Q: I am having a problem with my gas cap that is creating an engine warning on my dash. I have been tightening the gas cap quite a few times. I will sometimes get it to clear the check engine light, but it will soon come back to haunt me. Recently I bought locking gas cap thinking it may tighten up the cap and make the warning message go away, but that has not happened.
R.B., Mokena, Illinois
A: Check the neck of the filler fuel pipe. There may be a nick. It may create a leak or cut the gas cap seal. One temporary, and only a temporary, fix is to smear some Vaseline on the rubber seal. A nick may need to be polished out.
Q: I have a 2003 Ford Thunderbird, which I purchased new. It currently has 63,600 miles on it. At around 61,000 miles the cooling fan began running on high speed continually. It is extremely loud. We have replaced the cooling fan and the cylinder head temperature sensor. The thermostat checks out OK. I have left the car with a couple of shops over 3 or 4 days, but no one can find the cause. Any ideas?
C.W., Manlius, New York
A: Most often it is a faulty temperature sensor on the engine, but the replacement could be faulty. It happens. I would not rule out a relay or fan control module.
Q: My 2013 Ford Flex has been well-maintained, but it periodically says “Tire pressure sensor fault.” Our mechanic (who is very good) can’t find anything wrong. This started after he put two new front tires on the car. After a while the message disappears. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
M.M., Hartford, Connecticut
A: It may be as simple as resetting the TPMS system on your vehicle. Of course, there might be a problem with one of the sensors, which may need to be replaced. But don’t overlook the spare tire if it has a sensor.
Q: I have a 2016 Subaru Outback with 100,000 miles. The key often gets stuck in the ignition. I’ve tried wiggling the wheel, shifting in and out of park, etc. If I just wait a few minutes, the key comes out easily. From what I read online, I am not the only one with this issue. And of course, it works fine for the mechanic. Thank you for a great column.
N.N., Chicago
A: There is a microswitch in the shifter mechanism that occasionally gets stuck. After a while, it sometimes unsticks itself. Sometimes, if you jiggle the shifter, you can remove the key. Ultimately, you must replace the switch.
Q: Recently in your column someone suggested the highway number being the speed limit. I tried not to laugh. Running the length of California is Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway. From that belief, one would die of natural causes traveling the length of the state! I guess it’s true there were people who believed that “Gillian’s Island “ was a documentary. Good Lord, where do we get these people?
J.F., Pleasant Hill, California
A: It was not a person believing the route number was the speed limit, it was the vehicle’s automatic speed control system. Of course, the island’s professor could have fixed the problem using some clam shells, bamboo and a coconut.
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