If you go to unlock your car door with the remote and find the interior car door lock is stuck in the unlocked or locked position even after pressing the button a few times, it can be concerning. Power door locks should work and a car door that won’t lock or unlock is an obvious safety concern and nuisance. Even if the doors won’t lock or unlock with a remote key or key fob, there are solutions and chances are in this case it’s a bad door lock actuator. This article will explain why this happens with defective door lock actuators, how to confirm a broken door lock actuator is the cause, and how to replace one to solve this problem.
Learn to Diagnose and Fix the Codes Behind the Check Engine Light
Is your service engine soon light on? This light has a few different names, like “check engine light,” but all the service engine soon lights have the same function. They let you know there is something wrong with your car.
Not sure what it means or what to do? Find out why the check engine light comes on, what it means when the check engine light is on, and how to fix a check engine light with these tips from our mechanics.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is known for its luxury and class, but, like most vehicles, over time 4th generation owners have reported problems this vehicle has run into. In this article, we cover what these problems are, and what their typical signs, causes, and fixes are for the Mercedes-Benz E-class (W212), years 2010-2016.
How to Diagnose Poor Fuel Economy: Tips from the 1A Auto Mechanics
Is your car using too much gas? Having a car that has poor fuel economy means that your vehicle isn’t running efficiently. It also means that you’ll be making more trips to get gas and spending a lot more money at the pump. Whether you own a truck, SUV, or car; a sudden drop in fuel economy is never a good sign. It can cause your vehicle to lose power.
There are different reasons why your vehicle has poor fuel economy. It could be due to a mechanical issue that you need checked by a professional or a change in your driving habits. Whatever the case may be, you’ll need to first diagnose the car by taking a look at one of the most important parts – the air filter.
How important is an air filter to an engine?
Your engine air filter prevents dirt, dust, and other contaminants from reaching the engine. It also ensures that only clean air gets in, a very important component of the combustion process. A proper mix of air and fuel allows the engine to perform at its peak efficiency. If you have a car using too much gas checking for a dirty air filter is a great place to start.
Does a dirty air filter affect car performance?
An air filter that’s clogged or filled with dirt, sand or debris restricts the amount of clean air getting to the engine. This in turn affects the combustion process and as a result leads to bad gas mileage.
Think of it like running while wearing a mask over your nose. You may be able to run for a short distance but when it comes to prolonged movement, you will struggle. In a similar fashion, a clogged air filter causes the engine’s acceleration, torque, and power to suffer. The engine is forced to work harder than normal. This can be the cause of your car using too much gas.
How to Diagnose Poor Fuel Economy
Steps to Diagnosing Bad Fuel Economy
Check the condition of your air filter
To check your air filter, you’ll need to first locate it under the hood. Most modern vehicles have it stored inside an air collector box near the front of the engine. Others have it placed where the air duct ends.Â
Take out your air filter and check to see if it’s dirty, clogged or full of debris. If it is, it may be the reason behind your vehicle’s bad gas mileage. You can try and rub off some of the dirt and debris from the filter but this won’t be helpful overall. The best solution is to replace the clogged air filter with a new one.
Avoid using any type of blowgun to blow out dirt from the air filter. This might spread the fibers that catch the dirt, leaving them unable to do it anymore. Very little of the debris will be filtered out and much of it will get to the engine.Â
Clean inside the air collector boxÂ
Check inside the collector box for any crud. If you find a lot of waste material inside, you may have mice that spend half of their time in your house and the other half in your car. You’ll have to clean it all out before replacing your air filter.
Eliminate the mice infestation. Start by following through the air duct until you get to the mice’s entry point. You can wrap a moth ball inside a small bag and put it at this entry. The smell is going to keep the mouse out.Â
Alternatively, you could put a screen that can restrict the mice from getting through. Whatever you do, don’t put anything that will affect airflow. This could deprive the engine the right amount of clean air, leaving the problem of bad gas mileage unsolved.Â
Check the Mass Airflow Sensor
If your engine air filter and air collector box are full of dirt and debris, you’ll also want to check for a contaminated mass airflow sensor. This is a device that has a sensor which reads the amount of air that’s getting pulled into the engine. It helps the vehicle know exactly how much clean air is getting through so that the engine can match it with the right amount of fuel.Â
To access the mass airflow sensor, you’ll need to unscrew or unplug it from the air filter housing duct. Check it for any dirt or contamination. If your mass airflow sensor is dirty, it will not be able to read the correct amount of air getting through. It will run inefficiently and result in very poor fuel economy.Â
A dirty mass airflow sensor can be cleaned using an electronic parts cleaner. Just be careful not to damage any of the sensing elements as you remove contaminants and dirt.Â
The Ford Focus is a popular sedan that is perfect for every day driving. Because of this, and like many other vehicles, owners have reported common issues they’ve experienced with the 1st generation, like the transmission shuddering when shifting, windows working intermittently, or the keys getting stuck in the ignition cylinder. We cover the symptoms of these common issues, what causes these problems, and what you can do to fix them on your own 98-07 1st gen Ford Focus.
Learn to Diagnose and Fix a Car Door That’s Stuck Open or Closed
If the outside or inside car door handle is stuck, not working, and won’t open the car door from the outside or inside, or if the car door won’t shut and latch, there are ways to diagnose the car door handles and the door latch assembly yourself that may only require removing the door panel. These tips from our experts will help you check parts like the outside and inside door handle, its locks, and the door latch assembly to determine which part needs replacing.
Once you know which part won’t open your car door, or keeps the door handle stuck, learn to replace it yourself with our how-to videos that cover many different years, makes, and models in 1A Auto’s how-to video library. You can also use our how-to videos to help with some of the diagnostic steps mentioned in this article, such as removing the door panel to access and check interior and exterior door handle rods, clips, and the door latch. For help accessing the door panel when the door won’t open, check out the video at the end of this article.
2000-06 GMC Yukon and Sierra, Chevy Suburban, Tahoe, Silverado Avalanche, and Cadillac Escalade
Like many products on the market, cars experience considerable deterioration and damage as a result of normal use and exposure to external elements. GM is no exception when it comes to common GMC and Chevy truck problems. It’s therefore, normal for any car owner to repair something today, replace a car part tomorrow, or carry out regular service and maintenance.
In today’s post, we’ll take a look at 5 of the most common 2nd generation GMC and Chevy truck problems. These problems are the same for vehicles that ride on the same drivetrain – the HMT800. They include the Chevy Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado, and Avalanche as well as first-generation Cadillac Escalade.
