Did my car battery cause the ‘check engine’ light to switch on?
Q. I had a problem with my Honda Accord; the check engine light was on. When I went to a Honda specialist they tested everything out and told me the battery was faulty. They replaced the battery and the check engine light is off. The car had been starting fine, but they claim it was a battery problem. I want to believe the shop, but the battery was only a couple of years old. Did the battery actually cause the problem? A.
So many of today’s car problems are caused by faulty/undercharged batteries or poor electrical connections. It is entirely possible that the battery was faulty causing low voltage at the computer, which in turn can turn on the check engine light. Most good shops today will test a car’s battery before performing any complicated diagnostic testing.
Q. I replaced the battery on my car after the recent cold snap and was dabbing a little grease on my car’s battery cables, when my neighbor came over and told me grease it isn’t a good idea. When he changed his battery he used a sticky spray which he told me is now the recommended by professional repair shops. What is wrong with grease?
A. Grease is an acid and although aids in sealing the connections at the cables it can dissolve and cause its own share of problems. The battery sprays are designed for this and work well. If you don’t want to buy dedicated battery cable spray try barbeque paint; it dries quickly and forms a good seal to prevent corrosion and you can always touch up the barbecue with the leftover paint.
Q. I have a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee and am having an issue with the display on the radio. It’s the radio that came with the Jeep (not aftermarket). It has a single CD slot and (believe it or not) a cassette tape slot along with many pre-sets for the radio stations. The display went out months ago but everything else works fine, just no display, until this most recent frigid cold morning. I got in to start the car and the clock was showing! But, when I went back once the car had warmed up, it was gone again. Websites I’ve read, and mechanics I’ve spoken to, said once the display is gone it’s time to get a new radio as the display will never return. Any ideas as to what it could be and if it can be fixed?
A. It is possible to get it fixed but the cost may be more than a good quality replacement radio with updated features. More than likely there is a poor solder joint that opens up when the radio gets warm. There are several shops online that do these repairs once you remove the radio. If this were my car and I was going to keep it I would get an upgraded radio with more modern features such as Bluetooth and iPod connections.
Q. My car has a problem with frost building up on the inside of the windows. The other day I needed to use an ice scraper to clean the side windows while the defroster was on. What is causing this?
A. There is moisture getting in the car it could be from a leaking windshield or door gasket. The other possibility is that is the heater is set on the recirculation setting rather than fresh air setting which will cause moisture to build up in the car. Start by making sure the interior is as dry as possible. Use a wet vacuum and try to dry as much of the carpets as possible. Then put “dry-packs’’ in the car. These packets contain calcium chloride or silica gel that will absorb any dampness. If the problem continues then it is time to look for a water leak.
Q. I own a Volvo C70 and I don’t know if I’m just experiencing a series of bad breaks or what; however, these are the issues. I purchased the car new in 2012. In 2015, I had an issue with the door become unlatched when I had the top down. Got that fixed then all of a sudden the anti-skid indicator would activate in dry weather after I hit a bump. This caused the wipers to start and the car to decelerate, clearly a safety issue. Most recently I took the car in for the 65,000 mile check-up and they are saying I need a new crankshaft. I have only taken my vehicle to the dealer for service. I have also called the Volvo customer care for some explanation for the anti-skid and crankshaft issue since my vehicle is 3 years old. They could not provide any real explanation; however, did offer to provide a discount on the repairs. I do enjoy driving my vehicle and have always felt that Volvo was a top notch car manufacturer. My question for you is; are other Volvo C70 owners experiencing these issues?
A. I did a little research and didn’t find any technical service bulletins that would indicate any history of faults concerning a faulty crankshaft or problem with the stability control system. Even a check on Volvo forums don’t show problems with the crankshaft although there are many other issues that pertain to the Volvo C70 that indicate this model is not one of Volvo’s most dependable.
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