Q I play in a band and haul a 5x8 trailer with my bought-new 1998 Sable with a 24-valve V6. It's got plenty of power and stops very well, but the car squats very low in the back. I have to keep the tank almost empty to keep it level. I went to get overload springs or air shocks installed, but I was told I can't because I have McPherson struts. Is there any way I can get a boost over the back axle? Can I get a stiffer, trailer-pulling strut or something?
A First off, please recognize that your Sable was never engineered to be a serious tow vehicle, so the fact that you've been successful in towing your trailer so far is the good news. The bad news is that there aren't many options to improve the towing capabilities of your Sable.
The McPherson strut rear suspension on your vehicle features the shock absorber housing as the structural vertical member with the coil spring surrounding it. You could try to help the sagging rear by having the heavier seven-coil rear springs from a Taurus or Sable wagon installed on your struts. Remember, this should be left to a pro because dismounting the spring from the strut can be dangerous.
Also, check the tongue weight of the trailer using a bathroom scale. For smaller trailers, it should be 10 to 15 percent of the gross trailer weight. In the case of your Sable, keeping the tongue weight to a safe minimum might help reduce the sag.
Q Our 1996 Town and Country LXI van will not shift gears properly. It has a 3.8-liter engine, and the shift lever has "D-3-1." The van tries to shift into third gear three times, then stays in second gear. An auto-parts store could not get a trouble code readout, and the "service engine" light is not on. It is drivable around town in the "3" shift position up to 55 mph at 3,500 rpm. Would it be a costly repair?
A Why not take the van to a dealer or transmission specialist and find out? You are describing some type of failure in the transmission or transmission control system that is forcing the transmission into the "limp" mode -- stuck in second gear. The problem could be mechanical or hydraulic inside the transmission, or it might be associated with a transmission sensor or the transmission control module. I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but I would not expect an inexpensive repair.
Q I have a '96 Accord EX 2.2 with 230,000 miles. It was rear-ended with no damage, but the engine light came on with a P401 code. I replaced the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve to no effect. There's lots of vacuum to the EGR solenoid, but little coming out. Is the solenoid bad, or could the EGR port be plugged? Also, the modulator for the antilock brake system (ABS) is not functioning and is expensive to replace. Can I replace the leaking brake master cylinder with a non-ABS unit?
A My Alldata database shows two master cylinder applications for this car -- one for a vehicle fitted with rear disc brakes and one for a vehicle fitted with rear drum brakes -- so stick with the correct original-equipment master cylinder for replacement.
