Damage to License Plates Hard to Avoid

Question: Why is it that nearly all car manufacturers position the front license plate so that it is mutilated the first time some slob backs into it? Why couldn’t it be recessed an inch or two? Is it a law or stupid planning?--J.M.

Answer: There are no federal laws covering the position of license plates, but you can probably thank federal regulations on bumpers for your bashed-in license plate.

Federal law requires cars to survive a slow-speed crash without damage. This means cars may have thin, rubber-covered bumpers that protrude far out in front of the car grill.

Typically, front license plates hang from the bumper, where it interferes least with the aerodynamics of the car. There really isn’t any place to position the license plate underneath the bumper, because there isn’t anything down there to support it.

The solution to the problem would seem to be for states to change the design of the license plate to a narrower and longer shape. It would look a lot better than those plates that get mangled the first week the car is on the street.

Q: I have a 1983 Honda Accord. Due to an accident, I had to have the hood replaced. Whenever bird droppings or water get on the new hood, slight blemishes are left on the paint even after the dirt is washed off. Is this normal for a non-factory paint job?--J.O.

A: The original factory paint job on Honda Accords is applied in a two-stage process. The car is first primed. Then, one color coat is applied. Finally, a clear coat is sprayed over the color to give luster and depth.

Possibly, the auto body garage did not apply the clear coat to the replacement hood. You can check for that by finding an inconspicuous spot and sanding it very lightly with No. 600 grit wet-and-dry sandpaper.

If the dust appears white, you have a clear coat on the hood. If the dust is the color of the car, you didn’t receive the proper paint job. Contact your insurance company, because you probably paid for a two-stage paint job.

Q: My 1978 Ford Granada Ghia has a problem with the brake system. It seems to have enough brake fluid, but when I press down slowly on the brake while the car is moving, the pedal goes all the way to the floor. In order to stop, I have to double-pump it. I just had a brake job and the pads are new.--T.B.

A: The most likely problem is that your master cylinder is shot. The master cylinder is the device that is connected to your brake pedal. It sends hydraulic fluid under great pressure to each of the four wheels.

The master cylinder is simply a long tube with two pistons in it. The pistons are pushed by the brake pedal, and they in turn force brake fluid through the brake lines to the wheels.

In each wheel, there is a brake cylinder, which is the direct opposite of the master cylinder. The pistons in the brake cylinder are pushed outward by the brake fluid and cause the brake pads to push against the wheel drums or disks to stop the car.

The reason that your brake pedal is going all the way to the floor is that the piston in the master cylinder is no longer sealing against the cylinder walls. Brake fluid is working its way around behind the piston.

You should have the master cylinder replaced immediately. One day, your double pumping isn’t going to work and you’ll lose your brakes.