QuestionAbout 72K miles and is in great condition with exception of 2 possible issues:
1. Every time the car is started and put in gear, regardless of warm/cold engine, it makes what sounds like a grinding noise for a second and won't make the noise again until turned off and then on again. Noise sounds is like antilock brakes.
2. Small engine oil leak - where do leaks in these cars generally occur and which should I be most concerned about?
I've heard horror stories about the Northstar System requiring $1,000's of repairs and I'd like to determine if I may have serious issues. Please advise. Thanks.
AnswerJim,
The noise is most likely the ABS system test cycling. This is "normal" but I'd have a professional listen to be sure. Very hard to say whether it's the normal noise or something a little worse without being able to actually listen to it.
As far as the oil leak(s), the Northstar IS prone to leakage, and it DOES tend to be expensive to fix. Unless it's a fairly large leak, most people ignore them. In your case, you should have a pro look at it and tell you whether it's simply an easy seal replacement or something more involved. There's actually several potential leak points on your engine, and it's going to take a little investigation to find whether some or all the sources of leaks are expensive to fix.
