Q1: I have a 2011 Perodua Myvi 1.3 EZi, which has clocked slightly over 20,000km. Since about 15,000km or so, the car has developed squeaky/abrasion noises from the front absorbers (or around the region) when going over high speed bumps.



The sound resembles a rubber brushing again each other (or something) and it is audible when the car is ascending to the top position of the speed bump and descending immediately.



The technicians at the service centre were unable to fix the problem. Nothing has been replaced yet but the last thing they did was body fitting (not sure what it means).



Should they be looking elsewhere to resolve the noises?



Chong

Kuala Lumpur



Body fitting is the process of re-tightening (torque) all the bolts under the car.



If you are sure that the sound is coming from a rubbing part/component, then there is a very high possibility that the squeaking noise is coming from your suspension.



These are the only moving components that move in any significant way when your car encounters a bumps or a hole.



Check all bushings of your lower control arms and idler arms to see if they are sagged or cracked. If they are, they should be replaced along with your shock absorbers.



Try to road-test the car together with the workshop mechanic to get a better diagnosis of your car’s condition.







Q2: I have a 1999 Honda Accord S84 which has clocked a mileage of 380,000km



When I start the engine, followed by turning on the air cond; only hot air is blown in as the air cond compressor doesn't seem to be working while the air cond indicator lights are constantly flickering



The air-cond compressor only kicks in when I turned on the headlight switch to at least the first stage (which is the running lights) and the air cond's indicator lights stop flickering.



When I turned off the headlights; the air cond compressor stops functioning and air-cond indicator lights resume flickering



The air-cond compressor had been replaced with a half-cut unit a few months ago



Kindly advise as switching on the headlights even during daytime just to ensure the air-cond compressor works is rather troublesome.



Accord User

Kuala Lumpur



There could be a problem with the power or grounding circuit of your air-conditioning system.



Your air-cond electrical system could be shorted directly to the headlight circuits and therefore is acting like a switch that can affect your air-condition system.



Check your headlight circuit and your air-conditioner's supply voltage and grounding circuit to have a better understanding of the problem.



Also look for any melted fuses in your fuse box. If there are, the cause is most likely from the electrical circuits.



Have your car check by an auto electrician. Don't tinker with the car's electrical systems on your own as doing so without sound knowledge of your car's electrical circuitry is very dangerous.





Q3:  I am driving a six-month old Proton Inspira 1.8 MT.



I need advice on the squeaking sound that arises when I shift gear. It started a month ago.



The noise is there when I shift from 1st gear to 2nd gear. Proton Edar has re-greased the gears but the sound would come back after a day.



Is there a serious problem here?



The sound is driving me nuts.



Albert

Kuala Lumpur



This is not a serious problem or a safety concern, just an annoyance.



The clutch pedal or the push rod in the clutch master could be the cause of the noise.



In some vehicles, it is an internal problem of the clutch push rod but it has no effect on your car’s safety.



Sometimes, the sound can be removed by applying grease but after several days the noise will come back.



The only remedy is to replace the clutch assembly itself, which includes clutch cover, clutch disc and release bearing.



Your car is under warranty, so take advantage of it.