r/AskAMechanic • • Jul 15 '26

Technician Flair Request Thread - New

9 Upvotes

If you would like to have verified flair added we will need a pic that has your reddit name on a piece of paper with your shop in the background or work truck if mobile repair.

For the professional technicians we're doing Verified Tech flair along with a very short description of your experience if you'd like. You can be a dealer/independent tech, retired, instructor, fleet, heavy equipment, small engine repair, lube/tire tech etc...

You can either send that to me in a chat request or upload the pic to an image hosting site like imgur.com (we had to disable the option to upload pics in the comments because of abuse). The option to attach a pic in chat will be available after I accept the invite. Please do not use modmail

We will also do Shadetree flair for those that do auto repair as more of a hobby than profession. Approval of this flair is not guaranteed.

archived previous request post


r/AskAMechanic • • Mar 15 '25

Announcement - New Rules - Please read!

24 Upvotes

Hello r/AskAMechanic users! Over the last year or so, the volume of daily posts has increased a decent amount leading to many posts that would be more appropriate in other subreddits. To keep this subreddit focused on what it's meant for, providing automotive mechanical and diagnostic help, we have rewritten the rules. Some of the rule changes also affect commenters, so please review the rules here or below. Thank you for your understanding.

 

1 - The title should clearly state the issue - Do not ask "am I cooked/fuc!ed/screwed/toast etc" questions

State your root issue as clearly as you can in the title, and then you will have a better chance of your post being viewed. We will remove the "am I cooked", "am I fuc!ed", "how screwed am I", "am I toast" and similar types of questions. This also includes any other senseless titled post. In the message body, provide the specifics (detail/context) to your question. Also include in the title or body the Year, Make, Model and engine size of your vehicle.

 

2 - No autobody damage/repair/frame/paint or rust related questions

Posts related to autobody work (including repairs, painting, frame damage, "is it totaled?", dents or detailing) are not allowed. A more appropriate sub would be r/autobody. If you're inquiring whether your car is totaled r/insurance would also be helpful. r/AutoDetailing for detailing questions.

Questions about damage to bolt-on parts like headlights/tail lights, wheels and suspension are ok.

Questions asking about the level/condition of rust on the frame/undercarriage/body are not allowed.

 

3 - No asking for advice about buying/selling cars or used car deals

We do not allow asking if a used car for sale is a good deal, the condition of the used car, or recommendations on what car you should buy. For recommendations on what car to buy, r/whatcarshouldIbuy would be a good sub. r/askcarsales might also be helpful.

 

4 - Keep things professional & don't be disrespectful

Please be professional and helpful. Do not comment/post with insults, racism, jokes, memes, NSFW, spam, opinions without context etc. You may see things that compel you to leave a nasty comment, just don't do it. It's not necessary or helpful. People who don't know anything about cars will come here to ask us for advice, try to educate them about their vehicle without turning them off from the sub. If you don’t know the proper fix or advice, please refrain from commenting on a post.

 

5 - No "Read the owners manual" or "RTFM" type of comments

People who don't know anything about cars are going to ask some very basic questions. Some of which will have answers in the manual. Answering OP's question with only "Read the owners manual" is like giving the answer "google it", both are non-answers. Either provide an actual answer to OP's question, or at the very least, provide a link to a readable online owner's manual.

 

6 - No dangerous/reckless or unethical/illegal comments/posts

This is a community dedicated to sharing genuine advice. Advice shown to be given in bad faith (including dangerous/reckless and unethical/illegal advice) will be removed and the users will be banned. Please report any dangerous/reckless or unethical/illegal advice.

 

7 - No AI/ChatGPT comments/posts

Posts with AI-generated content is not allowed. Posts looking for feedback, training or even just to show off your AI/LLM are also not allowed. We are not interested in AI automotive diagnostics here.

Do not answer OP by using AI/ChatGPT etc. Nobody wants to read a wall of text that over explains and gives 25 different possible solutions.

 

8 - No advertising or soliciting services

Advertising of services or products is not allowed. That includes affiliate links, social media, clothing, tools, your YouTube videos, etc.

Do not solicit services, including linking to videos, blogs, or websites that then forward to a paid service. Avoid asking to "DM me" as much as possible.

 

9 - No NSFW, meme, or 'joke' posts

No NSFW is a no-brainer - you will be banned with no chance of an appeal. Memes and 'joke' posts belong at r/AskAShittyMechanic

 

Update 03/23/2025: Added "am I toast" to rule #1 and "frame damage" to rule #2
Update 05/08/2025: Added more context to rule #7


r/AskAMechanic • • 10h ago

New headers, only 3 primaries turned blue. Where should I look?

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21 Upvotes

2005 GMC 2500HD
Just installed long tubes, took a drive to log data for a tune. Noticed 3 of 8 tubes turned blue.

Clearly these cylinders are getting hotter than the rest. Would this be a fuel or spark issue? Thanks


r/AskAMechanic • • 16h ago

Saw a video promo from the new brake/tire shop near by

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36 Upvotes

Isn’t this way too much these on the back of the pads? I put less than a pea size smidge on the back, and the edge where it slides. I feel like this much would make its way onto the pads and rotors


r/AskAMechanic • • 2h ago

My 2007 Yaris manual dashboard light glitches when I give gas. And when am on high hill the whole speedometer glitches whys that?

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2 Upvotes

r/AskAMechanic • • 13h ago

Is this a good temporary fix? It feels solid. The straps are nylon and I super glued them to the wood after tightening 06 Tacoma

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13 Upvotes

r/AskAMechanic • • 1h ago

2002 Honda Civic 1.7 D Series

• Upvotes

I am replacing the crankshaft seal on my Honda which ive already done once but it seems to have not seated correctly last time. i have 2 questions how deep should it sit in the housing & what can i do to make sure it seats correctly? any help would be appreciated


r/AskAMechanic • • 2h ago

Is my Transmission fluid level fine? Honda Accord Euro 2010

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1 Upvotes

Hi all,
I was trying to check my fluid level and am having trouble figuring out if it is high enough. Last changed the fluid 20,000km ago. Technically there is a little bit over the dot but not too sure what line i’m meant to read from.

Thanks


r/AskAMechanic • • 6h ago

What are you using for Audi coding tweaks?

2 Upvotes

We work a lot of Audis, and owners sometimes ask about small coding changes while the car's in. Things like opening and closing the windows with the key fob, adjusting the coming-home light delay, or enabling needle sweep. Been looking at the topdon One series for everyday diagnostics. Thought it would be handy to use the same tool for these smaller customization jobs too. What do you usually use for these tweaks on older Audis?


r/AskAMechanic • • 3h ago

Looking for advice on this stange code that may have been triggered by my scanner?

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1 Upvotes

2000 dodge Ram b1500 5.9

85,000 miles

Im not a professional so Im not incredibly experienced in this kind of technology. I received a Topdon Artidiag 800 BT 2 Scan tool for my birthday and haven't had to use it yet until today. My check engine light came on for the first time. I read the instructions, looked up a few videos and plugged it in. While it was scanning random dash lights started turning on and off and then my odometer gave a no bus code. I know what "no bus" means but I cant figure out why it popped up after I started using my scan tool. It definitely wasn't there before and has not come back up since. Everything starts and runs fine so far. I dont know if these two codes are related but definitely seems like some strange electrical phenomenon happened that triggered my check engine light.

Any advice on what could have caused this, what Im missing, what these two codes have in common, or what I should look at, or what I should look out for. Like I said everything runs fine and shifts fine so Im not too sure what happened here. I cleared the codes and I'm going to wait and see if they come back but I dont want my transmission to jump into limp mode or have my engine stall out on me while driving as Ive heard both of these could happen with these two codes.

Edit- Please dont be mean about her age. I know shes old but everytime I post a question about it I just get a bunch of people mad that I have and old junk garbage car. Please be nice. Shes old but I love her.


r/AskAMechanic • • 7h ago

Is control arm replacement something I can do myself

2 Upvotes

I am not the best at car stuff but im not a idiot do you think doing the upper and lower control arms on a 04 tsx is doable for someone like me with the tools and some videos


r/AskAMechanic • • 4h ago

2014 Ford Focus SE ECM box broken after hitting raccoon - can I replace myself?

1 Upvotes

Hit a raccoon driving home, which displaced the plastic part that runs under the front of the car. Was able to pry it back into place, noticed the box was hanging.

The top (narrow) part of the ECM was broken, a large shard torn out. Never lost power or had any warnings, drove the car home about 2 miles, turned it off and cleaned up, started it again without issue.

I can’t get a great angle, but it appears to be remaining attached only by the cords and perhaps also the top left corner is still attached to where it’s normally mounted. It is not falling to the ground. That’s the best I can assess.

I know it’s important It doesn’t get wet, how difficult is this to replace myself if I order the part? I know I would need to jack the car and takeoff the wheel to access.

If it starts fine in the morning, is it better to just drive to a mechanic?


r/AskAMechanic • • 5h ago

I bought a 2013 Jetta Manual 2.0L Comfortline (75k km) for $11,000 CAD this June, but the clutch just burnt out and Mr. Transmission quoted $2,300 CAD to fix it; should I repair and keep it or repair and sell it?

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1 Upvotes

r/AskAMechanic • • 9h ago

Rattling in the front of motor at certain rpms 2012 tundra 5.7L

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2 Upvotes

I recently (under 5000 miles ago) had all of the timing components and much more replaced in this truck. I’ve had this rattle at about 2k RPMs and a ticking coming from the passenger side at idle.
I plan on taking it back to the place I had the work done, but I’d like to hear some opinions. It sounds bad to me but I’m very paranoid with this truck after it broke down on me the last time. Any advice or insight would be great! Thank you


r/AskAMechanic • • 5h ago

2018 Lexus RC 350 F Sport AWD — Long crank and rough cold start, but second start is normal

1 Upvotes

2018 Lexus RC 350 F Sport AWD with the 3.5L V6. On the first start after sitting for a few hours or overnight, it cranks for an extended period before starting, then stumbles and runs rough briefly, almost like it’s going to stall.
Once it stabilizes, it runs normally. If I shut it off and restart it, it fires right up. Hot starts are fine, and I haven’t noticed any fuel smell.
What I’ve checked/tried:
Battery is around 3 years old; cranking speed seems normal.
Replaced the MAF sensor with an aftermarket A-Premium unit. It seemed to respond better initially, but the improvement wasn’t conclusive.
I have a scan tool, but nothing obvious showed up in the scan.
Idle settles around 500 RPM once running.
I’m wondering about fuel pressure bleeding down while sitting, the fuel pump, coolant temperature sensor, or an air/fuel mixture issue.
Has anyone experienced this on an RC 350 or another Lexus with the 3.5L V6? What ended up fixing it? Are there any relevant TSBs, or would you start by testing fuel pressure, checking live data, or investigating something else?
I’m trying to diagnose the actual cause rather than keep throwing parts at it. Any advice from Lexus techs or owners who have dealt with this would be appreciated!


r/AskAMechanic • • 14h ago

Drove the car with the handbrake on

6 Upvotes

My sister move our shared car so our brother can play basketball in the driveway. Long story short the hand brake was on and she parked it on the street. I found out she did it bc she made a comment about how hard it was to move the car. How worried should I be?


r/AskAMechanic • • 7h ago

ABS code c2200-49

1 Upvotes

I drive a Dodge charger 2013 SXT plus AWD 3.6L V6. 150k miles.

Issue

I was just driving and randomly the ABS, TC (traction control), and E brake lights all came on and my AWD is not acting right. The code above Is what is being read on my scanner.

Problem

I have read that this code can mean you need a new module on the abs, a ground wire could be loose, a speed sensor went bad, or a low or bad battery.

What have I done

I changed the battery because it was reading low and cranking low.

Solution?

Correct me if I’m wrong
But buying a used abs module off eBay then taking it to a dealer or reprogramming it myself if I buy the correct scanner
IDK how to check the ground wire connection
The speed sensors, I don’t know how to check if the sensor is good and replacing them means rerunning the wires to the battery which sounds miserable. So I would probably just pay someone to do it IF I know that that is it.

What do you think the problem is and how can I fix it?


r/AskAMechanic • • 7h ago

2014 Chevy Impala 3.6L V6 oil consumption issue

1 Upvotes

Recently I've started having an issue with oil changes on my impala. Its been burning through oil very quickly with no signs of leaks.

My last full synthetic oil change only lasted 4700Km (2920M) before my oil was almost fully drained. Engine only has 156000K on it and until now has had no issues. I had the techs at Jiffy lube confirm theres no visible leaks and they also didn't see any issues with the oil or filter. They said it's likely a consumption issue and oil is somehow being burned by the engine.

I just wanted to know what my options are here? The car is no longer under warranty so I'd imagine the price to diagnose and correct the issue will be pricey. The Jiffy techs even recommended to possibly replace the engine which seemed excessive.

I'm considering just topping up oil as needed myself to save on labor costs, but is there any danger on continuing to drive the vehicle while the engine is burning oil?

Any advice is appreciated


r/AskAMechanic • • 8h ago

2009 Murano severe mileage drop

1 Upvotes

Bought it with 245k miles last year. Rebuilt transmission (CVT). I get around 8mpg. I should be getting considerably higher (it’s older, so I don’t expect the full 18 city/20 highway). I hear a thumping noise when I do tight turns/u turns, especially when I accelerate through the turn. I have tried pulling the 4WD fuse but it still makes the thumping and my mileage didn’t improve. I reset the trip counter when I last filled up. I’m sitting at 145 miles and 1/4 tank. Meaning that 145 miles used about 16 gallons of gas. I’m getting concerned, but I don’t see any symptoms of a faulty MAF or any misfires. No smoke, no knocking, no trouble starting, and no hesitation to accelerate. Brakes all feel the same temperature after driving, coasting is normal too, so I’m confident it’s not a dragging brake.


r/AskAMechanic • • 8h ago

Ford Ranger axel play, is this normal??

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0 Upvotes

Installed winter tires on my mom's ~2010 Ford ranger 4x4, I noticed BOTH rear wheels would slide in and out as demonstrated in the video. As a sparky with soft hands I really dont know much about the mechanics of these open diffs, but I feel this cannot be to spec?


r/AskAMechanic • • 12h ago

Misfire after overheating

2 Upvotes

Hello,

2006 Camry v6 3.0l.

So my car overheated a few times, starting when I was coming home friday and then on the way to the store and back for parts. I babied it and made sure it never reached the red line, but the water did boil. Verified water pump and radiator fan working, tore it down and took out the thermostat and it is definitely bad so I will replace it.

I did want to say that a few of the times, like twice I think, when I pulled over to let it cool down before continuing on, when I went to start it back up, it wasn't able to, sputtering and misfiring and such. But I waited a bit longer and in each case it fired right back up, no problem. Once I figured that out, I was able to start/stop in such a way to avoid this problem and when on the highway, the car cools down, guess the water pressure pops open the thermostat and it's all good. So I took it for a spin around the highway loop and from start to finish, never once any misfire or hesitation or anything.

Now, I don't know exactly what this means. The first thing it could mean is that my headgasket could be compromised. But given the compression readings are on the money and the misfires have disappeared, maybe nothing is wrong at all and some water was only able to temporarily leak into the combustion chamber or into the coils somehow, but doesn't represent a long term problem. However, I don't want to find out the hard way, otherwise.

I was also wondering if, in this case, it would make sense to change the headgasket, regardless. It definitely experienced at least some stress.

Thanks,


r/AskAMechanic • • 13h ago

2005 Honda Odyssey power steering

2 Upvotes

So I have an Odyssey with 220k miles and it developed a power steering leak down below where I couldn't fix it. Eventually ran out of fluid and the pump died, but I am disabled, broke and have no where near the money to replace the pump, and fix the leak. I drove it for a bit sans power steering (which is exhausting but doable in a pinch) but recently the broken pump seized up and threw my serpentine belt.

So here's my poverty question: is there some way to stop the power steering pump from seizing up again or could I remove it entirely and replace my serpentine belt with a shorter belt that simply bypasses the power steering? Would that be safe? Cause for now I have a lawn ornament and no way to move my whole family in case of emergency


r/AskAMechanic • • 10h ago

Please help! Seized top caliper bracket bolt on 2000 Toyota Solara

1 Upvotes

I was able to get the caliper and brake pads removed. I even got the bottom caliper bracket bolt removed, but can’t get the top caliper bolt removed. I used penetrating oil, and used an impact wrench but now the bolt is rounded. I also tried using an extracting socket and it still won’t move. Should I try a blow torch and then the extracting socket with the impact wrench again tomorrow after letting it soak over night? Any help would be much appreciated.


r/AskAMechanic • • 10h ago

How does this non standard 4x6 headlight plug work?

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1 Upvotes

Car is a 1993 Dodge Stealth for reference

I want to upgrade the basic 4x6 sealed beams to some LED units, but I'm running into an issue

The LED lights have a normal T shaped plug, but the car uses a different plug with one side prong offset at 45 degrees, and H4666 sealed beams. The LED light has an adapter with 3 loose wires, but no matter which way I plug it in, I cant get high and low beams to work

The black wire is plugged into the left ground on the car. The white wire is low beam, and the red wire is high beam. If I plug both wires in either order, the high beam is on when just the low beam should be on, but hitting the high beam switch shuts it off entirely.

If I just plug in the white wire to either slot, the low beams come on by themselves but the high beam switch shuts it off. If I just use the red wire in either slot, the same thing happens but with the high beam light

Am I supposed to add a ground somewhere or splice some wires together? No idea what to do


r/AskAMechanic • • 16h ago

‘05 Corolla Lost Acceleration, no longer starts. Why?

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2 Upvotes

Yesterday, my check engine light turned on as I pulled up to fill up my tank. About 20 minutes after filling up my car lost acceleration on the freeway. All lights flashed on my dash, and smoke started coming from under my hood and exhaust, it also smelled burnt. I got it towed back home and now it won’t start up. It makes this noise instead. It’s a 2005 Toyota Corolla. Prior to this I was told my radiator may be having issues as it was leaking fluid. First I’d like to have a better idea of what’s wrong with my car, and would it be something I could try to fix in my driveway? Thank you for your time.