Grrrrrr car repairs

[simba20]

I have a do-it yourself attitude. I like it, when I can be triumphaint and conquer fixes around the home. Last night, I asked about my dishwasher, and I have to admit, I had to throw in the towel. It's beyond my means, so I have a call in to a plumber.

But this week seems to be the week of 'What can go wrong, will..."

This morning, I went out to run an errand. I noticed my SUV (crossover) had difficulty starting, but I chalked it up to cold weather. It did start, and all was well....I thought.

I'm driving out of my subdivision when I go to turn on the radio. The other day, I had turned it off, so I thought it was odd that I had managed to keep it off for two days (I normally drive the SUV). At the same moment, I realized I had not yet turned on the heat (it was cold this morning), so I go to turn it on and hear nothing. I had just hit the radio on button and noticed that the radio was not on either. So I stop at the stop sign just before exiting my subdivision, and try the radio and heat controls again......NOTHING!

Sigh.

Maybe it's a fuse.....maybe.....one can hope, but since the two are tied together (somehow) I will now have to make an appointment to take it in.

Just last month I had to pay $450 because a coilpin(?) in my steering wheel area was causing my airbag sensor to come on. I actually have the tech at the dealership tell me "You'll be okay to drive around with the airbag sensor light on. Your airbags may still work." Ummmm MAY? Do you not see the carseat in the backseat. I have a toddler, airbags are kinda important.

Anyway, aside from thinking it could be a fuse, I wish that this could be a DIY job.

 

[schmitty]

Porbably alternator. Easy enough fix.

 

[simba20]

Porbably alternator. Easy enough fix.

Well, wouldn;t ya know. Hubster arrives home, and I tell him what the vehicle is doing. He goes outside and starts it, and EVERYTHING WORKS! Grrrrr.....The SUV has done something like this before, irritatng, but what a moody vehicle.

When I take it in for an oil change, I have them test the amps on the alt.

 

[John VN]

Have battery checked also. Cold weather brings out the worst in a battery.

 

[momof1princess]

OP, i know your pain. my SUV has been hard to start the past few days, but i chalked it up to the amazingly unusual, bitterly cold weather we've been having.....until tonight. i'm driving my DD13 to ballet class, get 2/3 of the way there, and the car starts sputtering and trying to go dead! i called DH and he told me how to use the brake and gas to get through town to the dance school, then i had to call AAA to tow me home, because there was smoke coming out from under the hood! UGH! tow truck driver said it looked like the water pump, because there was water sprayed all over the fan and alternator and a small puddle under the SUV.
hope your car continues to behave!!

ETA: DFIL checked it out when he got home from bible study-cranked it up and said he saw water spraying out onto the alternator and fan-he says i busted my water pump by not warming my car up before driving it on these bitterly cold mornings (6 degrees F this morning and yesterday morning here in NE alabama!).

 

[golfgal]

Have battery checked also. Cold weather brings out the worst in a battery.

I was thinking the same thing. If the OP drove the car a while yesterday it could have recharged the battery enough for everything to work when your DH turned the car on. If you have issues again in the morning, take it in and have the battery tested. My car has been a bit harder to start as well and I am thinking the battery may need to be replaced.

 

[simba20]

Have battery checked also. Cold weather brings out the worst in a battery.

Thanks. That didn;t occur to me. However, when the hubster arrived home from work and got everything to start, I though...well the car has had the whole day to "get warm" (a bit).

 

[tvguy]

Porbably alternator. Easy enough fix.

Have you priced an alternator recently? Not hard to install, but the part price is through the roof.

 

[pigletgirl]

Sounds like a battery to me! In my last car it pooped as soon as I went somewhere where it was below freezing.

 

[donaldduck352]

I LOATH the new cars or trucks etc.

I know how too work on motors with 8plugge wires,9 including the coil wire,2radiotor hoses and 2heater hoses.All this new computer run vehichals are out of my control.The bad part is all mechanics know this also,including DEALERS,and charge out the nose cuase they hook them up to a computer to fix them and we can't!!!!!!!