Q: My husband wants to replace the cabin air filter on my 2010 Nissan Sentra...and he thinks that he can do it, himself. Is it easy?
A: It's as easy as: 1) Follow your vehicle manual; or 2) Asking your ASE tech to show you how, for future reference. (Hint: The cabin air filter is located inside the cab of the vehicle, near the accelerator/gas pedal.)
Q: My son is looking for his first vehicle. What would be the best car or truck for him?
A: A "five-star" safety rating vehicle would be a great starter vehicle for your child. And, before purchase, have it checked over by independent set of ASE-certified, professional eyes - saving you possible heartache...lemon-flavored.
Need advice? Need to talk about a questionable repair? FindMeAutoHelp@gmail.com
Q: How often do I change the engine oil? The shop told me once a year. But I use my car for work and put a lot of miles on it. Just doesn't sound right to me.
A: Oil change frequency is based upon year, make and model. Unfortunately, some technicians don't look beyond that criteria. Each manufacturer has another category that needs to be addressed: whether the vehicle falls under the severe or normal duty service category. Ask shop management to re-evaluate your vehicle's maintenance schedule.
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Q: My truck is making an unusual noise but everytime I take it into the shop, the mechanic says he can't hear the noise? I don't want to breakdown so what do I do?
A: Get a second opinion. The first tech may have a hearing issue, not experienced in the year, make and model you drive. or another obstacle preventing him from making a proper diagnosis.
Q: The police department towed my vehicle. How can I find it?
A: Call your local police department. They will have record to which tow company, and where it was towed.
June's Q&A: Case of the missing truck, cont.
...to get an item out of the truck. Went to Ford dealership - where vehicle was sent - and no vehicle in site; Ford dealership had no record of the pickup entering their lot for repair.
Consumer contacted FindMeAutoHelp.com
A:First, locate the vehicle. Toyota and Ford dealerships did not know the location of the vehicle. Had customer contact local law enforcement to file a missing/stolen vehicle report, in case it was taken by an unauthorized user and was used in a crime or involved in an accident (hit-and-run, chase-and-crash, street racing, etc.)
Law enforcement located the vehicle at the Ford dealership. The identification used to "check-in" the vehicle was the Toyota dealership's information, not the legal owner's name - since it was delivered to Ford by the Toyota dealership. Fixed.