Fairfield-Echo

Q In a recent column, a reader asked about a clunking sound from the suspension of his Ford Mustang GT. There was a clunking sound coming from the front suspension of my GT, too. I took the car to my dealer where I suffered through the "no problem found" treatment. Finally, I took the car to a mechanic friend who has a drive-on service ramp. He found a loose sway bar link. He tightened the 18-mm nut that secured the link and the clunk went away. Can you tell the other reader? R.K., e-mail

A You must have read a question from S.L., who has a 2006 Ford Mustang GT. His car had a sound coming from the front suspension. He too went to a dealer where no problem was found. He even called Ford Motor Co. The customer service representative told him the sound was normal. After many trips to his dealer, a technical service bulletin suddenly appeared. The document addressed the noise with replacement of the upper strut mounts. The newly installed parts cured the noise. Your car was easily fixed with a few twists of a nut.

More light, please

Q I have a 1997 Acura 3.0 CL. When driving at night, I need more light. I have added lights to my grille, but they do not help much. Can I replace the headlights with high-intensity lights such as those that are on some new cars? P.J.D., Shoreview, Minn.

A The headlight systems you mention will not work in your car without major modification. Be this as it may, there are a few things you can do to improve illumination. Ask a technician to aim the additional lights you installed.

Also, consider replacing the original equipment bulbs in the headlamps with aftermarket bulbs that produce more light. There are a number of bulbs on the market that offer greater luminescence than the original equipment bulbs. You can find them on the shelves of many auto supply stores.

Once new bulbs are installed, ask a technician to aim the headlights.

Fired up over burnt wiring

Q My 2002 Ford Escape was parked in my driveway for seven hours when I discovered that it was on fire. The fire burned the wiring to the antilock brake system pump. Prior to the fire, I had some recall work on the wiring for the antilock brakes. Apparently, it was not properly repaired.

I contacted Ford Motor Co. about the fire, but they will not accept responsibility. I was told that they would send me a letter, but it has not arrived. What do you suggest I do? P.T.T., e-mail

A You are embarking on a quest that is going to cause a lot of frustration. Let your insurance company handle Ford Motor Co. and the repairing dealership. If you have not done so, contact your insurance company to file a claim. They will investigate the cause of the fire. Once insurance company representatives have determined the cause of the fire, they will settle your claim and your loss. Once your claim is settled, lawyers who represent the insurance company likely will contact lawyers that represent Ford Motor Co. and the repairing dealership to resolve issues long after you are happily motoring along your merry way.

Turn signals stall engine

Q Occasionally, when making a turn in my 2003 Buick Regal the turn signals seem to cause the engine to stall. When the engine stalls, it restarts without any problem. What would cause this problem? B.D., E-mail.

A This is unusual. The condition could be caused by low battery voltage. To have normal powertrain operation the voltage must be close to 12 volts. When voltage drops unusual symptoms such as you describe can surface.

To find the cause of the condition check the source of power. Corroded battery terminals, low battery voltage because of too much demand, excessively worn alternator belt, a faulty belt tensioner, a failing battery or failing alternator, could cause this impairment.

Since your vehicle is five years old, I suspect the battery is no longer able to hold a full charge. The factory installed battery lasts about four years. If you have not replaced the battery since the car was new a technician should charge the battery and perform tests to determine if it is failing. If it fails tests, replacement likely will cure this ailment.

Schematic Is The Road To Repair

Q My son has a 1997 Pathfinder with 125,000 miles on it. The left headlight goes on and off at will. He has not been able to find the underlying cause of the problem. Because he has a lot of college debt, he would like to fix it himself.

Do you have any suggestions where to begin and how to diagnose the trouble? G. S., E-mail.

A Since the headlight turns on and off and doesn't blow a fuse, the circuit does not have a short in it. The problem likely is caused by a loose or corroded connection.

Since your son wants to repair the trouble himself, ask him to consider subscribing to an online repair manual. If he purchases a subscription, he can print a schematic of the headlight circuit. With this, he can locate electrical connections, troubleshoot the circuit and find the cause of the ailment. Then he can repair it as needed.

Online repair manual subscriptions vary in price but he should be able to subscribe to a do-it-yourselfer subscription service for about $25. Finding an online repair manual such as Alldata, Chiltons or Mitchell is easy. The information the companies offer is the same information professional technicians use to troubleshoot, diagnose and repair vehicle ills. All he needs to do is perform a search in his internet browser and repair manual subscription services will pop up. Then he can choose the service that fits his needs.

Phil Arendt is an automotive columnist, consultant and

www.drgizmo.ws.