Driveability encompasses a very wide range of vehicle problems, from transmission shifting to hard starting. Driveability problems can cost a lot of money and time and if you ask most technicians, they are also often the hardest type of vehicle problem to diagnose. A while back, I had the task of …
February 17, 2012
QUESTION: I have a 2005 Saturn Ion with about 95,000 km, which I purchased in January 2010. On cold mornings -- basically on cold mornings after damp nights -- when I turn the key in the ignition first thing in the morning, all the lights and the fan will come …
February 3, 2012
Long past are the days when a hybrid vehicle was a rarity.Today, you can find hybrid vehicles operating in every part of the country and in all weather conditions. True, they are not as efficient at -40 C driving in Winnipeg as they are at 5 C in balmy Niagara …
January 27, 2012
QUESTION: My car is a 1992 Buick Century and the problem is the battery indicator light. All the dashboard warning lights glow brightly when the key is first turned on except for the battery indicator light. It only shines very dim. After the engine is started, all the lights go …
January 20, 2012
We are all excited when a new shiny vehicle appears in our driveway, and many are interested in how they are built and perform. It's a different story when a vehicle is no longer roadworthy. Then, that old hulk is traded in, sold or hauled away. We really don't care as …
January 13, 2012
The way cars are put together has changed dramatically. Adhesives, plastic clips and even Velcro have replaced most of the screws and trim nails used to hold panels together in the past. Bolts are still used for assembling most of the mechanical components, but even bolts have changed. Many engines, transmissions …
December 30, 2011
QUESTION: I have a 2000 Volvo station wagon with the five-cylinder turbocharged engine, automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The car has been great but recently I have noticed that gas mileage has dropped and it doesn't start as quickly as it used to. It still seems to run fine. Most …
December 23, 2011
The pace of change in automotive technology seems to be increasing every year. New materials, manufacturing processes and increased computer-processing speeds help this to happen. Concepts or ideas that wouldn't work 30 years ago are now possible. Here are a couple of them. -- Mazda has introduced a new i-ELOOP regenerative braking …
December 16, 2011
QUESTION: A friend of mine and I got into an argument. If you have a front-wheel drive and four all-season radials, two new and two not so new, should the newer tires be on the front or the back? Thanks, Allan ANSWER: In an ideal world, you would install four new …
December 9, 2011
It seems like only yesterday that Ford introduced SYNC on their 2008 vehicles and began a whole new world of driver to vehicle interconnectivity. There have been many enhancements since that time and, in 2011, SYNC was combined with touch-screen technology to become MyFord Touch. My verdict on the 2011 MyFord …
December 2, 2011
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