A hard starting condition is annoying but might not bring a customer into the shop right away. They shouldn’t put it off since it could have a simple solution with the proper diagnostics. Follow this Real Fix to see how a hard starting Mazda 6i was diagnosed and what component was causing the issue. Vehicle […]

The first modern cylinder deactivation system produced was the 1981 Cadillac V8-6-4 and that was a big flop. It’s now a common feature of multiple vehicles and generally trouble free. But when you have a vehicle so equipped and it has intermittent performance you might blame that system. SureTrack community member pdmason1492 had a 2013 RAM 1500 truck with a MDS 5.7L engine with intermittent a misfire problem and thought that maybe the cylinder deactivation system might be involved. They posed the question to the community, and with the help of fellow community member Ericsautomotive and others, they were able to finally figure out what was wrong with it and repair the problem.

Towing a dead vehicle into a shop is a fairly common situation. But doing it three times is too much, especially when it won’t act up when it’s there. SureTrack community member ZachR had a Mazda Tribute that would stall hours away from the shop but not when it was there. They posed the question to the community, and with the help of fellow community member Richard_C and others, they were able to finally figure out what was wrong with it and repair the problem.

Water is necessary for life but sometimes it can be the cause of death, especially when mixed with electronics. SureTrack community member mtbittinger had an Acura MDX that came in twice for running poorly, both times with a melted coil. They found that water intrusion into the ECU might be the cause. They posed the question to the community, and with the help of fellow community member Ericsautomotive and others, they were able to try and diagnose the issue and while they didn’t complete the repair the information found is useful to others.

The evaporative emissions systems (EVAP) on vehicles is typically pretty straightforward and an important part of keeping the emissions in check. But when something goes wrong it can cause various issues. Follow this Real Fix to see how a hard starting Mazda with codes P0455 and P2187 was diagnosed and repaired.

Replacing a vehicle’s engine with a used one has its risks as you’re going to be counting on it working as it should. SureTrack community member MobleMech had a 2015 Camaro in their shop that came in with a misfire on cylinder one due to engine damage. They replaced it with a used engine and again had a misfire on cylinder one. They posed the question to the community, and with the help of fellow community member Jamesbellam and others, they were able to resolve the issue quickly.

This is an oldy but still a good fix to remember. SureTrack community member MobleMech had a 1993 Chevrolet pickup in the shop where the fuel pump would keep running after turning off the key. They posed the question to the community, and with the help of fellow community members juniur, Ericsautomotive and others, they were able to resolve the issue quickly.

When a symptom arises after something was replaced on a vehicle it causes you to focus on that system. But it could be something totally different. SureTrack community member kgoble had a Ford F450 truck in the shop that developed a surge after a stolen catalytic converter was replaced. They posed the question to the community, and with the help of fellow community member juniur, Ericsautomotive and others, they were able to resolve the issue quickly

Your customer comes in with what should be a simple misfire issue, but things go down hill once you start digging into it and end up having to replace the engine. That should take care of it, right? SureTrack community member mastertech1978 had a Ford Transit van in the shop that still had a misfire problem even after replacing the engine. They posed the question to the community, and with the help of fellow community member DAG1365 and others, they were able to resolve the issue quickly.

Here’s another fix where the cause of an electrical gremlin was not found by traditional means but instead by looking all around the vehicle. Follow this Real Fix to see how a Ford F150 with malfunctioning radio and climate control system was diagnosed and the component that caused the problem was found.