0:00 / 0:00
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 10, 2026 - Hour 2 - One Chance to Do It Right: Dealer Disputes, Exhaust Surprises, and Battery Timing

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 10, 2026 - Hour 2 - One Chance to Do It Right: Dealer Disputes, Exhaust Surprises, and Battery Timing

Ron Ananian The Car Doctor Jan 10, 2026 35 min
0:00
0:00

About this episode

Ron Ananian tackles a range of automotive issues in this episode, focusing on dealer disputes, exhaust system repairs, and battery maintenance. A caller shares a frustrating experience with a missing wheel well cover after a headlight assembly replacement, prompting a discussion on dealership accountability. Ron also recounts an unusual day in the shop with three exhaust system repairs, highlighting the intricacies of diagnosing and fixing exhaust leaks. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of timely battery replacements, especially for low-mileage vehicles, and shares insights on the longevity of Mazda vehicles.

Filter:
|
Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Part

headlight assembly

"...I had a headlight assembly installed on the vehicle and a few months later, I discovered that..."

The headlight assembly is the part of the car that holds the headlights. It helps light up the road when you're driving at night or in bad weather.

Part

wheel well cover

"...the plastic wheel well cover on the same side was missing. I made them aware of that at the dealership..."

The wheel well cover is a piece that protects the area around the car's wheels. It keeps dirt and water from getting into parts of the car that could be damaged.

Part

headlamp assembly

"...was it a bulb or the whole headlamp assembly? The whole assembly. And, and my fact had to do it twice because the first one was defective..."

The headlamp assembly is the entire part that holds the headlight bulb and lens. It's what you see at the front of the car that lights up the road when you drive at night.

Part

bulb

"...was it a bulb or the whole headlamp assembly? The whole assembly. And, and my fact had to do it twice..."

A bulb is the part that produces light in your car's headlights or taillights. It's what you replace when a light goes out.

Part

O-ring seal

"...they didn't install the O-ring seal for the Hyundai on a Hyundai, the oil filter cup and it leaked oil. The entire bottom of the car is undercoded now..."

An O-ring seal is a rubber ring that helps keep oil from leaking out of parts in a car. If it's not installed properly, oil can escape, causing problems.

Term

dashboard warning light

"...if there's a dashboard warning light on, it all gets noted on the ticket..."

A dashboard warning light is a light on your car's dashboard that tells you if something is wrong. It can mean anything from needing oil to a bigger problem.

Term

oil change

"this is like when somebody gets an oil change done at a shop and then three months later, they lift the hood and they realize the"

An oil change is when you replace the old oil in a car's engine with new oil. It's important for keeping the engine healthy.

Part

bumper

"...they had to take the front bumper off to do the headlight if they're doing a headlamp assembly. And if they did, the bottom of the wheelhouse in the front..."

A bumper is the part of a car that helps protect it during minor accidents. Sometimes, mechanics need to take it off to fix other parts like the headlights.

Part

exhaust systems

"...understand why that's so unusual. In this day and age in a repair shop, you may not do three exhaust systems in a month. All right, exhaust just doesn't go bad anymore. It's all stainless steel..."

An exhaust system helps remove gases produced by the engine and keeps the vehicle running smoothly. Newer cars have better exhaust systems that last longer because they use stronger materials.

Car

Toyota Highlander

"Toyota Highlander. Now this car had been setting a P013A as an Apple fault code for a while now."

The Toyota Highlander is a family SUV that can carry many passengers and has a lot of space for cargo. The 2015 version is one of the models in its series.

Term

oxygen sensor

"P013A is a bank one sensor to O2 sensor performance fault failure, meaning that it didn't see proper ratio or switching..."

An oxygen sensor is a part of the car that checks how much oxygen is in the exhaust. This helps the engine run better and produce fewer emissions.

Term

P013A

"And it was generally in colder weather. P013A is a bank one sensor to O2 sensor performance fault failure..."

P013A is a code that mechanics use to identify problems with a car's oxygen sensor, which helps the engine run efficiently by measuring how much oxygen is in the exhaust.

Term

V6 engine

"But I got curious and I took out my mechanics stethoscope and I started listening to, because tell me what's good. I'll tell you what's bad. I started listening to the exhaust system and a V6 Toyota Highlander..."

A V6 engine has six cylinders arranged in a V shape, which helps the car have a good balance of power and fuel efficiency. It's common in many vehicles, including SUVs.

Part

exhaust manifold catalytic converter assembly

"...the exhaust manifold catalytic converter assembly met that rear bottom pipe on the right side. And as I listened around the corner,..."

The exhaust manifold catalytic converter assembly is a part of the car's exhaust system that helps clean up the gases that come out of the engine before they leave the car.

Part

exhaust stud

"...the exhaust stud going into the flange of the catalytic converter is at a two degree angle. It was just at the tiniest of angles..."

An exhaust stud is a metal piece that helps hold parts of the exhaust system together. If it's not tight enough, it can cause problems like leaks.

Part

flange gasket

"...that flange gasket started to fail. And the nut, the contact that it made with the flange..."

A flange gasket is like a seal that keeps exhaust gases from leaking where two parts of the exhaust system connect. It helps keep everything tight and working properly.

Car

Toyota Camry

"In Bay one, we had a 2003 Toyota Camry that had a clear cut exhaust leak..."

The 2003 Toyota Camry is a popular car that many people trust for its dependability. It has a four-cylinder engine, which helps it save on gas while still providing enough power for daily driving.

Part

flex pipe with a catalytic converter

"That flex pipe with a catalytic converter from Toyota is a little over $2,200. The customer opted no, they don't want to do that on the 25 year old car..."

A flex pipe helps connect parts of the exhaust system while allowing some movement. The catalytic converter helps clean the exhaust gases before they leave the car.

Company

Subaru

"kudos to Subaru for the way they make their exhaust systems. The pipes are stainless..."

Subaru is a car brand from Japan, famous for making cars that can handle tough weather and roads. They make their exhaust systems from strong materials to last longer.

Car

Toyota Tacoma

"...l youtube videos dealing with oil weight my 2023 Tacoma takes 020 but this oil guy on youtube said when s..."

The Toyota Tacoma is a tough little truck that can handle rough roads and off-road adventures. People like to talk about it because it's known to last a long time and is great for both work and play.

Car

Nissan Titan

"...r engine life that would be great because my 2008 Nissan Titan takes 530 thoughts you know Jerry I love I love ..."
Car

Nissan 2008 Nissan

"...my 2008 Nissan Titan takes 530 thoughts you know Jerry I love I love youtube university..."

The Nissan Titan is a large truck that can carry heavy loads and is often used for work or towing. It's built to be strong and reliable.

Term

misfire codes

"...why they've got misfire codes and after taking it to everybody else it's doing spark plugs coils wires etc etc and it's of no avail because they don't understand where misfires come from anyway..."

Misfire codes are alerts from the car's computer that something is wrong with the engine's firing process. If a cylinder isn't firing correctly, it can cause issues with how the car runs.

Term

0W-16

"...this was a Toyota with 016 requirement when do you get to a 0w8 car because I understand they're out there too now the viscosities are really getting crazy..."

0W-16 is a kind of oil that works well in cold weather and helps engines run smoothly. It's thinner than some other oils, which can help save fuel.

Car

Honda Accord

"...my name is Mark I do gasoline testing for my Honda Accord with 328,000 miles best vehicle ever owned..."

The Honda Accord is a well-known car that many people like because it's reliable and lasts a long time. It's a good choice for families and everyday driving.

Car

Mazda Cx5

"my questions or I'm asking your opinion about is on Mazda vehicles my brother has a 2023 Mazda CX-5 with leather and his leases up in March he will have approximately 32,000 miles he's retired and much more financially secure so he offered me the vehicle for about 20 grand since"

The Mazda CX-5 is a small SUV that is fun to drive and has a nice look. It's popular because it offers a good amount of space for passengers and cargo while still being easy to handle.

Term

rust

"...my biggest concern would be rusting and the way they rust out they've gotten a lot better..."

Rust is what happens to metal when it gets wet and starts to break down. It can make cars look bad and can cause them to fall apart if not taken care of.

Car

Honda

"...I bet you're doing maintenance on the Honda I would follow the same maintenance routine on the Mazda..."

Honda is a car brand that makes many popular models known for being reliable and lasting a long time. They are often a good choice for drivers looking for dependable vehicles.

Car

Mazda

"...I would follow the same maintenance routine on the Mazda I think it's going to break down two costs per mile..."

Mazda is another car brand that makes vehicles known for being fun to drive and stylish. They often have a good reputation for performance and reliability.

Car

Honda That Honda

"...just don't know if it's going to go 328,000 like that Honda because some of those older Honda's just are real..."

The Honda That's is a small car that is really good on gas and perfect for city driving. It's not as popular in some places, but people who own it often find it very reliable.

Car

Honda Civics

"...n Honda anymore we're reading all sorts of issues civics and accords made in the last seven eight years h..."

The Honda Civic is a small car that many people love because it's good on gas and fun to drive. Recently, some newer models have had problems, which is why people are talking about them.

Car

Chevrolet Silverado

"...ler was nice enough to send me an offer on my 22 Silverado plow truck which only has 10,000 miles on it now ..."

The Chevrolet Silverado is a big truck that can carry a lot of stuff and is great for work or play. People talk about it because it’s strong and can do a lot of heavy lifting.

Term

CPO (Certified Pre-Owned)

"...i just purchased a cpo which is certified pre-owned for everybody..."

CPO means that the used car has been checked and approved by the dealer, so you can be more confident that it's in good condition. It often comes with a warranty, too.

Car

Volvo XC90

"...ertified pre-owned for everybody a cpo 2022 volvo xc90 with 36 000 miles still have 18 months of warran..."

The Volvo XC90 is a fancy SUV that focuses on keeping you safe and comfortable. People like it because it has a lot of room inside and comes with cool tech features.

11 cars featured

Request an Explanation

Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.

Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.

Want to learn more?

Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.

Explore Terms

Help improve this episode

See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.

Report incorrect info
Suggest better explanations
Flag missing cars

More from Ron Ananian The Car Doctor

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - Classic Car Doctor - October 10, 2015 - Hour 2 - You Love Your Car More Than You ThinkFrom the Car Doctor archives — originally aired October 2015. In this classic episode of Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, Ron opens the hour with a thoughtful discussion about the emotional connection we develop with our vehicles—often without realizing just how attached we've become. Whether it's the family car that's been through years of memories or the vehicle that always seems to get us home, cars become more than machines. Ron then helps a caller diagnose cooling system problems on a 2007 Mercury Mountaineer and takes a call from a 2013 Toyota Highlander owner whose wheels were nearly left loose after a routine oil change, leading to an important conversation about trust, quality workmanship, and paying attention after service. Also featured is an interview with Derek Miller from ALLDATA, discussing vehicle repair information, diagnostic resources, and the growing complexity of modern automobiles. Ron rounds out the hour by answering listener emails about choosing the right OBD-II scan tool and diagnosing hesitation and rough idle concerns on a Toyota. A great mix of automotive advice, consumer awareness, and a reminder that our relationship with our cars is often more personal than we think.
Jun 4, 2026
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - Classic Car Doctor - October 10, 2015 - Hour 1 - Audi Codes, Airbags & Frozen Custard
Jun 4, 2026
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - May 30, 2026 - Hour 2
May 30, 2026
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - May 30, 2026 - Hour 1
May 30, 2026