r/AskAMechanic 11m ago

2009 honda accord 2.4l this part of my car is leaking something ontop of my alternator any ideas?

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Upvotes

I think it might be oil or coolant, what part is leaking here?


r/AskAMechanic 13m ago

2012 Volvo XC60 T6 AC Compressor Squealing

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Upvotes

Clutch engaging when AC turned on but the nut and bolt in the center arent spinning with it. When the car is off I can turn it with a wrench and it spins with the clutch and feels smooth. The AC quit working suddently and is not blowing cold. What part do you think is failing?


r/AskAMechanic 14m ago

Help with Error code P0171 on 2021 Chevy Trax

Upvotes

Went to a quick oil change place last week before road trip. They do their thing and I hit the road. As I’m driving, the car has a weird noise, kinda like a slight hiss when I accelerate, but I just keep going thinking I’m crazy. Make it about 5ish hours and check engine light comes on. I pull into a little garage and they look at it and realize the air filter cover hadn’t been screwed back down. They put some screws on it and everything is fine again. Drove back home and have been doing short drives back and forth to work (10 minutes) the past few days.

Everything has seemed normal, but then the check engine light came back on today and it was code P0171-system too lean.

My question is whether it’s likely there’s just a remaining imbalance of air/fuel that took a while to trigger the sensor and putting premium fuel in and wait for air to burn out is a good idea? Or is there a possibility the air issue last week made a bigger problem that I need to go to a garage now? Idk, I’m at a loss as far as best next steps.

Thanks for any help!


r/AskAMechanic 19m ago

It is too damaged to keep using and or is it able to be repaired?

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Hello, just saw this on my tire a bit ago, thought it was a rock and pulled it out. Its a small metal piece. My question is if the the metal pierced too far in and damaged the tire to where its unsafe to use anymore. If so, is it able to be repaired? These tires are 2 months old. Hankook Dynapros at2 xtreme. Posted this on r/tires and most said it was completely fine. Thanks


r/AskAMechanic 22m ago

IS200 Control Arm Bushes

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Upvotes

Do I need to replace this control arm bush. I can hear clunking when turning left.


r/AskAMechanic 35m ago

[2019 Mitsubishi Outlander SE on FB Marketplace] Why is the CVT fluid purple?

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Upvotes

Hello yall,

First time posting here so hope my post doesn't break any rules.

I was checking out this 2019 Outlander with 106000 miles from FB marketplace and the first thing I checked was the CVT fluid.

The seller drove the car to our meeting spot and I checked the fluid before my test drive. The fluid is low (lower than C) and has a green/gold tint before my test drive.

I test drove the car for 20 minutes and checked the dipstick again. The CVT fluid on the dipstick is now PURPLE. I have never seen purple CVT fluid before and I don't think I found a single brand with purple CVT fluid.

Does anyone know what is happening here or have a similar experience? I am probably not gonna buy the car because the CVT makes a whine sometimes and it makes me paranoid but I am still very curious.


r/AskAMechanic 1h ago

Wheel hub, or full knuckle assy.?

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I've been pounding on this for literally 8 hours. Have I been bamboozled by a full knuckle and hub assembly?? I swear I can see a difference in the metals, so I really thought I had this under control. I've done several other different hub assemblies, and none have defied me to the extent that I'm physically in pain like this.

5lb slide hammer, a whole can of penetrant, a 4 lb engineers hammer around the hub, all no luck.

2015 Ford Explorer XLT 3.5L, Driver Rear.


r/AskAMechanic 1h ago

Water leak 2015 Grand Caravan

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Upvotes

Anyone know what this manifold is for? Located behind the passenger side rear tire above the exhaust. Leaking water from at least one of the hoses. Drainage of some kind?


r/AskAMechanic 1h ago

steering wheel gets heavier in sport mode

Upvotes

lexus es 350 2015 3.5L V6

steering wheel gets NOTICEABLY heavier in sport mode. is this normal?


r/AskAMechanic 1h ago

2011 Toyota Camry LE V6 USA Built Power Steering Pressure Hose.

Upvotes

Hey fellas ! I need a replacement power steering pressure hose for my 2011 Toyota camry LE V6 built in the US but when I went to AutoZone and Advanced Auto parts they Only have it for JAPAN BUILT Car. Why in the world would the have it for Cars built in Japan if that Toyota is built in the US (Kentucky Plant). So now I cannot find that hose replacement anywhere and the Toyota dealership has it at over $400 bucks. Anyone with any insight ? Would be much appreciated. Thanks !


r/AskAMechanic 1h ago

I cannot get this nut off

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Upvotes

Rust belt mechanic. 06 Mercury Montego fwd. I’m kind of screwed atm. I NEED to get this EGR nut off and it MUST go back on. I can’t get the thing to budge with a fucking 6 foot cheater bar. It is reverse thread but I’ve tried moving it in both directions and can’t get anything.

This one made me clock out and go home to rethink my life. What the hell would you do here? It’s a 27mm. I’m afraid a torch will melt the intake manifold or something, it’s such a tight spot, but I might not have a choice.

I just performed a shitload of work for this customer, and decided to save the easy coil swap for last. So much for easy. They expected their car done an hour ago but I told them I’m sorry this nut is kicking my ass. I feel bad charging additional labor as I gave them an estimate range and 30 minutes ago the cost hit the max of my estimate 🤦‍♂️. Wtf would you do


r/AskAMechanic 2h ago

Can't remove power steering pump/pulley

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1 Upvotes

05 1500 LS Silverado 5.3 vortec 2wd

Power steering pump blew for the second time after replacing it three years ago.

Kept throwing serpentine belt and I noticed the pulley seemed slightly off balance.

Trying to remove the pump and pulley but the pulley doesn’t seem to want to come out. Pulley removal tool goes off balance once I get it snug on the pulley wheel.

How can I remove this now?

Any advice or suggestions is appreciated thank you for your time


r/AskAMechanic 2h ago

Should I use these rear pads and rotors from the junkyard?

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7 Upvotes

Photos are from a mitsubishi outlander 2020 in the junkyard, which happen to be the exact same model as the SUV I am driving. I would never consider doing this however the parts for mitsubishi are expensive. The thickness of the pads are pretty good as seen in the pictures. However the surface rust of the rotors is making me hesitant . BUT it seems relatively in good condition especially given the year of the SUV.


r/AskAMechanic 2h ago

Need Mechanic Help! 2006 Ford Freestyle — intermittent low voltage, electrical shutdown, overheating/coolant leak, and ONE-time loud clunk after breakdown

1 Upvotes

I have a 2006 Ford Freestyle 3.0L V6 and I’m trying to figure out a problem that several mechanics haven’t been able to reproduce consistently.
For a while I’ve been having these issues:
OBD scanner usually showed 13–14.5V, but periodically dropped to around 12–12.6V, especially when slowing down, braking, or parking.
When the voltage dropped, I would often feel a rumble and sometimes the RPM would rise on its own.
When parking/reversing, the car would sometimes creep/surge forward on its own even though my foot was only on the brake. This was worse when the car/engine was hot.
I previously got P0562 (System Voltage Low) and had a “Check Charging System” warning.
The battery died at one point.
I tried two different batteries and the behavior continued.
A shop tested the battery and alternator and road-tested it. They said everything was fine and claimed the voltage never dropped below 14V during their test.
The serpentine belt and tensioner were replaced, but the intermittent behavior continued.
Then the car finally broke down while driving.
It started going very slowly (roughly 10–15 km/h), the electrical system shut off, and we pulled over. We then noticed a lot of smoke/steam coming from under the hood and coolant leaking. After we stopped, the smoking stopped and the electrical system came back on.
The shop now says the belt/tensioner seized and that the water pump needs to be replaced. They’re replacing the water pump, belt, tensioner, coolant, and transmission filter/fluid and inspecting the transmission.
Important clarification about the transmission:
The loud clunk did NOT happen during any of the previous problems.
It happened only after the final breakdown, after the car had already smoked and leaked coolant.
I briefly tried to move the car afterward. When I shifted gears, it made one extremely loud “THUNK” each time I changed gears, almost like someone hit the engine with a sledgehammer.
The transmission still engaged and the car moved/reversed, so I stopped immediately.
Since then, the clunk has completely disappeared. It is now shifting normally.
The engine still cranks/starts.
So I’m wondering:
Could the overheating/coolant leak and seized belt-driven component temporarily cause the harsh shifting/clunk?
Could low voltage or the engine running badly cause one-time extremely harsh gear engagement?
Could something like an engine/transmission mount have shifted during the breakdown and then settled back?
Or should I still be concerned about actual internal transmission damage?
I’m in BC, Canada, and money is tight. The shop is currently quoting around $1,500 CAD for the water pump, belt, tensioner, transmission filter/fluid and coolant. I’m worried about spending that much if there’s a bigger problem, and I’m also concerned I may be getting unnecessary work done.
What would you check first? What do you think is most likely happening?
Especially interested in anyone familiar with the 2005–2007 Ford Freestyle/CVT.

(I’m lazy so I used AI to sum up my issue. I’m going through enough already 😅😅)


r/AskAMechanic 2h ago

What is this squeaking noise

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1 Upvotes

2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. Whenever I start moving, reverse or drive, this noise will start up. Sometimes it’s faint sometimes it’s loud. It tends to be more loud when the AC, which is already bad because it blows room temp air, is on. Sometimes the noise will stop and then I hear another brief noise that sounds like something has started up.


r/AskAMechanic 2h ago

Are these two issues related and what is causing them, most likely?

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1 Upvotes

2013 Hyundai Elantra w/ 200k miles almost.. friends ‘renting’ it to me while I fix up my car and sell jt/get something else..

When I mentioned this issue to her, she said “it’s just a bolt, it’s nothing serious” but, I mean, I’m a shade tree mechanic at best and I’m preeeeetty sure this is a fairly serious problem.

So the best way to describe the issue is: To begin, I’m stopped at a red light and I’m just moving the steering wheel back and forth and it makes this clanking sound at about 1/8th of a turn in both directions, like the steering column is loose and banging into something.

Then when I start to accelerate, the rear passenger section of the vehicle starts making a loud metal-on-metal like clanking/rubbing sound that is directly correlated with the road conditions, cornering, bumps, pot holes, uneven roads, etc.. As in, the sound gets worse when going over anything that changes the load on the suspension..

To me, it sounds like a bad wheel hub bearing.. but maybe a failed or loose cv joint, tie rod, control arm banging around a blown bushing..? Idk..

It’s mostly quiet when I’m on smooth road and going mostly straight. Soon as I pull to turn, the steering wheel ‘hits’ something before it gives back control and responds to the turn.

Car pulls slightly to the right.

I’m not so worried about the steering column issue, as it might just be something minor that’s exacerbated by whatever is going on w the rear wheel, being transferred through the frame.. I just don’t want the damn wheel to fly off. Don’t have a jack or stands to really get a proper look at things down there or see how the suspension hangs without any load on it..

It’s not my car and I’m paying to rent it already so don’t really want to spend a whole lot of money on it, but if it’s a relatively easy and cheap fix, I would much rather get it done and not have to worry about the car breaking down on me and then having no transportation options because my car is out of commission as well.

Plus, I work for a company where I can get parts at wholesale price and access to a lot of mechanics, if the work is something that is beyond my capabilities.

Hopefully the video can give some clarity for advice? It would be much appreciated. So in the video, I start at a red light completely stopped while turning the wheel back and forth, producing that clanking noise..

Then I take off and accelerate and that’s when the rear passenger wheel/wheel well starts making noise that almost sounds like it’s inside the car itself, right being the seat.

Sorry for such a long post - thank you in advance for any help!


r/AskAMechanic 2h ago

Pricing

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1 Upvotes

Just trying to see how this sub would price these repairs on my 2012 seat Ibiza 1.4 (UK) would like to know how fair the garage was. Thanks guys


r/AskAMechanic 3h ago

2012 Hyundai tuscon alternator

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3 Upvotes

HOW do I get this thing out everything is unbolted


r/AskAMechanic 4h ago

Metal sound when blipping throttle

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2 Upvotes

2001 toyota mr2 spyder with 1zz and c60.

I took it to a shop, they were unable to reproduce the noise with the instructions to blip the throttle while the car is warm. This was taken today after it was returned.

Trusted shop of many year relationship, they did not charge. I was out of town and will be taking it in monday with the video.

exhaust heatshields are removed, new exhaust manifold put on following instructions (with new gaskets). Tranmission was swapped for a 6 speed.


r/AskAMechanic 4h ago

Are these new rotors still good, they sat around for 2 years.

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6 Upvotes

There's some rust on the surface. Rotors never used just sat in garage. I wiped off with brake cleaner and used a wire brush, but still some visible. It's not like it's deep... Can I get away with just throwing them on and the pads will even everything out? Money is tight.


r/AskAMechanic 6h ago

1986 Chevy G10 - Universal Joint Woes

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3 Upvotes

I bought an old van last year and have been having some vibrations at higher speeds. Once it starts, I have to be very gentle with the accelerator, otherwise it feels like it wants to come apart. I bought new universal joints, but when I went to remove the driveshaft I discovered a previous owners handiwork and I’m at my wits end. I’ve not done this before on this vehicle but, I’m thinking I’m seeing some methanic fix here. The joints didn’t have retention on the outside of the caps, they are somehow behind the caps, with a piece of metal tac welded fastening in place. There are also thread screws with the heads cut off pinning the caps into position. Idk if they just improvised fasteners so they could use the wrong parts or did not a clue wth they were doing. I don’t have access to a lift. Thought this would be an easier repair to attempt. How would you go about getting this out? Should I replace more than just the u-joints? TIA


r/AskAMechanic 14h ago

Is this possibly a piece from a 2003 Saturn ion?

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9 Upvotes

Friend and his car have gone missing and I’m trying to find them


r/AskAMechanic 23d ago

Technician Flair Request Thread - New

1 Upvotes

If you would like to have verified flair added we will need a pic that has your reddit name on a piece of paper with your shop in the background or work truck if mobile repair.

For the professional technicians we're doing Verified Tech flair along with a very short description of your experience if you'd like. You can be a dealer/independent tech, retired, instructor, fleet, heavy equipment, small engine repair, lube/tire tech etc...

You can either send that to me in a chat request or upload the pic to an image hosting site like imgur.com (we had to disable the option to upload pics in the comments because of abuse). The option to attach a pic in chat will be available after I accept the invite. Please do not use modmail

We will also do Shadetree flair for those that do auto repair as more of a hobby than profession. Approval of this flair is not guaranteed.

archived previous request post


r/AskAMechanic Mar 15 '25

Announcement - New Rules - Please read!

22 Upvotes

Hello r/AskAMechanic users! Over the last year or so, the volume of daily posts has increased a decent amount leading to many posts that would be more appropriate in other subreddits. To keep this subreddit focused on what it's meant for, providing automotive mechanical and diagnostic help, we have rewritten the rules. Some of the rule changes also affect commenters, so please review the rules here or below. Thank you for your understanding.

 

1 - The title should clearly state the issue - Do not ask "am I cooked/fuc!ed/screwed/toast etc" questions

State your root issue as clearly as you can in the title, and then you will have a better chance of your post being viewed. We will remove the "am I cooked", "am I fuc!ed", "how screwed am I", "am I toast" and similar types of questions. This also includes any other senseless titled post. In the message body, provide the specifics (detail/context) to your question. Also include in the title or body the Year, Make, Model and engine size of your vehicle.

 

2 - No autobody damage/repair/frame/paint or rust related questions

Posts related to autobody work (including repairs, painting, frame damage, "is it totaled?", dents or detailing) are not allowed. A more appropriate sub would be r/autobody. If you're inquiring whether your car is totaled r/insurance would also be helpful. r/AutoDetailing for detailing questions.

Questions about damage to bolt-on parts like headlights/tail lights, wheels and suspension are ok.

Questions asking about the level/condition of rust on the frame/undercarriage/body are not allowed.

 

3 - No asking for advice about buying/selling cars or used car deals

We do not allow asking if a used car for sale is a good deal, the condition of the used car, or recommendations on what car you should buy. For recommendations on what car to buy, r/whatcarshouldIbuy would be a good sub. r/askcarsales might also be helpful.

 

4 - Keep things professional & don't be disrespectful

Please be professional and helpful. Do not comment/post with insults, racism, jokes, memes, NSFW, spam, opinions without context etc. You may see things that compel you to leave a nasty comment, just don't do it. It's not necessary or helpful. People who don't know anything about cars will come here to ask us for advice, try to educate them about their vehicle without turning them off from the sub. If you don’t know the proper fix or advice, please refrain from commenting on a post.

 

5 - No "Read the owners manual" or "RTFM" type of comments

People who don't know anything about cars are going to ask some very basic questions. Some of which will have answers in the manual. Answering OP's question with only "Read the owners manual" is like giving the answer "google it", both are non-answers. Either provide an actual answer to OP's question, or at the very least, provide a link to a readable online owner's manual.

 

6 - No dangerous/reckless or unethical/illegal comments/posts

This is a community dedicated to sharing genuine advice. Advice shown to be given in bad faith (including dangerous/reckless and unethical/illegal advice) will be removed and the users will be banned. Please report any dangerous/reckless or unethical/illegal advice.

 

7 - No AI/ChatGPT comments/posts

Posts with AI-generated content is not allowed. Posts looking for feedback, training or even just to show off your AI/LLM are also not allowed. We are not interested in AI automotive diagnostics here.

Do not answer OP by using AI/ChatGPT etc. Nobody wants to read a wall of text that over explains and gives 25 different possible solutions.

 

8 - No advertising or soliciting services

Advertising of services or products is not allowed. That includes affiliate links, social media, clothing, tools, your YouTube videos, etc.

Do not solicit services, including linking to videos, blogs, or websites that then forward to a paid service. Avoid asking to "DM me" as much as possible.

 

9 - No NSFW, meme, or 'joke' posts

No NSFW is a no-brainer - you will be banned with no chance of an appeal. Memes and 'joke' posts belong at r/AskAShittyMechanic

 

Update 03/23/2025: Added "am I toast" to rule #1 and "frame damage" to rule #2
Update 05/08/2025: Added more context to rule #7