Automotive

Toyota Matrix 2003 Air Conditioning Stop Cooling

Toyota Matrix, 2003 model had the air conditioner suddenly stop cooling. After checking the refrigerant and seeing that it was ok I checked further and found that the compressor clutch was not engaging.

The wires all tested ok and the connections were in good shape so now that all of the easy stuff was checked it was time to get into the meat of the air conditioning system. After checking the circuitry for the air conditioner clutch and relays in the circuit we found that the M/G relay was not operation correctly. The M/G relay is located in the long black fuse box under the hood by the battery. Our M/G relay was small and white in color and plugged in so soldering was not necessary.


The M/G relay was a dealer item costing around $80.00

The parts counter person at Toyota said that they have several complaints about that relay and he is surprised that it hasn't been recalled.

With the M/G relay replaced we had no further trouble with the air conditioner.

Toyota Corolla Door Handle Inside

Replacing the inside door handle on a Toyota Corolla can be done by removing one screw. Once you have the screw removed you will need to release the clip that holds the linkage to the door handle and then replace it in reverse order. The inside door handle seldom cracks, but it can happen making your Toyota Corolla unsightly.


New Toyota Corolla inside door handles are fairly inexpensive if you buy one from someone other than the dealer. After market inside door handles can be bought for less than ten dollars and they are good enough quality that you would never know that they were after market unless you studied them up close. A few quick searches ought to yield you several places to choose from to buy an inside door handle.

2003 Toyota Matrix Door Handle Covers Chrome

Our 2003 Toyota Matrix has painted door handles and they are always getting black surface marks on them from daily use. The marks look unsightly and they need to be removed with wax every time it happens.
To fix this annoying problem with my 2003 Matrix I found some chrome door handle covers and put them on the doors and no more problems. The chrome is durable and it doesn't show any blemishes after use and accents the look of the doors at the same time.
If you keep getting the door handle blemishes, or worse chipped paint on the door handle you really need to consider the protection of chrome door handle covers.

2003 Toyota Corolla Door Handle Covers Chrome

The 2003 Toyota Corolla has painted door handles and they are always getting black surface marks on them from daily use. The marks look unsightly and they need to be removed with wax every time it happens.
To fix this annoying problem with my 2003 Corolla I found some chrome door handle covers and put them on the doors and no more problems. The chrome is durable and it doesn't show any blemishes after use and accents the look of the doors at the same time.
If you keep getting the door handle blemishes, or worse chipped paint on the door handle you really need to consider the protection of chrome door handle covers.

1995 Toyota Corolla Outer Door Handle

One of the most important things to do if you are going to keep an older car is to keep it in shape. If it is left to deteriorate and get ugly you will get turned off to it and wind up spending tons of money and tax on a new car.
Keep your Toyota Corolla in shape.


One problem that I have found with my 1995 Toyota Corolla is that the door handles get ice built up under them and usually causes them to crack. Replacing the door handle is easy, all you have to do is remove the inner door panel. First remove the screws in the arm rest and the inner door handle. If you have power windows you will need to unplug the window/lock switches in the armrest by popping the switch panel up off of the armrest so you can see the wires and plug. Unplug the wires and remove the switches. If you have manual windows you will need to remove the window crank. There should be a clip behind the crank than needs to be pulled out, once it is out the window crank should come right off.

Once you can see inside the door you will see the back of the outside door handle, remove the bolts and linkages for the door mechanism and the handle should come right out from the outside of the car.

Replace the door handle and re-assemble in reverse order. That should be an inexpensive fix that should last you for years.

3 Steps To Easily Improve Your Gas Mileage

The most popular car question on peoples minds lately is ‘what can I do to my car to improve gas mileage”. Since fuel prices have skyrocketed, and come back down, and soon may skyrocket again with no clear ceiling in sight, drivers are looking for ways to improve their fuel economy until they can afford to replace their aging vehicles. While it might be depressing to look at the total on the fuel pump after you have filled your tank, there are some things you can do to make sure that you are getting the most out of your engine.

To begin with, maintenance is key. A few simple steps regarding the upkeep of your engine can go a long way towards lowering the amount of gas that it uses.

1) One of the first things to check is your air filter. The air filter is located in or at the front of the plastic tube that feeds air to your car’s intake. This filter is made of paper, and it is designed to keep particles of dirt and dust from making their way inside the engine, where they could cause damage. Eventually, this filter becomes clogged with all of the debris that it has been protecting your motor from, and when this happens, it is no longer effective at letting air pass through. This causes the efficiency of the engine to drop, using more fuel and lowering the power being generated. Regular filter replacement can help you maintain strong fuel economy.

2) Change the fuel filter at regular intervals to keep the fuel volume and pressure consistent going into the engine. If the engine gets starved for fuel because the fuel filter is clogged the engines computer will compensate by enriching the fuel/air mixture that will cause your vehicle to use more fuel than necessary. Some cars have more than one fuel filter, and they are usually located in the engine compartment and / or, at or in the fuel tank attached to the electric fuel pump, as I the Toyota Matrix. An example of a fuel filter in neither the engine compartment or attached to the fuel pump is the 1995 Ford Taurus where it is attached under the driver’s side floor. The purpose of the fuel filter is to keep any gunk, and/or foreign particles from getting into the engine and fuel injectors. Like the air filter, these materials eventually will block the fuel filter, and when that happens, the engine can get starved for fuel, causing a similar drop in fuel mileage.

3) Another factor in gas mileage is the vacuum in your engine when you drive. The vacuum fluctuates when you press down on the gas pedal and let it up. To word it better the vacuum changes as the engine speed or RPM changes. When the engine becomes under a load from acceleration or going up a hill the vacuum in the engine will drop and as the vacuum drops so will the gas mileage.

You can improve the your gas mileage if you know what your engines vacuum is reading and adjust your driving accordingly. Some of us accelerate too fast which causes a drop in engine vacuum and bad gas mileage. The fast acceleration is unnecessary most of the time and is really then just a habit. If you are serious about improving your gas mileage you will need to lighten up your foot on the gas pedal.

There is a neat little gauge called a Scangauge II that all you have to do to hook it up is plug it into a connector under your dashboard. The Scangauge II will tell you your engines vacuum and RPM as you drive and help you break the habit of fast acceleration. On the Scangauge II there are four digital gauges on one display and you select which readings you would like from a menu. For example, RPM, and MPG are two useful readings along with manifold pressure/vacuum. On the fourth reading you can use your speed to check the accuracy of your speedometer.

1995 Ford Taurus Stalls When Driving

1995 Ford Taurus engine quits when driving for no apparent reason. The engine was up to operating temperature and the car had just been driven 150 miles and it ran fine. When the car was turned off for around 45 minutes and it was driven down the road it stalled.

After careful examination we noticed that the spark and electrical system was functioning ok the problem seemed to be in the fuel system.


There were several suggestions as to what the problem could be, such as, a bad fuel pump, bad gas, etc. We decided to take the easy path first and change the fuel filter. It was the easiest and cheapest to try. Once the filter was removed we dumped it out and dirt and rust came running out. We cut the filter in half and found a lot more rust and debris still inside so somehow contaminated fuel had gotten into the tank on the last fill-up.

So if you have a Taurus that is acting similar try to change the easy and cheapest thing first-the fuel filter.

Ten Steps To Save On Gas and Get Better Gas Mileage!

Gas prices are getting higher with no end in sight. As worldwide demand for oil and gasoline increases the price increases right along with it.  Not too long ago one gallon of gasoline used to cost $1.50 and we thought that was expensive, now at $3.80 per gallon people are starting to look seriously for ways to save on gas and cut down their expenses.

To help get relief at the pump quickly it is best and most efficient to look at the easiest things that we can do ourselves to save money at the pump.

1: Shop Around For the best price on gas without driving all over the place. Ask co-workers, look for ads and call different gas suppliers to find the cheapest price on gas. You can even look on: www.gasbuddy.com

This is the advice that you can apply anytime you buy anything. Always shop around. You can get a cheaper price for your favorite brand, and probably a yet cheaper price for a different brand.


2: Use a Credit Card to buy gasoline that gives you a reward or rebate for buying gas. Brand specific gasoline credit cards are more generous because they can save you 5 10 % off your gasoline purchase.

3: Buy Gasoline In the morning when the weather is cool.  Cool gasoline is denser in cooler temperatures, although slightly, so you can buy more for your money. Gas stations measure volume, not density, so you’ll be getting more solid fuel than vapors, thus improving your overall gas mileage.

4: Steer clear of gas stations that just refilled their underground tanks.
When underground tanks are refilled, particulates at the bottom of the tank get stirred up, and when these particles get into your gasoline tank, they affect the fuel efficiency of your car and clog your fuel filter.
5: Don’t Fill your gas tank all the way, or “top off” your tank, only get gas when you need at least half a tank because a gas pump needs time to draw the gas out of the underground tanks so when you purchase a bit of gas the station, you get short bursts of fuel that you’ll probably pay extra for because a full gallon is never pumped.

6: Don’t use premium gas if your car doesn’t call for it. Most cars nowadays are built to run on regular unleaded gas. Purchasing premium gas is simply a waste of money. Octane measures how hard it is to ignite gas, not the quality of the gas, so getting higher octane, premium, gas will not improve fuel efficiency it will only cost you more.

7: Pump your own gas if you find that it is cheaper to pump your own gas at the self-serve stations rather than using the full-serve pumps. Full-service gas tends to cost more to pay for the attendant.

8: Use your air-conditioning sparingly.  Automotive air-conditioning uses electricity, increases the load on the engine and it can reduce fuel economy by up to 20 percent. It is better to use the air ventilation system instead.
Keep an eye on your car's engine vacuum with a Scangauge II, it will let you know when you are accelerating too fast.

9: Plan your trips to be efficient and avoid unnecessary driving by planning your trip before hand, and of course that saves you money on gas consumption.

10: Purchase fuel efficient vehicles with a good repair record so you save money on fuel and repairs.
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The Scangauge II is one of the best engine monitors on the market that allows you to track your gas mileage while you drive.

How To Repair Your Muffler

When you find yourself receiving angry glances from people while you're driving in town, take it as a telltale sign that you are indeed having some muffler trouble. The noise your car is making is not a part of your imagination. Actually, the faster you accept the truth that you need to have a muffler repair, the sooner you could get the problem fixed. If you continue to procrastinate it, you’ll end up in an auto shop with a considerable bill for the muffler repair service.

Before anything else, what are the warnings that you are in need of a muffler repair? Your car may be making a lot of noises but not every squeak, squeal, and screech calls out for a muffler repair. How can you be sure that the sound means muffler trouble?

Once you’ve heard a rumble coming from your sedan, read this as a low-pitched rhythmic sound, then chances are you have a malfunctioning muffler, converter, or exhaust pipe. If what you’re hearing is a clunk, which is a random thumping sound, then what you have is a loose muffler or exhaust pipe. Like what my math teacher told me, identifying the problem is half of the solution. After knowing just what it is that’s making your car so noisy, then we can begin the muffler repair.


The problem is a loose muffler or exhaust pipe.

Don’t even think about muffler repair on a still hot muffler. When you just finish driving the car, leave it for around an hour. That will be enough time for the engine and all the other auto parts to cool down. After drinking a glass of iced tea and enjoying a little conversation with your friend over the phone, you and your car are ready for some muffler repair.

Lift up the car and carefully secure it on jackstands so that you can go underneath and start some damage control. The exhaust pipe is likely to be found about two feet behind the engine pointing toward the rear of the car. If you are looking at the right place, then you will be able to see a thin metal shield right in the middle of the exhaust pipe and the car floor. If you still can’t find it, it is approximately under the car seats. With all those clues, I’m sure you already have an idea where it is.

Now that you have the metal shield in your line of vision, do everything possible to make it rattle. Poke, prod, push, pull, by all means, do what you can so that you will be able to hear the same thumping sound your car is making when you drive. You may be asking yourself why you have to make it rattle. Well, you want to be 100% sure that all you have is a loose muffler or exhaust pipe. Otherwise, the solution I have here will not do you any good.

If there is no rattling sound even after you did your best to produce the same sound, don’t smile yet. Cover all your bases. Start the car engine. I want to make the next statement as clear as possible. Do not go back underneath the car while the engine is running unless you like the idea of pain inflicted in your own skin. Rather than going under the car, simply lean your head down and listen attentively to distinguish where the clunking sound is coming from.

If the source of the noise is the heat shield, all you have to do now is to tighten it up. Turn off the engine first then go underneath the car. With your good old screwdriver, tighten all the bolts connected to the heat shield and I mean, every single bolt. While you are already down there, check if the heat shield has been twisted or curved. You can fix a bent heat shield through a pair of pliers or a screwdriver. Pull the heat shield away from the spot where it makes contact with the exhaust pipe.

That’s it. Just by tightening the bolts, you can avoid the hassle and the cost of going to a car care center for a muffler repair. You can now drive in style and in silence.

About Author

The author is a contributor of Muffler Repairs

If you want to know more about muffler repairs like the shops offering this service as well some basic information about mufflers, visit the website and say goodbye to your muffler troubles.

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Diagnose Car Trouble

I ran across a great suggestion in Popular Mechanics magazine pertaining to saving your cars computer memory when you change the battery.

When you disconnect the car battery all of the memory that saves the engine performance data is reset to zero or baseline. When that happens you have to drive your car for several miles before the computer re-learns the engine performance data which allows your engine to perform at its best.

Deleting the cars computer memory may cause your engine to run rough and possibly get bad gas mileage until the computer is re-taught. Plus, if you are scheduled for a smog test for your car right after the memory is reset your car may fail the smog test.

On way to prevent the memory from being lost when you change the battery is to hook a 9 volt battery to a cigarette lighter plug and insert it into the lighter. The 9 volt battery will be enough to keep your car computer memory active while you change the car battery so your car will run just like it did before you changed the battery.

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The Scangauge II is one of the best engine monitors on the market that allows you to track your gas mileage and engine performance while you drive.