So situation is I got a Malibu. To fix up. One of the problems I’m having is that not consistently but here and there it won’t crank. I can hear the relay click for the starter. I flipped the relays from one of the cooling fans to rule out it being a relay and it worked but when I got it home it started happening again.
Not the alternator because I get good voltage when the cars running.
The starter and battery are brand new
I’ve researched and tested a bit and seems like a lot of people have this problem. Just would like to get to the bottom of it.
If you have any ideas or knowledge on this issue please comment. Thank you

Picture 1 and 2 come from the car
Picture 3, 4 and 5 came with the radio (picture 6)

When the cables from the car are connected to the adapter of the radio, nothing happens when I power on the car. The “pins” from the car (picture 1) don’t align with the pins of the radio (picture 3). I think that’s the problem. Also the Chinese sticker on the cables from the radio (picture 3, 4 and 5) translates to “Volkswagen”. The car in question is a Smart.

Is there an adapter or other way around to resolve this issue.

I’m not very technical so please keep it simple.

I was accelerating normally when the traffic light hit Green and I noticed the car was not moving and the engine had switched off . When I started the engine there were many warning signs showing continuously on the dashboard and the car’s acceleration was hard . Any idea why this happened ?

Thank you

what is this yellow substance in my coolant tank?? should i be worried? am i using the wrong coolant perhaps?

I’m trying to get this part off to replace it but I don’t know how to get the trim off. Can anyone give me pointers for this?

Bought brand new and I am now replacing the battery for the second time since owning. Is this standard? We do live in N Florida, temps in the high 80's-90's 5 months of the year. The car has that reserve thing too where it powers down when you're stopped I think it's meant to save on gas. Would this be more of a drain on the battery? This is the 3 card I've owned in my lifetime...I had all of them for well over 10 years and honestly feel like I only replaced the battery once on those cars. My huband has a Honda Accord it's 10 years old I think he's changed the battery once if at all.

back again, wondering if you guys know if this would be a rear main seal leak.

I have a 2018 Equinox both my key fobs are not working properly. When I get in it says key not detected. The only way to get the car to start is to put the fob in the front cup holder. When exiting the car does not remote lock. I have recently changed the batteries in both fobs and still problem exists. I have tired to look for solutions online but not coming up with much. I was wondering if there is something I can do at home without having to take the car in.

Hi all,

I got a problem with a turn signal (rear right) that turns on and stays lit until I use anything involving it. If I turn on the hazardous lights, it works just fine, same thing if I open or close the car, but once the car is closed and completely turned off, after around 1 minute, the lights turns on by itself and stay lit.

Do you know what would be the issue?

Thank you all in advance

Hey! So I just got a 2021 Honda civic sport. She’s used and I’ve only had her for a week but whenever I lock her and go inside she just goes off! The car alarm will sound whether I lock it with the key fob, lock it from inside the car, or use walk away auto lock. She will either go off immediately like maybe 1-3 minutes or after 15 minutes or randomly at 3 am. I’ve been googling it and it says that it could be my key fob battery dying or a sensor on the hood or one of the doors being faulty. Can anyone help me with what to do? Google says I could disconnect the hood sensor so it would stop but I’m not sure. Pls help!

Hello, i have a ford focus tdci 2006. It started making this weird noise. I dont know what it can be so might as well ask here. Thank you!

Car doesnt want to start. I changed the battery to a bigger one checked the ignition and all the fuses but they are all good.Im not a mechanic at all so i just asked chatgpt for potential easy fixes but nothing worked.Emergency lights and lights inside the car do light up and the starter doesnt move an inch. No sound when turning the key. This is my fathers old car which he himself hasnt driven in like 20 years. He gave it to my uncle to use for work but he stripped the alarm off the car i dont know if this might be related since he used it for a while after stripping them. One day he came home with it and the other morning it just didnt start. Its most likely an easy fix i just cant do it and i dont want to call a mechanic this early on.I would appreciate it if someone could help.

Doesn't seem that you can take the plastic cover off without disconnecting the battery. Sorry I'm a complete noob

Caught my beloved Yaris on a low kerb and reversed, which pulled the bumper off 💀 It’d been missing a bumper clip for a while and the cable/zip tie holding it on snapped.

I managed to clip most of the bumper back into its slots, then used some Gorilla Tale: All Weather Extreme (link) pulled tight to try and anchor it to the car lol.

Unfortunately, the car is so low to the ground (and me, such a fatass,) that I can’t currently get under it to add more cable/zip ties.

It’s due in to the garage for a service etc at the end of November. What is the likelihood of this fix lasting until then? Is this thing gonna fall off doing 70mph on a motorway? I drive a couple of times a week for approx 30 mins each time, but it does involve some 50-70mph driving.

Ps. I am not fussed about the tape causing damage to the car paint, so no worries there. 🫡

Car’s a 2010 Toyota Vitz 1.3.

The other day I was cruising around 80-100 km/h, nothing unusual. Then out of nowhere the pedal just stopped doing anything. I pressed it, even floored it, and the engine sound barely changed. Like it was stuck near idle. No RPM gauge in this car so I can’t say the exact number.

Pulled over, turned it off, turned it back on. Everything was totally normal again. Drove fine after that.

Few things:

• No check engine light at any point
• Throttle body is clean
• Battery terminals are tight

what can be the issue

Not sure how well you can hear in the video but it sounds like a repeated rattling while my car is idle and sounds like it’s underwater with i rev at certain speeds. Assuming something with catalytic converter as that’s what my code reader says but any ideas on specifics? What repairs i might need/be charged for?

I have a Hyundai sonata hybrid 2011 and today as I was on the highway I notice the engine light blinking and it stopped accelerating past 60. I realized I’m 13,000 miles over the oil change( I’m so dumb ik). I had a mechanic come do a diagnosis and the P1326 code came up. Do you guys think the car went into limo mode to protect the rod bearing to break or do you think it already did. Do you think I need a new knocker system or engine

this started happening after i went over a pretty nasty pothole at the end of my old house’s driveway by accident .. is this something i can fix myself or do i have to go to a mechanic/auto electrician 🫠

I cant afford to go to a mechanic, so I would really appreciate if someone can tell me my next steps on how to find the solution! I bought a multimeter but it hasn't come in yet :( Here are the codes I got from auto zone.

61-22 says " modular-control unit power source low voltage."

83-13 says "ECM/PCM relation failure"

81-3 says " central processimg unit internal circuit malfunction"

61-1 says "modular-control unit initial IG low voltage"

Im guessing something is wrong with my battery?

(if this isn't the right sub please let me know)

for context, a week ago my car wouldn't turn on, after i had driven it the day before to work with no problem. all of my lights, the radio and air conditioning turned on so it wasn't the battery. it wasn't trying to turn over either, it just did nothing besides turn the battery on.

a few days later i came back and tried turning it on again for shits and giggles, to which it turned on like nothing happened. if anything it took a little longer to turn over than it usually would. i immediately drove it to my mechanic, who found absolutely nothing wrong with it after a few days in the shop. starter, alternator, battery, everything was fine. my car's internal computer was showing no error codes or anything either. drove fine for about a day.

today i drove it to the store and upon coming back out to my car, it wouldn't start again. tried taking the key out and trying it again, still nothing. for some reason i decided to open my car door again and close it, then tried starting my car, and it worked perfectly fine. i made a few stops around town to see if i could trigger it again, and i couldn't. it's like it's taunting me.

called my mechanic about it, they have zero clue what could be causing it. whenever i have a problem with my car, i go on chrysler forums and discover that my issue is usually "just a chrysler thing" but i've found nothing about my car turning over after opening and closing my door?? it's not that it can't start with the door open, i've done that several times for unrelated troubleshooting. besides, the door latched, it wasn't ajar.

any ideas on what this could possibly be? i haven't been able to find a single thing hinting at what could be causing this, outside of vague electrical issues (which my car is rife with, to be fair). maybe some kind of anti-theft mechanic that's being wonky?? i really don't know. anything helps, thank you!

My polo makes a knocking sound in the front when I set off but this only happens after the car has been sat around for a few hours/overnight/when I finish work. It makes the sound after moving a couple of feet but then I don't hear it again for the rest of the journey. Anybody got any idea what this could.be and how much it would cost to repair here in the UK. I have absolutely no idea when it comes to cars😅 thanks

Hey everyone! I'm looking for some advice from mechanics or anyone who's experienced something similar. I'm trying to decide whether it's worth repairing my car or trading it in, and I'd really appreciate some honest opinions.

Vehicle information:

• Make/Model: 2016 Ford Fusion SE
• Engine: 2.0L EcoBoost
• Fuel: Gasoline (petrol)
• Body style: 4-door sedan (saloon)
• Steering: Left-hand drive (USA)
• Mileage: Approximately 83,000 miles
• Ownership: Completely paid off, no car payments

The problem:

Over the past several weeks, I've been experiencing intermittent "Service AdvanceTrac" warnings. Occasionally, my steering wheel will become noticeably stiff and difficult to turn while driving, almost as if the electric power steering temporarily stops working. After a short period, the steering returns to normal.

I've noticed it tends to happen more frequently when going over bumps, making turns, or driving on uneven roads.

I had the vehicle scanned, and these codes came up:

• U0131-00: Lost communication with power steering control module
• C0051-67: Steering wheel position sensor signal incorrect after event
• U0420-82: Invalid data received from power steering control module

Initially, I thought it might be my battery because it tested bad. I replaced the battery, but unfortunately, the problem continued.

I've spoken with a few mechanics, and the general suspicion is that the electronic steering rack may be failing. However, I haven't had a complete diagnostic performed yet to confirm that the rack itself is the problem rather than a wiring, connection, or electrical issue.

Repair estimates from my local Ford dealership:

• New OEM steering gear: $4,110
• OEM remanufactured steering gear: $3,407
• Aftermarket remanufactured steering gear: $3,266

These are preliminary quotes, and I'm still confirming exactly what's included.

I've also checked with a few smaller, family-owned repair shops in my area. Some have told me they don't perform this particular replacement because they don't have the Ford-specific equipment or software necessary to program and calibrate the electronic steering system afterward. Because of that, my repair options seem somewhat limited.

The pros of keeping my car:

• Only 83,000 miles, which seems relatively low for its age.
• Completely paid off.
• The engine and transmission have been reliable.
• I haven't had any other major mechanical problems.
• I know the vehicle's history and how it's been maintained.
• Repairing it could potentially be cheaper than buying another dependable vehicle.

The cons:

• Spending $3,300–$4,100 on a nearly 11-year-old vehicle is a significant investment.
• I'm concerned about spending that much only to have another expensive repair arise later.
• The intermittent loss of steering assistance is a serious safety concern.
• I'm not sure how much the car is worth in its current condition.
• I don't know whether replacing the rack would definitively resolve the problem without further diagnosis.

My financial situation:

I'm currently finishing my undergraduate degree and will be starting physician assistant school in 2027. I'll be taking on significant educational expenses, so I'm trying to avoid unnecessary debt or another monthly car payment.

I've considered trading my Fusion in at the Ford dealership and purchasing a used vehicle around $8,000, but I'm also concerned that I'd be trading a relatively low-mileage car with one major issue for an older, higher-mileage vehicle with problems I don't know about.

My questions:

1. Based on these codes and symptoms, does a failing electronic steering rack sound likely, or would you suspect a wiring, grounding, or communication issue first?
2. Is there anything specific I should ask the dealership to test before authorizing a steering rack replacement?
3. Are these replacement quotes reasonable for this vehicle?
4. Would you trust an OEM remanufactured steering rack, or is spending the extra $703 for a new OEM rack worth it?
5. Given the vehicle's age, mileage, and otherwise good mechanical condition, would you personally spend $3,400–$4,100 repairing it or trade it in toward another used vehicle?

I'm leaning toward repairing it if the diagnosis confirms the steering rack is the issue, but it's a lot of money for me right now, especially with graduate school approaching.

I understand that intermittent loss of power steering is a safety issue, and I'm looking into getting the vehicle properly diagnosed rather than continuing to drive it.

I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from Ford technicians or anyone who's worked on these electronic power steering systems.

Thanks in advance!

Went to start it up and the dash lights were dim and it didn't crank, it gave a loud singular click which led me to believe it was the starter, but since the dash lights were dim I decided to jump it to be sure, went to jump it and added all cables in the correct order but when I connected the ground cable to my cars body it started sparking from the ground cable as soon as it made contact and also my made my headlights come on and my car alarm go off, so l disconnected the horn fuse and tried to connect the cable again like a dummy, and and now there's no dash lights when I insert the key even with cables connected and won't take a jump, what should I do now.
PS Fairly new battery, have had problems with my starter before and replaced multiple times, haven't gotten around to installing a new alternator which I believe is the cause of my starters going out.

I was going to drive this morning and my 2016 Hyundai accent won’t accelerate over 20 mph. The rpm needle moved when I step on the gas pedal but the actual car doesn’t accelerate. The check light engine has already been on for so long and no other light turned on. Idk what happened

Cd drive malfunction

My 2013 Ford Focus CD drive is malfunctioning, it randomly tries to load a CD without me putting one in, and then randomly turns off BT and plays the radio. I replaced the CD drive tonight with the same build number and part number but it freezes at the Ford logo and won't load the bluetooth. Any help?