Hamilton Journal-News

Q:I’m a loyal Jeep owner who has owned Jeeps for many years. Presently I own a 1993 Jeep Cherokee with 192,000 miles and a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 77,000 miles. My 1993 has been a great vehicle. I’m unhappy with my 2000 Cherokee. Since owning the vehicle, I have spent nearly $7,000 in repairs on power door locks and a driveline noise.

Dealer personnel have replaced the front and rear differentials, axles, drive shafts and more but the noise persists. This noise began at
61,000 miles and has persisted despite all of the repairs. Dealer personnel have told me that if I would have purchased a Kia, repairs would have covered by the warranty. By the way, the dealer sells Jeeps and Kias.

I want to remain a Jeep owner, but I think that spending $7,000 on repairs that haven’t been effective in solving the trouble is a bit much. I’d like Chrysler to give me a break on the next Jeep I purchase. Can you help? C.J., West Chicago , Ill.

A:From the description of the noise, more than likely a bearing isn’t fully seated or gears are not shimmed according to specifications. Something that has been replaced is not properly aligned. It also is possible that the noise is related to tire tread wear, but I would hope an experienced technician would have ruled this out before tearing into the differentials, axles and other driveline components. You could continue to go to the dealer for further diagnosis or since you want to purchase another Jeep, you could trade this vehicle and buy another.

I have forwarded your letter and service history to a Chrysler representative. Please let me know what happens.

Cooling system fan takes a break

Q:The cooling system fan in my 1994 Oldsmobile Ciera with a 3.1-liter engine doesn’t turn on. I’ve checked the relay and grounds. They are fine. I checked the fuses to find that they are OK. I applied 12 volts to the fan motor and it turns on. What could be wrong? D.C., e-mail

A:The computer might have a fault. A temperature sensor may have failed. A low coolant level condition in the cooling system might be at fault. Perhaps the coolant is dirty and foul and needs to be flushed. Perhaps there is a poor connection in the circuit. If you have a factory service manual or subscribe to a repair manual Internet service such as ALLDATA or Mitchell, you should be able to trace the circuits and eventually find the cause of this condition.

In the meantime, consider flipping on the air conditioner as this might turn on the cooling fan so you don’t overheat the engine. If it does overheat, it could suffer severe damage and you might have to kiss it goodbye.

Squeaky engine spells big trouble

Q:There is a squeaking noise coming from the engine of my 2000 Ford Explorer. It sounds like a worn drive belt. It is not the drive belt because a technician removed it and the noise did not go away. The technician thinks the sound is coming from inside the engine. To me it sounds as though it is an external noise and not within the engine. Do you have any suggestions? C.P., e-mail

A:a squeak inside the engine usually is associated with poor lubrication. As a result, the engine usually destroys itself within a matter of minutes. When bearings within the engine are not properly lubricated, friction causes heat, and with each turn of the crankshaft, the bearings wear and rub against the crankshaft. During this process they can squeak. Usually, as this happens, the engine begins to make loud knocking sounds as the clearance between the crankshaft and bearing widens.

Since your engine doesn’t seem to be knocking, the squeak sound is likely not from inside the engine. If the technician insists that there is a problem within the engine, and wants to disassemble it, tow the vehicle to an experienced technician at another repair shop for a second opinion.

Perceived gain may not be benefit

Q:I have a 2001 Ford Explorer SportTrac with 75,000 miles. I’m going to give it a tuneup. I know that platinum spark plugs are better than copper. I’m also aware that there are spark plugs with two and four prongs on the end, but these cost more than spark plugs with one prong. Do the spark plugs with multiple prongs last longer than spark plugs with one prong? Do they give more power? V.S., San Juan Capistrano , Calif.

A:Spark plugs with multiple electrodes allegedly provide a better spark to ignite the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. They also cost more than factory-original spark plugs and may not last any longer than conventional style spark plugs.

You might see an improvement in power, but since the spark plugs in your vehicle have undergone 75,000 miles of wear, no matter which spark plug you decide to install, you likely will feel an improvement in performance. It would be difficult to judge the difference unless you compare performance under laboratory conditions while testing different spark plugs that are brand new.

Consider installing factory-original equipment spark plugs to see how the engine performs. If you are not satisfied, install a set of multiple electrode spark plugs and you may perceive that they perform a little better than factory-original equipment plugs.