Paint problems like bubbles and rust, not an old car

ANSWER : Have a certified Ford dealership look at the hood to determine the cause and suggest the best course of action to take. If the dealer corrosion warranty does not cover the repair, then another course of action is to have a body shop strip and repaint the hood. Keep receipts in case you need to seek reimbursement from Ford for the repair. You can preserve the remaining paint by keeping your vehicle covered and out of the direct sun, as well as waxing the vehicle.

ANSWER : Honda is aware of paint issues on certain models and is offering to repair at least some of them, extending the paint warranty to seven years from the original purchase date with no mileage limit. Honda has released a couple of bulletins regarding this matter. The extended warranty on repainting applies to only some body panels, in some cases only to vehicles originally sold in 25 northern states, and in other cases only to certain colors. Honda has sent out notification letters to affected owners which not all owners have received. What is covered vs what is not covered is very specific. Take Civics for instance – bulletin number 12-049 covers just the hood and top of the front fenders on 2006 to 2010 models that came in one of nine specified colors (four shades of blue, two shades of black, and three in gray or silver), and 2011 Civics of any color. Another bulletin, 13-060, covers the roof and trunk of the same cars in any of the nine colors. Finally, bulletin 13-004 applies to just the trunk lid of 2009 to 2011 Civics sold in 25 northern states, excluding the Pacific Northwest. You should grab your VIN number and give Honda of North America a call and see if you covered.

ANSWER : Hi There,
What you have peeling off is the clear coat. This is a clear coat of lacquer that is applied on all cars after they are painted. This is an additional coat that is added to give the the paint job both a shine and a protective layer. Over time, depending on the quality and the age of the paint job, this may peel off as you have noticed. Unfortunately, the only way to correct this is to have the car repainted. I would suggest visiting your local body shop to obtain a quote on having the clear coat reapplied.

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 : Of course, don’t switch gears without being fully stopped, unless your Owner’s Manual or the manufacturer has alternative advice. However, the gear shift issue has no relation to the no-start problem you are describing. Inasmuch as you only have 6,000 miles on the car, the "constant on and off" that you believe has occurred is meaningless in comparison to the expected total vehicle service life. That is, assume what you perceive as "constant on and off", during merely 6,000 miles, might be equivalent to using the car "normally" for three years. A new car should be trouble free for at least 5 years, unless there is a defect, so your "constant on and off" is not a causal factor for any fault on the vehicle. What you might have is a defect in the ignition switch, or perhaps the immobilizer system, but if the problem is not in the switch itself, clearly there is an electrical problem.

If your vehicle is under warranty, by law the dealer MUST repair the issue you are describing within a prescribed time frame and number of "attempts", otherwise the dealer will run afoul of Federal and state Lemon Laws that give you very specific rights, and recourse (contact an Attorney; we are Mechanics, NOT attorneys). Consequently, if the vehicle is still under warranty, to save yourself money do be sure to seek a resolution from the dealer. If the vehicle is not under warranty, obviously a certified Mechanic from YourMechanic could identify the electrical fault and resolve this for you. If you want to go that route, please simply request a no start diagnostic -electrical system and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

ANSWER : Hello. Unfortunately the reason for your low mileage is your driving style or conditions. In stop-and-go traffic, the mileage will not be as good as cruising on the highway at 55mph. Using as little throttle as possible will help you get the best mileage. Your vehicle may have a button on the dash somewhere that says "eco". Make sure that the Eco Light stays on in the cluster to get the best mileage. If you would like help, a technician from YourMechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose your car’s worse gas mileage problem.

ANSWER : If you suspect the starter motor, I would never recommend replacing a part such as this from the junk yard. If the vehicle is starting fine now and acceleration is the only problem, it is possible that a trouble code may have been thrown to set a check engine light. I would recommend having the codes pulled by a qualified professional to aid in the diagnosis of this issue. Once any trouble codes are found, the technician will be more clear on what is causing this issue. Consider YourMechanic as a check engine light inspection can be performed at your home or office.

ANSWER : Hello, thanks for writing in about your Oldsmobile Aurora. A bad starter solenoid could make the starter run, but would not activate the ignition switch, so the engine could crank but not run on its own. I would recommend testing and/or replacing the starter solenoid. If you need assistance with fixing this issue, contact a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, to diagnose the starting issue firsthand and help you make the necessary repairs.