Is it safe to drive my truck while waiting for a brake repair?

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John Paul, AAA Northeast’s Motor vehicle Health care provider, answers a question from a reader whose pickup has an crisis brake situation.

Q. I have a 2020 Nissan Frontier that a short while ago unsuccessful state inspection due to the crisis brake. A further shop afterwards passed it. I brought it to the dealer, and they stated it would just take a few times to fix, but because of to elements shortages and technician diseases it hasn’t been preset however. The only observation I can tell is it feels like a wave when it stops. I hauled some gravel by back again roadways after and it has felt humorous at any time because. Is it risk-free to drive though I wait for the mend?

A. Dependent on your description, the rear brakes are probable distorted thanks to driving with the hefty load. When the shop is restoring the parking brake, reveal the wave/vibration experience when braking. The store can verify irrespective of whether the rotors are out of spherical and can resurface or change them as vital. 

Q. We were presented a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado. It operates for a while then quits. We have experienced it in the shop with no luck. It has been at a friend’s household (a good mechanic) for 10 months. He’s gotten it working but it shuts down quickly following. He feels that it is the brain telling the protection program the automobile is remaining stolen. He’s been investigating and uncovered that year’s Colorado had a large amount of issues.

A. Surely, the GM anti-theft process has been a challenge on these vehicles as they age. Whilst normally the ignition change doesn’t acknowledge the important and the vehicle will not start. In this circumstance, I would begin at the beginning. For any motor to run, it desires fuel, spark, and motor compression, and all 3 of these occasions need to occur at the suitable time. When the engine dies, what is missing? If it is gasoline, examination the gas pump circuit, if there is no spark, then glance at this place. The idea that the ECM (personal computer) is defective is attainable, but my working experience has been that quite a few vehicles’ personal computers are replaced because of to annoyance instead than an actual failure of the element. 

Q. We just lately obtained a 2021 Mazda Miata.  We also acquired snow tires from the dealership.  With the snow tires on, the low air stress gentle has remained lit, even though the tire stress is good. The supplier suggests there is a manufacturing defect in the sensor triggering the gentle to continue to be on.

A. The Miata utilizes direct style radio transmitters in each and every wheel that communicate the tire pressure to the vehicle’s computer. If the snow tires were being set up on the manufacturing unit wheels, there should not be an difficulty. If the snow tires were installed on an extra set of wheels, the sensors would need to have to be programmed. 1 likelihood is that if you use a transportable GPS or EZ Go, and it is mounted in the vicinity of the heart of the dash, it could be blocking the TPMS sign to the TPMS receiver antenna. 

Q. I have a 2003 Chevy Impala with 90,000 miles on it. I was in a situation that induced me to idle along for two several hours in 90 degree warmth, which I’m afraid harm my car’s motor. When I shut the motor off for 15 minutes, it was complicated to restart, and I knew it was sizzling. Driving back again home at freeway speeds it was bucking and kicking. I took it to a community mechanic who changed out the thermostat, flushed the program, checked the head gasket, checked the enthusiasts, set on the diagnostics, and the usual matters. Right after a thirty day period he continue to couldn’t determine out why it was still overheating and recommended I essential a new laptop or computer. I took it house and determined to do a research for minor regarded brings about of overheating. The only matter I came up with was a sensor that communicates the status of the warmth at the engine block to the personal computer. Any thoughts?

A. Idling for lengthy periods of time is not a difficulty to a thoroughly running auto. As an example, law enforcement automobiles idle for hours at the roadside. If the engine cooling lovers are operating as the engine receives scorching, the coolant sensor and pc are operating accurately. I would go again to the plan that a cylinder head-gasket has unsuccessful. You can look at the head-gasket with a cylinder block-look at package (about $35) or find a maintenance store with an exhaust gas analyzer. The fuel analyzer and the block examine package do the very same factor, they seem for combustion gasses in the cooling process The other prevalent overheat challenge with this car is that the drinking water pump impeller fails and does not flow into adequate coolant. 

John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has in excess of 40 a long time of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE-qualified learn technician. E-mail your vehicle query to [email protected]east.com. Pay attention to Automobile Medical professional on the radio at 10 a.m. each individual Saturday on 104.9 FM or on the net at northshore1049.com.