Q1: I drive an old Proton Saga Aeroback. The rear absorbers are still causing problem despite changing them. I also need to know where to get replacement doors as mine are badly rusted.
The rear absorbers cause a bumping sound when the car is driven across a hump or into shallow portholes. I have changed the absorbers and the spring set but the problem persisted.
Irene Tan
Kulim
The suspension system is normally a combination of springs and shock absorbers so if either is defective, you may experience bumps.
Normally, the shock absorber will bounce once only if you push down on the car with both hands. If the car bounces more than once, then your shock absorber is already faulty.
As for your car door, normally Proton will always have stock of old parts. It may be a little pricier if you buy from Proton than from spare parts or second hand parts dealers. The price would naturally vary significantly between a brand new original replacement and a second-hand part.
Q2: The headlight bulb of my 1993 Alfa 155 doesn't seem to work, so I've tried to replace it myself.
I am stuck after removing the screws, metal bar and clippers. I still can't get to the bulb.
Donnie
Batu Pahat
You don't need to actually pull down the entire headlamp assembly because you can remove and replace the light bulb by either pulling out the socket just behind the assembly.
Otherwise, you may need to refer to a repair manual to strip out the entire headlamp assembly. It is always recommended to use a repair manual whenever you are working on something to avoid any further damage to your car's electrical components.
I suggest bringing your car to a workshop that has an experienced auto electrician to service your car to avoid any further damage.
Q3: I own a 1997/1999 Proton Putra with auto transmission. It has not been modified since the day of purchase and has been well maintained till today.
The engine will idle at 1,000 rpm in Neutral. When I engage in Drive, the rpm drops to 800 rpm (both these circumstances are done with air cond switched off).
Is it normal for engine speed to drop on shifting from N to D? I don’t see this happening in the present generation Civic, Altis, Vios or Myvi.
Putra Owner
Kuala Lumpur
If it is fuel injected, have the idle speed control checked especially if it is a thermo-enabled component. It may not be functioning properly due to normal wear and tear. Normal idling speed is from 650-900 rpm. If yours is 1,000, it’s quite high.
With regards to dropping of rpm from 900 to 850 or 800, this is normal due to the transmission engagement which imposes additional load to the engine but it will quickly return to normal idling speed.
Other cars also exhibit the same behaviour.
