The rear-pinion seal is a part that keeps oil inside the back of the truck where the wheels are. If it leaks, it can cause problems with how the truck drives.
Traction is how well the tires of a vehicle stick to the road. Good traction helps prevent slipping or sliding, especially when driving uphill or on slippery surfaces.
A torque converter is a part in automatic cars that helps connect the engine to the transmission. It makes it easier for the car to start moving and helps with smooth acceleration.
Transmission fluid is a special liquid that helps keep the parts inside an automatic car's transmission working well. Changing it regularly is important to prevent problems.
A powertrain warranty is a type of insurance for your car that covers important parts like the engine and transmission. If something goes wrong with these parts, the warranty can help pay for repairs.
The Honda Civic is a small car that many people like because it's dependable and gets good gas mileage. The 2008 version is one of the newer styles and has some nice features.
Lane departure warning lets you know if you're starting to leave your lane on the road without using your turn signal. It's a feature that helps keep you safe while driving.
Automatic braking helps stop the car if it senses something in front of it that could cause a crash. It's a safety feature that can help avoid accidents.
A backup camera is a small camera at the back of the car that shows you what's behind you when you're trying to park or back up. It helps you see things you might not see otherwise.
Blind spot monitoring helps drivers see cars that are in areas they can't see in their mirrors. It uses sensors to warn you if there's a car nearby when you're trying to change lanes.
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We've been digging through our archives for some really old gems from the show. Now these very special episodes are usually just for our very special car talk plus supporters. But since it's the holidays, I figured we should be generous and let everyone listen to one. So here are a few calls that I took recently. We hope you enjoy them and if you do, please consider signing up for car talk plus and you'll get to hear all the fun every other Thursday. So go to plus.npr.org slash car talk to find out more and happy
holidays. Hey, it's Ray and welcome to another bonus feature for car talk plus subscribers. If you're an NPR plus subscriber and you want to ask me a question, you can leave a message at 888-522-5478. That's 888-522-5478. Hello, who's this? This is Kyle. I'm from Puyallup, Washington. Kyle, what's going on, man? Oh, I've got to do the for you.
You're ready for a tail. All right, give it a shot. All right. So I've got a 2017 F-150 and right out of the gate, right after I bought it, I bought it used and we just had issues with it right off the bat. We had a crack in the valve cover on the driver's side. So I take it back, they fix it.
And a few months later, we had a rear-pinion seal leak. So I take it and they fix it. And then another rear-pinion seal leak. I take it and they fix it. And then they did a recall on it. And I drive it for two weeks and then all of a sudden just.
Well, it turns out the guy left the bolt down the intake. So they give me a new engine. I'm like, okay, great. We're good to go now. Well, about a year later, 11,000 miles or so, I've got oil coming out of everywhere. Turns out the guy didn't put the engine together right. So I got another new engine. And then their rear end goes out and they replace that. And then it only lasts for 10,000 miles and then they replace it again. And then throw up this whole time.
There's little pittly stuff going on like with the sun roof and all this stuff. And so the problem, the reason why I'm calling is because right now, anytime I'm towing a trailer that's kind of heavy and I'm going up a hill. If I really put my foot on it, I get like a vibration.
It's almost like a shuttering where if I'm going up, going up a hill with a trailer and the engine is going up and it's different. All of a sudden, I'll just get it and I have to back off the throttle.
Really? And when does this vibration seem to be coming from the back? It kind of comes from everywhere. Yeah.
Yeah. It kind of comes from everywhere. Okay. Yeah. And you want on a paved road or dirt road or completely paved smooth road. It's only when I'm towing heavy.
And it's only when I'm going up a really steep hill. Now, what the hell do you want to do that for when you say heavy? What do you mean heavy? Like a house?
You're towing something that's 8,000 pounds with an F-150. Yeah. Okay. And how steep is the grade? It's steep. It's a steep hill.
I end up going maybe 15 miles an hour up the hill because if I put my foot into the gas a little bit more, then it starts shaking and vibrating like so.
What are you repossessing motor homes in the middle of the night or something that you're hauling these and even that, they don't weigh 8,000 pounds.
Well, this one does. This is my wife's trailer. We call it the Alice Palace. Okay. So if you if you were to drive more slowly up this steep incline, it wouldn't do this probably. Correct. Yes. True.
I hesitate to say, but I think it isn't a problem with the engine. I don't think I think it's a problem with the the back wheels losing traction. Oh, interesting.
Well, it might be wrong. It probably is wrong. Don't forget, I've been out of practice for quite a while here. And you know, I don't have my brother sitting next to me asking the stupid questions that it would usually ask like what color is it, et cetera, et cetera.
So I haven't got enough time to really think. But that's the first thing that comes to mind that that you can take this same hill and without the trailer, you can fly up this hill with your truck.
Yes, I can. I will say I know enough about cars to just be dangerous. So I'm not an expert in any way. I just, I'm like, oh crap. So I put feeling way myself sometimes.
I put some instant shutter fix. I don't know. I found it online in the transmission. And it seems to help a little bit because I thought it may have been a torque converter issue.
But it could be if I'm not towing. If I'm not towing and I go up that hill, it flies up the hill. But if I, again, if I put my foot into it, I can still feel a little bit without towing anything.
So it will do it, even if you're not pulling 8,000 pounds. Yes. Okay. But it's not as bad as. Okay. All right. All right. So is the check engine light ever come on? No.
But it's possible that the transmission is is causing the shuttering. But well, here's what I recommend. Okay. I don't know how many miles you have in this thing. But you got 110 110. It wouldn't hurt to change the transmission fluid already done.
Wouldn't hurt to do it again. Maybe once a month. So when you, when you did do it, did it improve the thing?
No, not at all. Well, that's the philosophical question. Like, do I just, I'm, I'm so sick of this thing. And it came with a warranty. Like all of this stuff has been always fixed under warranty. So that's, that's the thing. It's like I've got a lifetime powertrain warranty. But it is in the shop every single year or less every six months.
So you have a lifetime powertrain warranty. Yeah. That includes the transmission because that is an integral part of the powertrain. I would, I would take, take the thing in and tell them what it's doing and let them figure out that they ought to replace the transmission.
Okay. Yeah. But it could keep it and just like, let them keep it. Oh, yeah, you have to keep it, Kyle, because this is like a science experiment. Now you can't give this, you can't give this thing up. You know, you'll be calling every week.
So, so let's, let's keep in touch. And I think we should invoke the warranty on the transmission. And I think with any luck, they're going to, maybe it's just a converter, but maybe not.
But it could be the, but if you, if this will do this with note with no load, then it's probably something serious. And it's going to rear its ugly head. So sooner or later, you're going to have it in there and have them replacing the transmission.
Okay. Good luck, man. Hey, thank you. Appreciate it. Keep the fake. Take care, Kyle.
We'll be back in a minute.
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Look, if you're an NPR car talk plus subscriber and you want to ask me a question, leave a message at 888-522-5478. That's 888-522-5478.
This is Chloe from Kansas. Chloe, what's going on Chloe? Well, I have a beautiful blue 2008 Honda Civic sedan.
It is my first car. It is my only car. I got it second hand a few years ago. It's got some cosmetic damage but that's okay. We love it anyway.
And my issue, well, it's not my issue, it's my mother's issue. She thinks I need a new car and I disagree.
So I was wondering if you could help settle this argument for us.
And why does she want you to get a new car? Are you deficient in your social life? Are you romantically involved with somebody or not?
Does she think that would help getting a new car? Just asking.
No, no, no, nothing like that. She thinks my car is too old. It's got, I mean, it had, I think, 150,000 miles when I got it. It's got about 170,000 now.
And she says that's too old. You have to get a new car. It's ridiculous that you're driving a thing around. And her new argument, because that's what she started with.
And I said, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Help me with the car payments and then we'll talk. But instead, now she's saying it's not safe enough.
I need to get a new car. It's because newer cars are safer and have backup cam.
Yeah, they do have all that stuff and there's a whole, a whole suite of safety features that this car doesn't have that are available on newer cars.
So your mother must have determined on her own, perhaps, that you're a lousy driver.
And maybe, maybe you need all that other safety stuff, you know, automatic braking and lane departure warning and all that, which your 2008 Civic doesn't have.
I don't think I'm a lousy driver, but then again, who does, right? But how many accidents you had in the last six months?
Zero. Zero. How many of you caused?
Well, okay, that's a very different question, but I don't look in my rear view. So as far as I know, zero.
But you don't know what you're leaving behind you.
You know, you're cares, right? Find it.
So I think you're, are you an only child?
No, I've got two older brothers.
So mom thinks that your skills are deficient.
Obviously, your mother is the one person in the world who's going to worry about your safety more than anybody, even you.
And if she sees things in your driving or thinks the car is too old and she is right,
the car is not too old and that it's going to fall apart on you.
It could easily go another 100,000 miles, but it doesn't have all the safety stuff that the newer cars have.
And the newer cars are great. I see you.
I see you as a Subaru driver.
You know what? You hung up on me, right?
No, no, no, no, no. I would never.
Well, because I did recently drive a newer car because there was somebody else bump into my car very hard.
Oh, you little brother.
A little bit ago.
Yeah, so I got a loner and what was it?
An Audi A5?
That's a nice car.
Yeah, my mom was really excited when I pulled up in the driveway and that one.
Is it a clothing you buy a new car?
Did you buy a new car?
Oh my gosh.
She was like ready to cry when I told her I was returning it.
But you know, it had to keep you in the lane.
It had the backup care.
Yeah, it had like this and that.
It's, you know, it's all computers now.
But I mean, my dad showed me how to set my side mirrors so that I don't really have a blind spot.
And I stay on the speed limit.
I don't.
I'm not dreaming all over the road.
Look, a few of blind spot monitoring.
You don't even need mirrors.
Yes, really.
No, no, no.
I would seriously consider buying another car if for no other reason.
Well, two reasons.
So shut your mother up so she stops howling you.
And number two to benefit from all that safety stuff which this car, this 2008 Civic does not have.
Chloe, go look around.
Good luck.
Okay.
Your mother loves you.
See you later, kid.
She does.
Oh, before you go, I listen to you all the time with my dad growing up.
It is so great to hear you again and it's so great to actually get the talk to you.
So thanks for coming back.
Alrighty.
Thank you.
Bye-bye.
For an MPR car talk plus subscriber and want to ask me a question, you can leave a message in 888-522-5478.
It's 888-522-5478.
Until next time, don't drive like my brother.
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About this episode
A holiday special from the archives features a mix of listener calls that highlight quirky car issues and humorous banter. Kyle shares his frustrating experiences with a 2017 F-150 plagued by multiple engine problems and vibrations while towing, prompting a discussion on potential transmission issues. Meanwhile, Chloe debates with her mother about whether to replace her reliable 2008 Honda Civic, which leads to a lighthearted exploration of safety features in newer cars. The episode blends practical advice with nostalgic charm, making it a delightful listen for car enthusiasts.
Happy Holidays from the Best of Car Talk! We had our eye on a really ugly holiday sweater for you, but they didn’t have your size. Instead, we thought you might like to take a break from all the holiday hustle and bustle and revel in the merry misery of someone else’s car trouble. Ray has been taking car questions of late and Kyle and Chloe were lucky enough to catch him in the studio. These calls are usually for NPR+ supporters only, but in a very uncharacteristic moment of magnanimity, we decided to spread the schadenfreude around and let everyone listen in. If you have a car question for Ray, call 888 522 5478, and have a wonderful holiday season.
Get access to occasional new calls like these and other prehistoric Car Talk gems, as well as about 1000 episodes of Car Talk, by heading over to plus.npr.org
