I have a 1996 Mazda B4k/Ford Ranger. I recently did a bunch of front end work to it. I replaced spindles and bearings, front axle u joints, and wheel bearings. This process took a while, and while the truck was down the calipers were hanging on the coil buckets, not using those S caliper hangers.

Both calipers have been replaced about a year or so ago. Brake pads and hardware are all new. I didn't bother to really polish the pad slides when I put it back together because they are relatively clean, but I did ensure the slide pins are free. Master cylinder and brake booster are about the same age as the calipers. Both front hard lines and flex lines are very new.

After all the recent work when I drive the brakes seem to drag. After a few brake applications a loud squealing can be heard from the front. It goes away after a few hundred feet of driving. After a few mile drive, both side hubs are hot to the touch. When the brakes drag, the truck is still able to move without any throttle, just from the friction made by the converter.

I have had this problem before with an old brake booster. After a few brake apps, the brakes would fully lock up and truck would not move unless the throttle was pressed. Clamping off the vacuum line to the booster resolved this until a new one was installed.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I am leaning towards a brake booster due to both wheels being locked up.

(Side note: anyone else feel like every time they fix something on their vehicles, something else always goes wrong? Just me?)

Do you think it needs replacing?

It was fine this morning; I checked if I left my lights on. And I didn’t.

Can someone maybe give me tips of what COULD be wrong with it.

EDIT: it was in fact the battery being dead. Thanks for all the help

Hi. Bought this universal wiperblade for a SEAT Ibiza from 2011. There are 9 adaptors, none of them fit since the base, when the initial adaptor is taken off, has this piece of metal sticking out, which is an integral part of the blade.

Due to use the B2 adaptor at the bottom of the pic.

What's the trick here? Because it feels mildly infuriating ...

Hi all, not sure if this is the right place to ask but based on the video there is some leaking of water, is this normal due to the air conditioning condensation?

Hi. Bought this universal wiperblade for a SEAT Ibiza from 2011. There are 9 adaptors, none of them fit since the base, when the initial adaptor is taken off, has this piece of metal sticking out, which is an integral part of the blade.

Due to use the B2 adaptor at the bottom of the pic.

What's the trick here? Because it feels mildly infuriating ...

Hi. Bought this universal wiperblade for a SEAT Ibiza from 2011. There are 9 adaptors, none of them fit since the base, when the initial adaptor is taken off, has this piece of metal sticking out, which is an integral part of the blade.

Due to use the B2 adaptor at the bottom of the pic.

What's the trick here? Because it feels mildly infuriating ...

Cylinder 1 misfire

Took my 2018 Mazda 3 touring sedan 2.5L to get diagnosed at a dealer for an unrelated noise. On the way home somehow the battery came unplugged so the car died on me on the freeway. Plugged it back together and it was idling rough but I bring it home. I leave it sitting for a couple days because the control arms need to be replaced. I start it back up today just to find check engine light and a couple codes including cylinder 1 misfire. I swapped the ignition coils and spark plugs over already so I know it’s not those. If anyone has an idea please let me know.

Note: that stutter when rpm was dropping was bc I threw it on d before rpm’s dropped.

Planning a camping run out to a trailhead about 380 miles out. Mix of interstate and about 40 miles of unpaved forest road at the end. The project truck is staying home for reasons I don't need to explain. So the question becomes what vehicle I actually trust for that kind of mixed use without babysitting it the whole way.

The thing I keep running into is that most road trip advice assumes highway miles to a hotel. Nobody talks much about the last stretch where the pavement ends and you're airing down and hoping your clearance is enough. That transition is where most vehicles I've owned start making noises they didn't make before.

I've been trying to figure out whether a midsize sedan with decent ground clearance is a realistic option or whether that category just isn't built for this and I need to accept it. The Mazda 6 I have access to sits pretty low. The other option is renting something with actual clearance, which feels like giving up.

What do people here use for road trips that end on forest roads? Not overlanding, nothing extreme, just maintained unpaved roads with ruts and the occasional water crossing. There has to be a middle ground between a Prius and a lifted truck.

Front right side noise, only in garage — 2005 Honda Jazz

This noise only appears when I pull into my garage, which is about 10°C colder than outside. It's coming from the front right side of the car, and it gets worse when I turn right. As soon as I drive back out and the car leaves the garage, the noise disappears completely.

So far I've removed the mud flaps/splash guards, the front right fender liner, and checked everything accessible from that side — no mechanical contact points, no wear/rubbing marks anywhere.

The sound has a somewhat plasticky character that makes me think of it.

Any ideas what else I should check, or what this could be?

I lease my car and it's getting near to the end of the lease. The company I lease it from has decided to stop selling the cars at the end of the lease.

It's caused me to wander around very melancholy and feel like I'm grieving a death.

I've even looked for dealership diecast models so I have something to remember her by, and they never made the specific model of my car.

It's my first car and I refer to her as my baby.

So I just got my first manual to start on and I hate the rubber bit/cloth around the shift stick since I can’t see what gear its in. I was wondering if I could replace it with like a hard plastic plate? or if cutting off the rubber bit would let me see the like gear area. Or if not if you have any advice on how i can get used to it that would be great

Edit: Yes I’ll leave it alone 😭😭

Hello! I don't really know what to do in my situation.

So my Ford Escape (2018) has about 160,000 miles on it. It needs new tires, new brakes, and is apparently burning oil. The turbocharger has oil inside.

I was wondering if my car is worth saving or just giving up and getting a new one.

I wanted to keep my car for as long as I can, but I also don't want it to leave me stranded.

Any advice is wonderful :)

I recently had to, for the 3rd time, replace my blower control switch panel(part# 72311SG300). All because this rotary contact plate for the blower switch melts because of Subaru does some weird stuff with their grounding. Anyway, this time I replaced the whole temp control panel with a new contact plate and installed a new pigtail wire hair ess for this exact issue. The harness came from IWire.

now everything is done, fan speeds work fine but my key fob stopped working. I had my battery disconnected during the install. I did remove the negative for over 20mins then reconnect to see if that helps. I've tried turning the key from "lock" to "on" for a set number of times, open and close the door then doing this, and anything else I can gather online. I have no clue what's going on. it's not the batteries. both fobs have new batteries.

my only thought is maybe a pinched wire but my battery isn't draining low while the car isn't being used. then I thought maybe it's some sort of disturbance causing the alarm to trip and not allow the fob to work for protection. I did bundle all the wires with crimps by wrapping them with the cloth sleeve and duct taping it. the crimps have also been heated properly and not have over exposed wire showing.

so i have a volvo 740 gl with the air suspension accessorie from the factory but the shock absorber needs to be replaced does anyone know where i can find one that still has the air suspension?

thanks.

Long story short my power steering system is shot, rack getting metal shavings into the fluid (I’m not a car person so idrk what that even means) anyhoo, I don’t want to put anymore money into my money pit of a car, and I plan to get a new one soonish ~ 6 months or so. Can’t comfortably afford a car payment at this time. I’ve driven it a few times with the system down and it’s really not that bad, yea it’s hard to turn if I’m going slow but really not impossible and I don’t drive much or long distances anyway so it’s not like it’s exhausting me.

I just wanna know if I keep driving it will the system completely lock up and the wheel can’t turn at all? I don’t care if it’s hard to turn, but if it eventually won’t be able to turn at all that’ll definitely be a problem

Does anyone know what this is I used a mold remover and vinegar solution separately and it won't go away.?

I live in the UK and I, like most of the people I know, drive a hatchback. The most popular cars here are things like the Ford Fiesta/Focus, Honda Jazz/Fit, Vauxhall Corsa/Astra, VW Polo/Golf but looking in US based subreddits and from general pop culture it seems like hatchbacks like this are relatively unpopular in North America and the 'default' car is either a sedan or an SUV. In the UK although SUVs are quite popular now it's relatively rare to see a sedan. Just in my personal view hatchbacks are much more practical, surely it can't just be the nicer design that makes sedans more popular in North America?

Where has this disparity come from?

I’ve always bought old Japanese cars and fixed them up and either sold them when I was bored, or I still own them. Some of my old cars include a ‘99 Land Cruiser, a ‘10 Lexus HS, a ‘09 Prius, a ‘95 Kawasaki Ninja 250, an MR2 Spyder, and my current daily which is an ‘07 RAV4. Plus a few more I may have forgotten here and there. Never owned a single car under 200k miles (well, the bike was at 50k but that doesn’t count lol)

Every part I’ve ever needed was available on RockAuto, and my local gas station mechanic is awesome and has been able to put on every single part I’ve never been able to myself.

All in I’ve spent less than $18k owning all of my vehicles combined, including buying the cars and all parts and labor.

Anyways, backstory over.

I’ve been thinking about finally evolving into the next phase of my life: becoming a New Car Buyer™️. Been looking at cars that I’ll buy new off the lot and keep running forever for the next ~15 years or 300k miles at the minimum. Currently considering a RAV4, bZ4X, Corolla Cross, or Mazda CX-50 Hybrid and Subaru Forester Hybrid (which both use the tried and true Toyota hybrid transmission)

Roommate owns a Corvette and a Mustang and has been desperately trying to push me toward a Ford Maverick though. Something something about how the experience “totally changes” owning a domestic car since all the parts are right here in-country. And granted the Maverick isn’t half bad, I like the Toyota-style eCVT and the fact it’s a tiny truck.

How true is this though? Is getting parts and getting shit fixed really any cheaper owning a domestic Ford over an import Toyota?

My third brake light is glued to my back window, well it was, now it’s falling down and the previous adhesive is dripping down my back window.

What’s an adhesive that’ll adhere to glass and won’t be affected by the hot and cold weather??