QuestionQUESTION: 93 Chrysler new Yorker Salon - 6cy - auto trans.
There is a very loud vibration that is coming from a hose
that looks like it is coming off the area when you put in brake
fluid.
The warning lights on my dash board are also coming on and off for the abs and the brake lights.
The brakes are operating fine and when the warning lights come on, if i raise the brake pedal up alittle bit, they turn off.
I read somewhere that there had been a recall on the abs system
and i was wondering if this might be covered under that recall, if it even applies.
Not knowing if this could be related or not, last night i parked the car and went shopping for about 1/2hr, when i returned to the car i could hear the fans running. The car had not been running hot or had registerd hot on the temmp gauge.
When i started driving the car again, i noticed that my temp gauge was not working at all, then it went up, then down, up down etc etc. The car again was running fine (except for that vibrating noise mentioned above)
I was thinking maybe the vibration from that hose could have vibrated my temp gauge piece loose ???
I obviously dont know much about cars, but would like to know if it is ok to drive without the temp gauge working properly as i need to get to work.
thank you for your time . i certainly dont have the $100 to take it to a shop for someone to just look and listen to it.
Regards,
Cindy
ANSWER: PPS: Hi Cindy,
Thanks for the rating of my answer and for the nomination. The one thing I think you may have not noticed is that I did respond to your question in 12 minutes on the 17th of March...and when you hadn't read my answer in a day I sent you a reminder to do so. Perhaps the website erred? But in any case how are things going with your car? I hope you can keep it running economically.
Roland
Hi Cindy,
While I can't be certain about what hose it is of which you speak, my suspicion is that it is a coolant-carrying hose (part of the engine cooling system/heater core/radiator circuit). I suspect that what you were hearing was internal boiling of the system due to overheating as the result of loss of coolant somewhere in the system which causes a de-presssurization from the normally pressurized situation which would otherwise reduce the likelihood of boiling. Pockets of air in the engine cause local hot spots as well which stimulates boiling. The wild oscillation of the temp gauge also is a symptom of such air pockets as the temperature sensor depends upon contact with fluid (rather than air/steam) for an accurate readout. So air bubbles and fluid going by the sensor would cause the needle to jump around.
The question then is where is the coolant being lost? It might be a radiator core leak or a hose leak or loose hose clamp in which case you would find coolant under the engine when you leave the car parked after driving it this way. It might have been lost due to boil-over out the overflow bottle due to a compromised raditor core. It might have been 'seen' if you happen to look as white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe shortly after starting the engine up from cold. It might be seen as a milky condition of the oil as viewed on the dipstick. The latter two observations would be indicative of a head gasket leak.
I suspect you will find that the overflow bottle is empty and/or that if you remove the radiator cap that you will find it not full of coolant. I would start by adding water or 50/50 mix of water/antifreeze to the radiator and also 1/2 filling the overflow bottle. Then do all the "viewing" that I described above and let me know which you find to be present and we can then continue to differentially diagnose the cause.
Look specifically for leaks on the ground and excessive white smoke when warming up from cold engine condition, at the tail pipe; and listen for whether the noise/bubbling starts to occur pretty quickly after starting the engine (say within the first 5 minutes of starting and idling it).
On the brake question, it is now 18 years since manufacture and I doubt there is an unresolved recall that you could find, much less invoke. It may be that your brake pedal clearance to the master brake piston is too tight, as evidenced by the light going off when you lift the pedal. If the brakes are good and there is sufficient brake fluid in the two reservoirs then I would not give this the same priority as the cooling system.
I would not go on any lengthy drives without carrying along extra coolant for addition after things cooldown. And lets figure out what is going on.
Roland
PS: Please "rate" my answer and where you see the question about a nomination of me to be 'volunteer of the month' consider whether I deserve a 'yes'. Thanks
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland,
I apologize for mis-rating on the timeliness of your answer, others use my email and i found your response in my deleted mail. I would like to correct my answer if that is possible.
I have done as you suggested as far as the cooling system is concerned and do not see any leaks or white smoke from my exhaust. there is no gurgling sound, the sound i am hearing and can feel when i place my hand on the hose in question is coming from the hose that is near the brake fluid and is attached to some round thing that says on it, it is under pressure. Im pretty sure it has something to do with the brakes, as when i press on the pedal, it changes its sound.
anyway, back to the cooling system. I opened the radiator and it was full to the top, so is the overflow container. I started the car and let it run for several minutes with the radiator cap removed to see if the thermostat was kicking in. The water movement in the radiator was very little. If i squeezed the upper radiator hose the water in the radiator would move, the hose never got hot. I couldnt reach the lower hose to squeeze it.
My temp gauge did finally move alittle bit after about 5minutes of idling.
what i noticed when i turned the car off was alittle movement in the overflow tank but unless i squeezed the upper hose the water level in the radiator itself never went down. The movement in the overflow tank was not bubbling, it was more like I had bumped the car and it was swaying.
I remember in another car i had, to check the thermostat i took the cap off, let the car run and could see a distinct flowing pattern in the radiator water, which i never saw in this car.
I'm still afraid to drive it and have lost 2 days work now because of it, I can go to work today if you think its ok to drive.
again, thank you for your time.
Cindy
ANSWER: Hi Cindy,
The only unusual aspect is that the overflow bottle was full to the top. It was supposed to be about half full normally unless someone earlier overfilled. The idea is that when the system warms up, the coolant expands into the bottle, and then when it cools down the vacuum in the system sucks it back from the bottle, so it should have dropped back to half full again. If it didn't then there may still be a small leak in the system which is one-directional (which is possible) so that the vacuum created by cooling is dissipated before the water can be sucked back. The radiator cap's rubber seal may be sticking so take a look at that as a possible cause. You won't see coolant movement until the thermostat opens which only occurs when the engine gets hot enough for it to open (the upper hose would then get hot) so you probably didn't run it long enough to do that. The fact that it didn't suggests to me that there is not a big issue with the system now. It is normal for the needle to move up and down, and you seem to identify the noise source as unrelated to the cooling, so I would give it a try and go to work, carrying along some extra fluid, and let me know what happens.
No need to change the evaluation, it is a long-term average so it affects nothing, really. I am glad to understand why it happened.
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland,
I still dont know what the problem was that was causing my temp gauge move as it was, but i took the car in and had the cooling system serviced (flushed)and a new radiator cap and it seems to have corrected the problem.
On The noisey hose i was referring to, I have it stuck in my head it has something to do with my ABS system. I am thinking this because the abs light and the brake light warning lights are coming on on my dash board.
& I read Chrylser had a recall on my car for the ABS system and since there is no longer any feeling of hydralic pressure when i apply my brake pedal, i am assuming it is something to do with the hydraulic pump and the hose thats vibrating is coming off something that says its under pressure. My brakes seem to work fine, but the noise is driving my nuts.
anyway, I took the car to my local Chrysler dealer and asked them to check it out under the recall notice. They refused to do so unless i paid them $100 for a diagnostic fee. I told them i only wanted them to check out what was involved in the recall notice and they told me there are too many other factors involved in the abs system to be able to determine what my problem is (the dash board warning lights and the vibrating hose.
& They told me that the $100 would be applied to the cost of the repair work that would need done.
I felt like i was talking to a brick wall and because i dont have enough info to give them a solid foundation as to why they should check it out becuz it is under recall, I left and unfortunately still have the same problem which is getting louder.
Sorry to take your time up complaining, but maybe you know of some magic words i could say to them to determine if what is under recall is in fact what is causing my problem.. Why do i have to pay $100 for the other pieces of the abs system they say may or may not be under the recall that may or may not be what is causing my problem. their final words to me were that their mechanics dont work for free.
Roland, you've been wonderful. Thank you for donating your time and sharing your invaluable knowledge with people like myself !!
I hope you Have a wonderful day !!
Cindy
AnswerHi Cindy,
I checked with the federal government site that operates the recall program (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and found the recall about your ABS. It appears that the dealer is supposed to test the ABS system and make repairs (with a 10-year warranty period,EXECEPT the pump and another part have a LIFETIME WARRANY).
Here is the reference: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 96V099000
I would recommend that you go to the NHTSA.Gov site to look at it. Then copy it and go to the dealer and say you want them to inspect the system and inform you of what needs repair and whether the part is or is not under the lifetime warranty. They should do this for free under the recall concept. If they won't do this I would ask for the name/contact number of the Chrysler Corp. regional service manager that oversees the dealership and complain.
Please let me know how this works out for you.
And thanks for the encouragement and very positive ratings.
Roland
