Community questions that need your expertise. Help fellow DIY mechanics solve their toughest automotive puzzles.
My Civic has been acting weird for 2 weeks. It cranks perfectly fine but won't start ONLY after it rains or when the air is very humid. Once it warms up for 10-15 minutes it starts normally. Mechanic replaced the crankshaft position sensor but no change. I've checked all fuses and relays. Any ideas?
2015 Toyota Camry with 98k miles. Getting a loud metallic grinding noise specifically from the passenger front wheel area only when turning left. Goes away when driving straight. I just replaced the brake pads 6 months ago, so I know they're fine. Could this be the CV joint, wheel bearing, or something else?
Found a rust hole in my truck's floor pan near the rear seats. The truck has a lot of interior stuff I don't want to remove. Can I seal it from the top side? Looking at JB Weld, POR-15, and some epoxy putty options. What's the most reliable long-term fix without cutting out the entire panel?
Replaced both catalytic converters on my 2010 F-150 5.4L 3-valve. Cleared codes, drove it for a week, and P0420 came right back on bank 1. O2 sensors were replaced too. Fuel trims look normal at idle but go up to +12% at cruising speed. Could this be a fuel injector issue masquerading as a cat problem?
I have a 2014 BMW 328i with around 110k miles. Never had a transmission fluid change done. I'm debating whether to pull the pan and inspect or if there's a reliable way to check condition from the dipstick. I've heard color and smell are indicators but how do you quantify that? Any DIY-friendly tests?
Planning to replace the head gasket on a 2006 Silverado with an LS6. I have a 2-car garage with no hoist but I do have a quality floor jack and jack stands. I'm comfortable pulling the intake and exhaust. My main concern is whether the block will fit under my bench for cleaning the surfaces. Any tips for solo work?
2019 Chevy Bolt EV. 12V battery died, jump started it, car booted up fine. But now the HV battery seems to be slowly draining the 12V overnight. The car won't go into sleep mode — voltage keeps dropping. I've tried disconnecting the 12V terminal for 30 minutes but the issue persists. Is the 12V battery bad or is there a control module issue?
My Mustang's oil pressure gauge reads 5-10 PSI at idle (warm engine) but jumps to 45-50 PSI at 2500 RPM. Is this normal wear or should I be worried? The engine runs smooth, no knocks, oil level is correct. I know older engines can be like this but I want to know where the danger zone is before it seizes.
My 2012 Nissan Altima is leaking power steering fluid from the rack boot seal. The shop quote for a new rack is $1,800. I want to try fixing the boot seal myself but I'm out of fluid right now. The owner's manual says it uses PSF but a lot of older Nissans use ATF. Can I add some Dexron ATF just to get me to the auto parts store?
2011 Mazda 3 manual. Clutch pedal used to be firm and consistent. Over the past month it's gotten progressively spongier. I can pump it and it firms up but after sitting for 10 minutes it drops again. Classic air in the system sign? I tried bleeding it once but there's no bleeder valve on the master cylinder — do I need to bleed through the slave instead?
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. AC works great for the first 5-8 minutes of driving, then gradually gets warmer. If I turn it off for 15 minutes and restart, it's cold again briefly. Refrigerant level is correct (checked with gauge set). Compressor clutch engages and disengages normally. Could this be a failing expansion valve or a restriction in the system?
Got a rattle sound from underneath my 2013 Subaru Outback, mainly on cold starts. Goes away after about 30 seconds of running. I jacked it up and shook the heat shields — one near the catalytic converter is loose. Can I just zip-tie it temporarily? Or should I use exhaust hanger clips. I've seen both methods.