Never Postpone Work on Brakes
Question: Why would the steering wheel on my 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera wobble from side to side when I apply the brakes? I don’t know if this is related, but the brake pedal doesn’t always come back up or comes back very slowly after I brake. Are the brakes unsafe?--T. J.
Answer: Any brake malfunction has to be considered a potentially serious safety problem, so you should get it checked as soon as possible.
The problems you describe are probably not related. The brake pedal is relatively easy to fix and is a known problem. Several years ago, Oldsmobile issued an advisory to its dealers warning that pedal mechanisms can bind and slow the pedal from returning to its correct position. This is caused by a flat washer next to the push rod that connects the pedal to the brake cylinder. The washer needs to be replaced.
The wobble could be caused by a number of problems in the front end of the car or in the brakes.
If the front brakes are not applying equal braking force on the left and right, you can get a wobbling or a gyration in the steering wheel. More often, this will cause pulling, however. Unequal force occurs when the brakes on one side are worn or contaminated with brake fluid or grease.
The steering-wheel wobble can also crop up if you have a loose steering component, such as a tie rod end, or a wheel bearing. This could cause the wheel to shimmy on hard braking.
A good brake and front-end shop should be able to easily diagnose the problem.
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Q: My 1988 Hyundai Excel has an oil leak and I have trouble starting it. I took it to a Hyundai dealer who charged $500 to fix the leak and install a new alternator. (This was the second alternator needed by the car.) A week later, the car was still leaking and it still had problems starting. I returned it to the dealer and this time they said I need a new engine. Is this true? Do I have any recourse for the other repairs? What are my rights?--P. S.
A: You need to make a calm evaluation of your options. You have no doubt learned why Consumer Reports rates the Hyundai poorly in its trouble index. The 1988 Excel was rated much worse than average in nine major mechanical and body areas, including the engine’s mechanical system and the electrical system.
I could not say whether you need a new engine. But you need to be careful about sinking a lot of money into a car that has a poor reputation, low resale value and lots of other components that could also fail.
As a general rule, you should not make repairs costing more than 80% of the estimated resale value of the car. If you want to be really cautious, you might want to limit your repairs to 60% of the estimated resale value.
It would probably cost $2,000 to $3,000 to put a remanufactured engine into your Excel. If you check the classified advertising section, you’ll see 1988 Excels in the $2,000 range.
From your description of its condition, if your car runs, it should be worth $500 to $1,000. Tell any prospective buyer that it isn’t perfect and it leaks oil. I’d suggest you sell it for what you can and invest the money you’d have spent on a new engine in a more reliable car, such as a used Honda or Toyota subcompact.
Starting today, Your Wheels will be published every other Friday. Ralph Vartabedian cannot answer mail personally but will attempt to respond in this column to automotive questions of general interest. Please do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, Calif. 90053.
