“Air conditioning issues” means the car’s A/C isn’t working well, like it won’t blow cold air. Fixing it can cost a lot, especially if the needed parts are hard to find.
Parts availability means how easy it is to find replacement parts for repairs. The host is saying it’s been harder since the pandemic, so fixing cars can take longer.
The Ford Flex is a Ford crossover with a very boxy, unique look. Here, the host is saying a rust problem happened on an exhaust part even though the car is only about five years old.
The exhaust flex pipe is a flexible part in the exhaust that helps the system move without cracking. If it rusts and breaks, the exhaust can leak and the car may run worse or fail inspections.
The exhaust manifold is a metal part bolted to the engine that collects exhaust gases from the cylinders. It then sends those gases to the rest of the exhaust system.
A catalytic converter is an emissions device that cleans up exhaust gases. When it fails, it can be expensive to replace, and it’s often required for the car to pass emissions rules.
A manifold gasket is a heat-resistant seal that prevents exhaust leaks where the exhaust manifold connects to other parts. If it’s old or damaged, you usually replace it during the repair.
Universal parts are made to fit lots of different cars. The speaker is saying exhaust parts are less universal now and often need to match the exact vehicle setup.
A recall is when a carmaker says a certain part or problem needs fixing on affected vehicles. In this story, the clamp is part of a recall, so the dealer won’t sell it like a normal part.
An exhaust clamp is a small metal part that helps keep the exhaust pipes connected. If that clamp can’t be bought quickly, the shop may not be able to finish the repair on time.
A back order means the part isn’t available right now, so it gets delivered later. That can delay repairs because the shop has to wait for the missing part.
Term
all the maintenance
“Maintenance” here refers to scheduled service items like fluid services, filters, and inspections that keep a vehicle operating within design specs. Consistent maintenance history is especially relevant when deciding whether to perform a transmission fluid flush later in the vehicle’s life.
Two-wheel drive (2WD) means the vehicle sends power to only one axle (typically the front wheels on a Sienna). That can matter for service planning and wear patterns compared with all-wheel drive (AWD), which drives additional components.
A transmission flush (sometimes described as a “flush” or “exchange”) is a service where old transmission fluid is replaced to remove contaminants and restore proper hydraulic and lubrication performance. It’s different from a simple fluid change because it aims to replace more of the fluid volume.
Term
flushing it
A transmission flush is when you replace the old transmission fluid more aggressively than a normal drain-and-fill. The risk is that old gunk inside the transmission can get stirred up and cause problems.
Term
screen in the transmission
Instead of a replaceable filter, some Toyotas use a mesh screen inside the transmission to catch debris. Because it’s not a simple “swap the filter” job, flushing can stir up trapped dirt.
In an automatic transmission, the torque converter is the part that uses fluid to transfer power from the engine to the transmission. It’s one of the places where transmission fluid sits, so it affects how much fluid you’re dealing with.
Inside an automatic transmission, clutches are used to make the transmission shift gears. As they wear, tiny debris can build up in the fluid, and a flush can potentially spread that debris around.
Viscosity just means how thick the fluid is. Old transmission fluid can change thickness as it wears out, and adding fresh fluid can change how the transmission operates.
The phrase “shock the transmission” means the transmission might not like the sudden change in fluid condition. If the old fluid has been worn down, switching to much fresher/thicker fluid can cause rough behavior for a bit.
Term
transmission draining film
This is a way to service an automatic transmission without replacing all the old fluid at once. You drain what’s in the pan, add new fluid, and then drive normally.
Term
drain fiel
Drain-and-fill means you remove some of the old transmission fluid and add new fluid back. It’s often recommended for higher-mileage cars because it’s gentler than a full flush.
Some transmissions are designed so you can’t easily drain and refill the fluid like normal. That usually means the fluid service is harder and may need a shop.
This is a transmission service where they drain the old fluid and put in new fluid. It’s usually simpler than a full flush and is meant to keep the transmission working smoothly.
Sometimes changing old transmission fluid can make a worn transmission act up, especially if it’s been neglected. The idea is that the new fluid can change how things behave inside.
The speaker uses a Volkswagen Jetta to show that service schedules can change from one model year to the next. That’s why you can’t rely on what you “think” you know—check the owner’s manual for your exact year.
The battery supplies electricity to start the car and power the electronics. If it’s weak or there’s an electrical drain, the car can shut off unexpectedly even if a voltage reading looks normal.
A parasitic draw is when something in the car keeps using power even when it’s parked and off. That can slowly drain the battery and make the car act like the battery is “randomly” dead.
Bleeding the brake system removes trapped air from the hydraulic lines so brake fluid can transmit pressure properly. Air in the system often causes a spongy or sinking brake pedal.
The master cylinder is the part that “sends” brake fluid pressure when you press the brake pedal. If it’s worn out, the pedal can feel mushy or go too far, and the brakes won’t work right.
Bench bleeding means you bleed the brake master cylinder on the bench first, before putting it in the car. It helps get rid of air so the pedal feels firm after installation.
A brake vacuum issue means the car isn’t getting enough vacuum to help the brakes. That can make the pedal feel wrong—sometimes harder, sometimes like it’s not holding pressure the way it should.
The vacuum line is the hose that sends vacuum from the engine to the brake booster. If it leaks or is blocked, the booster may not get enough help to work correctly.
A check valve is a small one-way valve. It helps keep vacuum going the right direction to the brake booster—if it sticks or fails, the brakes can lose power assist.
This hose sends suction from the engine to the brake booster. If it leaks, your brakes can feel weak or the pedal can slowly go down because the booster isn’t getting enough help.
The brake booster is the part that makes your brakes easier to press. If it’s not working (or not getting vacuum), you may need much more pedal effort and the pedal feel can change over time.
Trapped air is air that got into the brake fluid. Air compresses, so it can make the brakes feel weak or the pedal sink, and bleeding (and sometimes cycling ABS) helps remove it.
Bleeding the brakes means pushing out trapped air from the brake lines. Air in the system can make the pedal feel soft or sink, so bleeding restores proper brake pressure.
A factory extended warranty is extra protection that lasts longer than the basic warranty. It can help pay for repairs, but it doesn’t always cover every kind of damage—especially if maintenance wasn’t followed.
Certified used cars are inspected and come with extra promises compared to a regular used car. The story is basically: even with that kind of “certified” purchase, the maintenance issue still led to a serious problem.
Blue smoke usually means the engine is burning oil. That’s a warning sign that something inside the engine isn’t sealing or working correctly, and it can lead to major damage.
They’re talking about a Ford F-150 truck. The driver had a check-engine warning, and the mechanic read a code that suggested the engine timing might be off.
The check engine light is a warning on your dashboard that something in the engine or emissions system isn’t right. You usually need a scan tool to read the exact code so you know what to fix.
A cam-crank correlation code means the computer thinks the engine’s timing signals aren’t lining up correctly. That can happen if the timing chain has stretched or the timing is off, and it’s something you shouldn’t ignore.
The timing chain helps keep the engine’s timing synchronized. If it stretches or slips, the engine can run wrong and may cause damage, so it’s important to address quickly.
Oil level is how full the engine is with oil, checked using the dipstick. If it’s too low, the engine may not get enough lubrication and can overheat or get damaged.
An oil change is when you replace the engine oil (and often the filter) so the engine stays lubricated. In this story, the main issue is that the oil level was low even though the truck wasn’t “due” yet.
The Jeep Wrangler is a type of SUV made for off-road driving. It’s popular with people who want a vehicle that can handle dirt roads and rough trails. The podcast mention sounds like they’re talking about how a 2005 model has lasted with about 123,000 miles.
Synthetic oil is a type of engine oil that’s made to work better in hot and cold conditions. In this discussion, the host says the leak isn’t caused by synthetic oil—it’s from a separate problem.
The oil filter housing is the part that holds the oil filter and routes oil through the filter. If it starts leaking, oil can drip down onto other parts under the engine.
An oil cooler helps prevent engine oil from getting too hot. It’s like a small radiator for the oil, and here it’s located near the oil filter housing.
The intake is the engine’s air path. To fix the leak discussed here, you usually have to remove intake components to get to the oil filter housing underneath.
Concept
labor intensely
“Labor intensely” means it’s a time-consuming repair. The speaker says it’s hard because you have to take off parts like the intake to reach the leaking area.
An aftermarket part is a non-factory replacement. The speaker is warning that in this specific job, aftermarket versions may not work out as well and can even prevent the car from leaving the shop.
A dealer sells the factory-style part made for your exact car. The speaker says it’s safer here because it includes everything needed for the repair.
LIVE
Pappy said, son, you're gonna drive me to drinking if you don't stop driving out hot rod.
Lincoln Revere's rocking all the lady.
Pretty easy down the road.
Just keep checking.
Good afternoon, and welcome to the car show on fifty five KRC, the talk station. I'm Dane Donovan taking all
of your car questions. The number to call five one
three seven nine fifty five hundred. That number again, five
one three seven nine fifty five hundred. I'm here love
to hear from you again. The number to call five
one three seven fifty 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 are probably feeling the heat.
No pun intended.
And and again trips I have had. Unfortunately, I just
have a customer not too long ago. They were on
a trip front 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 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,
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 uh, 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 recall five one, three seven nine fifty five hundred.
I want to talk about something or 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, people not wanting to work and people not wanting to do anything pretty much. But and 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 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 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 course 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.
Flexpipe 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 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 sent it to us. 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 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 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 for 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 her 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 clam 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 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 or 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 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 set up before on this show and i'll say it again.
Look, you know they're building these cars like they are your washer and your dryer and you're refrigerator. Right, we
buy a washer and dryer or even your furnish, I mean, furnaces used to laugh last twenty thirty years. Now you
get 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 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 in that lasting and it's it's again, it's harder, 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 so 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, it gets harder. So 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 on fifty five KRC the Talk Station.
This is fifty five KRC, an iHeartRadio station.
Do you have a truck, camper r VA, a 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.
With over thirty years of experience including insurance work and fleetwork, Franks knows the most important things are quality work and customer satisfaction. Frank's Heavy Truck Collisiony fair, pride themselves in
doing the job right and get in your vehicle back on the road. Call five one, three eight two nine
ninety thirty eight to nine ninety.
Thirty The place for Brian Thomas in the morning. Fifty
five KRC the Talk station taking your car questions.
The number to call five one, three seven nine 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'll 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'll just call him on Monday.
You're more than welcome to do that, and UH 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 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 anything?
Good afternoon, Thanks for taking my call?
Sure? Absolutely, How can I help you? All?
Right?
It's it's more, it's more of a generic question. It's
I have a twenty seventeen Toyota Siena 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 fucking 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 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 gotta start changing it more often after the first time it's never been changed.
It's oh, by the way, this is a this twenty seventeen. Yeah,
it's a it's a two wheel drive.
It's the se models. It's not all wheel drive. And
I'm saying 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 thumb?
Well, very sad, No, it's it's it's a great question.
So you said how many miles run? And I apologize
one seventy or one seventeen.
Well that's okay, one.
Okay, So it's a great question.
It used to be.
Now again things have changed, but it used to be toyos were recommended every thirty thousand miles Okay, now that that has changed, because it has I can't remember them and 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 you're the transmission itself probably holds about you know, between the torqu 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 quarts of transmission fluid with one hundred and twenty five thousand miles on it, and you're gonna 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, correct, it seems to be shifted on.
Yep.
Fine, 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 and a swimming p 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 quarts 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 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 fiel and then in thirty thousand miles do another drain in pill.
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's that's also a no note.
If if you're just gonna drive it daily for you know, you're fine and doing the drain in 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 in 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, Coyotas primarily have you know, they have good transmissions.
I mean 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 now 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 let's kind of ease into it and.
Not not not just flush it all, just do a drain and fill so it has a and if you're a doing at yourselfer, it has it has a drain plug.
I mean you have to each year, making miles a little bit different. But most of your toyotas have a
drain and a fill plug. Some cars or 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, top it off. If you do it, I
recommend the easiest thing to do is you just get a funnel and a 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, gotch some cars are
you know three and a half court summer five and a half course, you know, so okay, all right, but I would certainly do the draining field. 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
Sienna and he has I mean like two hundred 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 funny.
Well awesome, I say thanks that I appreciate you taking my call, and I will probably do a training fill.
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 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 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, somemer every sixty, Some are 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 twenty thirteen Jetta and it's never it's not recommended at all. I mean they're they're the 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 that, never heard that. I mean, like I just said earlier
in the show My Wife's Car 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 wouldn't start, it would have twelve and a hal the vehicle would be dead as a doornail. 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 we're literally driving over their house and right in the middle of the street, the car just shut off. And I'm not talking stalled, absolutely shut off,
no power to anything, 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, dating,
your alternator went out. Now it's not the alternator, because
I tested the alt nator. 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 mill 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 alright 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. 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 proud to keep this city moving. Three area locations. Find yours at donovantire dot com.
It's Glenn Beck weekday mornings at nine oh six on fifty five KRC, the talk station.
Taking your car questions again.
The 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
uh 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 I daughta?
My granddaughter has a twenty eleven Honda Pilot with one hundred and forty four thousand miles okay. She was complaining
that her breaks weren't that great. Okay, So I took
it for a test drive and she was right. The
pedal was machine and soft and was going to the floor.
I pulled all four wheels. Check the pads. The pads
are billy new, maybe twenty five hundred to three thousand miles on all of them. The caliper slides are free.
Okay, that's good.
So I bled the system. It didn't help at all.
So long story short, I ended up going to the Honda dealer and I bought a new Master cylinder. I
bench bled it, I installed it, led the system again.
Her pedal is firm, the brakes are 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 calipers.
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 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 vacut.
That's gonna be a break vacuum issue. That's going to
be a vacuum issue. Okay, where either the break, it's
not the 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'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 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 valve.
Yeah, okay, So a lot of times these valves will will stick or they'll stick open, right, so you have good pressure and then you're 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 inexpensive. 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 ground. 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 ABS pump, you'd have a low pedal all the time. 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 ABS pump, it's it's not it.
But if it 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 gravel 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 going to activate that ABS 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 A B S 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 A B S and again, the easiest thing to do is just do it in a gravel 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 a gravel 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 break 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 fluid 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 I it's that little vacuum line. You're
gonna be ah, 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 gonna cost.
You any money. Yeah, I can't hurt us, can't hurt.
So oh, thank you so much.
You very welcome. Thank you for the call. You have
a great weekend, Have a great weekend.
I enjoyed 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 it 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, Massachusetts.
But I went there and loved it.
So all right, again, taking your phone calls and I'll call five one three seven nine fifty five hundred coming up.
We have OPI. You're listening to the car show on
fifty five KRC, the talk station.
Do you have a truck, camper r VA, a trailer that needs body repair?
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Taking your car questions.
You remember to call five one three seven four nine fifty five one hundred. I'm 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.
Some we are running at time, so I want to get back to the phones we have, Opie. Hey, OPI,
welcome to the Car show.
Can help hell?
I got I got an oil change story for you.
I know, hey, you've liked the harpun change and oil.
The guy worked with bought this guy worked with bought a brand new, used certified Subaru and with a factory extended warranty. And part of the duel was he got
three oil changes for three years. He took it in
with forty eight hundred miles on it and told him to change the oil and 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 tailpighter and the cars only got like had like twenty eight hundred or twenty eight thousand miles on it or something.
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 change oil because he'd always changed before. It was every five thousand, fifty two
hundred miles.
The motor locked up to 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 it's and the moter locked up.
So now super who.
Had to put an engine in it?
I know, I know, I you know, it's okay.
I know you harp on people check your oil.
Yeah.
I my driver that does all of my driving for me.
It picks up, it takes customers back and forth and picks up parts and stuff like that. And he's got
en 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 liter
and 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 old chang 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 courts, not on
the stick. I added four courts, not only five quarts
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 changed 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 keep him 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 got mine's got mine's got one hundred and eighty seven thousand miles on it day. 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 you to it.
I can check your oil, check your check your oily.
Don't coult you nothing, Thanks buddy, take care. All right,
let's go back to the phones. We have Dean. Hey, Dean,
welcome to the car. So how can I help?
Fine, Dane?
Thanks for taking my call. Sure, hey, I've got a
two thousand and five Cheep 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 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?
Probably right between the engine and transmission.
Okay, all right, so I personally don't think that it had anything to do if you switch into the synthetic the is the oil filter?
Are you changing the oil or somebody?
Are you?
Yes?
I am every trin 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 one failure rate one okay, wow, So I just unfortunately it has nothing to do with this synthetic oil.
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 drop right there where like you said, with the engine and transmission meet. 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 intensely. 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 D talk stations
About this episode
Dane Donovan fields calls while warning drivers about summer breakdowns and the rush to get cars ready for back-to-school. The big theme is parts availability: since the pandemic, repairs are increasingly delayed, and even small items can stall jobs. Dane shares a frustrating example—an exhaust flex pipe/catalytic converter repair on a 2020 Ford Flex blocked by an $11 recall clamp, leaving a customer stranded. He also discusses maintenance planning, including a caller’s question about when to flush a Toyota Sienna transmission.
As the summer heat sets in, car troubles can be a real nuisance. This episode of the Car Show tackles some common issues that car owners face during the warmer months. From transmission fluid to brake problems, our host is here to offer expert advice and guidance to help you navigate the world of car maintenance.
In this episode, our host discusses the importance of getting your car ready for the upcoming school season. With many families hitting the road to drop off their kids, it's crucial to ensure your vehicle is in top condition. He also shares a personal experience with a customer who had a transmission issue due to a faulty exhaust clamp, highlighting the challenges of getting parts during the pandemic. The host emphasizes the need to be proactive in addressing car problems, especially with the increasing difficulty in obtaining parts.
The episode also delves into a discussion about transmission fluid, with a caller asking about the best time to flush the fluid in their Toyota. The host offers valuable advice on how to approach this task, recommending a drain and fill method to avoid potential issues. Additionally, he shares a story about a car that suddenly shut off while driving, leading to a discussion about the importance of checking the battery and other underlying causes.
If you're experiencing car troubles or have questions about maintenance, tune in to this episode to learn from our host's expertise and real-life experiences. Listen to the full episode to hear more about common car issues, transmission fluid, and brake problems, and get tips on how to keep your vehicle running smoothly throughout the summer.
