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Aug 02, 2023

The Car Doctor Q&A: Warm AC air, brakes pricing, SiriusXM and more

by: AAA Northeast Posted: Jul 17, 2023 / 02:07 PM EDT Updated: Jul 17, 2023 / 02:07 PM EDT Viewer-submitted questions for The Car Doctor: Q. Every time that I accelerate, my 10-year-old Hyundai

by: AAA Northeast

Posted: Jul 17, 2023 / 02:07 PM EDT

Updated: Jul 17, 2023 / 02:07 PM EDT

Viewer-submitted questions for The Car Doctor:

Q. Every time that I accelerate, my 10-year-old Hyundai Elantra makes a clicking sound by the front passenger side tire. If I am parked and put the car in drive and then hit the pedal, it clicks. This also happens when I am at a stop sign and then accelerate. What is the problem?

A. The first place that I would look is at the front axles. What you describe is a classic example of a worn constant velocity joint. Other possibilities could be shifting brake calipers, loose brake pads or a badly worn axle shaft spline. Your auto technician should be able to identify the issue.

Q. I own a 2008 Honda Accord, and my air conditioner blows warm air. My mechanic said it needs a new clutch on the air conditioner compressor. Instead of just replacing the clutch, should I replace the whole compressor along with the clutch? My mechanic is very good, and I trust him but wanted to get your opinion.

A. If the compressor seals and bearings are good, replacing just the clutch makes sense. If the compressor bearing shows some slight wear or if there is oil leaking from the compressor seal, replacing the entire compressor is the most cost-effective repair.

Q. I have a 2007 Chevy Equinox and the speedometer and gas gauges have stopped working properly. Is there a way to “reset” these gauges?

A. If the gauges stopped working completely, I would look for a burned fuse or wiring issue. If the power and ground side of the circuit is okay, then the circuit board on the instrument cluster could be faulty. This is somewhat common if there is a water leak in the car, from a leaking windshield for example.

Q. I have a 2004 Saturn Ion with 221,000 miles on it. The engine and everything else still work fine, but the CVT Transmission is slipping and probably needs a rebuild, due to the issues the CVT had. The problem is finding a remanufactured unit or a technician to work on it.

A. I think a used or a quality rebuilt unit is the best way to go. Looking online (eBay Motors), a used transmission is about $600-800 for the part, plus labor and shipping. After lots of internet searching, I also found a rebuilt CVT transmission for $2400. Regarding labor, you are looking at close to eight hours to take the old transaxle out and install a replacement.

Q. My trusted mechanic just told me has led me to question how often my Toyota dealer tells me to change the synthetic oil in my 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. I take excellent care of this car and bring it in to the dealer every 5,000 miles for service. The dealer gives it a synthetic oil change every 10,000 miles. When I started servicing it at the dealer, they explained to me that every 10,000 is sufficient because it is a hybrid, and so less stress is put on the engine. But recently my mechanic, who is also an expert on cars, told me, “The dealer will tell you that you should change the oil every 10,000 miles, but really you should do it every 5,000, or else you will end up damaging the motor.” Both of these parties are experts, so whose advice should I follow? I am tempted to follow the advice of my mechanic, simply because what he says is more conservative, and I want to take the best possible care of this car. But I want your opinion.

A. They are both right! Toyota recommends changing the oil every 10,000 miles or once per year, whichever comes first. Changing the oil more often, such as every 5000 miles, will ensure the oil is clean and – most importantly – full. At over 10,000 miles even the best engine can use a little oil. If it were my car and I planned to keep it forever, I would aim for oil changes at 5,000 intervals. And, if you’re late, it won’t be cause for concern because Toyota says 10,000 is acceptable.

Q. My wife’s 2019 Kia Soul had the front brake pads and rotors changed. The parts were $243.00 and the labor $225.00. Is that reasonable?

A. If you came to my virtual repair shop, I would charge $125 each for quality aftermarket or factory rotors and $110 for a good quality brake pad. The labor to replace the brake pads and rotors is a bit over an hour. Overall, the labor price is a bit higher than mine, but the total cost seems reasonable.

Q. I bought a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe back in February and it came with a subscription to SiriusXM radio. The problem is it only gets up to 250 stations while the company touts over 300. It also drops out often with clear skies above. I’m not hitting bumps or rough roads, so I doubt it’s something that’s loose. I have called SXM and they resent their signal to my vehicle. Also, I’ve spoken with some people that have it and they all said they have no problem with it. Is this a known problem? Could I need a new roof antenna or have to adjust it? How much would a replacement cost?

A. Not all subscriptions and radios have access to all the stations. The SXM website clearly states: “Some stations may not be available on certain makes and models”. I have SXM service in an old car and only have 181 stations because the tuner is old and out of date. As far as the signal, there could possibly be an issue with the “shark-fin” antenna, but satellite radio is dependent on access to the satellite. With the satellite located low in the southern sky, there are areas where the reception will not be good. I was in Florida recently and the reception was great, but here in the Northeast, there are areas where the reception drops out. That being said, the dealer should still check out the system since there have been several software updates to these radios that may improve your reception.

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