I lost control of the steering of my car at 10 km an hour on a slight curve.

ANSWER : You most likely experienced a temporary loss of power assist to your steering. There is still a connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels, but the hydraulic assist can go away leaving you with a steering wheel that is very hard to turn. If you had been traveling at speed when this happened, you probably wouldn’t have even noticed it as the wheel is much easier to turn at highway speeds. First you want to make sure the system is full of fresh fluid and doesn’t have any leaks. Then you want to check the drive belt to make sure it isn’t slipping. If you don’t find any issues there, the problem might be more complicated than that, requiring replacement of a rack or steering pump.You can have this checked out by contacting Your Mechanic. They will send a technician out to your home or office to check out your power steering and let you know what it is going to take to fix the problem. Meanwhile, if it occurs again don’t panic, just grip the wheel tightly and put a little muscle into it and you will find that you still have control of the car.

ANSWER : I have only seen this situation once in my 30+ years and it turned out to be a broken crankshaft pulley. Belts are driven by the engine. The crankshaft pulley spins the belts, which in turn spin the air conditioner compressor, power steering and water pumps, and the alternator. The vehicle should be towed to your local repair shop and not driven. Without the water pump spinning to circulate the coolant, the engine will quickly overheat and result in more extensive damage.

ANSWER : Hello,
There are a number of things that could make an engine noisy when starting up. Depending on the specific type of sound you are referring to, this will determine how to properly diagnose. If there is a bit of a hissing sound, this may be a sign of a vacuum leak. If this is more of a shrieking sound, this may be a sign of a worn out or out of adjustment serpentine belt. If there is a bit of a howling or growling sound, this may be a sign of a worn out or low on fluid power steering pump. A rattling or pinging sound may be caused by an ignition problem. An engine can ping (or knock) due to an improper combustion process. A "spark knock" is the result of combustion occurring too early. Early combustion can occur from carbon buildup inside the combustion chamber, a lean air/fuel mixture, and advanced ignition timing (spark plug firing too soon). A clattering type sound may be a result of improper lubrication in the valve train which could be a more serious problem and should be addressed as soon as possible. I would suggest having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle to ensure everything is in proper working order.

ANSWER : The only way to determine if the collision caused damage is to carefully MEASURE the alignment and, as well, the frame dimensions using a tram. If those steps have not been specifically taken, what the mechanics have told you about "no damage" is meaningless. If the dealer has told you there is a problem with the steering rack, there very well could be and that possibility should be investigated. If the rack is faulty, it should be repaired or replaced. There is not supposed to be any clunking noises when you turn the steering wheel. The fact that there is a noise indicates a problem. The noise could be due to a problem with the strut bearing that allows the strut to turn freely with the steering knuckle, a defective tie rod end, a sway bar link or component and so forth. If you have hydraulically (not electric) assisted powered steering, loss of power assist could be due to a fault with the pump, the pump drive belt, or rack. Based on what you are describing, I would recommend you request a steering inspection – intermittent loss of assist and the responding certified mechanic will pinpoint the origin of the noise, as well as the cause of loss of assist, and get the required repairs implemented. With regard to the possibility of damage to the suspension and/or frame due to the collision, the ONLY way to determine that is to have those components measured using the appropriate tools and having in hand the Factory Service Manual which contains every relevant frame measurement for reference. You CANNOT visually look at a vehicle and determine if it is straight and undamaged because some of the specifications are measured within tens of thousandths of an inch (toe, for example) or tiny fractions of a degree (wheel camber). A carefully selected shop with trained individuals will have to perform such an inspection. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

ANSWER : Hi there, thanks for writing in. Being that you’re a new driver, if you live in the United States; I’d take advantage of a great program aimed at teens called B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everybody Safe). It’s based in North Carolina, but they have BRAKES events across the US. They teach defensive driving tactics and also how to gauge the overall width, length of your vehicle.

Without knowing what type of vehicle you’re planning on driving first, it’s difficult for us to tell you what reference point is good. However, when driving, having your hands at 10 o’clock and two o’clock position is the best for easy and safe operation of the steering wheel. It’s also a good idea for you to take a basic driving education class; which can easily be researched online.

ANSWER : Hi there. What had happened is the wrong key set the security to the vehicle. This is to prevent the vehicle from starting with the wrong keys. Try removing the battery cables (+) and (-) for 13 minutes. During that time, put the original key in the ignition and turn it on. Activate everything in the car even though there is no power. Then remove the key and hook up the battery cables. The computer should have reset and reset the security. If the security is still being tripped, then I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you

ANSWER : What you may be hearing is the a/c temperature or mode door actuators clicking when they get to one end of their travel of the door they control. This is not normal and you should try to isolate the noise to what actuator is causing the noise and then have it replaced.

ANSWER : There are reports that the replacement alternators will not communicate with the engine computer and will not charge correctly. I recommend using only the manufacturer approved replacement part. It can be new or remanufactured but approved for use in the vehicle. Some lower cost alternators on the aftermarket will have charging problems since they will not communicate with the ECM on the vehicle and will stop charging.