Q. I read the letter from L.F. in Chicago (Transportation, Jan. 27) about the outside rearview mirrors on his 1998 Chevrolet G-3500 cargo van shaking. My family owns a Chevrolet dealership in the south suburbs of Chicago, and I have seen this problem on other vehicles.
I would venture to guess that L.F. has an aftermarket bug shield or hood protector or something else on the front end that changes the airflow around the van. I was told that GM wind-tunnel-tests its bug shields for particular vehicles to prevent this problem.
I had a customer who had this same problem on a C/K pickup and, after replacing his aftermarket bug shield with the GM bug shield, his outside mirrors stopped shaking.
D.S., South Holland
A. Good theory, backed up by experience. L.F. made no mention of a bug shield or any other accessory. As with any problem, the diagnosis gets easier the more information we have.
Q. I own a 1992 Plymouth Voyager minivan that makes a rattling noise from the engine when I start it and put my foot on the gas. The noise continues for about three blocks then goes away. But when I come to a stop, the sound comes back.
My mechanic first suggested putting some fuel-injection cleaner in the gas, but that didn’t work so he changed all the belts, did a tuneup and changed the water pump. Some people say it has something to do with the belt to the air conditioner. Please help me I have spent over $1,000 on repairs.
G.R., Berwyn
A. Belts are often a source of strange noises beyond squealing and chirping. Your technician can remove the belts one by one and run the engine briefly to find the offender. (He may even choose to remove all the belts and run the engine briefly, which will not harm it.)
If the noise does not go away, we suspect a mechanical problem in the engine, and sometimes the source can be narrowed using a stethoscope. Ask your technician to try this.
Q. Is there a pillow or cushion available (similar to a heating pad) that can be plugged into the cigarette lighter or wired into the automobile circuitry? Such a device would help my back problem.
A.S., Burbank
A. There are several. Brookstone sells a couple models that not only have a heater, but also massage your back and/or thighs. One model even has speakers so you can listen to a portable CD or tape player. They cost about $100. HoMedics sells a heated, massaging seat cushion for about $25 through Kohl’s department stores. Look in the housewares department.
Q. My daughter took her 1997 Jetta to a dealer because her car would not start on three occasions in a row without a jump. The dealer suggested she needed a new battery. After they replaced the battery, the code on her radio had to be re-installed, which was a charge of $45 because she did not have the code.
I experienced the same problem on my 1998 Honda Accord and was charged $95. I’m convinced that the code installations are a gimmick of the dealerships. Am I right?
W.M., Orland Park.
A. Nope. You are wrong. Many cars come with radios that are protected against theft by the code. The radio is useless to a thief once it is removed from the dash.
You were given a code when you bought the car and were probably instructed to keep it in a safe place. The owner’s manual in the glove box isn’t a secure location. We hope you wrote down the codes after your batteries were replaced. But if you didn’t, some cars allow you to program your own code that you will remember. Check your owner’s manual for instructions.
———-
Bob Weber is an ASE-certified Master Automobile Technician, having recertified every five years since 1978. Address your technical questions about cars and trucks to him in care of Motormouth, 17717 Silcott Springs Rd., Purcellville, Va., 20132. Send e-mail, including name and town, to MMTribune@netscape.net. Answers will be supplied only through the newspaper.
