What is overdrive and how should I choose between putting my car in drive or overdrive?
All the answers here are good for describing what overdrive does, but don't really give examples as to when you should use or not use overdrive.Most have said overdrive is good for highway use to reduce the RPM's of the engine and therefore conserving fuel. This is true as that is what it was designed to do.Additionally, overdrive would be safer in slippery situations where ice or wet roads may be a factor as the drive wheels would be much less likely to see a sudden acceleration from loss of grip.However, when do you not want to use overdrive?A good rule of thumb for this situation is to compare it to situations where you would find it beneficial to down shift in a manual transmission.These may include:When you are preparing to switch from a slower moving lane of traffic to a faster lane. Passing. Extended downhill grades, to prevent having to ride the brakes.Extended uphill grades to maintain power Hills when you are having trouble maintaining speed.Curvy roads where engine braking would be beneficial.TowingHopefully this helps.
What are reasons your steering wheel won't lock?
I assume that you are referring to your steering wheel not locking in position after you stop the vehicle and take out the key?There are several possible reasons for this.1. The cog that fits into the detent on the steering column is broken and needs to be replaced.2. The detent on the steering column is worn or broken3. You have not turned the wheel far enough for the cog to find a detent. Pull the wheel first to the left, and then to the right to find the spot.4. The actuator from the solenoid to the cog is broken.To repair this will require the cover on the steering column to be removed, and probably need to have the steering wheel removed as well. Take it to a qualified shop or dealer for this. Incorrect actions could result in damage to the parts, or even the deployment of the air bag on the steering wheel. The exact disassembly required will differ for each manufacturer and possible model of vehicle. If you have a Chilton's manual for your vehicle, you can look up the repair to see what is involve.
What does it mean when the traction control light comes on?
It may mean you have a problem.All cars and light trucks since the 2012 model year have come with standard traction control, and many vehicles from earlier years that had antilock brakes also got traction control. That’s because traction control piggybacks on the antilock brake system and uses the same wheel-speed sensors to control wheel slip during acceleration. Traction control and ABS are the basis of the stability control systems the federal government has required since the 2012 model year.As with antilock systems, the wheel-speed sensors, wires, connectors, control module and other components can occasionally conk out or suffer intermittent problems. The sensors, wires and connectors at each wheel live in a hostile environment of potholes, water, snow, dirt, tar, stones, other debris and more, so they take a beating and can fail.A problem in the system will usually illuminate a dashboard warning light that traction control is disabled and, in some cases, ABS as well. (When ABS is disabled, you should still have normal braking ability, just without the antilock feature.) This is different from momentary illumination of the light; that warning light should always come on for a couple of seconds whenever you start the vehicle and when the system is doing its job. (Common Problems with Traction Control)Read more at Common Problems with Traction Control
What are some symptoms of a bad idle air control sensor?
Idle air control valves open to allow more air to "leak" into the intake, raising the engine rpms, or close when not needed. When your AC compressor kicks in or power steering is activated as you suddenly turn the steering wheel, the sudden drag on the drive belt will bog down the engine. These systems send a signal to the engine computer telling it they are active and it then signals the IAC valve to open, which increases the engine speed. Without this occurring, the engine could struggle, or die. The IAC valve can cause weird idle issues, mess with throttle functionality or cause the car to die. Sometimes they fail, get stuck or just get all carboned up. Sometimes people have success at cleaning them, but generally it is best to replace them when bad. Idle issues and even problems with the IAC valve may not be due to the IAC valve being bad itself. An idle issue does not mean the IAC valve is bad. It is best to pay close attention to how the vehicle is acting, and then communicate that clearly and as completely as possible to your mechanic. Intermittent problems can be very hard to diagnose. Details will help. Knowing more about the vehicle in question and its symptoms (in detail) will also help in understanding more about what it is doing.
What causes a car to lose power while driving?
In modern cars with engine management systems, it is the system itself that reduces power if it detects a problem with the engine. A warning light will come and and the engine will go into 'limp home' mode, where speed it usually limited to 80km/h or lower. Any number of things can cause this, but usually it relates to loss of something important, like a coolant leak, or low oil pressure. Sometimes it can also be a false positive due to a fault in the management system itself.All internal combustion engines require three things to work; compression, fuel and ignition. Degradation of any one of theses will result in lower engine performance.Loss of compression can result from engine wear, common in engines with several hundred thousand kilometers on the clock. Engine efficiency is lost because gasses can escape past the piston rings. Mechanical failure such as a blown head gasket can cause a similar loss.Blockages or degradation of the fuel supply, such as a worn fuel pump will cause loss of power for obvious reasons.Ignition faults stem from things such as a cracked distributor head, worn spark plugs, worn ignition coil or faulty spark plug leads. They generally result in some cylinders not igniting the fuel/air mix, thus reducing the power.Loss of lubricant or coolant will cause the engine to overheat and then seize. In this case, loss of power is 100%.Worn bearings in the engine will usually not reduce power much, they will keep working, making more and more noise, and then fail catastrophically, causing the engine to seize.It is also possible for timing chains to slip, adjustment screws to loosen in the carburetor, exhaust manifolds to develop leaks , and other minor mechanical faults to occur that will reduce engine power. This can happen suddenly or gradually over time.
Why does the steering wheel lock up while driving?
What Causes the Steering Wheel to Lock Up? | eHow Losing control of your car's steering is a terrifying experience, one that can lead to a crash with horrific consequences. If this happens to you, then you must try to bring your vehicle to a stop at once and determine the cause of steering wheel lock-up before you drive your car again. There are a number of reasons why your car's steering has suddenly locked up including:Key MechanismNot every steering wheel problem occurs when you have the transmission engaged and are heading down the road. Sometimes, drivers report that their steering wheel stays locked even after inserting the key into the ignition. When that happens, the car probably cannot be started let alone driven. More than likely the key assembly has worn out and needs to be replaced. However, before calling your auto mechanic, try to move the wheels to the left and to the right as sometimes the steering column "catches," a problem that can be resolved if you jiggle the wheel.Lock PinGeneral Motors issued a pair of recalls for the C5 Chevrolet Corvette (1997-2004 models) due to problems with locked steering. In addition to being locked while starting, owners complained that in some cases their cars could be driven but with no control of steering. This problem is due to a lock pin that fails to withdraw fully, allowing contact between the pin and lock plate. Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) website (see Resources) for information about recalls #04006B and #04006C or call your Chevrolet dealer.ConclusionWhile the three causes mentioned here are among the top reasons why a steering wheel may lock up, there could be other reasons. Contact an auto mechanic for assistance, or if you are handy with repairs, consult a Haynes or Chilton repair manual (or anything similar) for guidance.