Q: The ABS light comes on too frequently on my faithful 2002 Chevy Malibu with 167,000 miles. My mechanic suggested it may be a faulty sensor but says that the harness needs to be replaced simultaneously. The problem is that he can't find the part. He says that people drove cars for years without ABS. However, I feel as if the brakes are constantly being ridden and fear the vehicle may be unsafe. Where might I be able to find parts for older Chevy vehicles?
P.B., Evanston, Illinois
A: The brakes are neither dragging nor applied unless you push the brake pedal. Your mechanic is right. The car is totally safe to drive and behaves just like cars without ABS. The ABS sensors for your car come with a wiring harness already attached and I suggest replacing all four. They are available from almost all auto parts stores and even online.
Q: Regarding the question you got about the 2007 Mini Cooper with the dim taillight. The whole taillight assembly is mounted on a thin copper plate that will overheat and melt the plastic that sandwiches the plate. This will cause bad connections to the three bulbs mounted on the plate. The only fix, other than replacing the entire assembly, is to scrape away the melted plastic from the connections. Not a very good design.
B.A., Las Vegas
A: Thanks for the info. I had not heard of this.
Q: I have a 2018 Jeep Trailhawk with 26,400 miles. It still has the original factory battery. About six months ago, the auto stop/start feature stopped working. The car's messaging system says that it is disengaged because the battery is charging. I have been on several long drives where there was sufficient time to recharge the battery, yet I continue to get the same message. The car starts every morning on the first try without hesitation. When I asked the local auto parts store to test the battery, they declined saying that the car's warning was enough to warrant buying a new battery. Was this just a sales ploy or any early warning that the battery is about to die?
L.S., Chicago
A: The computers in our cars monitor and manage the charging system. To conserve the battery, certain circuits may be turned off if they are not vital to normal operation such as the stop/start feature. Maybe the guy at the parts store was too busy to check the battery, but he is likely right that your four-year-old battery is wearing out.
Q: I will be getting a new 2023 Lexus NX shortly that comes with mud flaps. Personally, I hate the look of these and would like to have them removed. I know to do so is an easy proposition as they are really held on with a few screws. But a friend of mine, who knows less about cars than I do, notes that if I remove these flaps/screws, it will leave holes in the metal that will gather water, salt, etc. that will eventually cause rust problems. I feel that these new cars are rustproofed enough to handle this potential issue. Can I remove these flaps without worry?
P.W., Chicago
A:The fender liner to which the mudflaps attach is made of thermoplastic. It will not rust. But I prefer to leave them in place as they protect the shiny side of the car. Leave them on for a while and you may learn to like them.
