The Ford Flex is a Ford vehicle with a unique shape and a V6 setup. Here, the host is talking about a problem with the exhaust system on a relatively new Flex, showing that some exhaust parts aren’t easy or cheap to replace.
The exhaust flex pipe is a flexible piece in the exhaust that helps the system handle engine movement. If it rusts and breaks, the exhaust can leak and the fix may require replacing more than just a simple tube.
The exhaust manifold is the part that collects exhaust gases from the engine’s cylinders and routes them toward the rest of the exhaust system. In many modern designs, the manifold can be integrated with emissions components, so a failure in one area can require replacing the whole assembly.
A catalytic converter is a key emissions part that helps clean up exhaust gases. If it’s built into the manifold on your car, then exhaust problems can force you to replace the whole emissions assembly, not just a small pipe.
A manifold gasket is a heat-resistant seal that keeps exhaust from leaking where the exhaust manifold meets the engine. When you replace exhaust parts, the gasket is usually replaced too so everything seals correctly.
An exhaust clamp holds parts of the exhaust together so they stay aligned and sealed. The host is saying this clamp is designed specifically for that car’s exhaust, so you can’t always grab a generic one from a parts store.
Here, “universal” means a part that can fit lots of different cars. The host is saying that exhaust parts used to be more commonly universal, but now many are made for specific vehicles.
A recall is when the car maker says, “We found a problem and we need to fix it.” Dealers may have special rules about which parts they can sell, especially if the part is part of the official fix.
Transmission fluid is the fluid that keeps an automatic transmission working smoothly. It helps gears shift correctly and protects the transmission from wear.
Flushing the transmission means forcing new fluid through the transmission system to replace a large portion of the old fluid. The host argues against doing this on certain Toyota transmissions because of internal design details (like filtration), which can make flushing higher-risk than other service methods.
Some automatic transmissions have a filter that catches dirt in the fluid. The host says this Toyota setup doesn’t use a typical filter, which is part of why they’re cautious about flushing.
Term
screen in the transmission
Instead of a traditional filter, this transmission uses a screen to catch debris in the fluid. That difference can matter when deciding whether to do a flush.
A torque converter is a part in an automatic transmission that uses fluid to connect the engine to the transmission. It helps the car move smoothly from a stop without stalling.
Transmission clutches are the parts that help an automatic transmission change gears. They work using fluid pressure, so dirty or degraded fluid can make shifting worse.
Viscosity just means how thick the fluid is. If the transmission fluid gets thinner or thicker than it should, the transmission may shift less smoothly.
Term
transmission draining
Transmission draining means you drain out the fluid that’s sitting in the pan and refill with new fluid. It usually doesn’t replace every drop, which can be gentler on an older transmission.
Drain-and-fill means you drain some of the old transmission fluid and refill it with new fluid. It’s usually safer for older transmissions than trying to force everything out at once.
A transmission flush tries to push out almost all the old fluid quickly. On older transmissions, that sudden change can stir up gunk and lead to trouble, so the safer approach is often a drain-and-fill.
Some transmissions are made so you can’t easily drain and refill the fluid like you can on others. That can make transmission fluid changes harder to do correctly.
They’re saying to use the transmission fluid that matches what Toyota specifies for your car. Using the wrong kind of fluid can make the transmission shift poorly or wear faster.
The owner’s manual tells you what the manufacturer wants you to do and when. For things like transmission fluid, it’s the best place to check the exact schedule for your specific car.
A Volkswagen Jetta is a common compact car. They’re using the 2012 Jetta as an example of how the recommended transmission-fluid change interval can be different from later years.
The brake pedal is the driver’s input lever for the hydraulic brake system. A “soft” or “spongy” brake pedal often points to air in the brake lines, a hydraulic leak, or a problem with how pressure is being built and held.
Brake pads are the parts that squeeze against the rotors to slow the car down. New pads should help, but they don’t fix problems if the brake fluid system has air or other issues.
The caliper slides are the moving parts that let the brake caliper slide smoothly. If they’re stuck, the brakes can feel bad or not work evenly even with new pads.
Bleeding the brakes means getting air out of the brake fluid lines. Air can make the pedal feel soft; if bleeding doesn’t help, something else in the brake system may be wrong.
Bleeding the brakes means pushing out trapped air from the brake lines. Air makes the pedal feel soft or like it slowly goes down instead of staying firm.
Calipers are the parts that squeeze the brake pads against the rotors to slow the car down. If the brake system has air or leaks, the calipers may not get consistent pressure.
This means the vacuum that helps your brakes work isn’t right. If the vacuum assist isn’t steady, the brake pedal can feel firm at first and then slowly drop.
ABS is the system that prevents wheels from locking up. The ABS pump is the part that controls brake pressure for that system, and some cars need it turned on during brake bleeding to get all the air out.
The master cylinder is the part that creates the brake fluid pressure when you press the brake pedal. If it’s leaking, the brakes can feel like the pedal slowly drops or doesn’t stay firm.
Brake fluid is the fluid that carries the braking force through the brake lines. If it leaks or ends up where it shouldn’t, the brakes can feel wrong and the pedal may not stay firm.
The brake booster is what helps your brakes respond with less effort. If it’s bad, the brake pedal can feel wrong—sometimes hard, sometimes slowly sinking.
The ABS module is the part of the car that controls ABS braking. If air gets trapped inside it, the brakes can feel wrong, and you may need to clear that air out.
An extended warranty is extra insurance for repairs after the normal warranty ends. Here, it’s mentioned because the car still ended up with a major engine problem.
Term
used certified Subaru
A certified pre-owned car is a used car that gets inspected and comes with extra warranty coverage. The story uses this to show that even “certified” cars can fail if oil changes are ignored.
Checking your oil is just making sure the engine has enough oil and that it isn’t in bad shape. The story says they didn’t check it while the car was smoking, and that led to the engine failing.
“Locked up” means the engine basically seized and stopped moving. It’s usually a sign of severe internal damage, and here it happened after oil changes were delayed.
The check engine light is a warning that something isn’t right with the engine or emissions system. You usually need to plug in a scanner to find the exact cause.
Cars have sensors that watch where the engine’s camshaft and crankshaft are. If the readings don’t line up, the car logs a code to warn you something about timing or sensors may be wrong.
Many modern engines use a chain to keep the engine’s moving parts in sync. If that chain is worn or stretched, the engine can get out of timing and trigger warning codes.
An oil change is when you replace the engine oil. It helps protect the engine, and the oil level still matters even if the car says you’re not due yet.
Term
burning it
When someone says the engine is “burning oil,” it means the oil level is going down faster than expected. That can happen if oil gets into the combustion process, and it’s important to keep the oil topped up.
This is a 2005 Jeep Wrangler. The caller says it started leaking engine oil after switching to synthetic oil, so they’re trying to figure out exactly where the leak is coming from on that Jeep.
Synthetic oil is a higher-tech type of engine oil. It’s designed to protect your engine better, and here the caller thinks it might have caused leaks—while the host suggests the leak is probably from a part, not the oil type.
Oil leaks mean engine oil is escaping from somewhere it shouldn’t. The important part is where it’s leaking from, because different areas suggest different causes.
The space between the engine and the transmission is a spot where leaks can show up. If oil is pooling there, it helps the mechanic figure out whether it’s coming from the engine or from the transmission area.
An oil cooler is a component that helps keep engine oil from getting too hot. In this case, it’s mentioned right next to the oil filter housing, so a leak in that area could be coming from the cooler or its connections.
The bell housing is the part between the engine and the transmission. If oil gets into that area, it usually means there’s a leak that needs attention.
The oil filter housing is the container that holds the oil filter. If it leaks, oil can drip and run down the engine, making a mess and potentially causing problems if you don’t fix it.
An aftermarket part is a replacement made by a company other than the car’s original manufacturer. The host says that in this case, aftermarket versions can cause problems because they may not include everything needed for the repair to work correctly.
In this context, “dealer” means buying the replacement part through the vehicle’s brand dealership (OEM supply chain). The speaker’s recommendation is that the dealer part includes the required sensors and correct assembly, which reduces the chance of a labor-intensive job needing rework.
LIVE
Pappy said, son, you're gonna drive me to drinking if you don't stop driving out hot rod Lincoln.
Ever, we's rocking all the lady.
Pretty easy down the road.
Just keep chucking.
Good afternoon, and welcome to the.
Car show on fifty five KRC, the talk station. I'm
Dame Donovan taking all of your car questions. The number
to call five one three seven fifty five hundred. That
number again, five one three seven fifty five hundred.
And uh, yes I am in studio.
I told my producer Danny that I almost forgot how to get here.
I do apologize.
It has just been a very busy summer and uh MYU my oldest son, Aidan, had a couple of tournaments that we're out of town and uh, and then last week we are at a fundraiser, uh which dot In supports.
We're one of the presenting sponsors. And UH for those
of you who who may or may not know, you know, my youngest was diagnosed with cancer when he was two and a half. And there was a golf tournament on
the west side of town and uh, they decline was a recipient of it, and I told her name's Julie caught out she runs it and great, uh great event, and it raises money for those who are going through uh cancer, and and.
Man, what a great event. So I promised that.
So Declan was a recipient and uh, you know, helped raise a lot of money for us help with medical bills and whatnot. And I was forever grateful, and I
told Julie that I would give back every year as long as I could. So that's where I was last Saturday,
and uh, man, it was a great event.
Our team came in second place. We almost want it.
And the winners though they did have a hole in one, so it's really hard to beat.
You know that those are rare, so congratulations to them.
But anyways, I'm here, love to hear from you again.
The number to call five one, three, five hundred. We
are in the thick of it. As far as traveling
in heat, I'm sure of those those of you who don't have air conditioning probably feeling the heat, no pun intended.
And and again trips I have had. Unfortunately, I just
had a customer not too long ago. They were on
a trip from they went to Mammoth Cave I believe lived in Columbus and they just they they were passing through downtown Cincinnati.
Car broke down.
Unfortunately it was the transmission. They were stranded there for
pretty much the entire day. Their dad was coming to
pick them up. But you know, now, mind you, sometimes
these things are Sometimes they happen and there's nothing that you can do, but heck if you can prevent it. Right,
we're still in the middle of summer. I know some
schools are starting back in a couple of weeks. It
sounds crazy, and again maybe some of those, uh, some of the some of some of you guys out there with children who are going back to school, going back to college. If you're thinking about if they're driving back,
you need to start thinking about getting the car in now, getting inspected, getting it ready to go back to school.
I hate to say it, but it's rapidly approaching us.
Right for those of you who have air conditioning issues, of course that you already knew that months ago, and you're either suffering through it, which kudos to you. I
don't think I could do it. Some people just go,
you know what, I'll just deal with it. I'll roll
the windows down, which is perfectly fine, because sometimes they just don't want to put the money into it, and uh, it's it can be so overwhelming and expensive and h but it's something that we have to, you know, we have to. It's one of those things that we either
fix it or deal with it. So again, taking your
phone calls and I'm recall five one, three, seven, nine fifty five hundred. I want to talk about something and
for those of you out there, I want you to know this because ever since the pandemic, we have really not recovered from being able to get parts. I mean,
I'm telling you what I know that the pandemic caused all kinds of issues. Uh, people not wanting to work
and people not wanting to do anything pretty much. But
and it's not it's not the tariffs. Okay, it does
have effect on it. Again, I talked about it not
too long. I was on the news about it.
It has.
It has an effect on the automotive industry. However, we
have never recovered after the pandemic, and it is harder and harder to get parts. And these manufacturers and aftermarket
companies are not making parts as long as they used to.
And I have a twenty twenty Ford and I'm not picking on Ford. I love Fords. But I'm I was
kind of upset with them earlier this week. Twenty twenty Ford, Okay,
this thing has fifty thousand miles on it. Twenty twenty Ford.
The ford flex of the Flea exhaust flex pipe.
Rusted off. This car's five years old. Okay.
You would see this maybe on a car that's fifteen years old, ten years old, not five. This car is
five years on it. Okay, fifty thousand miles, five years old.
Flex pipe breaks. It's part of the exhaust manifold, okay,
which the converter's built into.
Not too terribly expensive.
The part was fairly inexpensive, which I it was around I think six hundred and seventy five dollars, which I know that's a lot of money, but I mean I've seen Toyota converters cost two three thousand dollars easily, so six hundred dollars is pretty reasonable for a catalytic converter. However,
you need to replace the manifold gasket, and then there's a clamp that was completely rusted as well. We need
to replace that clamp. So we ordered everything and the
dealership send it to us, and but they called back and said, hey, listen, we can't sell you this exhaust clamp.
This is not you would sit there and go, oh, Dan, we can just go down the street. No, this is
a it's a clamp that was designed for this exact exhaust system. You can't just go down to you know,
a parts place and get this clamp. Okay, it was
a special exhaust clamp designed for this car, for this exhaust.
That's how you know. It used to be all universal.
It's not anymore. Every year make model car has a
different you know, break caliper or break hose or it's it's a headache.
It's a nonsense.
But anyways, so here we are, we've got everything ordered, and they called me back, said, Dame, we can't sell you the exhaust clamp. This is under Ah, there's a
recall on this engine and this clamp is part of that recall. So Ford won't want to sell it to you.
This is an eleven dollars exhaust clamp. So now this
young lady who brought her car to me because the exhaust is loud and she needs to get down to again Mammoth Cave, and I can't get a car back to her because of an eleven dollars exhaust clamp because Ford won't sell it. They've got it locked up in
this recall. So basically they're kind of hording them. So
take care of the recalls on these vehicles. And meanwhile,
this poor girl doesn't have her car and can't get her car back because I can't get it eleven dollars exhaust clamp because Ford won't sell it to me. Now
they would, they'd have to get it from a different depot and I'd have to wait a couple of days, and you know, but she was already leaving town, you know, and I'm like, I cannot.
Believe that we're in this.
So, you know, it's it's unbelievable how difficult it is to get parts anymore. So when you're taking your vehicle
to a repair shop and they're like, hey, we can't get the parts, we can't find the parts, believe them when they say that, because I'm telling you, it gets every single day it gets harder and harder to get parts.
And again, this is I mean again, could you probably find it on eBay or you know, on online maybe, but I needed it that day. And every dealership in
the city is Greater Cincinnati Area had one, but they're not allowed to sell them, and so I was.
I was frustrated over that because you.
Know this, this young lady can't go to on her trip because I can't get her car done because of an eleven dollars exhaust clamp that Ford won't sell me.
I'd have to wait a couple of days for it.
So listen again, when when you take your vehicle in, whether it's new or not, I mean, a twenty twenty vehicle should not need an exhaust.
That to me is just ridiculous.
But if you take it in there and hey, they're telling you they can't get the parts, believe them. Please
believe them because it every single day it gets harder and harder and harder to get parts.
It's so difficult.
So if you can get it fixed and get it done now, just fix it because it gets again harder and harder in these cars. And I've said it before
on this show and I'll say it again. Look, they're
building these cars like they are your washer and your dryer and your refrigerator. Right, we buy a washer and
dryer or even your furnace, reme, I mean furnaces.
Used to laugh. Last twenty thirty years.
Now you get a about you know, eight years out of them, and they're they're toast, and it costs more.
You know, it's more money to fix it than it is just to replace it. And unfortunately, that's how they're
making these cars. And cars aren't cheap. If you've looked
at new car prices, sixty seventy eighty thousand dollars, there's sometimes almost the average I mean, you can get a smaller, you know, smaller vehicle for less than that, but the average suv or or truck which most of US Americans drive, you know, again, there's they're sixty seventy eighty grand, right, and they just all the technology in these vehicles is just is breaking down and not lasting, and it's it's again, it's harder and harder to get to get these these parts.
So just think about that.
If you take your car in and like, hey, we can't get the part for a couple of weeks or it's on back order, it happens every single day now, every day.
So if they can.
Get the part, don't hold off on it. Don't say,
oh well, maybe i'll do it next time. If they
can get the part, fix it, because it gets again every day gets harder.
All right again, I'm taking your.
Phone calls and I'm gonna call five one three seven four nine fifty five hundred. That number gain five one
three seven four nine fifty five one hundred coming up.
We have Fred and Eddie. You're listening to the car
show fifty five KRC the talk station. This is fifty
five KRC and iHeartRadio station.
Your car isn't just a machine, it's your daily partner.
And with new cars becoming more expensive than ever, smart maintenance for your current vehicle just makes sense. Hi, I'm
Dane Donovan, third generation owner at Donovan's Auto entire Center.
That's why at Donovan's we give you everything you need and nothing you don't. Honest expert service to keep your
car running longer. Donovan's Auto entire Center Cincinnati's honest choice
for auto repair, set's nineteen fifty eight three locations in Blue Ash, pleasant Ridge, and our new location near Xavier.
Donovan's autoform find yours at donovantire dot com.
The place for Brian Thomas in the morning. Fifty five
KRC the Talk station.
Taking your car questions.
Number to call five one three fifty five hundred. I'm
Dane Donovan from Donovan's Auto entire Center located here in the Tri State area, Cincinnati. For those of you listening
and maybe may or may not know, you know, we have several area locations in this in the greater Cincinnati area, So you go to donovantire dot com find your nearest location, and uh we be more than happy to.
Help you out.
And for those of you who listen and maybe don't want to call, have a question, you can always call.
Always call me at the shop. If you're like you know,
I don't want to call on the radio show, I just call him on Monday. You're more than welcome to
do that and love to help you out. By by
all means love to.
Help you out.
So that's what I'm here for every Saturday. So uh again,
then I'm gonna call five one three.
Hundred. Let's go to Fred. Hey, Fred, welcome to the
car show.
How can I help any ding?
Good afternoon, Thanks for taking my call?
Sure, absolutely, how can.
I Yeah, all right, it's it's more it's more of a generic question. It's I have a twenty seventeen Toyota
Sienna with two with one hundred and twenty five thousand miles on it. I'm the first owner. I bought the
thing brand new back in twenty seventeen. It's been a
wonderful vehicle. I keep up with the all the maintenance.
The only question I have about it because the local Toyota dealer keeps bucking me about getting it done. This
is the one fluid I have not gotten flushed or done dealt with. And again this just questions more generic,
like there's nothing in the manual about flushing the transmission.
So my question is like when what is a good time a mileage.
To get it flushed?
And when you do flush? It's like, I don't know
everything I read up on it seems like you've got to start changing it more often after the first time it's never been changed.
It's by the.
Way, this is a this twenty seventeen Sienna. It's a
it's a two wheel drive. It's the se models. It's
not all wheel drive.
That that helps.
But but yeah, wonderful vehicle. Just want to pick your brain, like, well,
transmission flashes, like, what's what's the rule of thumb?
Well, prey, no, it's it's it's a great question.
So you said, how many miles a run and I apologize one seventy or one seventeen.
Well, it's okay, one okay.
So it's a great question.
It used to be.
Now again things have changed, But it used to be toyotas were recommended every thirty thousand miles. Okay, now that
that has changed, because it has I can't remember that.
It's like World something or another transmission fluid. But anyways,
you are in a little bit of a a teetering point in the sense that you don't well, first and foremost, I would not recommend flushing it, okay. Toyotas do not
have a filter. They have a screen in the transmission.
They don't have a filter.
Okay.
So at one hundred and twenty five thousand miles, it's never been changed. If you flushed it, you're flushing out.
You know, you're the transmission itself probably holds about you know, between the torque converter, the pan, the lines and everything like that, you probably have about, you know, roughly you know, ten to fourteen quarts of transmission fluid in that in that vehicle, right, so you have ten to fourteen courts of transmission fluid with one hundred and twenty five thousand miles on it and you're going to force it through that screen. Right, There's there's dirt, there's debris, there's transmission clutch, you.
Know, matter and everything like that.
So you really don't want to flush it because you're gonna potentially cause an issue.
What I would recommend if you want to do it.
So one hundred and twenty five thousand miles, you're not having any transmission issues corrected.
Seems to be shifted on yep on just wonderful vehicle drives great. I'm just just trying to keep up of
maintenance and make sure.
What I would do because sometimes with transmission fluid, and I've talked about this before on the show, we talk about viscosity, the thickness of the fluid.
Right.
So new transmission fluids a lot thicker, right than your old fluid because it breaks down it gets thinner, right.
So a lot of times if you introduce all that new fluid to the transmission, sometimes it can shock the transmission.
It can't handle it because it's so thick, right, So it'd be like it would be like you running and it would be like you were you know, you're swimming in a swimming pool. And then you go ahead and
you change your fluid. Now you're trying to swim in
a pool of jello. Right, It's too hard, it's too difficult, right,
So we don't want to I wouldn't recommend that we introduce and do changing all the fluid. If you wanted
to do it, I would do a transmission draining film, so you just drain out what's in the pan, and then you put in new fluid, which roughly is about four courts of transmission fluid. So we're not changing all
of it. We're just changing some of it and introducing
some of that new fluid into what's existing. Okay, I
think that's the way to do it. I think that's
a bit abrasive. I mean, if we changed all the fluid,
it'd be like, you know, another analogy. You know, you
get in your knee replaced and then having to run a marathon next you know, next week.
You know, it's too hard, right, But.
Maybe if you got some knee pain and you treat it with a little bit of medicine and some therapy or whatnot, and we slowly introduce you know, so maybe change it now just to do a drain and fill and then in thirty thousand miles, do another draining pil you know, that's the way I would approach it.
I don't want to be too you don't want to be too.
Aggressive or abrasive, you know, too aggressive, and make sure you don't do it and then take it on a long road trip that you that's also a no note if if you're just going to drive it daily for you know, you're fine and doing the draining fill, but just make sure a lot of times people go, oh, well, you know, I'll change my transmission fluid before I go on a long trip. You really don't want to do
that because it's really hard on it.
Okay, Okay, so a drain and fill, so with one hundred and twenty five thousand miles, I'm assuming it's probably a good idea to do this, then.
I would highly recommend it.
Yes, Toyotas primarily have you know, they have good transmissions.
I mean you really don't have a ton.
But yeah, it would be too aggressive if you try to if you tried to do a flush, I would not do that, not at a hundred. Now, if you
were like, hey, Dan, it has sixty thousand miles on it, Okay, that's fine, but one hundred and twenty five it's never been changed.
Let's kind of ease into it.
And not not just flush at all. Just do a
drain and fill so it has a and if you're doing yourself, it has it has a drain plug. I
mean you have to each year making models a little bit different, but most of your toyotas have a drain in a fill plug. Some cars are have sealed transmissions,
and it's a nightmare to do a transmission drain in fill.
But yours should be pretty much a drain in fill.
So you just drop the drop the plug, change out that fluid and top it off.
If you do it, I recommend the easiest thing to do.
Is you just get a funnel and you know, five gallon bucket or whatnot, and you try to catch it.
You catch it and you find out exactly how much came out. That way, you can start there. You know,
some cars are you know, three and a half court, some are five and a half course, you know, so okay, all right, but I would certainly do the.
Drain in fill.
That's how I would if I were in your shoes, That's what I would do. My father in law has
He has a Siena and he has I mean like two hundred and twenty thousand miles on the scene and I'm telling you what, it still runs like a top.
I Actually my wife's driving it right now because her car broke down. So my wife's car broke down the
fourth of July and uh I had to had to have it towed. And oh wow, even I have car,
even I have car problems.
So that's well awesome. I say thanks that, I appreciate
you taking my call, and I will probably do a training bill.
All right, thank you, I appreciate Hey, make sure you use I would highly just do the Toyota fluid.
There's there's there's you know.
I'm not you know, knocking on anybody else, but I would just at four courts just by the the recommended Toyota fluid, you know. Just yes, some other manufacturers might
have a different detergent, might have a different mixture, and so on and so forth. But with one hundred and
twenty five thousand miles, it's not going to be too expensive.
I would just I do the toy Toyota transmission fluid, just just to cover all your bases, to make sure you don't create a problem. Right, Sometimes, yeah, sometimes when
you change transmission fluid, sometimes you can create a problem opposed to just you know, leaving on a loan.
So yep, got it.
Thank you so much.
I appreciate that.
I have a good day.
We've got you too, all right, all right, bye bye. Yeah,
that's a great question, you know. That's the thing about
transmission fluid, you know, and it's so confusing, right, So some vehicles you're supposed to change it every thirty thousand, SMER, every sixty Somemer, every hundred BMW I think BMW out Evolvo all their transmission fluids are lifetime. They don't recommend
replacing them at all. So you should always go back
to your owner's manual and find out when the recommendation is, because again, every year, make them all And I'm telling you what, I could have a twenty twelve Jetta and it's recommended every sixty and then two thousand thirteen Jeda and it's never.
It's not recommended at all.
I mean they're they're I mean, it's it buckles down to years. And uh, that's the one thing about this
business is you think you know it all and then somebody walks in the door. Somebody calls right, and you're like, man,
I've never seen, never heard that. I mean, like I
just said earlier in the show, my wife's car h July third, we're going to see some fireworks at my in laws house, and she was having some intermittent battery issues.
Like the battery would be just be absolutely dead and then i'd jump it. It'd be fine, it'd be dead,
wouldn't start, it would have twelve and a half. The
vehicle would be dead as a door nail. Car won't start,
but the battery has twelve and a half volts. And
I'm like, so, I'm I'm thinking that there's some you know, something else going on.
And uh.
On July third, we're literally driving over their house and right in the middle of the street, the car to shut off.
And I'm not talking stalled, absolutely shut.
Off, no power to anything, you know, the door locks, the radio, the dash. I mean, it is dead as
a doornail at in the middle of driving it. Now,
some people go, well, Dan, your alternator went out. Now
it's not the alternator, because I tested the alternator. We waited,
We waited all of about five minutes. It fired right
up and started, you know, perfectly fine for a couple of days. And uh, I mean knock on Wood. I
was like, well, we the battery has been dead before.
Maybe there's an underlying you know, drawl or so I put a battery in it. Knock on Wood. I haven't
had any issues, but I have never ever seen a battery cause a car to just completely shut off in the middle of the street. I mean it just I
mean it went into park quit. You couldn't put you
couldn't I couldn't put it in neutral. I couldn't do anything.
So and I mean the cars it's only seven years old, one hundred thousand miles, seven years old.
And the thing, so it happens. Everybody has car problems.
So all right again, taking your phone calls and I'm gonna call five one, three, seven, four, nine, fifty five hundred again. Phone lines are wide open. Love to hear
from you. Uh, coming up, we have Eddie. You're listening
to the.
Car show on fifty five krs the talk station.
Do you have a truck, camper, r V or trailer that needs body repair? If so called Frank's Heavy Truck
Collision Repair located just all five seventy five or Route sixty three.
It's convenient to both Cincinnati and Date.
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It's Glenn Beck weekday mornings at nine oh six on fifty five KRC, the talk station.
Taking your car questions again. Then number to call five one, three,
seven four nine fifty five hundred.
Love to hear from you again here every Saturday to answer all of your car questions. And so Eddie's been
waiting patiently. I really do appreciate it, Eddie. Welcome to
the car show. How can I help?
Good afternoon, and thank you for taking my car.
Yeah, thank you so much for your patience. I really
do appreciate it.
Not a problem. How can My granddaughter has a twenty
eleven Honda Pilot with one hundred and forty four thousand miles.
She was complaining that her brakes weren't that great. So
I took up for a test drive, and she was right.
The pedal was muchie and soft and was going to the floor. I pulled all four wheels, checked the pads.
The pads are bailly new, maybe twenty five hundred to three thousand miles on all of them. The caliber slides
are free.
Okay, that's good.
So I bled the system. Yeah it didn't help at all.
So long story short, I ended up going to the Honda dealer and I bought a new massive cylinder. Okay,
I bench bled it. I installed it, led the system again.
For pedal is firm. The break's a good bush. If
I keep constant pressure on the brake pedal, it slowly goes down. So I don't. And someone had said, oh,
you should change the rubber lines going to the caliphers.
So right now I get the car up on jack stands and the wheels are removed. I looked at all
the rubbers. They don't look distorted. They're not cracked. I mean, yeah,
they're from twenty eleven, but they don't look bad. I've
seen a lot worse.
Yeah, So so again you said it stops on a dime.
It does great.
But as you're sitting out of light, the pedal slowly depresses.
Correct.
Okay, so most likely that's a vacu that's going to be a break vacuum issue. That's going to be a
vacuum issue. Okay, where either the break it's not of lines.
Does the vehicle let me ask you something real quick, let me backtrack just a minute. Does the vehicle have ABS?
Unfortunately? Yes?
Okay, all right, okay.
So what I don't I'm much and I don't have a scan it to activate the ABS pump as I'm bleeding.
I'm doing it the old fashioned way.
Okay, yeah, sometimes yeah, So a couple of things. So
if the pedal is slowly going to the floor, you have a great pedal, but then as soon as your whole night goes down, that's a vacuum issue.
So either so the the couple of things.
One, the master cylinder itself could have maybe leaked break fluid into the booster maybe couset uh, was there ever an issue where she was adding brake fluid or anything like.
That or you were no, no, not at all, okay, just just if the pads went down.
Okay, all right, okay, So but again we're dealing with a vacuum issue. It's not anything with the brake lines
or anything like that, or the abs itself. That's either
a booster issue or the the the vacuum line that's running from the booster to the engine. Okay, okay, what
I would recommend to start out because boot it's it's pretty labor intensive to put a booster in it. What
I would recommend is replacing that vacuum line going from the engine, which is typically in the intake to the booster.
Now it is so most of these vehicles will have a check valve, a little valveh Okay, so a lot of times these valves will will stick or they'll stick open right, so you have good pressure and then holding it and it goes down. So before you go replacing
a booster, because you're gonna have to pull that master cylinder off and you got to get underneath the dash there.
It's pretty time consuming.
Again, the booster may be bad, but before we do that, the vacuum line is going to be in a expensive if it has the check valve in it. Let's and
again most of them do, Let's go ahead and get one.
You're gonna have to get it from. Honey, you're not
gonna be able to buy it at you know, any local parts place.
It's got to come from. It's molded.
So let's let's go ahead and replace that. That vacuum hose.
It goes from the engine to the booster, and let's try that. If you're still experiencing the same issue, then unfortunately,
we're just you're gonna have to put a booster on it.
Okay, So you don't think it's the ABS pump.
No, no, no, no, you if it was the A B S pump, you'd have a low pedal all the time.
You'd have it. It'd be going all the way to
the floor all the time. Okay, if you've got a
good pedal. If it if you've got a good pedal
immediately and the car stops, then it's it's not a it's not an air issue where they're you know, or the A B S pump, it's it's not it.
But if it's slowly kind of.
Goes down to the floor, then we've got a booster or a vacuum issue. So but what you can do,
and I know, like you said, you didn't have a scan tool, you could you know, I don't think again, I don't personally think it's an ABS issue. But what
you can do, and for those listeners out there, you want to do this safely, but go into find a graveled lot. Okay, you go into a gravel lot, maybe
go ten fifteen miles and or do it safely, but you know, ten fifteen miles an hour and you slam on those brakes and it's gonna activate that a BS and what it's gonna do is it's gonna push that air through because that that that actually is the you know, it's gonna activate the ABS and it's gonna get that possible air that's trapped in the ABS module. It's gonna
it's gonna pump that out. Okay, now you may have
to bleed the brakes again, but you know, do that.
You know, do that four or five times where you activate the ABS and again, the easiest thing to do is just do it in a graveled lot and get that trapped air out and then you know, you can try to bleed it, you know a couple you know once or twice again, but that's one way you could do it without a scan tool is just activate the ABS in a safe manner on the gravel a lot, and that will that would get any trapped air that's in that module. If it's if the pumping module is
working correctly, it'll activate that module and that pump and get that air out. But again, I don't think your
con your actual issue.
Is not abs. It's it's a vacuum issue.
But do the do the vacuum line first, again, buy it from Ana. Do that first, because that's easy. You
could knock that out in five minutes. And if it
doesn't fix it, then unfortunately it's gonna need a booster.
And again a lot of times what happens is the master cylinders themselves. It may not be a bunch, but
sometimes the seal inside there can leak break fluid into the booster and that that that brake fluid ruins the you know, it ruins the booster. So you may not
it may not be completely you know, you know, like oh, there it is, but it could over time have leaked flew it into it and you know, yeah, and ruined it.
So it's it's you know, with it with it being eleven, it's common. But to save yourself some headache, replace that,
you know, because if you know if you did the booster first, you'd be racking.
Your brain, like what what you know?
What do I If it's that little vacuum line, You're gonna be aw So do the vacuum line.
Still doing it, do the booster.
And again in the meantime, if you want to activate that a BS and just rule it out because it's not that's not going to.
Cost you any money. Yeah, I can't hurt us, can't hurt.
So.
Oh, thank you so much.
You're very welcome. Thank you for the call.
You have a great weekend, Have a great weekend. I
enjoy your show immensely.
All right, thank you so Uh he called from Boston, Massachusetts.
And I'll tell you what, I don't get out that much.
I haven't been to a ton of cities, but I did have an opportunity to go to Boston, Massachusetts, and man, we stayed downtown and I've talked about this before. Man,
what a gorgeous city. I really liked it. And uh,
I just liked it being in the city, being on the water.
It was really neat. I really liked it. So good spot.
If you ever have, if you ever have the time, swing by there, because I liked it. But again I
don't get out much, so you know, I'm there's probably a million different places in this in this country that is better than Boston's, Massachusetts.
But I went there and loved it.
So all right again, taking your phone calls and it'll call five one three seven nine fifty five hundred.
Coming up, we have Opie. You're listening to the car
show on fifty five KRS the talk station.
Way back in nineteen fifty eight, my grandfather opened Donovan's Auto entire Center right here in Cincinnati. A lot has
changed since then, but our commitment to honest auto repair hasn't.
We believe in making sure your vehicle gets everything it needs and nothing it doesn't.
Because as a.
Family owned business with our name on the wall, integrity matters.
From nineteen fifty eight to today, Donovan's Auto entire Center is still Cincinnati's honest choice for auto repair, and we're proud to keep this city moving. Three area locations. Find
yours at donovantire dot com.
This is fifty five KRC, an iHeartRadio station taking your car questions.
Remember to call five one three seven four nine fifty five one hundred. IM Dame Donovan taking all of your
car questions every Saturday from one to two. And that's
what I'm here for, love to hear from you. So
we are running at times, so I want to get back to the phones we have. Opie, Hey, OPI welcome
to the car show. How can I help?
Heh I got I got an oil change story for you.
I know how you'd like the harp on change and oil I work with. Guy work with bought a brand
new used certified Subaru and with a factory extended warranty and part of the deals he got three old change for three years. He took it in with forty eight
hundred miles on it and told him to change the oil.
They said no, we changed oil every ten thousand miles.
We backed up when he first got it, first day he had it, we walked out to leave it after work.
He started up and it blowed a big puffe's blue smoke by smoke out of tail fighter and the cars only got like had like twenty eight hundred or twenty eight thousand miles on it or something yep. And I
told him check your oil and things smoking like freight train and he didn't check it. And he went in
and had told him to change oil because he'd always changed before. It was every five thousand, fifty two hundred miles.
The motor locked up.
Fifty two thousand, no fit.
He drove the car fifty two hundred miles. Oh wow,
fifty two hundred miles. They would not change the oil
at forty eight hundred miles because it said it wasn't due until ten thousand miles.
I know.
And the motor locked up. So now so had to
put an engine in it.
Yeah, I know, I you know, it's okay.
I know you are on people check your oil.
Yeah.
I My driver that does all of my driving for me, picks up it takes customers back and forth and picks up parts and stuff like that. And he's got Eno
F one fifty. The other day he goes, man, I
just got my truck. My check engine lights on and
it's an F one fifty. It's a five lead And
I said, all right, well, let's I read the code.
And it was a CAMP. It was a cam crank
correlation code or whatever timing chain issue. And I'm like,
check your oil and he was like, well it was at the bottom of the stick. I'm like, well, let
and he didn't know right. So I'm like, let's check
your oil. So go in there. This car, he not
due for an oal chain. He changes it every three
thousand He's not due for an oil change yet.
And I check it.
I'm like, it's not on the stick. But I'm like,
you can see it a little bit. But I said,
it's not on the stick. So I added two courts,
not on the stick. I added three quarts not on
the stick. I added four courts, not on five courts
of oil. And he wasn't even due for an oil change.
And I'm like, buddy, I'm like, you gotta check your oil. Unfortunately,
all these cars nowadays, they're burning it.
I mean, I've got a you know, my wife's car burns oil.
Ridiculous. I've got I've got an O two S ten
with a four to three in it, and I change them all every three thousand miles and it's down maybe at half a court when I change it.
Oh yeah, I know. These new cars are.
And the thing is is they just keep these manufacturers just keeping pushing. They keep pushing these dates out farther
and farther and farther. And I mean these cars are
one hundred thousand miles, and they're absolutely they're junk, you know.
So, Oh, mine's got, mine's got Mine's got one hundred and eighty seven thousand miles on it, and like I said, it uses a little less than a half a court every three thousand miles, which I can't complain about that.
No, sir, nope. Well I appreciate your story. I can
check your oil. Check your oil.
Check your oil.
Don't cost you nothing, Thanks buddy, take care. All right,
let's go back to the phones. We have Dean. Hey, Dean,
welcome to the car show. How can I help?
Hi, Dane, thanks for taking my call. Sure, Hey, I've
got a two thousand and five Jeep Wrangler and at one hundred and twenty three thousand miles, I took the advice of a friend to change my oil to synthetic, and since that time, I've developed oil leaks in the engine.
Have you ever heard anything about it like that?
No?
No, no, I probably I'm almost certain I know we're when if in correlation to where the cars parked, where are you seeing the oil?
I'm probably right between the engine and transmission.
Okay, all right, So I personally don't think that it had anything to do with you switching to the synthetic the okay, is the oil filter are you changing the oil or somebody?
Are you?
Yes, I am every house.
And is the oil filter right in the center of the engine.
It's actually it's a it's a canister filter, like right on the top of the engine.
Yeah, it's on the on one side of it, towards the back of the engine.
Yeah.
So there is a what's called the oil filter housing.
So there's an oil cooler and the oil filter housing there.
They're bolted, they're underneath the intake. They one hundred day
of a one failure eate one.
Okay, wow, So I.
Just I just unfortunately it has nothing to do with the synthetic oil. It is just coincidental that oil filter
housing is leaking, okay. And what happens is that oil
puddles up in the valley of the engine and then it then it then runs off the back of the engine and down the transmission and the bell housing, and it's gonna, it's gonna, it's gonna right there where like you said, with the engine and transmission meat. So the
oil filter housing again, which comes with the cooler, that is leaking again.
Failure rate they all do it. There's nothing you can
do to prevent it.
Very very common problem. What I would recommend that you do.
I mean, you're probably gonna need to take it to a mechanic because the intake's got to come off and everything like that. It's pretty labor intense. Do not buy
an aftermarket one. I've I'm a victim of it myself.
We've we've tried in the past to try to save customers money and put an aftermarket one in it, and some of them, some of them. Sometimes the cars don't
even leave the shop. So buy one from the dealer.
It comes with all all the sensors and everything that you need. But get one from the dealer. Whoever does it,
either you take it to the dealer or your friend or whatever.
Get one from the dealer. It's not much more.
But save yourself the headache, because again it's very labor intensive, you know, like two or three hours, you know, but that can be labor intensive. But buy one from the dealer.
But that oil filter housing is leaking, so okay, not not not doesn't have anything to do with the synthetic fluid.
Okay, I appreciate that I'd heard I'd heard you know, stories, rumors that maybe that's what it was.
But yeah, absolutely, I guarantee it.
So okay, all right, I really appreciate it.
All right, you're welcome, take care, Bye bye. What a
great show. Thank you for all of those who called.
I will be back next Saturday to answer all of your car questions. Thank you so much.
Everybody have a safe weekend, enjoy the rest of their summer.
I know it's hot.
It's been rainy here Cincinnati. It feels like we're in Seattle.
But again, everybody appreciate the phone calls. Everybody have a
great weekend. We'll be back next week to answer all
of your car questions. You're to listen to the car
show on fifty five KRC the talk stations.
Then and.
Then and.
Then and Then
About this episode
Heat, breakdowns, and backorders set the tone as the hosts talk about getting cars inspected before back-to-school driving—especially when parts availability “has really not recovered from being able to get parts.” A 2020 Ford Flex exhaust repair turns into a delay over a recall-linked clamp, showing how even “an eleven dollars exhaust clamp” can strand a customer. Listener calls then cover Toyota transmission fluid service (drain-and-fill, not flush), brake vacuum/ABS bleeding, and oil-change discipline after an engine “locked up.”
This episode of the car show is a must-listen for anyone who's ever dealt with the frustration of trying to get parts for their vehicle. Dane shares a personal anecdote about a customer who was stranded on the side of the road due to a faulty exhaust clamp, which was being held back by a manufacturer's recall. This led to a discussion about the current state of the automotive industry and the challenges of getting parts, especially since the pandemic.
Dane talks about how manufacturers are making it harder to get parts, and how this is affecting car owners. He shares his own experience with a 2020 Ford, where he had to wait for a recall to be resolved before getting a replacement part. He emphasizes the importance of being proactive and getting maintenance done on time, especially with the increasing complexity of modern cars.
Dane also answers listener questions, including one from a Toyota owner who's wondering about the best time to change their transmission fluid. He advises against flushing the entire system, but recommends a drain and fill instead, to avoid potential issues. Another listener asks about a brake problem with their Honda Pilot, and the host suggests checking the vacuum line as a possible cause.
This episode is a great reminder to be aware of the challenges facing car owners today and to take proactive steps to maintain our vehicles. If you're experiencing issues with your car, tune in to hear the host's expert advice and insights.
