Service slants

Motor,  May 2002  by Marcy, Thomas

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Mitsubishi

Parking brake recall. Owners of some 1999 (VINs XT006633 to XT008621) and 2000 (VINs YT000009 to YT007848) Diamantes may get a recall notice for potential parking brake shoe retainer failure. Apparently, the head of the screw that holds the retaining clip to the parking brake shoe can become brittle and break, causing the retainer clip to become dislodged, resulting in the parking brake dragging or losing its holding ability. Owner notification was expected to begin during July 2000. If not already performed, advise your Mitsubishi owners to take their vehicles to an authorized dealer for the free fix.

Note: If you find the retaining screw broken during routine brake work, Mitsubishi advises replacing the rear backing plate, in addition to the screw. Also, inspect the ABS tone wheel and the wheel speed sensor for damage and replace, if necessary.

Porsche

Front differential flange oil leakage. Some 911 Camera 4 models (996 bodies only) built before 11/10/99 may exhibit leakage past the front left halfshaft flange seal. According to Porsche, the culprit is an improperly machined sealing surface on the flange, which tends to rip up the radial-type seal.

The German sports car maker has come up with an improved flange (Part No. 996 332 309 00) to take care of the leakage problem. It can be identified by a white or green paint dot on the unmachined side. When making the repair, Porsche recommends also installing a new radial seal (Part No. 999 113 454 40) and snap ring (Part No. 996 332 311 00).

Volkswagen

Poor diesel performance in cold weather. Some 2000 diesel Volkswagens need customer awareness as to fuel conditioning for cold-weather driving. VW stresses that poor engine performance in temperatures below freezing (32 deg F) can often be attributed to diesel fuel clouding (gelling or waxing). This condition results from improper diesel fuel conditioning. Water contamination in the fuel can cause similar problems, as well.

To combat this problem, VW recommends that Stanadyne One Shot fuel conditioner (or an equivalent) be used during cold-weather months. Follow the manufacturer's directions as to the recommended mixture. Service the fuel filter and try to keep the tank filled with the winterized fuel. Do not use a fuel additive that contains alcohol; alcohol can damage the injection pump.

GM

ABS hydraulic control unit recall. Some GM passenger vehicles are subject to internal fluid leaks in the brake hydraulic control unit. When the rear brake proportioning, antilock brake, traction control or stability control features are activated in some driving situations, the ABS feature may not perform as designed. If you get a vehicle with this problem, invite the customer to go to the dealer, who'll inspect and, if necessary, replace the ABS hydraulic modulator.

Copyright Hearst Business Publishing May 2002
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