Free Auto advice from a certified mechanic !

[peeps]

Anyone know how can a car key get stuck in ignition? I can turn car off and on but can't remove it

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That happened to my Mercury Milan once. Turns out the plastic ring around the shifter button broke and jammed up the system, so the ignition still thought it was in gear. I took the shifter button apart and the piece popped out, as well as the key finally...good luck!

 

[peeps]

TexMex I've got another one for ya...2006 Mercury Milan, about 86k miles

The other day we were hearing a creaky noise from the front end. At first we thought maybe suspension. Today it seemed much worse, but at least now I could tell it was making the sound when I turn the wheel. So, we're thinking ball joint? I understand we may have to replace struts at the same time, if that's the problem?

 

[Leper]

Anyone know how can a car key get stuck in ignition? I can turn car off and on but can't remove it

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More detail on your vehicle please. Also, is it a key you have used for a while or a new one. I had to deal with this at work a few days ago.

 

[deemus]

Drums or discs?

Drums, there should be a plug on the backing plate. Pull that and you should be able to get a screwdriver in to turn a star wheel that adjusts how close the shoes sit to the drum.

Discs, probably a broken or frozen cable.

Disk. Found a guy who is fixing it tomorrow.

There is a "ring" pad somewhere in there for the emergency brake part of it. Replacing it all. $120 in parts. TBD on the labor part.


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[Hoji]

2015 Toyota Tacoma 4x4. What mods can I do and not void the warranty?

 

[TexasBrandon]

Technically you can mod whatever you want and as long as it wasn't specifically responsible for any damage or issues with your vehicle you are good to go. That major lawsuit in the 70s/80s put an end to manufacturers just voiding warranties for the hell of it. That being said, they still try to skirt that ruling, Toyota being the worst of all of them. I'd say as long as you aren't doing anything crazy don't worry about it. Tacoma's were built to be abused and modded. The Tacoma forums I am on are proof of that if anything.

 

[TexMex247]

Glad you got the ebrake thing sorted out deemus. They are adjustable shoes that are bonded to a horseshoe-like ring underneath the brake rotor. A majority of early 2000's tahoes were produced in mexico and all came from the factory poorly adjusted. It caused them to wear un-evenly when used or set. If your vehicles vin number starts with 3, that indicates that it was made in the plant in Mexico. Not that it matters, they never did compensate owners for the factory snafu. I would say brake shoe replacement for under $200 is very fair. Getting the single piece brake shoe of can be tricky but it is possible without removing the axle.

Peeps,
There are several components that come to mind when you talk about a squeaky front end. Although I would bet on it being your outer tie rod ends. Bad struts make dull clunking noises over light bumps and ball joints would make that squeaking over potholes or any other time the suspension articulates. If the noise is loud when simply turning the wheel side to side then tie rods are it. The come sealed from ford and once they dry out, they can get real noisy. When tie rods are replaced, you will need to get an alignment done. You are also right at the mileage where we would recommend strut replacement. Sometimes you can appeal to a mechanic to combine labor where possible. In this case, you could probably shave about an hour of labor off replacing the tie rods and struts at the same time.
Finally, if you are not opposed to making a possible greasy mess, you can buy a grease needle, pierce the tie rod boot and pump it full. Fresh grease should run into the ball socket of the tie rod and silence it.

 

[TexMex247]

Tough call Hoji,

I have heard of people being denied for all kinds of stupid un-related modifications. The obvious ones I could see giving you trouble would be the addition of a supercharger or reprogramming the cars PCM(powertrain control module). A friend of mine had a 4wd 2014 Tacoma that was developing a grainy vibration on accel. I told him that there was excessive play on his left front 4wd axle at the diff. After a little research we found a tech bulletin for defective needle bearing on the drivers side of the front diff. That bulletin was posted on the tech databases the month before he brought it in.

He had already done a suspension lift and had the same concern. When he took it to them, they hem'd and hawed about doing the repair for free. Instead they managed to talk him into trading it in for a 2016. I'm certain they performed the warranty repair after he traded it in knowing that now they could profit one way or another.

Overall, altering ride height will change the geometry of your cars front end. That may causes some tire wear and alignment issues which I'm sure the dealer has no sympathy for. Also, forced induction and computer mods are a big no-no. Just remember, as long as you can restore the vehicle to it's factory form, they should be none the wiser when push comes to shove.

 

[99taws6]

2015 Toyota Tacoma 4x4. What mods can I do and not void the warranty?

TRD makes a bunch of factory mods from super chargers to suspension kits all of which don't void the warranty if the install is done correctly.


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[peeps]

Thanks for the reply! I'm not necessarily opposed to the mess...I'd be concerned about how long it would last though? Piercing the boot doesn't sound like a long-term option, am I right?

 

[deemus]

Glad you got the ebrake thing sorted out deemus. They are adjustable shoes that are bonded to a horseshoe-like ring underneath the brake rotor. A majority of early 2000's tahoes were produced in mexico and all came from the factory poorly adjusted. It caused them to wear un-evenly when used or set. If your vehicles vin number starts with 3, that indicates that it was made in the plant in Mexico. Not that it matters, they never did compensate owners for the factory snafu. I would say brake shoe replacement for under $200 is very fair. Getting the single piece brake shoe of can be tricky but it is possible without removing the axle.
.

Appreciate the input. I thought the price was fair. I usually do the brakes myself, but this one I will let someone else do. He is replacing the ebrake and the pads since it has to come apart.

 

[TexMex247]

You're right peeps, once the boot is torn, the grease will inevitably run back out. However, it may last for years if it is re-lubed every few months.

Older generation cars had grease fittings on just about every joint in the front end for the same purpose.

If tie rods develop any perceivable end-play then they should be replaced anyway. So I guess it's more a matter of when than if you want to replace it.

If you are able to lift the wheels one at a time, you can wiggle the wheel from side to side while it's off the ground. In theory, the tire touching the ground should keep the steering from moving and allow you to feel any bearing or tie rod play on the opposite side. Do that on each side and you will get a better idea of how worn they really are.

 

[scap99]

2015 Toyota Tacoma 4x4. What mods can I do and not void the warranty?

Magnusson-Moss Act is your friend.

But it helps to be friendly with the service writers until they force you to go full monkey suit.

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[Younggun]

What causes from tires to wear like this. No noticeable alignment problems while driving

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[scap99]

What causes from tires to wear like this. No noticeable alignment problems while driving

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Have you rotated them regularly?

 

[Younggun]

They rotate all the time while I'm driving




But no, not rotated in the way your talking about. Pain in the ass on a dually and 99% of auto shops don't even know how to do it. Gave up after having to tell the "experts" the pattern and seeing the blank stares.


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[scap99]

They rotate all the time while I'm driving




But no, not rotated in the way your talking about. Pain in the ass on a dually and 99% of auto shops don't even know how to do it. Gave up after having to tell the "experts" the pattern and seeing the blank stares.


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Understood.
Could be the toe angle and camber are a bit off, but not rotating them is going to make it look worse than it is.

 

[grasshopperglock]

What causes from tires to wear like this. No noticeable alignment problems while driving

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Shocks are toast. When they wear out they'll cause the tire to 'Cup'.

 

[scap99]

Shocks are toast. When they wear out they'll cause the tire to 'Cup'.

That doesn't look like cupping though.
But I've not worked at a tire shop in almost 25 years.

 

[grasshopperglock]

That doesn't look like cupping though.
But I've not worked at a tire shop in almost 25 years.

The pattern is every two thread lugs. every third is scooped out. It appears by the picture to be cupping to the inside tread.