Free Online Mechanic

1985 ford 351 v8 van When the engine tries to crank, a fuse burns out and the dash lights go out. Replace the fuse and the same things happens

Answer;

The only reason a fuse will blow is if more amperage than the fuse is rated for is drawn accross the fuse itself. So either there is a dead short or a crossed wire. You will need to trace the wires with a multi-meter to locate the problem.

 http://www.freeautomechanic.com/wiringproblems%206.html 

Question:

2006 range rover,had flat repaired but mech.said he followed manual but could not reset tpi.left shop and light went out within a couple of minutes,next day came back on,it now stays on most of time but has gone out occasionally,have checked tire pressures and are all equal

Answer:

There are two common problems I see on this system, the first is your spare tire, you must check the spare tire also, it is monitored just like all the other tires except this tire must be filled to 45 psi. ALL OF THE OTHER TIRES MUST BE INFLATED TO 42 PSI FOR THE LIGHT TO GO OUT, MOST OF THE STICKERS THAT SHOW 36 FRONT 42 REAR ARE WRONG, TPMS SYSTEMS MUST BE SET TO 42 ALL AROUND. If this does not resolve the issue and the light continues to stay on, you may require a new tpms module, they have been failing quite a bit lately and there is a SSM on them (special service message) you will need to take it to the dealer if this is the case because the system must be programmed and calibrated.
 

Question:

I have a 97 mercury sable and i just noticed that my check engine light was flashing and this morning after a long time due oil change was performed it started shaking… Please help I dont know what to do !

Answer:

Anytime the Check Engine Light comes on and flashes it means there is a severe problem with the stability of the engine. More than likely a bad coil or plug wire off, possibly a loose air hose from the air filter to the throttle body. The only way to be certain if what the check engine light means is to have the codes scanned. Autozone will do this for free. If none of it happened till after the oil was changed, take it back to them and tell them they left something off. 

I have a 2003 Kia Sorento,and the heater blower fan only works on full speed. The display on the dash shows the other speeds when selected but the fan does not run. I assume a problem with the speed controll or rheostat, but where is it located? 

Answer:

The rheostat is now known as the resistor.

I personally have never seen a Sorento diesel so if this resistor is in the same spot as other gas engine Sorentos I’m not sure.

However, you have to lower the glove box door. There is a strap on the right and 2 stop grommets, one on each side of the glove box. Push the stops forward to release and pull them out. If you look close you’ll see what I mean. Just pull and twist the end of the strap to remove it.

I have a 1993 Mazda B2200 pick up. The problem I’m having is the truck overheats at highway speeds. It idles fine. It does okay, not great, at 40 to 45 mph. If I drive it between 50 to 75 mph, it overheats. I have replaced the thermostat; coolant; fan belt; radiator cap; and engine oil. I also did a back flush of the radiator. What has me baffled is the truck can sit and idle forever and does not overheat. I can drive it at 30 mph and it doesn’t overheat. What would you suggest I look at next and in what order?

Answer:

It sounds like to me you have most everything covered accept the clutch fan itself. I have seen this several times. As it might not be the most common failure part, it does sometimes do just that.

You would be able to tell if it was a head gasket by doing a compression test. All cylinders should be within 20 psi of each other.

The fan has very little movement at idle and doesn’t do much. During acceleration or continued rpms the fan is needed. You would also see a loss in coolant. If your system is loosing coolant then you need to repair the leak before the cooling system will function properly.

Reference link : Overheating Diagnostics

I have purchased a brand new Ford Fiesta ST. I noticed when i got home last night that the radiator fan was running. I made sure the A/C was off which it was. I let the car idle and the fan wouldn’t switch off. The fan only switched off when i turned the engine off. I turned on the engine straight away and the fan came on as well. OK, i thought the engine was just hot. So today i went out and once the car has reached full running temperature, the fan comes on and won’t switch off. The fan appears to run even if your driving along an empty country road at 50mph. I left the idling this morning for around 10 minutes and the fan didn’t switch off once! The temperature guage on the dashboard reads normal running temperature.

Answer:

The fan will come on once the engine reaches full running temperature and should stay on like it is. The fan has different speeds and will switch from a low speed at normal temperatures to a higher speed if the engine requires it in order to keep the engine temperature constant. It is with the engine constant temperature that you can achieve the best fuel mileage.

There is nothing out of the ordinary with your vehicle.

Question:

I have a 2001 ford Taurus yesterday we could not shift the car out of park and into drive, I hade to get a towed, can you give me an I idea what could cause this. 

Answer:

The most likely cause is a faulty brake light switch. I can send you some info on testing but since you do not have the vehicle in front of you it will not help. You would need to check for power at both sides of the switch on the brake pedal bracket with the pedal pused down. If you only had power at one side then you have a bad switch. If it’s the switch it’s a fairly cheap repair. I have seen the switch connectors burn up too.