About this episode
Tom and Ray Magliozzi kick off with a hilarious Onion article about public transit before diving into caller diagnostics. Paul from Aspen seeks help for his 1991 Nissan Maxima, which makes a bizarre, duck-like croaking sound only under specific braking conditions, leading to a warped rotor diagnosis. Later, Becca from Minneapolis describes a frightening shudder in her 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee after long highway drives. The brothers pinpoint a failing viscous coupling in her four-wheel-drive system, explaining how heat causes the system to bind during tight turns.
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1991 Nissan Maxima
"Actually, I have a problem with my 91 Nissan Maximus. It's the best car I've ever owned, actually."
This is a mid-sized family sedan made by Nissan that was designed to be more fun to drive than a standard commuter car, featuring a powerful engine and sporty handling.
The Nissan Maxima of this era was marketed as the '4-Door Sports Car' (4DSC), featuring a sporty chassis and a V6 engine derived from the 300ZX. It was highly regarded for blending family sedan practicality with genuine enthusiast performance.
brake rotor
"I think you have a warped disc rotor."
This is the shiny metal disc you can see behind your car's wheels. When you step on the brakes, the car squeezes this disc to slow you down.
A brake rotor is the metal disc that spins alongside the vehicle's wheel. When you press the brake pedal, the brake calipers squeeze pads against these rotors, creating the friction required to slow or stop the vehicle.
1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee
"I drive a 95 Jeep Cherokee. This is a regular Cherokee or a Grand Cherokee? It's a Grand."
This is a popular mid-sized SUV made by Jeep that was designed to be comfortable for daily driving while still being able to handle rough off-road trails.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ generation) revolutionized the SUV market by utilizing a unibody construction instead of a traditional body-on-frame design. This allowed it to offer car-like ride comfort while retaining legendary off-road capability and full-time four-wheel drive.
1992 Mitsubishi Expo
"I recently became the proud owner of a 92 Mitsubishi Expo all-wheel drive."
This is a vintage, tall station wagon made by Mitsubishi that offered lots of cargo space and optional four-wheel drive, acting as an early ancestor to modern crossover SUVs.
The Mitsubishi Expo was a unique sport wagon/mini-MPV of the early 1990s, offering high-roof utility and optional all-wheel drive. It was part of a niche segment of tall wagons that preceded the modern compact crossover craze.
Colt Vista
"...o don't know, it is the replacement for the Dodge Colt Vista. Not my own Vista, which I still own, but it was ..."
The Colt Vista is a small, boxy station wagon from the 1980s and 1990s that was built by Mitsubishi but sold by Dodge. It was designed to carry up to seven people in a small vehicle, serving as an early alternative to a minivan.
The Colt Vista was a compact station wagon and early crossover import built by Mitsubishi and sold under the Dodge and Plymouth brands in North America during the 1980s and early 1990s. It was notable for offering three rows of seating and optional four-wheel drive in a very compact footprint, making it a quirky forerunner to the modern compact SUV.
viscous coupling
"You need something called a viscous coupling. A viscous coupling."
This is a fluid-filled device in four-wheel-drive cars that helps the front and back wheels turn at different speeds when you make a tight turn, preventing the car from shaking or binding up.
A viscous coupling is a mechanical device used in all-wheel-drive systems to distribute power between the front and rear axles. It contains a series of interleaved plates submerged in a specialized silicone fluid that thickens when heated by speed differences, locking the plates together to transfer torque.
carburetor
"...because the airplane engines seemed to backfire through the carburetor with some kind of regularity."
This is an older mechanical part that mixes gasoline with air before sending it into the engine to be burned. Most modern cars use computers and fuel injectors instead.
A carburetor is a mechanical device that mixes air and fuel in the correct ratio for combustion in an engine. Before electronic fuel injection became standard, carburetors were the primary method of fuel delivery in automotive and aviation engines.
1989 Chevrolet Suburban
"Two years ago, when I was stationed in Germany, I had a 1989 Chevy Suburban, not the same one, but the same model we're making here."
This is a very large, heavy-duty SUV made by Chevrolet that is built like a truck, designed to carry lots of passengers and tow heavy trailers.
The Chevrolet Suburban is one of the longest-running nameplates in automotive history, famous for its massive body-on-frame construction and heavy-duty utility. The 1989 model belongs to the highly durable eighth generation, which was favored for towing and large family road trips.
Lincoln Town Car
"And next thing you know, they're both locked in the airtight trunk of a late model Lincoln tow car."
This is a very large, comfortable luxury sedan made by Lincoln that was often used as a limousine or executive transport because of its smooth ride and giant trunk.
The Lincoln Town Car is a classic American full-size luxury sedan built on Ford's body-on-frame Panther platform. It is legendary for its incredibly soft ride, spacious interior, massive trunk, and bulletproof reliability in livery fleets.
1993 Audi 90S
"I have a 1993 Audi 90S. Oh, already you're in."
This is a small, upscale sedan made by Audi in the 1990s that featured luxury touches like heated seats and headlight washers, along with a smooth V6 engine.
The Audi 90S (B4 generation) was a premium compact sports sedan featuring a 2.8-liter V6 engine and Audi's signature zinc-galvanized steel body panels to prevent rust. It was designed to compete directly with the BMW 3 Series by offering a more refined, tech-forward cabin.
transmission computer
"The transmission computer. The car has an engine computer and a transmission computer."
This is a small computer dedicated entirely to controlling your car's automatic transmission, telling it exactly when to change gears.
The transmission computer, often called the Transmission Control Module (TCM), is an electronic brain that controls when and how an automatic transmission shifts gears. It processes data from various sensors to optimize fuel economy, performance, and shift quality.
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