Putting Brakes on Earlier Foreign-Car Enthusiasm
Question: We have a 1982 Honda Accord. At 21,000 miles, we had to replace leaking front-brake calipers, rear-wheel cylinders and a leaking master cylinder. Our mechanic says he’s seen a lot of brake problems on Hondas. The Japanese car manufacturers seem headed in the same direction as the American car makers. Shouldn’t Honda acknowledge these problems?--S.L.D.A.
Answer: My impression is that a lot of foreign-car owners who were so enthusiastic when they initially acquired their cars are becoming less enchanted now that their cars are beginning to experience the usual mechanical problems.
Although there’s a lot to be admired in the dedication to quality and attention to detail that the Japanese brought to the auto industry, their reputation became unrealistic and certainly unsustainable.
Your problem is unusual, however. Although Honda does have a history of brake problems, they are not in the area of hydraulics that you mention. Brake systems function by transmitting power at very high pressures in actuators, called master cylinders, wheel cylinders and calipers.
The fact that every component in your entire hydraulic system failed at once and at relatively low mileage suggests that something inside the system was attacking all of the rubber seals that maintain pressure.
It’s possible that in some earlier brake servicing, a mechanic added a substance to the brake system that later attacked the rubber seals. Hydraulic brake fluids are produced to very tight specifications, and putting the wrong type of oil into a brake system can lead to major repairs.
Q: I have a 1980 Toyota Celica Limited Edition. It has a sunroof, and it’s rusting badly around the edges. Every other Limited Edition I see is doing the same thing. Do you think I could get a class-action suit going to get our sunroofs fixed?--R.P.
A: Auto body shops may be high priced, but they aren’t nearly as expensive as hiring a lawyer. You can probably have the rust repaired and have a new seal installed that will prevent the problem from reoccurring.
Rust-out on sunroofs is a generic problem, especially on retractable sunroofs with a rubber rim seal. Water seeps into the frame and quickly eats through the metal. Although it doesn’t help you much, Toyota has begun using a galvanized, rust-resistant steel for its sunroof frames.
Q: My 1981 Oldsmobile Omega with 90,000 miles pings. It has been pinging since I had a ring-and-valve job at 35,000 miles. The dealer checked for timing, vacuum leaks and everything else. But it still pings. He suggested I pour a cup of water down the carburetor to clear up the carbon. Any suggestions?--C.A.
A: I never cease to be amazed at the bizarre suggestions that dealers sometimes make, such as pouring water down the carburetor to fix ping.
Ping is caused by the uncontrolled combustion of fuel inside the cylinder. It occurs more frequently on newer cars, because they are designed to run lean and hot, conditions that favor ping.
A certain amount of ping is often normal. Some owner’s manuals say so. But, if your car pings on level roads and at constant speeds, you have a problem.
You might have your mechanic check your manifold vacuum controller, which can cause the engine timing to be too far advanced. You may also want to burn a mixture of premium and regular gas.
Ralph Vartabedian cannot answer mail personally but will respond in this column to automotive questions of general interest. Do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, You section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.
