Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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8 answers

How reliable is a second-hand Subaru 2.5 RS 04-05?

Basically, I've been a Subaru enthusiast for a few years but never been able to purchase one because I'm still a student. However, this summer I will be able to. The issue is that I need a reliable car and most-likely wouldn't be able to replace a…
Simon
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Car won't start, horn won't honk, headlights won't come on, what could cause this?

Vehicle: 2005 Honda Accord LX 2.4L FI DOHC 4cyl Symptoms Car wouldn't start today. In the past had occasionally had it hiccup before starting but that was the only indicator of problems. No accidents or special maintenance done recently that seems…
user1547672
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Do I need any special maintenance plan for a car only driven a every couple of weeks?

I work from home, so I seldom need to use my car. It's kind of nice that it can stay cleaner in winter, too. I could probably get away with almost never driving it winter, but I haven't prepped it and don't really have a good storage option for…
autobottodoggo
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Does engine oil get old and go bad?

Does engine oil actually go bad from just sitting within an engine that's not getting use? I feel conventional motor oil has been sitting underground for millions of years prior to being extracted and refined. But I have a 1995 Mercruiser 350 (small…
Travis
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Car won't come out of reverse gear unless rolling

I have a 1989 Nissan Skyline R31 and when I put it into reverse, it will refuse to come back out of gear. The clutch was changed a few thousand km's ago and has had this problem recently. The only possible way to get the car into neutral from…
user26925
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2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Stop Safely Now - P1A0C

We own a 2008 Hybrid and around 70K miles we started having serious unknown problems. Unknown because even the dealer could not figure it out. You would be driving down the highway and the car out of nowhere would shut down and display the message…
Geovani Martinez
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8 answers

Why aren't electric forms of heating used in internal combustion engines

Since the entire job of an internal combustion engine (ICE) is to turn heat into mechanical energy, why aren't electric heating methods more popular? I know there must be a reason. I'm not talking about electric cars or anything, but using…
DeusIIXII
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Keeping windshield ice-free without heater

What options are there to keep the windshield more or less ice-free during extreme cold (-30 degrees) without using the heater of the car? We are currently on a road trip through the Baltic states and car heater broke. It is blowing only cold air.…
DK2AX
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Brakes Smell Bad and Smoke

Here's the situation: Initially Changed a wheel/tire, and snapped a hub stud. Had to take off the brake caliper on that hub (driver's side). No problem with that, but then all of a sudden my front end was really jumpy. It was time to change the…
Thomas Stringer
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Do I Need To Change the Tire If the Sidewall Is Damaged Like This?

The front left tire of my car got a sidewall cut as shown in the picture (I am not sure when and how long ago it happened). I have already read this article (Can this tire sidewall damage be repaired or should I replace the tire?). But I am still…
David Lee
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Does my electronic parking brake remain engaged if I disconnect the battery?

I have a manual Audi A4 with an electronic parking brake. For safety reasons, I'm planning on leaving the battery disconnected for about a month while I do a variety of cosmetic work on the vehicle (swapping headlights, replacing front bumper cover,…
William
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Torx vs. Star Fasteners

I was looking for some Torx head fasteners and found some that claim to have "star" heads. They look like Torx heads… Are they the same? Has it really been long enough for the Torx patents to run out? Perhaps that is why there is Torx Plus now.
dlu
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What is a tire speed rating and is it important that the speed rating matches on both axles?

Due to an uneven wear situation, only my front tires need to be replaced. However, matching the pre-existing speed rating appears to require a costly special order. So, as long as the speed rating is consistent on each axle, does it really matter…
marfarma
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Do solvent/gel-based tire dressings have a tangible impact on tire life and performance?

In this video, the professional detailer talks about how "low-odor" solvent-based tire dressings can harden rubber hosing. He goes on to say: "I don't want this stuff on my tire if it makes rubber - y'know - that hard." I don't question the…
Zaid
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Can (possible) exhaust system damage cause random misfires?

2001 Honda Prelude SH. About three weeks ago while travelling 10-15 mph I pulled off the side of a dirt road to park and it turns out there was a row of a few railroad ties laying in the grass there. The ties ran just inside the right tires, with…
Jason C
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