The Car Doc on wheel alignments, how computer problems affect transmissions and more
Q. I have a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu with just over 20,000 miles on it. The car gets driven mainly on the highway. When I was in for service the dealership says the car needs a wheel alignment. My question is are some cars more susceptible to this problem and if so would I be better off doing a lifetime alignment?
A. It is not unusual to have a wheel alignment performed once or year or so. Poorly maintained roads are the main cause of poor wheel alignment and having the wheels aligned properly helps the tires last longer and maintains vehicle handling. Any time you detect the car is handling poorly (pulling to one side, steering wheel off-center or tire squeal on turns) have the alignment checked.
Q. I have a 2002 Toyota RAV4 and I am being told that my transmission is not working correctly due to the computer box that resides in the glove compartment that controls the workings of the transmission. The box is malfunctioning. Any suggestions
A. If the symptom is erratic shifting I would suspect the shop is correct. Over the years this is a fairly common issue with some of these older RAV4s. Once all of the basics have been checked then replacing the module is most likely the solution. The part is not serviceable and will need to be replaced. It has been my experience that this is a “plug and play’’ part and doesn’t require programing.
Q. I have a 1999 Honda Civic that every two months or so will not start this will generally happen after driving the car and letting it sit for 30 minutes or so. Other times it will immediately start up and be fine. I’ve heard a host of possibilities: ignition switch, distributor, EFI main relay and even the alternator. Do you have any thoughts on the issue?
A. Considering the car is 17 years old almost anything could be a problem. Certainly almost all of the items you listed could be a possibility with the exception of the alternator. The main relay is the most common issue, especially as the car gets hot, the module in the distributer and ignition switch failure are also fairly common problems. If I was taking a guess after checking all of the connections for corrosion I would replace the main relay.
Q. My husband and I were driving last week when the stability/traction came on and then the reduced power icon displayed. I had to look it up in our manual to see what they meant. We have a 2011 Impala with 140,000 miles on it. We took it to our mechanic and he put it on their computer and found that the fuel pedal needed to be replaced. There is no more throttle levers on these cars so he said that it just wore out. Have you ever heard of this? We have only one mechanic working on our car and they had never heard of this either.
A. Your Chevrolet like many newer cars does not have a direct mechanical connection between the gas pedal and the engine. Some common problems with this model have been faulty throttle bodies (the engine component) and the connections at the gas pedal due to water contamination issues. It is also possible that the part is covered under and extended warranty. Since you have had the part replaced I would send the receipt to General Motors customer service and request reimbursement
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