life-threatening problem, you won't see a recall. Although the cable is probably a dealer-only part, you can have an independent shop do the work if you like. It won't cost as much as you think.
Waiting for the screw-up
Q--I really would like to ask you something that I think is very important. I have had a 2000 Olds Intrigue with only 27,000 miles on it, so it's actually new. I average less than 5000 miles per year but change my oil and filter twice per year. The dealer hardly ever suggests anything else, so what else should I do? How about the antifreeze, transmission fluid change, tune-up, or brake fluid change? The car runs perfectly as of now but I'm still worried that I'm missing something. Is the dealer waiting for my car to really screw up so they can soak me up for some real money or what?
A--In another 19 years you may have a genuine antique for which you can get special plates, and it may also become collectible since the Oldsmobile nameplate is no more. So you had better take care of that Olds.
I would definitely change the antifreeze according to the maintenance schedule or sooner since it is DexCool and expected to last five years, but seldom does. I would wait until you hit about 35,000-40,000 to change the ATF.
If your car has anti-lock brakes, I suggest changing the fluid every two or three years.
Don't worry about a tune-up until about 50,000 or more, but it is a good idea to remove and inspect the spark plugs occasionally and put a dab of anti-seize on the threads to prevent them from corroding to the cylinder heads.
Oh, and keep it waxed.
TV trivia
Q--While watching an episode of The Green Hornet I noticed that the B lack B eauty was rotated up on a platform. This means the crime fighting automobile was stored upside down when not in use. Can this really be a good storage idea for the average Joe? Wouldn't fluids leak out or are components sealed so well that there is no leakage?
A--Of course the fluids would leak out - at least some of them, such as the windshield washer fluid, any coolant in the overflow jug, oil would leak from the dipstick as would transmission fluid. And that's not to mention the cigarette butts or spare change from the ashtray. And do you really think any newspaper publisher by day would become a crime fighter by night? Come on. (Ed. Note: Maybe a Web guy would - but he'd be Spider-Man. Har. Har.)
We've got your back
Q--Your column is great. Even though I don't even change my oil I learn a lot from you.
Recently I used a local oil change shop to change oil for my 2005 Corolla. The owner said: "the MAINT REQD light will eventually go out." No doubt he meant until I read your column a couple weeks ago.
Those few steps you mentioned on resetting the light worked on my Corolla and I no longer am reminded each day of this guy's ignorance and/or dishonesty. I printed out the item and will hand-deliver it to him this week. Thank you for an informative and often entertaining column.
A--Glad to be of service.
Uneven wearing
Q-- I have a 1999 Toyota Corolla and I'm about to replace the front brake pads with EBC black stuff. The first question is should I resurface the rotors every time I install a new pads? Second, my old brake pads seem to be unevenly worn; it was like the driver's side wears less than the passenger side. Is this normal?
The passenger side brake caliper and rotor have been replaced, three years ago. Braking felt normal; it doesn't pull either way and has no vibration at all.
A--It is not normal. Both sides should wear evenly. The left side (driver's side) caliper is getting lazy and needs to be either replaced or rebuilt.
As for resurfacing the rotors, leave them alone unless they are scored or otherwise damaged.
T-Bird strut
Q--I have a '61 Thunderbird that pulls to the right when I brake. I have checked the fluid and had the pads and rotors checked out. All fine. At slower speeds (20-40 mph) there is not a problem. Higher speeds (in the 50 plus range), there's a lot of pulling. What can this problem be? I also have a '64 with the same issue but on the left side. Is this a T- B ird problem? Your response will be greatly appreciated.
A--If I am not mistaken, that is the first year disc brakes were offered on the T- Bird. Also, if I am not mistaken, they were very complex components that were even safety wired at the time. I have a hunch one of the calipers is not doing its share of the work. The pistons may not be moving freely in their bores. At lower speeds, this is not as noticeable since the rear brakes plus one front do fine. But at higher speeds, the effect of one lazy brake is rather obvious. Better get them checked out again, but while you're under there, check out the strut rod bushings as well.
Due to the large volume, Bob Weber is unable to answer most questions sent to The Car Connection each month. Some may be answered directly, where possible, and others will be included in future columns if the topic is deemed interesting. Be sure to include your real name and full address (city, state, province, country, etc.) when sending your questions.
Weber, a self-proclaimed swell guy, is an ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technician, freelance writer, and former editor of Super Automotive Service magazine. His column, "Motormouth," appears weekly in the Chicago Tribune. He enjoys good tequila, good cigars, and good times. A chemistry school dropout, he still concocts compounds in the kitchen and makes a mean pot of chili. He and his wife live near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
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