A water in fuel warning usually means water has collected in your diesel’s fuel-filter or separator assembly. It needs prompt attention, following the instructions for your vehicle. Draining the
Why are my tires turning brown? Protective ingredients in the rubber can work their way to the surface, leaving a brownish film known as blooming. Road dirt and brake dust can look similar. Blooming i
The speed readout was there a moment ago, floating neatly above the bonnet. Put on sunglasses and it fades, perhaps to the point where it seems to have disappeared altogether. An expensive electronic
Being unable to put fuel into an almost-empty car is a peculiarly annoying problem. There is diesel in the pump, space in the tank and apparently no reason the two should have trouble meeting. Yet the
Most cars ask the driver to remember which side the fuel door is on. An older Jaguar XJ6 offers a more entertaining problem: there is a filler cap on each side, and both of them lead somewhere. The
Look down beside the pedals of an older car and you may find a small metal button poking through the carpet. It is easy to mistake for an abandoned starter or some ingenious accessory installed by a p
An engine can be low on oil and sound perfectly content. It may start normally, idle without complaint and carry the car through the morning commute. The driver sees no smoke, hears no knocking and re
Start certain cars in front of a garage wall and the headlights put on a brief performance. The beams drop, rise and settle. Some sweep sideways too, giving the impression that the car has opened i
The old battery has been replaced, the engine starts with renewed enthusiasm and the dashboard clock has been corrected. Then the driver’s window develops amnesia. It still moves when the swi
The rear defroster has been running for several minutes. Most of the glass is clear, traffic behind the car has returned to recognizable shapes, yet one narrow stripe of fog remains stretched across t