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Service Slants

Illustration: MOTOR Magazine

Honda

Engine vibration. Some 2005-06 Odyssey minivans (EX-L and Touring models only) may produce a wicked vibration from the engine at idle or under a load at about 2000 rpm. One likely cause of the bad vibes, says Honda, is a defective rear engine mount.

To make the diagnosis, grab a .024in. feeler gauge and measure the clearance between the rear engine mount bracket and the rubber bumper on the mount. If you can't get the gauge to slide freely between the two parts and the rubber on the mount bulges outward, as shown in the illustration at right, the engine mount is trash. Installing an improved rear mount (Part No. 50810-SHJ-A62) should eliminate the vibration immediately. Along with the new mount, Honda wants you to replace the four short retaining bolts (Part No. 90163-S5A-000) and the one long bolt (Part No. 90163-SDA-A01).

Saturn

A/C controls inoperative. Drivers of 2005 Relay minivans may come into your shop with some rather strange air conditioning complaints. For instance, you might be told that the system won't change modes, the A/C button won't respond when depressed, the pushbutton LEDs are brighter than the rest of the control head when the headlights are on and/or the temp control function is inoperative.

According to Saturn, all of these problems are the result of software glitches in the HVAC control module. Reprogramming the module with updated software should eliminate the concerns. You'll find the new calibrations in GMNAO TIS version 9.5 or later.

Jeep

Electrical gremlins. Some 2007 Grand Cherokee SRT8 models with the HEMI engine and AWD system may produce some rather strange electrical problems. Among the complaints you might hear are that the front door

Odyssey Rear Engine Mount

Engine Mount Bracket

Bulge

Rubber Bumper

module ceases to function, the radio mysteriously drops out and/or the AWD system won't engage. Furthermore, if you hook up your scanner, you might find DTC B210D (low battery voltage) or B210E (high battery voltage) logged in computer memory. Software issues in the PCM are the root cause of all the woes. Flashing the module with new software is the proper fix. To do the reprogramming job you'll need a StarSCAN scanner operating at software release 7.04_SP1 or higher. The actual calibration files are available off the internet.

Ford Truck

Inoperative a/c system. The air conditioning systems on some 2007-08 4.6 or 5.4L Ford F-150 and Lincoln Mark LT pickup trucks may stop working when the ambient temperature is higher than 110?F. According to Ford, the condition usually occurs when the vehicle is stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for at least 15 minutes with the

transmission in gear, and is due to the

PCM deliberately disengaging the

compressor clutch to protect the com-

pressor from damage in the high ambi-

ent temperatures noted.

Fortunately, there are a few things

you can do to restore the cool. First, tell

your customers to shift the transmission

into Park whenever possible. That will

get more air flowing through the con-

denser, lower the high-side pressures

and get the compressor working again.

For your part, you can replace the a/c

compressor pulley, the water pump pul-

ley and the heater core feed hose clamp

near the right front portion of the en-

gine with revised parts. All are designed

to provide extra oomph! from the a/c

system once the compressor clutch does

engage. Here are the part numbers for

the new-design parts:

Component

Part No.

Compressor Pulley . . 7C3Z-19D784-A

Water Pump Pulley . . . F6TZ-8509-AA

Heater Core

Hose Clamp . . . . . . . . W709811-S900

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August 2013

Tom Rosario

Saturn

Unnecessary turbocharger replacement. Owners of 2007-09 SKY Redline models with the turbocharged engine may come into your shop with several driveability complaints, chief among them that the engine is down on power. When you hook up your scan tool to the DLC, you may find turbo-related DTC P0299 and/or P0234 in PCM memory.

Being the diligent tech that you are, you decide to yank the turbo and have a look around. Eureka! You find cracks in the partition wall of the inlet flange. So you order a new, megabuck turbo and install it, confident that the driveability issues are a thing of the past. But on a road test the symptoms reoccur, and the turbo code(s) resets.

Although you may feel embarrassed, don't be. Techs at Pontiac and Chevy dealerships across the country are being duped, as well. Fact is, the cracks in the inlet flange are benign, says Saturn, and the result of minor flaws in the casting process. Think about this little tidbit the next time one of these cars comes into your shop with driveability issues and turbo codes stored. It's sure to keep money in your pocket--and egg off your face!

Saab

A/C system slow to cool. The air conditioning systems on some 2005 9-7X models built before 6/05 may be slow to cool in high-temperature, high-humidity conditions. According to Saab, the problem is usually intermittent, surfaces right after engine start-up and is most prevalent during low engine and/or vehicle speed conditions. Insufficient airflow through the condenser due to a slipping electroviscous fan clutch is the likely cause of the malady. Installing an improved fan clutch assembly (Part No. 15293048) is the simple fix.

Nissan

Noise, vibration from engine. Some 2005-11 Pathfinder and Xterra SUVs built before 1/19/11 and 2005-11 Fron-

tier pickup trucks built prior to 3/4/11 (all with the VQ40 V6 engine) may produce a vibration and/or knocking noise

while idling or accelerating. One likely cause of the trouble, says Nissan, is a leaking or cracked front engine mount.

continued on page 54

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Service Slants

Replacing both engine mounts, the

mount brackets, the two long retaining

bolts and the four short retaining bolts

with improved, beefier parts should

eliminate further trouble. Here's what

to order:

Component

Part No.

Engine Mount . . . . . . . . . 11220-ZG90A

Mount Bracket . . . . . . . . 11225-ZG90A

Retaining Bolt (long) . . . 11298-ZS00A

Retaining Bolt (short) . . 11298-2J206

Honda

Gurgling sound under dashboard. Some 2007-08 Fit compact cars may emit a gurgling noise from under the dashboard at idle, under light acceleration or during deceleration. One likely cause of the annoyance, reports Honda, is an airbound heater core. Giving the core a good burp should alleviate the condition immediately.

Start by loosening the radiator cap a tad. Next, start the engine and allow it to idle until the electric cooling fan has cycled on and off twice. Now turn the ignition off and carefully remove the radiator cap. Fill the radiator with coolant until it reaches the base of the filler neck, then add coolant to the reservoir until it aligns with the MAX mark. Install and tighten the radiator cap, then allow the engine to cool to the ambient temperature. Once it does, check the coolant level in the reservoir. It should be down near the MIN mark. If it didn't drop, check for a leak or a bad radiator cap. If the level did drop, fill the reservoir to the MAX mark. To complete the fix, go on a road test to verify that the gurgling noise has been eliminated. If it hasn't, repeat the bleed procedure.

Nissan

MIL illuminated, hard restart, cam sensor DTC(s) logged. Some 2003-05 V6-equipped Nissans (complete list below) may come into your shop with an illuminated MIL and/or hard restart issues when the engine is at operating temperature. If you connect your scan tool, you'll probably pull cam sensor DTC P0340 and/or P0345 from computer memory. Installing new-design cam sensors should help eliminate all of the problems immediately. Order Part No.

23731-6J906 for the P0340 code, 23731-AL616 for the P0345 code. Nissan recommends replacing both sensors if the two codes are stored or if you have no codes but do have the hard restart issue.

Models that can benefit from the updated cam sensors are all 2003-04 Altimas, 2004 Maximas, 2004 Quest minivans built before 3/1/04 and 2005 Altimas built before 2/26/04.

Ford Truck

Service and/or AWD light on, DTC stored. Some 2011 Explorer SUVs with the AWD system built on or before 2/24/11 may illuminate the service warning (wrench) and/or AWD light on the dash and log trouble code P188D in computer memory.

If troubleshooting the AWD system doesn't turn up anything unusual and there are no symptoms associated with the DTC, the code is probably bogus and caused by software issues in the PCM. Reprogramming the module with updated calibration files is the only sure-fire remedy. To do the flash, you'll need an IDS operating at software release 72.01 or higher. If you have a subscription, you can also get the updated software at .

Chrysler

Water leak at passenger-side footwell. Some 2001-04 Caravan, Voyager and Town & Country minivans, as well as 2004-05 Pacifica models, may accumulate water in the passenger-side footwell area whenever the a/c system is turned on. According to Chrysler, one likely reason for the leak is a small gap in the foam gasket that seals the HVAC case to the bulkhead. The gap allows condensation from the evaporator to run along the outside of the drain tube and into the interior. Sealing the evaporator hose and drain tube opening at the bulkhead at the rear of the engine compartment with a bead of RTV sealant (Part No. 04467708 or equivalent) should stop the leak.

Dodge Truck/Jeep

Inoperative power liftgate, possible DTC logged. The power liftgate on

some 2011-12 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs may not open or close when commanded by the driver. According to the truck folks at Dodge/Jeep, the problem affects only vehicles produced between 3/1/10 and 3/1/12, may be accompanied by DTC B1882 and is due to fuzzy logic in the liftgate control module. Reprogramming the module with updated software should get the liftgate moving again. To do the flash, you'll need a wiTECH diagnostic system operating at software release 13.03 or higher.

Ford

Coolant leak, possible misfire with DTC(s). Some 2011 Fiesta subcompact models may produce a coolant leak from the upper portion of the engine. In some cases, the engine may also run rough, with misfire DTC(s) logged in the PCM.

If you do a little detective work, you'll probably find that the leak is coming from the area near the valve cover breather orifice located just behind the No. 4 spark plug boot. One or more leaking freeze plugs in the cylinder head is ultimately the source of the leakage.

To make a definitive diagnosis, remove the Nos. 2 and 3 spark plug boots and look for coolant in the plug wells. If coolant isn't present, this information doesn't apply; continue searching for the cause of the coolant leak. If there is coolant in the plug wells, that confirms that one or more of the freeze plugs are leaking. Replacing the plug(s) should eliminate further leakage issues.

Start the job by removing the valve cover, then draining the cooling system. Now apply grease to the top of the leaking freeze plug(s) and drill a small hole into the top. The grease will catch the metal shavings. Using a slide hammer puller with a screw at the end, pop the freeze plug(s) from the cylinder head. Using Motorcraft Thread Lock 262 Sealant (Part No. TA-26) or a suitable substitute, coat the walls of the new freeze plug(s). Drive the plug into the cylinder head, making sure it's flush or slightly below the bottom cut in the flange of

54

August 2013

the freeze plug hole. Wait 30 minutes to allow the sealant to fully cure.

Continue the repair by reinstalling the valve cover and refilling the cooling system. Now take a good look at the spark plug wires for cylinders 2 and 3. If you see coolant on the No. 2 wire, replace the spark plugs and wires for cylinders 1 and 2. If you see coolant on the No. 3 wire, replace the spark plugs and wires for cylinders 3 and 4.

Saturn

Gas tank difficult to fill, MIL on, evap DTC logged. Some owners of 2007-08 Aura models may complain that a gas pump nozzle continually clicks off during a fuel fill-up. They may also comment that the MIL is on when this happens. If you hook up your scanner you'll likely find DTC P0446 logged in computer memory. According to Saturn, all of these symptoms are likely caused by the evap canister vent valve solenoid being clogged with insect nests, dirt or other debris. Cleaning the solenoid and air chamber and installing a fine screen over the fresh air inlet tube should eliminate the trouble.

Begin the job by getting the car on a lift. Now remove the evap canister vent solenoid from the vehicle. Pry up on the lock tab, rotate the solenoid clockwise and pull it out of the air chamber. Now inspect both the air chamber and solenoid. If you see any of the debris just mentioned, remove it with a soft brush. Now cut a piece of fiberglass screening to 4x4 in., then center it over the inlet tube opening and fold it toward the air chamber. Using a tie strap, secure the screen to the tube. Attach the solenoid to the air chamber by rotating it counterclockwise until the lock tab latches. To complete the repair, reinstall the canister vent solenoid.

Toyota

MIL on, evap DTC(s) logged. Toyota reports that some 2005-09 4Runner SUVs may illuminate the MIL and store one or more of the following DTCs in PCM memory: P0441, P0455 and/or P0456. One likely cause

of the evap code(s) setting, says the Japanese carmaker, is a defect in the sealing surface of the gas tank cap. Installing an improved gas cap (Part No. 77300-47010) should eliminate the condition immediately.

To make a definitive diagnosis, clear the stored DTC(s), then run an Automatic Evap System Check with your scan tool. If any of the codes reset, make sure the gas cap tightens properly at the filler neck. If it does, this information doesn't apply; continue troubleshooting until the cause of the leak is determined. If the cap doesn't fully seat or feels like it's jammed, you can install the updated version with confidence.

GM Truck

Starting and fuel gauge troubles, multiple warning lamps on. Some 2000-07 GM minivans and SUVs (complete list below) may have difficulty starting, may not start at all or may start, then stall. In addition, the fuel gauge may not work, or work erratically and the MIL, ABS, TCS, Service Traction System and/or AllWheel-Drive Disabled warning lights may be illuminated on the dash. Lastly, the TCS system may activate for no reason, with multiple DTCs stored in various modules.

GM says all of these seemingly unrelated symptoms are due to corroded or spread terminals at connector C305, which you'll find on the floor just behind the driver's seat. The fix depends on what you see when you separate the connector. If it's corroded, water is getting into the vehicle from somewhere. Fix the leak, then replace the connector. If the connector terminals are spread, don't try to straighten them out. Instead, replace the terminals with parts from a terminal repair kit.

Vehicles that are susceptible to the starting troubles and electrical issues are 2000-04 Oldsmobile Silhouettes, 2000-05 Chevy Ventures and Pontiac Montanas, 2001-05 Pontiac Azteks, 2002-06 Buick Rendezvous models and 2005-07 Buick Terrazas, Chevy Uplanders and Pontiac Montana SV6s.

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