Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - February 21, 2026 - Hour 2 - Hard Brakes, Vanishing Coolant, and Buying a First Truck
Ron Ananian The Car Doctor
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - February 21, 2026 - Hour 2 - Hard Brakes, Vanishing Coolant, and Buying a First Truck
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Car
Porsche Cayman
The Porsche Cayman is a sports car that is known for being fun to drive. The 2020 version is well-designed and has a powerful engine, which makes it exciting for car lovers.
Company
eBay
eBay is a website where you can buy and sell many things, including cars and car parts. It's a good place to find hard-to-get items for your vehicle.
Car
Chevrolet Suburban
The Chevrolet Suburban is a large SUV that can carry a lot of people and cargo, making it great for families or trips. It's been around for a very long time and is known for being strong and reliable, which is why many people like to talk about it.
Part
calipers
Calipers are parts of the brake system that squeeze the brake pads against the wheels to help stop the car. They are important for making sure the brakes work properly.
Part
vacuum pump
A vacuum pump helps create a vacuum, which is used in cars to make the brakes work better. It helps the brakes apply more force when you press the pedal.
Term
vacuum booster
A vacuum booster helps your car's brakes work better by using air pressure to make it easier to stop. It means you don't have to push the brake pedal as hard to slow down or stop your car.
Term
ABS sensor
ABS stands for Anti-lock Braking System. The ABS sensor helps the brakes work better by preventing the wheels from locking up when you stop suddenly, which helps you steer safely.
Term
power steering pump
The power steering pump makes it easier to turn the steering wheel. If it's not working well, you might find it hard to steer your car.
Car
Chevrolet 57 Chevy
The 57 Chevy is a classic car from 1957 that many people love for its stylish look. It's often modified and is a favorite among car collectors.
Concept
Tri-5 Chevy
Tri-5 Chevy is a nickname for Chevrolet cars made between 1955 and 1957. They are popular among car lovers because of their cool designs and history.
Car
Chevrolet Chevelle
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a car made by Chevrolet that was popular in the 1960s and 70s. The 1965 version is known for being fast and powerful, making it a favorite for racing.
Term
456 gear
A 456 gear is a specific setting in a car's rear end that helps it accelerate faster. It means the car can take off quickly, but it might not go as fast overall.
Term
parts
Parts are the different pieces that make up a car. Just like a puzzle, each part is important for the car to work properly.
Car
Ford Escape
The Ford Escape SE is a type of small SUV made by Ford. It's designed to be practical for everyday use, and the SE version usually has more features than the basic model.
Term
porosity
Porosity means there are small holes in the engine block that shouldn't be there. These holes can cause problems like leaking coolant and overheating.
Term
extended warranty
An extended warranty is like extra insurance for your car that covers repairs after the regular warranty ends. It helps you avoid paying for expensive fixes out of pocket.
Term
coolant
Coolant is a liquid that helps keep your car's engine from getting too hot. It moves around the engine to absorb heat and then goes to the radiator to cool down.
Term
water pump
The water pump is a part of your car that helps move the coolant around the engine to keep it cool. If it doesn't work properly, the engine can overheat.
Term
wheel speed sensors
Wheel speed sensors check how fast each wheel is turning. They help keep the car safe by working with brakes and traction control.
Car
Ram 1500
The Ram 1500 is a large truck that people often use for hauling and towing. It's known for being powerful and comfortable to drive.
Part
tire pressure sensors
Tire pressure sensors check how much air is in your tires and let you know if they are too low. This is important for safe driving.
Car
Dodge Ram
The Dodge Ram is a tough pickup truck that's built to handle heavy loads and rough conditions. The 2022 version has some cool features and is designed to be more fuel-efficient, which makes it a popular choice for people who need a truck for work or everyday use.
Term
scan tool
A scan tool is a device that mechanics use to check what's wrong with a car. It connects to the car's computer to read error messages and see how different parts are working.
Term
smart sensors
Smart sensors are special devices in cars that can send information to the car's computer. They help monitor things like tire pressure and make sure everything is working well.
Term
left front sensor
The left front sensor is a part of the car that checks the air pressure in the left front tire. It helps make sure the tire is safe to drive on.
Term
TPMS sensors
TPMS sensors help keep track of how much air is in your tires. If the pressure gets too low, they let you know so you can fill them up and drive safely.
Company
Chrysler
Chrysler is a car company in the United States that makes different types of vehicles, including cars and trucks.
Part
tire pressure monitoring systems
Tire pressure monitoring systems are tools in cars that check if the air in the tires is at the right level. If the air is too low, the system lets the driver know to fix it.
Term
third gear clutch pack
The third gear clutch pack is a part of the car's transmission that helps it change into third gear. If it has problems, the car might not shift smoothly when driving.
Term
code scan
A code scan is when a mechanic checks your car's computer for error messages. These messages can help find out if something is wrong with your car, even if there are no warning lights on yet.
Car
Chevy Silverado 4x4
The Chevy Silverado 4x4 is a big truck that can handle rough terrain and is often used for work or towing. The 2009 version is known for being tough and having a lot of space inside.
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The worst part about loving cars might just be buying them
and all the parts.
But on eBay, behind every car and part
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Now, start your engines.
The car doctor is in the garage
and ready to take your call.
Hey, it looks like a busy hour's shaping up.
The phones are kind of backed up,
so let's get right into it.
Frank in Illinois, 15 Chevy Suburban,
and some break questions.
Frank, welcome to the car doctor, sir.
How can I help?
Frank?
Is Frank there?
Frank going once.
Frank, there he is.
Okay.
Hey, Frank, we knew you had to be there somewhere.
So how can I help you today, sir?
What's going on?
Well, the daughter and her husband had bought a 2015 Suburban
about eight months ago.
And unfortunately, they're about 1,000 miles from me,
so this is a long distance repair.
Everything from me is, listen, Frank,
everything from me is a long distance repair, sir.
It won't matter.
And about three weeks ago, she called and said,
part of the time when she goes to stop,
breaks and everything worked perfect.
Sometimes she goes to stop.
The pedal is super hard.
Okay.
So I asked her a few questions.
Well, do you hear any noise from the brakes
or anything?
No.
Any dash lights on?
No.
Is it pulling left or right?
No.
I said, okay, so let me just scratch my head,
do a little research.
Well, we were visiting three months ago
and being an old teenager in the 60s and a hot rodder,
I just pulled the wheels, looked at all the brakes.
Pads had plenty of pad, they were wearing evenly,
the slides were moving all right.
I started it up and then I got out and spun the wheels
to make sure that there was no hang up on the calipers
or anything or a brake hose.
So I thought, well, okay.
So when I kind of went to look and I seen
that that unit had a vacuum pump
driven on the front of the motor.
Yeah.
So I said, well, I told her husband there,
so I can see if that hose was leaking anywhere.
I said, it probably runs up to the dash and everything.
And so anyway, then I got to thinking there.
I said, well, okay, it's got a vacuum leak.
I don't know about an ABS wheel speed sensor.
It'd be at their up.
So when I talked to her again,
I said, now run that by me again.
She said, well, when I go to stops,
sometimes it's normal, sometimes it's super hard.
But she said, it only pushes super hard
when I'm going slow.
I said, oh, you know, like 20 miles an hour below.
I said, otherwise it works fine.
Yes.
So I'm thinking, ooh, that sounds like that's vacuum related
on that unit.
And I said, well, told her husband to check that belt,
try to find any leaks in that hose going up.
It probably goes to the firewall.
So I'm just suspicious what you would suggest.
Take the vacuum line off at the brake booster.
Okay.
And see if there's any oil in it.
Oh, okay.
And if there is, change the pump and the booster.
Oh, okay.
Get your hands on GM Bulletin,
PIT 5361D is in David, 5361 David.
If you've got a repair shop that's got any kind of access
to service information, they'll be able to find it
if they go in under your make model.
Pitt 5361 sort of stands out on those trucks.
They've had known problems with the vacuum booster
and or the pump itself rather, the vacuum pump oils
getting in there and it's causing things to corrode
and fail and they've got some issues as a result.
Now, the one question I would have and I think you covered it
is that it's not a buzzing brake pedal.
You know, sometimes these trucks will have ABS sensor issues
as they're slowing down under seven miles an hour
and you'll step on the pedal
and it'll just start to vibrate and shake slightly side to side.
It almost drops out from under.
The complaint that I usually get for that
is that it feels like the pedal is falling away from me.
And if that's not her complaint, if it's a legitimate,
hey, I've got a hard brake pedal,
like there's no power assist,
but the pedal is consistent in height all the time.
It just feels like there's lack of assist.
Then I'm with you, I think she's got a failing pump
and if there's oil in those lines as per that Bulletin
as per 53.61, it will tell you if there's oil in the lines,
you're gonna change all the parts.
If there's oil only in the booster,
you're gonna change the hose and any accompanying parts,
you know, booster hose line, et cetera,
that goes with that pump.
So, but yeah, that's a pretty common, pretty common issue.
So.
Yeah, she did mention sometimes, I guess,
when it does push is hard.
She said it almost feels like it almost wants
to grind this a little.
I said, you sure it's not like a shutter?
Well, she said it could be.
Yeah, you know, listen, I'm not saying it can't be,
but if there was something grinding,
if there was a brake pad metal on metal,
if there was a shim out of place,
you would think it would be more consistent.
I always tell everybody, fix the first known problem.
If we can prove a bad vacuum pump and, you know,
and replace that, and that solves the bigger issue,
then we'll go and diagnose round two.
Never diagnose a broken car as crazy as that sounds.
You know, if you can prove the first problem,
fix the first problem, dad always told me, he said,
Ron, you're always gonna fix what you know is bad,
move on to the next thing,
because it'll always be something else.
You know, it's because half the time you'll spin your wheels
and you'll chase something that isn't really there,
or you don't know it's there.
You don't know it's there until you fix A,
you don't know if you've got to deal with B.
So.
Now, if they pull that line up there by the firewall there
and there's no oil in that line.
Then I'm gonna get, then I'm still gonna get my hands
on 53.61 and follow the diagnosis,
but I'm willing to bet she's got a,
she's got a problem with the vacuum pump.
All right.
Okay.
You know, and she's gonna, you know,
that vacuum pump is mounted to the engine block
located by engine oil.
So the reason you're gonna see oil in the booster line
is because somewhere in the process,
you're gonna see oil coming out of a hose
where it's not supposed to be,
because the pump diaphragm starts to get porous
and it bleeds oil through,
and then that vacuum follows its way through the rest
of the vacuum pump up the line and up over the booster.
So, you know, it would be logical
and you know, geez, if I've seen this 50 times,
I've seen it 200 times and 150 times,
it's been a vacuum pump.
You know, it's just very common.
I'm not saying automatically replace it,
but I would say give it a good look over
because I think you're gonna find oil there
and it's bleeding through the vacuum pump itself.
Okay.
Well, I kind of suspicious of that,
but I wanted to get your opinion.
No, you're on point, sir.
What kind of hot rod did you drive in the 60s?
57 Chevy.
There you go.
I wish I had it back.
You know, nobody, nobody ever said,
I'm so glad I got rid of my Tri-5 Chevy.
You never hear anybody say that, right?
It's, I always wish I had it back is the one line.
Most people that drove cars in the 60s
all pretty much say the same thing.
A lot of them anyway.
Well, the Chevy people I know,
they're all like, you know, I wish I had it back.
So it's just a fun time to think about.
So, but yeah.
Yeah, it was great times back then.
Yeah, it was a different world, every different world.
So what, I gotta ask this too, Frank,
what engines you have in that 57?
That had a 283, but a fellow that did drag racing
at a local strip, it needed rebuilding
because it needed, it was using oil.
So he just put in a 327 cam intake
and a single feed holly.
And I had a four speed wide ratio out of a 65 Chevelle.
We put a 456 gear in it.
And boy, would that thing ever take off.
Yeah, that thing screamed, right?
Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep.
Cool stuff.
Well, good memories.
Frank, I appreciate the call, sir.
Thanks for playing along.
Hey, thank you very much.
You're very welcome, sir.
You be well.
Well, I'm Ron Anani in the car doctor,
855-560-9900, I'll be back right after this.
Lately, car buying has become a pretty dull experience.
But on eBay, behind every car and part
is a story waiting to be shared.
Like this guy I read about who bought a 2020 Porsche Cayman
GT4 on eBay, it was well loved.
I mean, there are plenty of Caymans
in great condition on eBay, but this one needed some work.
That's just the start of the story.
So after this guy gets a great deal on his dream car,
he rebuilds the whole thing with all these parts
he found on eBay.
Performance brakes, suspension, body panels, the works,
guaranteed to fit.
Next thing you know, this nearly scrapped Cayman
was out there on the track as a full blown race car.
You're ready to go daily driver, your next resto mod,
Hello Lotus Elon, and the parts to finish it.
eBay has thousands of cars and is the largest
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eBay, things, people, love.
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Hey, let's go on over to Stan in Iowa.
Stan, welcome to the car doctor, sir.
How can I help?
Hey, Ron, I appreciate your show.
Thank you, sir. What's going on?
Okay, so in, uh, 74, I bought a 2019 Ford Escape SE,
71,000 miles on the road.
Right.
I probably put on maybe 2,000 miles
and those were basically long, you know,
like from Iowa to Chicago, maybe Iowa to Nebraska.
Yep.
Didn't do a lot of in-town driving.
Uh, I took it in, you know, in November of 25
because I like to have the oil changed every year
whether I have 5,000 miles on it or not.
Okay.
They said, hey, your coolant is just a little bit low
and they marked it.
And they also did a pressure check and they said,
well, the pressure check is fine.
They said, bring it back in a, you know,
a week or two or a month and we'll check it again.
Well, it was about two months and I took it back Wednesday
and the coolant was half empty.
Okay.
And they said, and they said what?
They are thinking it probably is a gasket leak
that it's leaking into a cylinder or something.
Right.
Probably.
Do you know what engine this is, Stan?
Is this the 1.5, 1.5?
Right.
Right.
I guess some of those are notorious for having this problem.
Bulletin 21-22, uh, 21-2269 if I remember right,
talks about it, low coolant, white exhaust smoke.
They had a bunch of them with porosity in the block.
The block was porous and Ford wants the block replaced.
So, um, there was a recall program.
Well, again, finish your story
and then I'll tell you my thoughts after that.
Okay. Well, there, yeah, okay.
So they're telling, I do have an extended warranty on it.
Okay.
Uh, but they're telling me, you know,
that the extended warranty company usually wants you
to prove it so that whoever you take it to has to tear
the motor all the way down to prove that that is the problem
and that I have to pay for that in the beginning.
I don't know what to do.
Am I at a loss?
Well, so, so maybe, maybe this is the answer is the answer
talking to the mechanic or the warranty company.
If we're losing coolant, let's be logical about this, right?
Yep.
If we're losing coolant and it's, is it,
do we see it leaking externally?
Nope.
So no external leaks.
No.
It just, it just returns with low coolant every six months,
every year.
Well, it went, it went a year.
Okay.
So this is now February, almost March.
Have you been driving it at all?
No, I don't drive this one very much except for trips.
You know, is the coolant low again?
I did not check it today.
So I would, you know, I would check it.
You know, I would consider adding a dye to the coolant.
If I drive it and put a thousand miles on it and I don't see any dye anywhere,
then, and I'm low on coolant, then I am consuming coolant, right?
The thing I like about dye is if it's a marginal water pump, for example,
and it's, it's, it's, it's peeing coolant every now and then.
If it's tainted with dye, it'll leave a stain that I can see with a black
light and a set of glasses.
It eliminates, it eliminates the doubt.
Because what I'm trying to get to is it's not so much proving what's wrong with it
versus proving what's not wrong with it.
If we can prove it's not an external leak and that the engine is consuming coolant,
isn't that the responsibility of the warranty company,
regardless of what we tear it down to find out it is?
I don't think so.
Who's the extended warranty with Ford or private company?
Liberty.
Okay. I would think, you know, Liberty's a pretty big name,
you know, but I would, I would think giving the track, given the track record,
if it's not external, what, you know, maybe this is the question.
If, listen, if it's not external and given the track record of how bad these engines are,
you know, what would we have to find for it not to be eligible under warranty?
You know, if it's a head gasket, is it under warranty?
Yes. Okay. If it's a block, is it under warranty?
Yes. Okay. Is it a crack in a cylinder head?
Is it under warranty?
Yes. Good. Well, then guess what?
It's, it's not external.
What do you want me to do?
Honor the terms of the warranty.
Am I missing something?
Let me ask you something.
Now under this accepted coverage thing I signed, it said, I've got platinum coverage,
but, and then Liberty prepaid maintenance and the last one is Liberty,
Liberty liability, limited warranty, power train giveaway, giveaway, 3,036 miles.
Does that mean that on the, but you have with the platinum, it says I'm covered all the way around.
Right. So what, what do we have in this conference?
You know, it's like, what do we have in the conversation for?
I'm happy to talk to you, Stan, but you know, it's like, you know, it's like,
why are they doing this to you?
Okay. I just want to know where to go next because I will take it back to the dealer.
I got it. I haven't done that yet. I was going to do that next week.
Yeah. I mean, I think it's a conversation with the dealer and, you know, and it,
listen, whoever's working on the car, you have that relationship, right?
And you go in and you say, Hey, Ron, if you came into the counter and said, Hey, Ron,
here's our Matt, we'd be have this, this is the conversation we're having.
Stan, let me, let me prove it's nothing external because if the contract says it
has to be an internal engine fault, if it's a water pump, it's not covered. Okay. Then
I'll let coolant die in, or if it's a leaking hose, I'll let coolant die and see where the
leak is from. But if I can prove it's not external, that it's losing it internally,
and I got to believe it's losing it internally, that would be the most common thing.
Then, then why are we, you know, stressing everybody out? It's a failure. It's a known,
this is a known failure, like we, well, we hope the sun's going to come up tomorrow, but,
you know, like, you know, in this day and age, I'm not quite sure, but, you know, it's, it's,
it's, this is, this is a known failure. Now, Ford did have a recall program
that was going on seven years, I think it's standard of the warranty seven years and 70,000
miles or some crazy thing. But I thought the warranty recall program ended in November of 2022.
Oh, okay. Right. So I don't, or it was, it's seven years and 84,000 miles,
something like that. But that doesn't mean you're not covered. And listen, you know,
Ford could surely be good about it and, and, and grant you some customer goodwill and say,
hey, he bought a car from us and it lasted 70,000 miles and the engine's failing.
Let's do something for the guy. You know, I applaud the car companies that do that. I
think that's the right attitude. So because contrary to public opinion and what you're
reading the news, car companies are making lots of money. Trust me. So they're not, they're not
broke. It's one, one, one final thing. If, if first comes to shove, would, would they be,
instead of me writing them a letter, would they be more pay more attention?
Say again, Stan. Stan, I'll tell you what, sit tight. You're breaking up. Let me come back
to you after the pause. So it's too important. I don't want to just rush this and we'll come
right back to you. It's very, very important. Phone number here is 855-560-9900. That is 247.
You can call us. Call us right now. We're live on the air and we'll get you up here and talk
to you about your problem. I'm Ron Anani in the car doctor. Don't go anywhere.
Lately, car buying has become a pretty dull experience. But on eBay, behind every car and part
is a story waiting to be shared. Like this guy I read about who bought a 2020 Porsche Cayman GT4
on eBay. It was well loved. I mean, there are plenty of Caymans in great condition on eBay,
but this one needed some work. That's just the start of the story. So after this guy gets a great
deal on his dream car, he rebuilds the whole thing with all these parts he found on eBay.
Performance brakes, suspension, body panels, the works, guaranteed to fit. Next thing you know,
this nearly scrapped Cayman was out there on the track as a full blown race car. You're ready to
go daily driver. Your next resto mod. Hello Lotus Elon and the parts to finish it. eBay has thousands
of cars and is the largest online selection of vehicle parts and accessories. eBay, things, people,
love. Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? Wash away your worries with Anabey. Anabey is the
only designer sofa that's machine washable inside and out, starting at just $699. Plus,
Anabey sofas are pet friendly, stain resistant and feature changeable slip covers and modular pieces.
Get up to 60% off site wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Visit washablesofas.com to get
yours now. That's washable sofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.
Comcast business helps retailers become seamlessly restocking, frictionless,
paying favorite shopping destinations. Thank you for shopping. It's how nationwide restaurants
become touchscreen ordering, quick serving eateries and how hospitals become the patient
scanning, data managing, healthcare facilities that we all depend on. With leading networking
and connectivity, advanced cybersecurity and expert partnership, Comcast business is powering
the engine of modern business, powering possibilities. Restrictions apply. Morning,
this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical underage cell prohibited.
Race tracks are like zone nicotine pouches. We all have our favorites. Whether you're a
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Hey, let's uh, Stan, you're there. We're back to Stan. So you had one last question there,
Stan. I don't want to rush you. What was it? I don't quite know how to phrase this,
but if I, if it first comes to shove, are these people going to be more, listen more to a lawyer
than what they are, maybe a four dealer or something else? If I have to get my lawyer involved
with a letter? I'm, I'm going to say it can't hurt. All right. And I think it definitely gets
their attention. And I think, you know, if that's what you're prepared to do, I think to suggest
that to the person at Liberty and you know, just common casual. Hey, listen, we're not getting
anywhere, right? You know, before I, before I turn this over to my attorney and I'm not threatening
you by any stretch of the imagination because chances are the phone call is going to be recorded,
right? I'm just, I'm just looking for an interpretation of the legality of this. I bought
an extended warranty. It says that I'm covered. My engine is covered. Should it fail? We, we,
if we can prove that there's no external coolant leaks, then, then what else can there be if it's
losing coolant? It's losing coolant, right? Right. You know, um, you know, this isn't,
you know, this is like, well, I'm a little bit pregnant, either you're pregnant or you're not,
right? You, you are or you aren't, it's, there's no in between. Um, you know, and I think you're
going to find out just how willing this company is to work with you. And it's one of the reasons why
it's funny. This is the second or third time this weekend on the show that, that extended
warranties have come up. The extended warranty company is just a pain in the neck. They, they
tend to do the best they can do not to spend any money instead of taking care of the customer.
That's my position. Prove me wrong. Um, I, I've been doing this far too long. It's to the point
now when I, when I talk to an extended warranty company for somebody, you know, a customer comes
in, I got to say, okay, I'll talk to them, but understand it's going to take anywhere from 30
to 45 to an hour in terms of time. That time's got to be compensated for because it's just,
it's, it's just too many hoops to jump through and it's, it's, but I, I think it's, you know,
the first thing that'll cost you nothing is to go in and talk to the Ford dealer
and you know, are there tests we can do to prove that it's not external
or can you call the, you know, have, have, have you had them call the extended warranty company
or is it always you? Okay. Right. I haven't called, I haven't done anything yet. Okay. I just take,
my first step is taking it back to the dealer. I, I got it from next week.
Right. Okay. Well, I understand your first, your first step was to call me and I'm honored, but
you know, I get that all the time too. So, but, um, hey, Stan, I feel for your brother,
would you, would you promise to call us back and let us know what happens? And, um, you know,
it's, it's because there's a lot of people out there in your situation. They're getting the
double talk and you know, and I just, I want to just say this one last thing. I want to leave it
here. You know, if you feel like the person you're talking to is following a script,
call them on it. Say, listen, get off the script and think with your head. Be logical. If I can
prove it's not an external leak and the engine's covered under warranty, then why do I have to
tear it down to take it apart, disable it to prove what it is until parts are available.
Got you. You know, because, because that's the other thing, right? They take it apart.
Hey, gee, Stan, you need an engine. Yeah. We don't have an engine for two months,
but by the way, we're not giving you a rental.
Exactly. So, you know, so you let us know. All right, Stan.
I will. Yes, sir. Absolutely. You're very welcome. You're very welcome. So, um, yeah, listen,
common sense has to prevail in auto repair. There's always an answer. There's always a reason.
We had another shop. They put, um, tires and wheel speed sensors
in a 22 ram pickup. The truck had two, had a tire pressure light on it, had two bad sensors,
so they ended up, you know, it needed tires. They ended up doing tires and sensors.
They couldn't get the sensors to program. Now, and I've talked about this before. We had a Lexus
that, that really put us to the test a while back where we, the sensors worked and the light was out,
but we couldn't get the sensors to display on the dash, the X 31 smart sensors. We had a
heck of a problem with them. And we ended up finally after time, we switched over to the
auto sensors. And part of my logic was, I think, auto being a scan tool company,
their tooling has to work better to talk to that vehicle. It just becomes, you know, it's,
it's who they are, right? Their, their, their tools have to be able to talk to the vehicle
in order for their tools to work. So the shop called me and said, Hey, we put
31 smart sensors in and it's, it's, it's not, we're not able to program. We can get the light
to go out. We can't get a display on the dashboard. What do you think is going on? And I took
them through some testing and finally I said, you know, listen, I've had this happen twice with
the smart sensors, two different vehicles. It's, it's kind of put a bad taste in my mouth. I think
I would probably try some hotels. Well, they didn't, they didn't have any hotels. They came over.
We took an auto out of the box, programmed it. Well, first we took the left front sensor
through the tire cause we have, we have wireless program and we can do that.
We made the left front sensor read ABCD1234. So we gave it a completely different weird number.
Now the computer is looking for its one Charlie Baker, Edward 490 18 number,
whatever is written in there. And we took the auto. We took an auto out of the box and programmed
it to that one Baker, Charlie Edward 490 T tech, whatever the number is. We made it that, that,
that strange serial number that you see on TPMS sensors stood next to the truck,
waited about two minutes. Boy, the light goes out and the left front tire displays showing zero
pressure. So we just proved that the hotels would display still couldn't get the X 31s to work.
Send the shop back, go put four hotels in it. They put four hotels in it. They couldn't get it to
program. They still couldn't get it to program. So Danny and I looked at each other cause we
knew what we had seen. We had, we had seen it work. We know it works. It's, it's, it's proof positive.
It works. Bring the truck over. They brought the truck over. We looked at it. Yeah, we can.
Oh, wait, look at this. Now this was a Monday Tuesday thing where they brought the truck to
its first on Monday. And I should also throw this in here. Every time we work on tire pressure,
do a tire pressure sensor car, every time we replace sensors out of the program,
every time we go out and we make sure that that tool is up to the most current software,
that's how fast TPMS software is changing. Tire pressure monitoring system software seems to
change daily. You have to check on a daily basis with your tool. We had just done an update overnight
Monday into Tuesday or Tuesday into Wednesday, whenever the heck this was.
Now we go out with the hotel tool on the truck. They just brought over and we find that the tool
is asking for access to Chrysler's website auto off their security website. Oh boy,
this is going to get really great. Now we have to go through Chrysler security in order to program
tire pressure monitoring systems. So we did that long story short. We were able to get the hotels
to program. We fixed the truck, but you know, it's how fast things change is my point. It's how
fast things change, never assume, never be emotional, be the master of your domain. As they said on
Seinfeld, good episode by the way, and just be sure of what you're doing and just plot along.
You know, it just, it just seems to be the reasonable thing. It's you want to end up
backing into a corner if you're careful. We fixed that truck. Stan, I'm sure your car
can be fixed with this cooling problem. It sounds like we've got people behind the phone.
And that's why I say this story because there's always an answer. Stan, it sounds like there's
people behind the phone here that just don't understand how cars work. They're reading from
a script and that's why you're getting nowhere. So go talk to your selling dealer and see where
it comes back to. I hope that all made sense. 855-560-9900 running any of the car doctor coming
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Thank you for taking my call.
You're welcome, sir. Yes, sir.
Yes, it's the HB.
Any service there? Yeah.
It's got $61,000. I serviced it at about $50,000. Changed the fluid to or
Any check engine lights?
No, nothing on that. Okay. Go look at Chrysler Bulletin 21-009-25.
Sorry, can I have that note again, please?
Yeah, sure. 21-009-25. And I believe it's revision C. It may be revision D by now.
That was dated, I think, two years ago, July, July of 24, July of 25. Maybe it's a
less than a year ago. And it talks about problems with the third gear clutch pack,
third year clutch assembly. It'll start to, if it sets a P0733 gear three incorrect shift ratio
fault, it'll cause it to shift hard and they talk about some internal trans repairs and a
declutch repair and all, you know, it gets ugly. You have to be careful with this because a lot of
what Chrysler does, if they start to set fault codes, they, in a lot of cases, they won't do
internal trans repair. Whereas they'll just replace the trans or call for the trans to be
replaced. So, you know, you'd like to have as much information as possible before you just
make a decision. I've seen this more than a few times. So is there any sort of powertrain warranty
on this yet? No. No, it's expired. Yeah, that's what I figured. Yeah. You know, now, I got your
number 21009-25. What was that pre-seeding there? Revision C. If you go look for 21009-25,
it'll come up. If you're looking, you know, if you're going to your mechanic and he's got
Mitchell or all data, you know, or Chrysler early information, he'll find it. But I tend to,
whenever I get into this scenario, I will look through bulletins. Do any of the bulletins apply?
Am I updated to the latest software? And believe it or not, I have and Chrysler, I can say I've
seen this with Chrysler. I've seen this with Ford and I've seen this with Toyota, where they will
do software updates to the transmissions and solve hard shifting problems. It's really crazy,
you know, the way they do things. But, you know, it might behoove you to go to your local mechanic
and, you know, ask him to do a code scan for year make model. Is there anything pending?
Just because the lights are not on yet, you know, it's, you don't feel good on Monday,
but you get the sore throat and the head cold by Wednesday. Monday, there's no check engine
light, but your body's thinking about it. Tuesday, it's debating it. And Wednesday,
it feels like garbage. So it turns the light on. So, you know, it's this, this truck could be two
days away from turning the light on. I'd rather see, you know, sooner rather than later. Because
the more you drive it, if there is a fault internal trans, the more you drive it, the more
you're hurting it. Right? So anyway, that's, that's what I got for you, Robbie. Call me if you need
more, 855-560-9900. We're back right after this. Lately, car buying has become a pretty dull experience.
But on eBay, behind every car and part is a story waiting to be shared. Like this guy I read about,
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story. So after this guy gets a great deal on his dream car, he rebuilds the whole thing with all
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Let's go right to James and Delaware. James, what's going on?
James. Yeah, fine. Yeah, my son Logan is getting ready to buy his first car and we were shopping
around and we think we found something in its price range. It's a 2009 Chevy Silverado 4x4.
We pulled a car fax report, and everything looks good with that. I just wasn't sure what
other things we might need to look for when we go to do the test drive.
How many miles are on it?
163,000.
So it's 160,000 miles on a 15-year-old vehicle. How much are they asking for this thing, by the way?
They have it listed for $9,999. So 10 grand. Listen, I get it. I'm going to be concerned
about rust and corrosion, so I'm going to crawl underneath it. How salty does the back of this
thing look? Was there a snow plow on the front of it? Are there mounts there? Or worse, are there
notches in the lower front spoiler where the mounts were, but somebody took them off because
they don't want you to know that it was a plow truck? Is this a used car dealer? Is this a used
car dealer? A new car dealer? There's got to be a used car dealer. Used car dealer, yeah.
Yeah, because a new car dealer wouldn't have something that old on the lot. So pull the
dipstick. How clean is the engine oil? How clean is the dipstick? Any varnish? Any crud on it?
What do the brake pedals look like? Listen, I go as far as what radio stations are on the thing.
If it's heavy metal death rock, I'm thinking, well, if it's classic or oldies, well, maybe
the person was a little more genteel. But you've got to have some money in the budget to go through
that truck front to back, change every fluid, do some, pull some basic service, unless they've
got records, unless this is the one that they've got documentation that it had all major services,
it had reasonable cleanings, it had reasonable oil change maintenance. It's going to come down
to maintenance on something that old. Whenever I look at something that age, I look at maintenance,
I look at rust, I look at overall condition, because I have to look at that truck as if the
engine in that truck blew up in two months. You've got to fix it, right? You'd have to
put an engine in it. There's no debating it, because you're buying this thing to have it for
at least, in my opinion, the next five to seven years. So if the engine doesn't go that distance,
if the trans doesn't go that distance, you've got to be ready to spend four to six to eight grand on
that and keep it going, because it's not like you're going to go out and replace it, not for that
kind of money, not for that age. Good luck to you, James. I hope it works out. I'm Ron Ananey
in The Car Doctor. Till the next time, good mechanics aren't expensive. They're priceless. See ya.
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About this episode
Ron Ananian tackles listener questions about automotive issues, including a detailed discussion on a 2015 Chevy Suburban with hard brake pedal problems. He explores potential vacuum pump failures and offers practical diagnostic advice. The episode also features a nostalgic conversation about classic cars, particularly a 57 Chevy, highlighting the shared experiences of car enthusiasts. Ron's expertise shines through as he guides listeners through troubleshooting while sharing personal anecdotes that resonate with fellow car lovers.
Original notes
It’s a busy hour on Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor—and the calls cover everything from safety to big-dollar decisions.
First, Frank calls about a 2015 Chevy Suburban with an intermittent hard brake pedal. Ron points to a known GM issue involving the engine-driven vacuum pump and brake booster contamination, and explains the smart first test to confirm it.
Next, Stan’s 2019 Ford Escape 1.5L is losing coolant with no visible external leak, raising concerns about internal engine issues and the frustrations of dealing with extended warranty “script readers.” Ron lays out a logical path: prove what it’s not, document what it is, and push for coverage.
Then, a 2021 Jeep Wrangler owner reports cold hard shifts into 3rd/4th—Ron suggests checking for pending codes, software updates, and relevant service bulletins before damage gets worse.
Finally, James asks what to look for as his son buys his first vehicle: a 2009 Chevy Silverado with 163k miles. Ron gives the real-world checklist—rust, maintenance history, fluids, overall condition, and budgeting for what happens if the drivetrain quits.
As always: don’t assume—test, verify, and make decisions with your eyes open.
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