I Hate When That Happens

I have been writing this article for about 15 years now and have written about many different subjects. Cars and the industry continue to morph and change every day. There are a few questions that we seem to get weekly that I would like to address:

The first question concerns the driver of a new vehicle. Their concern is that they have purchased a new car and the dealer has told them that in order to maintain the new car warranty, the car must be brought back to the them, even for maintenance items like oil changes. This is not true. According to the Magnuson-Moss Act written in the mid 1970s, the purchaser of a new vehicle does not have to return to the new car dealer in order to maintain or keep in force their warranty. All that is needed is that records are kept to show that the recommended maintenance schedule has been followed. So even if you want to change your own oil, just keep the receipts of the oil and filter that you purchased. Make a folder and put them all there for safe keeping. This is a very real problem. I have had people write me letters telling me that they bought a new car and are sorry that they won’t be coming in because of what the dealer told them. I have had countless people tell me in person that they can’t wait for their new car to go out of warranty so they don’t have to run all the way down to the cities, which is very inconvient for them, to get their oil changed. I try to educate them, but somehow I am not sure they believe me. After all “The Dealer” told them this. (Sorry for the sarcasm).

Another common misunderstanding has to do with all those new lights on the dash. One of the newest lights is for the low tire pressure monitoring system. The way it is supposed to work is that when a tire does go low on air, the light is suppose to come on to alert the driver. My experience is that this system is very accurate. So don’t ignore it! The problem is that some people are not even familiar with what the symbol on the dash looks like. It may be a good idea to grab the owners manual and review what all the light are, what they are for, and when they will come on. The anti-lock brake system light has been confusing to many for years. If the yellow ABS light comes on, this means that the ABS computer has picked up a problem in the system. Basically the system consists of 4 wheel speed sensors, one at each wheel, the ABS computer, and the hydraulic unit that is in charge of pulsing the hydraulic pressure to each wheel and of course all the wiring that connects it all. In other words your brake pads can be totally worn out and the ABS light will never come on. It’s like the check engine light, if your engine is 3 quarts low on oil the check engine light will not come on. These lights only have to do with computerized control systems. If the oil is low, you may have low oil light or low oil pressure light come on, which are red in color and require immediate attention. If your brake system gets a leak and the fluid is low, then a red brake light should come on, again requiring immediate attention.

For some reason, I think that our cars and trucks will only get more complex and confusing to some. As more and more hybrids come out, as alternative fuel become more common, as well as all the new gadgetry like GPS and MP3 players make their way to the market. I think more people may be saying, “I Hate When That Happens”!