I had the PCV valve replaced around 60K, then at the next service they wanted to do it again (not reading the records that they had already done it). Then at 80K they wanted to do it again, I declined. Today it was in for 85K service and they said "the PCV valve is dirty and needs to be replaced." The advisor told me after the initial replacement at 60K the interval is 20-25K miles.
View 10 RepliesYesterday the check engine light came on in my 2006 Prius. I took it to the dealer, and they said that the camshaft gear and valve cover need to be replaced. Specifically, the diagnostic report says "P0011. Camshaft position A timing over. Advanced or system performance bank 1. Pin point check LED to CUV gear not switching."
View 9 RepliesSo I drive a 2008 and a couple months ago I started getting the Check Engine Light. Codes P1121 & P1116. Found out it was most likely related to a faulty Coolant Control Valve or Electric Water Pump. Since the pump was just recently changed I went ahead and got the valve changed.
The light is still coming and going but now when I go on the expressway that red triangle with the exclamation pops on with a little beep. Only pops on for a couple seconds and keeps coming back until I drive a bit slower.
I'm suspecting a small valve cover gasket leak. I've noticed dirt starting to accumulate near the alternator side of the front valve cover, there is dirt on there stuck to oil, I don't see any wet oil but its so minor the dirt just sticks to it. 107k miles here. Seems to be a common problem. I think Downhiller had a large oil leak, source unknown around his crank pulley area. You wouldn't think a car this young would leak oil. It's not bad, I havn't had to top any off I just like a mildly clean engine.
View 38 RepliesI just got a 2007 Prius and using it mostly on a dirt/rough road. My problem is that there is a metal cranking noise coming from under car and trunk. This is nit happened when i drive on a good road.
I already asked the mechanic to check sway bar, shocks, struts, and brake. They said everything is okay except the front left strut boots which is already worn out. But the strut itself is still in good condition.
I'm OK everything except the noise. Already replaced new tires but it doesn't work....
This morning I went to the self serve junkyard to pull some parts, in a hurry to get back to my car I place my tool box that had some oil, grease and dirt on the bottom of it, on to my rear seat.
View 5 RepliesThat tiny strip of glass under the rear spoiler is so poorly designed. Dirt got trapped on it so easily and it gets worse in the rain, it's like frosted glass.
View 19 RepliesJust back from a 300 mile run back in light to moderate rain. Car performed beautifully running probably 95% at speeds of 70 or 65. 45MPG with a/c on and cruise where I could. Considering the added drag of plowing through water, I figure that is pretty good especially since I was not driving to maximize MPG, I was anxious to get there and into my own bed.
Got home and went to unload it and noticed a band of dark dirt perhaps 1" wide on both rear doors conforming to the rear edge of the door just forward of where the door edge meets the door pillar.
Was never off road or in a construction zone. Doors were closed normally. Rest of car clean except for a few bugs that were fatally attracted to the lights.
Is this typical? Or a sign of misalignment? Caused by some air being evacuated from the car's interior?
We have an 07 F150 XL reg cab. Having problem with the doors rattling going down a dirt or bumpy road. They sound almost as if door weren't shut rite even though they are slammed shut. We took it in to the dealer and they said they adjusted and replaced door stops but we still have the same problem. plus they said they could not duplicate.
View 14 RepliesI've had my 2000 V6 Passat in for service three times with Secondary Air System issues - the dealer said that the whole thing needed replacement. The indy shop identified a couple of things to repair but said total replacement was unnecessary. A secondary airs system valve has been replaced twice (same one both times). Check engine always comes on within a day - we took it to another dealer for their opinion and again. Said that I need to replace the valve (third time!).
View 2 RepliesI recently purchased a 2000 Expy 5.4 with AWD. The issue is when in Drive it is only in 1st. I can manually shift it to 2nd. If I get it up to 40 and shift it back to drive it just reeves if I am going 30 and do that it throws it back in 1st.
So I searched a lot of the forums, I asked the previous owner some questions. Been 80 to 90k since the last tranny fluid change. Said he tighten the shift cable when it first noticed it was not shifting right and then it started to shift hard (squeal the tires). I ordered a rebuilt valve body assembly, came with plate, solenoid, accumulator and valve body. The supplier indicated this was the fix for my symptoms.
I dropped the pan. A bolt from the solenoid was in the pan. No magnet. The oil smelled more like axle grease, but did not really see signs of metal sludge in the pan or filter. Dropped all the components, yeah that accumulator plate is not for the faint of heart, I found all the rubber fortunately.
I found a couple decent pictures showing where they go in the tranny, the plate pictures were missing to many of the 'other' holes to use that as a guide. I saw a comment to use petroleum jelly to hold in place, I used that trick and it seemed to work. Put everything back together, torqued all the valve body nuts and bolts to 8 ft lbs, figure that is approx. 96 inch lbs and in the 80 -100 recommendation, new filter. Added 8 qts of oil back into the pan.
With it still on the stands started it up and went thru the gears down and up stopping in each one. Set it down and went for a test drive. Same exact behavior. Drive is first, can manually upshift to 2nd, put back in Drive at a slow speed and it goes to first, at a high speed it acts like it is in neutral. What I missed, do I have a clutch problem, or ?????
When and how to change?
View 2 RepliesI replaced my EGR valve vacuum check valve, but now started getting sputtering/rough idle. I'm pretty sure the direction of the vacuum check valve is correct, but I tried both ways to be sure and still got the sputtering at idle.
The old vacuum check valve didn't give me the sputter. I only replaced it because it was melted and I'm not sure it was working. I included a photo of it. It's orange and black.
When the idle control valve is replaced does the ECU have to relearn the settings?
View 2 RepliesI just finished replacing the Valve body gasket in my 99 ranger with the 4.0 liter v6 with the 5r55e trans. My problem now is that I have no gears i can shift it but the gears do not engage.. I did install the updated bonded separator plate and the tsb for the blow off valve with it.
View 6 RepliesWhen I did the PCV valve on my wife's car it looked like nothing more than a metal housing with a ball bearing rattling around inside. That left me wondering, why not just clean and reinstall the original valve? Is there a reason why that wouldn't be nearly as good? I realize it's a $10 part but I have to ask the question before I go buy another for my own car.
View 2 RepliesI have a 2004 toyota Prius with 185k miles on it and recently got the CEL for P1121. I checked both coolants and turns out that the engine coolant was completely out. I immediately filled it up and the CEL went off for a couple days. It has come back and is on constantly, I checked the coolant and the coolant is at the correct level.
View 19 RepliesWhat is the to cause to check engine light go off. I will take my car to auto zone tomorrow morning to hopefully get a code and see if I can fix it myself... if not, then I am going to have to go to the dealership.
View 19 RepliesI had my a/c recharged in April and it was blowing hot again by July. I brought it back in today and they told me that it is leaking out of the Schrader valve on the low pressure side. They told me that they would have to replace the entire line which would cost a few hundred just in parts. Why can't they just replace the valve. The tried calling auto stores for a special part, but could not find one. How to seal or repair just the leaking Schrader valve and not the entire line?
View 8 RepliesSo a few months ago my right front HID headlight went out and was replaced by Toyota (under the 50K HID Headlamp warranty). The next day, it was out again. I went back to the dealership and they looked a little deeper and told me it was a burnt terminal. What the report said was: "Found Burnt Terminal #1 connector H5 and head lamp cover, harness. Need to remove right head lamp assembly to:
*Replace Rear Headlight Cover
* Wire harness between cover and ecu
* Replace connector H5
* Repair Terminal #1 at connector H5
The headlamp was fine for a while and then the problem came back recently. The right headlight would be out when I started the car... and then it would usually flick back on after driving for a few minutes.
Just replaced 12 volt battery from a dealer nearby. Got it in OK, but my "!", ABS, and VSC and Brake lights are still on. Pads and shoes look fine. Is there a reset button or mode for these lights. I was under the impression that the display voltage test of 9 volts (dying battery) was causing the lights to come on. Just want to make sure there is no reset on the lights (like after an oil change) before I move on to other testing or the mechanic. The other symptom I've had along with these lights is the yellow arrows coming from the battery don't stop when I come to a stop. I have to put in neutral or park to get them to stop not matter how hard I press on the brake. This happened a couple years ago, along with the lights above, but went away. I wrote it off at the time to a bad connection somewhere.
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