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The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread


Springfield

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My "joke" is that my father in law built his house and he helps me when stuff breaks around my house. By "he helps me", I mean I hold the light for him. haha. 

 

But I'm getting better. I go to YouTube first now check out the work that needs to be done and see if it's something I can give the ol' college try. It's blown up in my face a few times, not literally, and ended up costing more than just going to the mechanic in the first place but that's the price of learning, I guess. 

I noticed that with my jeep. It didn't even come with a stick to check the trans fluid level. 

 

I can do basic things like change a battery, headlight, change a tire, etc.  My dad can literally take one engine out of a car and put the other one in. I helped him change an engine in 2 of our cars growing up. He built me a Captain's Bed when I was younger that was raised off the floor and had 4 drawers underneath it. He's rebuilt whole rooms. He did say one time that I drywall better than he does (mudding taping and sanding), so I'll take that.

 

But like you, I hold the light, get the right tool or hold whatever he needs me to until he gets it in place. I can do a few basic things around the house.  I had to fix my microwave handle the other day.  Small repairs are fine. 

 

I just do not have the knack for anything mechanical or construction.  My dad came over a couple of months ago and did the following in one day:

 

Rewired a  hanging light and swagged it over.

Built a shelf in my coat closet because technically it isn't a coat closet and houses my hot water heater.

Took down a Chandelier and put a cover on the opening.

Took the cover off another opening and put in a ceiling fan.

Hung a couple of shelves in the garage for me.

 

All in ONE day. But, my Dad is 72 now.  Can't quite do a lot of what he used to do. But he's done some amazing things over the years.

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Lights and stuff are fairly easy as long as you turn of the power to those rooms.

 

Seriously, I can teach you how to do household electrical stuff in a reasonable amount of time.

 

My Dad builds Hot Rods as a hobby...I know how to do many car things, I just don't want to bother doing them, so I take them to the shop.

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Lights and stuff are fairly easy as long as you turn of the power to those rooms.

Seriously, I can teach you how to do household electrical stuff in a reasonable amount of time.

My Dad builds Hot Rods as a hobby...I know how to do many car things, I just don't want to bother doing them, so I take them to the shop.

My Dad tried to teach me. I'm not "wired" to do handyman things. My hands just won't do what my brain tells them to do. I'm a disaster with any tools.

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My Dad tried to teach me. I'm not "wired" to do handyman things. My hands just won't do what my brain tells them to do. I'm a disaster with any tools.

 

Yeah, it's different when you are working with Dad though. Just hanging with friends...it's a bit different.

Learning how to work on cars with Dad...one mistake, and then as a kid you simply don't want to be bothered, with a friend...haha, it's just a joke.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Honda Pilot 2007,

 

1) headlights stay on when I park the car. Every other Honda I've owned the lights go off after about a minute. How to diagnose if it's the relay or something else that is keeping them on.

 

2) When the lights stay on for 30-60 minutes, the battery is drained and I can't start the car. I tested the battery and it's still holds a sufficient charge. Any thoughts of why the car won't start after lights stay on? 

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Honda Pilot 2007,

1) headlights stay on when I park the car. Every other Honda I've owned the lights go off after about a minute. How to diagnose if it's the relay or something else that is keeping them on.

2) When the lights stay on for 30-60 minutes, the battery is drained and I can't start the car. I tested the battery and it's still holds a sufficient charge. Any thoughts of why the car won't start after lights stay on?

1) Most of the cars that have an auto off feature have to the in the auto position (as opposed to the on position which turns the headlights on all the time). Is it safe to assume that the headlights go off if you turn them to the off position? Have you checked to make sure the headlights are on auto and not simply on? If so, I'd suspect a problem with the headlight switch or relay, possibly the MCU (if one exists on that car).

2) I'd solve problem 1 and then recheck because that will likely solve problem 2. Headlights shouldn't be left on for an hour.

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Honda Pilot 2007,

 

1) headlights stay on when I park the car. Every other Honda I've owned the lights go off after about a minute. How to diagnose if it's the relay or something else that is keeping them on.

 

2) When the lights stay on for 30-60 minutes, the battery is drained and I can't start the car. I tested the battery and it's still holds a sufficient charge. Any thoughts of why the car won't start after lights stay on?

I'm sure you probably already did this, but did you make sure on the light control stick it was set to automatic and not to on??

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I'm sure you probably already did this, but did you make sure on the light control stick it was set to automatic and not to on??

HOF and Springy:

 

No have not checked. That was not a feature I was aware of on my Accords and Odyssey—maybe it was just dumb luck all these years.

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Well, the simplest explanation is usually he correct one: this is the LX model and that model doesn't carry automatic headlight shut off feature.

:)

So our Caddy CTS' high beams come on everyone we use the right turn signal. Based on my research it looks as if I'm going to have to take the whole steering column apart and replace the whole turn signal switch. Can only imagine the dealer would change.

They are generally not terribly difficult to replace.

The parts are surely expensive though.

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Since the last problem didn't turn out to be real... We seem to have another issue with the pilot.

Wife was driving it today and she said it just lost power. Nothing happened when she stepped on the gas pedal. It just coasted for a bit. Eventually it kicked in. Similar thing happened to me this morning too, it wasn't accelerating and all of sudden it jolted forward with a burst.

Transmission? Spark plugs?

2007, 106k miles.

There's also been a metallic scraping sound coming from the center line of the car approx. underneath the center console. I thought it was a loose heat shield, as I've had those before. Could this be related to the problem above?

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