Car Talk #2548: When Car Quirks Cause Chaos

Car Starting Conundrums

• 💡 Teddi from Stratford, CT, experiences a starting issue with her '89 Toyota Camry, where it fails to start one out of four or five times.
• 🛠️ Jiggling the steering wheel, gear shift, or even closing the driver's door seemed to temporarily resolve the issue, leading to discussions about correlation vs. causation.
• 🎯 The likely culprit identified is a faulty flywheel, with a small chance of a starter issue, suggesting a repair costing "several severals."

Wheel Bearing Confusion

• 🚗 Kyle from Lake Metigoshe, ND, faces conflicting advice regarding his wife's '92 Pontiac Grand Am's rear wheel bearings.
• 👨‍🔧 His father claims they cannot be packed, while his father-in-law suggested they needed packing, creating a dilemma.
• 🧐 The consensus is that modern vehicles like the Grand Am likely have sealed, non-repackable bearings that require replacement if loose, advising Kyle to get a professional diagnosis.

Intermittent Brake Failure

• ⚠️ Mary from Berkeley, CA, reports an alarming intermittent issue with her '94 Mercury Villager van where the foot brake pedal sinks on a slight downhill slope, causing the car to roll.
• 🔧 Despite a new master cylinder installation, the problem persists, leading to speculation about a faulty anti-lock brake system (ABS) valve or accumulator causing pressure loss.
• 🗣️ Mary is advised to insist the dealer diagnose and fix the issue, emphasizing the danger of intermittent failures and comparing it to airline safety.

Mysterious Power Loss on the Highway

• 🚦 Gloria from Ann Arbor, MI, driving an '88 Volkswagen Jetta, experiences sudden power loss and deceleration on a flat, straight highway, which is resolved by restarting the engine.
• 🧪 She has experimented by varying throttle input, which temporarily prevents the issue, and has developed a risky habit of turning the engine off and on while driving.
• ⛽ The suspected cause is a faulty fuel pump that may not be delivering adequate pressure or volume, despite a recent check, and she is advised to get a proper fuel pressure test.