Weird starting problem points to trouble with battery

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January 13, 2009

Auto Scanner The Salem News Tue Jan 13, 2009, 12:07 AM EST

Q: I have a problem with my 2000 Ford Taurus wagon that I hope you can help resolve. We have owned the car since 2001, and it currently has 85,500 miles on the odometer. Over the past few weeks, the car will not start on the first try in the morning. It will make a sound similar to when a car has a dead battery, and it will not turn over. By simply turning the key to the off position and then trying again, it will start without the slightest hesitation. The car will continue to start the rest of the day without a problem.

Our mechanic could not find a problem. He did replace the coil at a cost of $185 plus labor, but that did not resolve the problem. Do you have any thoughts on what might cause this? Note: This problem has come on since the cold weather has set in. It did start fine on two recent mornings when the weather was well above 32 degrees.

A: The way you describe the problem, it sounds like the battery is failing. If it sounds like a dead battery, I am confused why an ignition coil was replaced. However, perhaps the car had a skip or a check-engine light. Using the most modern methods, I believe a thorough starting and charging system check will reveal the problem. As the weather gets colder, your battery gets weaker, so what you tell me about the temperature making a difference convinces me further you have a battery or battery-charging problem. All battery connections should, of course, be cleaned and tightened.

Q: I recently sold my sister's 2000 Chrysler Cirrus LXI, V6, 2.5 Liter, FWD. The car was bought new and had 66,500 miles on it, most of which was local, around-town driving. Before I sold it, I had the oil changed and winterized. The car passed inspection and had a June 2008 sticker. To the best of my knowledge, the car was reasonably maintained.

Now, the bad news. The new owner, anxious to take his new wheels out for a drive, was cruising along Interstate 495 when all hell broke loose. Without any red light warning, the car, after bucking and jolting for an instant, came to a grinding halt in the breakdown lane. The car was towed to his mechanic, who said there was a massive oil loss causing the engine to freeze. A later autopsy during the replacement with a 75,000 engine showed the underneath of the car bathed in oil from front to rear, yet no evidence of a defective block or oil plug.

How was the oil sucked out of that engine in a matter of seconds? Have you ever experienced anything like this? I know the engine is way out of warranty, but I'd like your view on this episode, so I can pass it on to the Chrysler people.

A: This is really a tough one, since I haven't seen the blown engine. If there is oil all over the underside of the engine, it's logical there is a hole in the system someplace, be it at the filter, the front seal, the pan or an external oil line if the engine is equipped with one. There is no common issue with this car that we can point to. I wonder if you are paying for a piece of this engine repair as some kind of an implied warranty. If that is the case, I recommend you have an independent facility look over the broken engine if you have a vested interest. This engine failure can also be caused by revving the engine past its limit, or by inadvertently placing the vehicle in a lower gear while driving at highway speeds.

Car Care Tip: An occasional trip to the car wash, and having an undercarriage wash performed, will help reduce salt rot on vehicles driven on winter-treated roads.

¬¢¬¢¬¢

Larry Rubenstein is a master technician who owns a North Shore service station. His column appears Tuesday on the business page. Write to Larry at Salem News, c/o Auto Scanner, 32 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915, or send e-mail to scanauto@aol.com.

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