T-Tops, the indestructible Chevy Vega and dash warning lights you never want to ignore

Hey, folks, Lenny Lawson here, the Car Guru.

I was driving to work the other day, and I got passed by a 1982, I'm guessing it was

an early 1980s Chevrolet Camaro.

And when I was selling those cars, I really wasn't that much of a Camaro or a Mustang

kind of a guy, of course.

At that point, I was, let's see, what were we?

We were a Chevrolet, Mazda, that's it.

I was trying to think, I got Oldsmobile in 1986, of course it's gone.

But yeah, we were doing Chevrolet and Mazda at that time.

And we sold cars, well, we sold Camaros with T-tops.

And people would ask me, are these ever going to leak?

No, you just really want to be honest when they say that because you've sold a bunch

of them and you know that they do occasionally leak.

It's normally right around where the wind is.

There's a lot of different things coming together at one point on a T-top.

You've got the A-pillar, you've got the top of the windshield.

You've got a lot of gaskets that are having to do superhuman things.

I don't know how they engineered it, but they didn't engineer it greatly.

There should never have been something called a T-top to begin with.

So I would say, well, let's put it this way.

If you put them in right, they probably won't leak at all.

You know, when you open the door, my problem was when I opened the door the way the T-top,

where it was placed in the gaskets and stuff, water would run down and hit me on my left

knee.

And I didn't like that.

I didn't like a wet leg every time I got out of my car.

I wasn't a big fan.

And plus, you know, when they did drip, and some one of our salespeople maybe didn't give

them the spiel like I would, they would bring it in and say, I need you to fix these T-tops

they're leaking.

Oh, and my service manager, service advisor just say, oh no, not another one.

So it was bad.

It's kind of like, well, I guess what we should have done is like Timex.

You know, if you look at an old Timex watch, it would say water resistant on there.

I mean, they put it on the face of the watch.

You'd think they would put something encouraging on there.

That's not really that encouraging.

What does that mean anyway?

Well, it probably means the same thing that the T-tops and that explanation meant.

You know, it's going to resist water, but it's probably going to lose.

Now I have a pretty expensive watch at one of my weakest moments, probably 15 years ago

I bought an Omega Seamaster, Planet Ocean, is what it was called.

And it was, I don't know if it's guaranteed, well yeah, I guess it was guaranteed to

600 meters.

You could go down 600 meters, which would kill you, but you could go down there

if you wanted to.

And it actually had a pressure release valve on the side.

If the pressure got too high, it would release some of it inside the case.

That was not a cheap watch.

Back then, hate to say it, I paid about $2,600 for it today.

You can buy one for around $9,000.

Now if you pay that much for a watch and you happen to go swimming in it, it should

be fine, but not the Timex.

So I was just thinking about all the different cars that we've sold over the years.

One guy called me the other day and he said, Lenny, I bought a Vega from your dad.

I said, what year was that?

He said 1976.

I said, yeah, that'd have to be from my dad because I was still at the University

of Tennessee at that point.

And they had Vegas perfected by that point.

Well, that's an overstatement.

You can't perfect something that is that bad.

When Vegas first came out, they had problems with the aluminum engine.

They would overheat and it would warp the block, basically.

And then it would not be good.

It would start using oil and it would overheat real badly.

And so they started putting cast iron sleeves down inside the cylinder and boring those out.

So it's still aluminum block.

They just had these steel in between the block and the piston.

And so they worked pretty good and they stopped overheating.

So what do you say to somebody?

You're out there on the lot and you've got 15 Vegas in stock and you've got 15 on

the lot and 10 in the shop with overheating problems.

And can you see the conflict of interest going on there?

I mean, not all Vegas failed.

Just a lot of them.

And not all T tops failed.

Well, yeah, they did.

They pretty much all failed.

You know, another thing I told a good friend of mine many years ago, and he reminded me of this.

He said, I bought a Camaro from me, had T tops and they leaked.

And I remember what you said.

What did I say?

You said that it would probably leak.

And the only time it wouldn't leak was when it came from the factory.

The first time you pulled them out and then put them back in.

You're done for.

They're going to leak.

Now, if you watch the news right now, the auto industry news, you're seeing a lot

of stories about engine failures and it's not any particular one brand.

It's it's a bunch of them.

A lot of bearing failures.

These are the little curved steel parts inside the engine.

They're called crankshaft bearings.

And if they fail, this is what basically the piston, the connecting rod that connects

to the piston is bolted to the rotating crankshaft.

And of course, you know, it takes a lot of oil to keep all that going.

But there's these little steel bearings that that protect the crankshaft.

And they have to be well lubricated.

But sometimes the material that they're made out of apparently fails.

And it can be caused by a lot of different things.

I mean, if an engine gets hot, if the oil breaks down, I mean, there can be

a lot of causes, but a lot of these are manufacturing defects apparently

and using the wrong material or wrong coatings on these bearings.

And it's having a big bearing on the failures of engines left and right.

And it's Hyundai and Kia General Motors is having a bunch of problem.

Ford has had some problems with some older model trucks and different engines.

So what's a person to do?

One of the things I mentioned a couple of weeks or maybe last week

was carcomplaints.com and just look it up.

If you're thinking about buying a used vehicle, I mean, there's no way that I

would buy a used vehicle without checking with the dealer that sells that vehicle.

See if there's any open recalls, number one and number two.

If there's any TSBs, technical service bulletins that will describe problems

that they're having and then go to carcomplaints.com and check it out.

See if there are any and there will be for certain model years.

I guarantee it.

OK, I'll take my first break and I'll be back in just one minute.

OK, I have returned.

Today, I think it's important that you pay close attention, especially if you

are not really familiar with automobiles.

I mean, if you're one of those people that jump in, turn the key and go

and don't think about anything.

You don't look to see if there's any lights on that aren't supposed to be on

this is for you because you need to start paying attention.

There's a lot of things that can happen to your vehicle and the warning lights

on the dash are designed to keep you informed of what those things are

when they do happen.

You know, if you accidentally leave your door open, then there's going

to be a little warning light for that.

People tend to notice that maybe your check engine light comes on.

That's that can be kind of scary.

What does that mean?

We're going to talk about that here in just a minute.

I think it's important for you to know and not be too alarmed when a

particular light illuminates the check engine light.

You know, that thing can be triggered by a lot of different things.

I'm just looking at this list and it's scary, all the different things

that it can mean.

It looks like a, I don't know.

It looks like the shape of a silhouetted engine.

And it's got the fan on it and where it connects to the

transmission on top.

It looks like that's an air cleaner, but it is scary, but it can be caused

by something as minor as a loose wire or a gas cap that you didn't

twist all the way on.

You know, some cars like Ford's and Nissan's, you don't have a gas cap.

It basically, when you close the little door, it seals it enough

to provide enough pressure to keep the emission control systems happy.

But if you don't, and if you have one that has a cap that you have to

twist on, you've got to make sure that it clicks before you drive off

or don't leave it on top of the gas pump itself.

But yeah, it can be some pretty serious things too.

Since 1996, every new car and trucks sold in U.S.

has been legally required to have something called an on-board

diagnostic system and it's a computer that monitors the

emission levels and other vital engine components.

Now, if your light comes on, a technician can plug into the OBD

port.

It's a little connection.

It looks like something you could charge an iPhone on or something

like that, except it's a little bit bigger.

And they'll plug into that and they can tell you what the

light is and what it represents, but they can't fix it that way.

Wouldn't that be great if you could just plug something in it

and it would automatically fix it, but it doesn't do that.

But basically, it's there to monitor the performance of the

engine.

A transmission problem can illuminate a check engine light.

You can have all kinds of things that are tied to that

check engine light.

That's why it's important not to ignore it and to get it

checked out.

Now, what do a lot of people do?

Well, they'll go to an auto parts store.

That's a very popular place to go to.

They'll be happy to come out and scan it for you, but all

they're going to be able to tell you, well, it's saying that

your O2 sensor might be bad.

Do you want to buy an O2 sensor?

No, I don't want to buy an O2 sensor.

What am I supposed to do with it?

I don't even know where it goes.

See, that's part of the problem.

So you can go to a little independent shop and many

times they'll be able to fix it.

But there are times when they can't.

And they'll say, sorry, we can't help you.

Take it to the dealer.

I don't want to go to the dealer.

Well, you have to go to the dealer if you want it fixed.

But the main point I want to make is if it comes on,

you got to get it checked out.

I'm sorry, but you do.

If it's an older car, still need to get it checked out

because it could cause a catastrophic engine failure

or transmission failure or something that you're not

going to be happy about.

And you might be able to head it off at the pass if you do it.

Okay, the battery light.

Now, it looks like a battery.

It has a minus and a plus on it.

These have all pretty much been standardized.

And it just doesn't mean that your battery's bad.

I mean, it could be a battery itself.

It could be potential problems with the vehicle's wiring.

Some connection has gotten corroded.

It could be a problem with the alternator.

You know, what does the alternator do?

Well, the battery starts the car and then the alternator

takes over.

It's the electric power plant for your vehicle.

And if it starts to go bad and isn't providing enough current

to go back into the battery and charge it or there's

a voltage drop due to the alternator not putting out

what it needs to, then that light's going to come on.

It could be other electrical problems.

So just because you get that little thing that says battery

doesn't mean you need to go to advanced auto parts

and buy a new battery.

That's not what it means.

But you do need to get it checked out.

It's another thing, especially in the winter months

that can strand you when you don't want to be stranded.

You know, it's really frustrating when your car

starts just fine in the morning.

And then you go to a, I don't know,

Jiffy Lou Place or car dealership

and you get your oil changed.

And then you go home the next morning,

your car won't start.

What did they do to my car?

You know, that's what you're thinking.

It's very possible.

They didn't do anything.

They just changed your oil, rotated your tires

and they didn't do anything else.

They didn't hurt your car.

But that's what happens to batteries these days.

They don't just, well, they don't give you any warning

sometimes.

Sometimes, you know, you'll get a draggy little start

like it'll go right, right, right.

And it's trying to start, but it won't start.

That's a clear indication that you've got a battery

problem.

Could be weak, but it could be weak

because the alternator isn't doing its job

keeping the battery charged.

So there's a lot of different things,

but pay attention to that light, especially now.

Okay, what else?

Oh yeah, coolant temperature.

Okay, so the symbol looks like a thermometer

taking a dip in an ocean.

And the coolant temperature warning

lets you know that your car is running too hot.

Now this could be caused by a lot of different things.

Again, a water pump that's failing.

Could be just low coolant level in the radiator

or a leak or a burst coolant hose

or even damage to the radiator itself.

Maybe you hit a squirrel.

You know, who knows?

But these are very serious

could lead to catastrophic engine failure.

You know, if you, that light comes on, pull over.

That's what you do.

You know, if you, it could be a situation

where if you drive one more mile

you're gonna destroy your motor.

And maybe you don't have a choice.

I mean, if you're on a really busy interstate,

and I mean, there's three lanes

and you're really struggling to even pull over

to the side of the road.

And that's a really scary situation.

I mean, you've got to make a decision.

You might have to drive to the top,

to the next exit or to the top of the exit.

Your life is way more important than that engine.

But just keep in mind, you could destroy it.

But stop as soon as you can,

raise the hood and take a whiff.

Because if you smell antifreeze

or if it's pouring out of the bottom of the radiator

then it's time to call the tow truck

or roadside assistance if you still have it.

And this is something that you do not mess with.

Okay, transmission temperature.

That looks like a gear

with a thermometer in the middle of it.

And what it's telling you is that

the internal components of your transmission

are getting hot.

And it could be caused by,

well, you see a lot of this when you're towing something

with a vehicle that just is not equipped to tow much.

You don't have a transmission oil cooler.

That's something that's a pretty good thing

to put on your vehicle.

And it can be installed aftermarket.

I mean, after you buy your vehicle.

You can have a transmission cooler put onto your vehicle.

So, I mean, most cars have some form of transmission cooling

but you might need a heavy duty transmission cooler

if you are towing a camper

or doing a lot of towing of maybe a heavy utility trailer.

But what's gonna happen it,

especially if the transmission fluid is low

and that can trigger the light,

then you could have excessive wear

on the inner workings of your transmission

and those parts are pretty expensive.

Now, winning the record

for the best throwback dashboard light

is the oil pressure warning light.

It looks like a watering bucket

with a little drop coming out of it.

It's just really cute.

Now, what does that mean?

Could be telling you that your oil level is too low.

And this is why you need to know where your dipstick is

so you can check your oil level.

You check most cars,

you check your oil on a level surface

and when the engine is cold.

There are some cars that want you to warm the engine up

for some reason.

It's just a way of their design.

You need to read your owner's manual

and see what it tells you to do.

But most cars you're gonna pop the hood,

you're in a level surface,

maybe your garage or your driveway.

You're gonna pull the dipstick out,

you're gonna wipe it off

and then you're gonna stick it back in,

hold it for a couple seconds and pull it back out

and look at it and see where it is on the marks,

on the dipstick.

The mark closest to your hand

or to the little handle is the full mark.

Some of them actually say full on them,

but a lot of them don't.

They just have a one mark close to your hand

and then one mark close to the engine.

And so the one, at the end,

if you don't have a mark on the,

or it's not, oil level is not anywhere in between those two,

then you need to add oil.

You need to add at least a quart.

And that will get you up,

but as soon as possible,

go to a dealership or go to the,

well, preferably go to the dealership,

find out why your vehicle's using oil.

Because if you had your oil changed,

they're supposed to make sure

that it's at the full mark.

And that's another thing I'd like to say

is when you get your oil changed anywhere,

I don't care if it's at a dealer

or if it's at a Jiffy Lube place or whatever.

I keep saying Jiffy Lube, you know, the Fast Lube places.

When you get home, let the car cool off

and then go out there and check your oil level

because it happens, folks.

They use automated equipment sometimes

to fill up the oil and you get a little short changed.

You might be a half quart low.

If that happens, I'm calling the place and saying,

listen, you didn't fill my oil all the way up.

I need to come by.

You know, sometimes you'll raise your hood.

I've seen this happen.

And there's oil all over the engine.

They left the oil cap off.

Oil cap's probably gone and a lot of your oil is gone.

So before you rush into the place to take care of that,

you need to check your oil level

and make sure that it didn't all blow out

and you need to get an oil cap before you drive the thing

because that's not good.

Okay, I'll take my last break.

I'll be back here in just a minute.

Okay, I am back.

I was driving my wife's expedition to work

and all of the tires are low.

How did I know?

Because the tire pressure warning light was on.

It looks like, I don't know,

a cross cut of a tire with an exclamation mark in the middle.

And if you see that,

then you have got too little pressure

in one or more of your tires.

Now, in her case, all of the tires have too low pressure.

Why is that all of a sudden, Lenny?

Well, it's because it got cold on us folks.

And as the temperature drops,

then the air pressure in the tires drops

and it drops below the threshold

that the computer is set at in the car.

So you need to get air in your tires.

That's a pretty easy one.

You know, if you have a good relationship

with a dealership, just pull in,

say, will you air up my tires?

And if they charge you for that,

you need to go find another dealer.

And then the final one that I have time for,

it looks like as a circle with an exclamation mark,

they like exclamation marks in the middle of it.

And it is bracketed by parentheses.

Who knows who came up with that one?

What does that mean?

It means that you've got a brake problem.

Now it could mean that you have your parking brake on.

So that's pretty easy.

It could also be a worn brake pads,

low brake fluid, a problem with the analog braking system.

You may have a separate light.

There is sometimes an ABS light

that's anti-lock braking system.

It means there's an issue with a wheel speed sensor

or a problem with connections or wiring

or it could be a lot of different things.

But, you know, this is another one of those things

you don't wanna ignore

because you really do need to be able to stop.

And if you have a major failure with that,

then that could be catastrophic.

Well, thanks for listening

to this edition of My Car Guru.

I've got plenty of this kind of stuff.

I try to parcel it out as best I can.

You can also get a copy of the My Car Guru guidebook,

just text me your email address to 423-552-2020.

They have really been flying off the shelves.

You know, it's the holiday season

and I guess people are giving them for gifts or not.

Again, thanks for listening and I'll see you next time.

T-Tops, the indestructible Chevy Vega and dash warning lights you never want to ignore

About this episode

Chevrolet Camaro

Ford Mustang

T-tops

Chevrolet Vega

Vegas

aluminum engine

crankshaft bearings

Kia

Hyundai

General Motors

open recalls

technical service bulletins (TSBs)

Nissan

emission control systems

on-board diagnostic system

OBD port

check engine light

O2 sensor

catastrophic engine failure

battery light

water pump

coolant

transmission cooler

towing

oil level

dipstick

oil change

oil cap

Ford Expedition

low tire pressure

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