Don’t Overreact To These Common Car Problems
By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist
If you’re not a mechanic — or mechanically inclined — when your car starts doing something “funny” it can be pretty scary. Sometimes, it’s something to worry about — but maybe not.
How to know the difference?
Here are a few commonly occurring problems that aren’t big deals — usually — but have been know to make some people freak out.
The “Check Engine” Light
Typically, this is a service reminder that illuminates when your car’s computer senses a problem with the engine’s emissions control system.
While it’s important to have a tech look at the car at some point in the near future (in addition to possibly producing higher-than-usual exhaust emissions, a fault in the system, if left uncorrected for too long could lead to more expensive repairs, eventually) it’s not a “pull over now!” situation. If the light should come on, you can keep on driving. Just make a mental note to have the car in for service when it’s convenient.
Caveat: If the “check engine” light is red rather than amber it could be something serious that requires immediate attention, such as low engine oil or low oil pressure. If the red light comes on, at minimum, you should stop as soon as it’s safe to do so, open the hood and check the oil level and look for sign of overheating, such as steam coming out from around the radiator. Check your car’s other instruments, too — especially the water temperature gauge, if so equipped.
Look in your vehicle’s owner’s manual to see precisely what the “check engine” light means for your specific car — and respond accordingly. Ideally, do this now, before the light comes on — so you’ll know what to do (and how to react) when it does!
Clicking Sounds As You Roll
This can drive you nuts — and make you think there’s some major problem with your vehicle — when often it’s just a piece of gravel or road debris that’s lodged in between the treads of one of your car’s tires. The good news is all you need is a pen (or something similar) and some patience to fix the problem.
Find an empty parking lot (or your driveway) and check the visible/exposed tread of each tire. Next, get in the car and roll it forward or backward just enough to expose the part of the tread that was in contact with the ground. If you didn’t find the piece of gravel (or whatever it was) before, it should be visible now. Use the pen (or similar implement) to dislodge it — and there you go, problem solved!
Can’t Get The Key Out Of The Ignition!
Has this ever happened to you? One day, you arrive wherever you were going, put the car into Park, turn off the engine, rotate the key in the ignition switch — but it won’t come out. It’s easy to understand why you might freak out. You don’t want to leave the car with the key in the ignition — but you don’t want to be stuck sitting in the car for who knows how long until AAA (or whomever) comes to the rescue.
But, fear not. The issue is usually fixed simply by turning (or jiggling) the steering wheel a bit to get everything inside the column (including the locking mechanism) lined up correctly so you can get the key out. It might take a little man-handling, but no tools or expertise are needed.
Sometimes, a similar thing happens with automatic transmissions; the driver returns to the car and find that it’s (apparently) impossible to get the gearshift lever to move out of Park. Modern cars have something called a brake-shift interlock; basically, it’s a safety device intended to prevent the vehicle from being put into gear before the driver has put his foot on the brake. Sometimes, the switch fails — and the car appears stuck where it is.
But if you look around the console trim plate, near the shifter lever, you should see a little tab. Pop it open and you can then manually depress a switch that releases the brake-shift interlock — and you’ll be able to move the selector into Drive and be on your way. You can get the interlock fixed at your dealer whenever you have time.
Where’d My Oil Go?
Most people don’t realize that all car engines — from the lowliest Hyundai to the priciest BMW — burn oil. From Day One. Some more than others, for sure — but without exception, all of them do it.
This does not mean your engine (or car) is a clunker. It is perfectly normal. Some oil will always seep past pistons rings and elsewhere; it usually happens in very small amounts and gets consumed as part of the normal process of combustion within the engine.
What’s unnerving — especially when there is no obvious sign of oil consumption, such as blue smoke coming out of the tailpipe — is the way the level on the dipstick mysteriously dips over time, whether it’s every 3-4 weeks or every couple of months. It can make you think there’s a big leak or some other issue that’s going to cost you a fortune.
Don’t worry. Usually, all it’s going to cost you is whatever the cost of a quart of oil (be sure to use the correct grade, etc. recommended in your owner’s manual) happens to be. The key thing is to be in sync with your car’s normal rhythm of oil usage.
By checking the dipstick every two weeks (at least) you’ll not only get a feel for how much oil your car normally consumes, you will notice any deviation from that pattern that could indicate a new (and potentially serious) problem, such as internal wear or a leak somewhere.
And that could save you some money — and potentially, a real hassle!
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Whats your Audi A6′s top speed? Is it 130 mph, 150 mph, or 155 mph?
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Maybe the problem was in the ignition. The ignition wire must be out of place or something. Anyway it's better to check your car before leaving.
The German-designed car has a poorly-built transmission?
It will downshift, but sometimes not to the gear it should unless the pedal is pushed all the way down.
2 reasons your friends car has a delay, poorly built transmission or drive by wire throttle. That’s why my A6 is a 6 spd. None of this auto trans or DSG crap.
I forgot to mention that I drove my friends car today. He let me floor it and when I did floor it I also hit the kickdown switch. The funny thing is that there was about a 0.7 second delay before the car downshift. Is this normal? I thought the kickdown switch makes the downshift faster.
Thank you for answering my questions.
Ok I did some research on the kickdown switch. Does it really make a difference? Isn’t the car supposed to down shift when you floor it without hitting the switch?
The kickdown switch
To Fleet Admiral
I notice when you push the gas pedal of a VW Jetta or Rabbit all the way down there is a clicking action. What is that? Why do I here a clicking noise when I push the gas pedal down to the grown. Infinits gas pedal does not click when you push it down to the grown.
Luckily you can buy the OEM VW equipment they fail to provide you, aftermarket. Like bi-xenons EURO or US spec, nav -the new touchscreen RNS-510 (as long as you order the highline DIS gauge cluster display), or EURO code brake lights with amber turn signal/rear foglight.
The 2.5 will do for most people, since it gets about the same mileage as the turbo. But once the mod parts hit the tuner shops it will be the more popular engine just like the 1.8T and twin turbo 2.7T for Audi. There’s virtually nothing for add-ons for the NA engine lineup, 4.2, 3.0, 2.8, 2.5. Not sure what maint. costs are like either. Just have to ask the service manager at the VW dealership.
And on these cars, the check engine light will come on if the gas cap isn’t all tight.
The 2.5 can do 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds. Isn’t that reasonable for average driving conditions? I know that its not race car quick but it has enough power to pass when you floor it. I know this because my sister has a VW Rabbit 2.5 and its good.
I test drove the VW Jetta Wolfsburg in June. The dealer allowed me to floor it and boy it had alot of kick in it. During that time I was still shoping around so I did not buy the Wolfsburg but when I went back it was gone. I would love to get the TDI but where I live USLD fuel is hard to find. Now I am looking at the 2009 VW Jetta SE. The GLI with the autobahn package and navagation system has too much of a high price tag($30,000). I mind as well just buy a BMW or Infiniti for that price.
Any of the oils I mentioned are good, it’s just Pentosynth 5w40 is easier to get your hands on and a little cheaper. If you go to ECS tuning you can buy it, and they should soon have a section for the new VWs. I’ve read people like Amsoil as well on the forums. There’s just too much bickering and test results to go through. But if what I heard is correct, Porcshe dropped Mobil 1 because the oil was shearing.
Their lineup this year just blows. No 2.0T unless you buy their wagon or wolfsburg, but it’s not much more expensive, otherwise it’s the anemic 2.5L across the board. What the hell are they thinking. If it was my decision I’d get the wolfsburg or the TDI and stay away from the 2.5. And the Passat 2.0T now $28k? Incompetent gits. When I had mine it was a nice ’02 with the 1.8T. Anything without a turbo wasn’t a consideration. And they’re still cheating people out of xenons unless you buy the upper end. No matter, they can be added from ECS.
Also you should start reading the forums http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=1136
To Fleet Admiral
I am going to buy a 2009 VW Jetta SE. It has the 2.5 5cly engine with 170 hp, and 175 lb-ft. What type of 5w40 oil is good for a 2009 VW Jetta SE? Someone told me Amsoil is a good oil. I have done some research myself but I wish to see which oil you think is good.
You can find it on the ECS tuning website, and the others will just need to be searched on google, as I only use Pentosynth.
There is a warning that by switching to full synth late in the game, your gaskets could leak.
Do they sell Euro oil in the U.S.? Is it easy to find?
And if you’re looking for Euro oil, the choices are Pentosynth, ELF, Motul, Lubro Molly.
A3/A4/A6/A8 Audi are made in Germany. VW Passat/Jetta wagons as well.
And try telling the people who got sludge and turbo coking problems on their A4 / Passats that they didn’t need to use 5w40, because the dealers are incompetent, as well as the owners for not reading the manual, and for thinking any old oil will last the 10k mi change intervals they instituted to save money on free maintenance. 10w30 can ONLY be used in emergencies. And 0w40 mobil 1 is no longer full synth group 4.
As well, if you have a device called a VAG-COM you can diagnose your own CEL codes. Whoever said you need a degree to repair modern engines, is only the case if you have a low IQ.
Modern engines burn little to no oil. (1 quart per 10,000 miles is what I would call negligible)
The cylinder walls are highly finished, and there are oil/vapor separators in better engines.
and most German engines can get away without using a 5w-40 oil, unless an Autobahn popped up overnight.
http://www.audiworld.com/tech/eng14.shtml
I would still use a 10w-30 synthetic though. If you were hyper-passionate, you could mix 1/2 0w-40 & 10w-30 for ’5w-35′ oil. (this doesn’t apply to diesels, stick with a synthetic 40 weight)
George,Your so wrong.
I have other things to do right now,so I am not going to elaborate.
To any person reading this…
Every thing george wrote is wrong.
I do not doubt that he believes it,I just want you folks to
reject the statement entirely.
API-american petrol. institute has determined 1 qt gone for every 1000 miles
is ”normal”..
Take turbos on dyno oil, that drive hard =1 qt X 2. per 1000 miles between interval changes.
The american car manufacturers with models that are emissions passing,have adopted the API findings as The rule of thumb.
George should fill his library w.intel before the forums with B.S.
I forgot to mention that before every time I would floor it my check engine light would come on. It would stay on for about 1-2 weeks then it would go off. I have no idea what that was all about. Now whenever I put my foot down to the ground the check engine light does not come on. This is just so weird.
Correct me if I may be wrong but mostly all VWs are made in Mexico. The only VWs that I know that are made in germany would be the Wolfsburg Editions.
Are you talking one of those VWs made in Mexico?
And this is where GERMAN car owners get it WRONG, the OIL. Most engines state 5w40, FULL SYNTHETIC=group IV. None of this US crap.
And if you owned a VW/Audi, or even BMW, it would tell you directly on the DIS – STOP ENGINE NOW – if there is a serious problem. No guessing with just a simple CEL. Hell, my Audi even tells me when I have a burnt out bulb or need brake pads replaced, or headlight level motors checked.