Hi Sajeev,

We have a 2000 Dodge Durango 2WD with rear abs (hub assembly is different than if the front had abs if it matters) and 165k miles.  It has been a pretty good truck with few issues but we do have an annoying one that came up.  The truck isn’t a commuter for me, just for the occasional errand that my wife needs to run or when the whole family goes somewhere so it gets driven a couple times a week just a few miles on the highway into town and back.  The issue is the brakes. 

They work fine but when stopping at highway speeds with constant pressure on the pedal the brakes will suddenly grab more and sometimes it is one side that will grab slightly quicker than the other then the braking is equal again.  These pads have about 8k mile on them and are a ceramic composite pad and were bedded properly when installed but the rotors had some slight grooving and the old one had little life left.  I went with this style because the last set of ceramic composite (NAPA brand) were great with good feel and exceptional performance when hustling on the back roads.  The new ones are from a parts warehouse that supplies parts stores all over the area (dad works there so I got a great discount.  During heavy braking the issue doesn’t show up but it is a little disconcerting to have the truck pull to one side briefly during normal stops.  The brakes will exhibit some fade now when hustling the curvy roads where the old ones did not.  Re-bed or replace pads and rotors?  Rust from sitting a while after the last snow storm and salty roads?

Sajeev answers:

Getting old sucks.  While I am not sure of the exact problem, I betcha it’s one of these:

• Collapsed brake line (inspect all rubber components)
• Rusty brake caliper bores (reman replacements are cheap)
• Crud in the brake caliper’s fluid reservoir (see above)
• Very, very bad brake fluid (flush the system entirely)
• Extremely loose ball joint on one side (not likely)

It sounds like you have the brake pad and rotor situation under control, and you drive it enough to make rust a non-starter.  I mean non-stopper.

I think you have an old truck that needs more than a basic brake job. Time to check the calipers, the brake lines and the suspension. Hopefully all you need are a new pair of front calipers: they are about $25 each from Rock Auto. Score.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Nate writes:

Ok, you asked for input and I’ve got a question about my 2003 Cadillac CTS. I figure I’m more likely to get a reliable answer from you and the best & brightest of TTAC than the goof balls at Car Talk (this letter is from February-SM), so I’ll ask.

I bought this CTS back in November. It had 135,000 miles on the odo, came from a private owner and apparently had significant engine work accomplished a year or so ago apparently as a result of a timing belt failure after it wasn’t replaced on schedule. Before being able to get the car licensed, I paid to have the thermostat and temp sensor replaced as I had a CEL and a P0128 code and the car wouldn’t pass inspection with a CEL code. The code came back after just about 1 week.

The CEL will clear if the ambient temps move up above 45-50 degrees but returns when the temps get back down to Utah normals for winter. I’ve been unable to find an online solution. I’ve considered installing a temporary partial radiator block, (cardboard & duct tape) to see if that old school fix brings the temp up. The car doesn’t have a temp gauge- thanks for nothing GM; but seems to warm up the cabin appropriately if not exceptionally fast.

Am I going to have to reset the codes each December before taking this in for emissions inspection or is there a real fix?

Sajeev answers:

Much like LSX swaps for people wanting to make a slow car fast, much like Panther Love for someone wanting a cheap and durable ride, I pretty much always think Dex-Cool is the problem when certain vintage GM products have temperature control problems.  As this paragraph shows, Dex-Cool is not my friend…and I am somewhat less goofy than the Car Talk peeps.

On the plus side, others are in your situation and they agree with me. Let’s face it: the timing belt proves that this car was neglected.  It’s a safe bet that Dex-Cool was never changed either, possibly topped off with non Dex-Cool compatible fluid too.  So there is a TON of the stuff you see in the photo below. And above. So I suspect that the 1 week grace period you mentioned was the time necessary to re-clog that temperature sensor and cause the P0128 to trip yet again.

I’d recommend a closer look at your cooling system, probably replacing the radiator too.   Just be careful how aggressively you remove Dex-Cool from the cooling system, you could flush it all out and get a ton of Dex-Cool “snot” stuck in the heater core. Which means you no longer have a heater. Which means…well, have fun removing the interior to get the heater core out. In a Utah winter. Damn, Son…

Sorry, I wish I saw another way out.  Maybe the B&B can help.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Jackson writes:

I own a 2001 Nissan Maxima and a 2006 Corvette, both purchased new w/cash. I know the Maxima with 105,000+ miles has had two ATF services, which included the “dreaded ATF Flush”. So far the thing keeps running, only issue (unrelated) was a Cat replacement (99,000) and 3 O2 sensors around the same time.

The 2006 Corvette at 5 years and 42,600 miles is due for a coolant service and I see that the ATF service is 50,000 (harsh) or 100,000 (normal). So far expenses have been limited to gas, once a year oil changes and a set of tires at 26,000 due to some aggressive driving, aggressive factory camber settings and a shard of metal. It’s been spotless so far besides a squeaky roof panel which has been solved by periodic application of Super Lube to some contact points. Should I do an ATF flush for the vette? It would be a BG machine. It’s a warm weather commuter for me (42 miles round trip per day of which 26 is highway miles on which avg. speed 75 mph which is just 3 days a week).

I have taken it on 6 long trips over the years as well as weekend cruises. I do use the paddles about 30% of the time, but do not really hoon it so much the past 2 years after getting 3 speeding tickets in 6 month period…which I fought and is another subject. So please advise.

Sajeev answers:

The easier of the two to E-diagnose is the ‘vette. First, I really hope you ditch(ed) those run flat tires for some donuts befitting a Porsche 911, as that is what the Corvette deserved from the factory. And like much like Motor Trend’s game changing car of the year, the 1997 Chevy Malibu, the C6 Corvette comes with a sealed-for-life transmission. Which begs the question, where did you hear about a 50,000 mile service interval under any condition? Not that owner’s manuals are always right, but I seriously doubt you read that from your glovebox.

These gearboxes normally go 100,000-ish miles before servicing, and your driving habits are definitely within that realm. If you have the motivation, check the fluid’s condition using the link’s info. Odds are the ATF is fine, it should have a pink color with a slightly sweet smell. If it has black-ish bits and smells like a BBQ pit, change it according to factory procedures…and good luck with that!

Now about the Maxima: I question if an “ATF flush” is really something to dread. I’d be quite thrilled with your vehicle, if I were to buy it from you. The biggest plus in the flush’s favor is how it blows out all the old fluid from the torque convertor, which is essentially impossible in vehicles without a drain plug on said convertor’s case. While it doesn’t change the transmission filter, I’ve been told by several techs that this filter isn’t exactly that high tolerance in its filtering capability. Which implies…

…that doing the “dreaded ATF flush” when your fluid degrades essentially makes the transmission filter a lifetime service part. My thoughts are completely debunked over here, but I see their opinion as more applicable to car with more advanced transmission failures.

What say you, Best and Brightest?

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.