You need to start suspecting if the fuel pump is not delivering adequate fuel pressure and volume to the engine, this may cause the engine not to start or run properly. This can be as a result of low fuel pressure which can cause hard starting, a rough idle, misfiring, hesitation and stalling. No fuel pressure will prevent the engine from starting, or will cause the engine to quit running if the fuel pump fails while driving.

Fuel injected engines are very sensitive to fuel pressure as well as fuel volume. Low pressure will cause starting and driveability problems. A pump that can deliver adequate pressure but not enough volume may allow the engine to start and idle normally, but it will starve the engine for fuel and cause a loss of power when the engine is under load, accelerating hard or cruising at highway speeds. Lets look at some situations where fuel pump can cause problems to your vehicle working condition:
Engine Cranks But Will Not Start
A dead fuel pump can prevent an engine from starting, but so can a problem with the ignition system or the engine itself (such as a broken timing belt).

The first thing to check would be spark. This can be done by connecting a spark plug tester to a plug wire while the engine is cranking. The tester must be grounded to the engine block for a good electrical connection.

CAUTION: Do not touch any of the spark plug wires while the engine is being cranked because this can cause a bad shock!http://automedicsafrica.com/know-wrong-vehicle-fuel-pump/

Sometimes ago we talked about Ten top signs of brake wear, if you missed that you can still read it here http://www.automedicafrica.com/ten-top-signs-brake-wear-2/
Today we will talk about how to fix common brake problems.
Brake problems usually indicate the need for certain repairs or replacement parts, so here is a quick review of some common solutions which can be employed when you find yourself in the listed brake problems:

LOW BRAKE FLUID:This may be the result of worn disc brake pads, or it may indicate a leak in the brake system. If the BRAKE WARNING LIGHT is also on, most likely the problem is a leak (though the Brake Warning light may also come on if the master cylinder reservoir has a fluid level sensor). Leaks are dangerous because they can cause brake failure. The brake calipers, wheel cylinders, brake hoses and lines, and master cylinder all need to be inspected. If a leak is found, the defective component must be replaced. Your vehicle should NOT be driven until the leak can be repaired.

LOW BRAKE PEDAL: The brake pedal may be low if the shoe adjusters on rear drum brakes are rusted or sticking and not compensating for normal lining wear. Adjusting the rear drum brakes may restore a full pedal. But unless the adjusters are cleaned or replaced the problem will return as the linings continue to wear. Other causes include worn brake linings or a fluid leak.

SPONGY OR SOFT BRAKE PEDAL: This is usually caused by air in the brake system, either as a result of improper bleeding, fluid loss or a very low fluid level. The cure is to bleed all of the brake lines using the sequence recommended for your vehicle. Another possible cause is a rubber brake hose that is “ballooning” when the brakes are applied.This is like you apply the brake and it seems as if you are inflating a balloon.

EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL: Possible causes include worn brake linings front or rear (or both), misadjusted drum brakes, or air in the brake lines. This can be dangerous because the brake pedal may run out of travel before the brakes are fully applied. Pumping the pedal when you apply the brakes usually helps, but you need to diagnose and fix the problem.

PEDAL SINKS TO FLOOR: This may occur while holding your foot on the brake pedal at a stop light. If the pedal goes slowly down, it means the master cylinder is not holding pressure. This is also a potentially dangerous condition because a worn master cylinder or a leak in the hydraulic system may cause the brakes to fail.

BRAKE PEDAL PULSATION: Indicates a warped brake rotor (one that is worn unevenly). The rotor needs to be resurfaced or replaced. The faces of a rotor must be parallel (within .0005 inch on most cars) and flat (no more than .003 inches of run out as a general rule on most cars and trucks, but some cars cannot tolerate any more than .0015 inches of run out). Excessive run out can be corrected by resurfacing the rotors in place with an on-car brake lathe, or by installed special tapered shims between the rotors and hub to correct the run out.
. . . check brake rotor thickness with a micrometer

SCRAPING NOISE FROM BRAKES :Usually indicates metal-to-metal contact due to worn out disc brake pads (or shoes on rear drum brakes). Your vehicle needs a brake job now! In fact, it is overdue for a brake job. Your vehicle is also dangerous to drive in this condition because it may take longer to stop. The rotors and/or drums will likely have to be resurface or replaced because you waited too long to replace the pads and shoes.

Sometimes ago we talked about Ten top signs of brake wear, if you missed that you can still read it here http://www.automedicafrica.com/ten-top-signs-brake-wear-2/
Today we will talk about how to fix common brake problems.
Brake problems usually indicate the need for certain repairs or replacement parts, so here is a quick review of some common solutions which can be employed when you find yourself in the listed brake problems:

LOW BRAKE FLUID:This may be the result of worn disc brake pads, or it may indicate a leak in the brake system. If the BRAKE WARNING LIGHT is also on, most likely the problem is a leak (though the Brake Warning light may also come on if the master cylinder reservoir has a fluid level sensor). Leaks are dangerous because they can cause brake failure. The brake calipers, wheel cylinders, brake hoses and lines, and master cylinder all need to be inspected. If a leak is found, the defective component must be replaced. Your vehicle should NOT be driven until the leak can be repaired.

LOW BRAKE PEDAL: The brake pedal may be low if the shoe adjusters on rear drum brakes are rusted or sticking and not compensating for normal lining wear. Adjusting the rear drum brakes may restore a full pedal. But unless the adjusters are cleaned or replaced the problem will return as the linings continue to wear. Other causes include worn brake linings or a fluid leak.

SPONGY OR SOFT BRAKE PEDAL: This is usually caused by air in the brake system, either as a result of improper bleeding, fluid loss or a very low fluid level. The cure is to bleed all of the brake lines using the sequence recommended for your vehicle. Another possible cause is a rubber brake hose that is “ballooning” when the brakes are applied.This is like you apply the brake and it seems as if you are inflating a balloon.

EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL: Possible causes include worn brake linings front or rear (or both), misadjusted drum brakes, or air in the brake lines. This can be dangerous because the brake pedal may run out of travel before the brakes are fully applied. Pumping the pedal when you apply the brakes usually helps, but you need to diagnose and fix the problem.

PEDAL SINKS TO FLOOR: This may occur while holding your foot on the brake pedal at a stop light. If the pedal goes slowly down, it means the master cylinder is not holding pressure. This is also a potentially dangerous condition because a worn master cylinder or a leak in the hydraulic system may cause the brakes to fail.

BRAKE PEDAL PULSATION: Indicates a warped brake rotor (one that is worn unevenly). The rotor needs to be resurfaced or replaced. The faces of a rotor must be parallel (within .0005 inch on most cars) and flat (no more than .003 inches of run out as a general rule on most cars and trucks, but some cars cannot tolerate any more than .0015 inches of run out). Excessive run out can be corrected by resurfacing the rotors in place with an on-car brake lathe, or by installed special tapered shims between the rotors and hub to correct the run out.
. . . check brake rotor thickness with a micrometer

SCRAPING NOISE FROM BRAKES :Usually indicates metal-to-metal contact due to worn out disc brake pads (or shoes on rear drum brakes). Your vehicle needs a brake job now! In fact, it is overdue for a brake job. Your vehicle is also dangerous to drive in this condition because it may take longer to stop. The rotors and/or drums will likely have to be resurface or replaced because you waited too long to replace the pads and shoes.

One of the most common and most bothersome vehicle problems is vibration. What’s more, it often creeps up on you gradually and subtly — until one day you find yourself wondering how you ever put up with such an annoyance.
What does it mean to have a vibrating car?
Vibration simply means to move back and forth or from side to side with very short, quick movements, in the case of your vibrating car it means the unusual short and very quick back and forth or from side to side movement. If this occur don’t take it gently because the fix could be something relatively cheap and simple, like a tire rotation or balance. Or it could be a more serious auto problems — something more costly, like steering or suspension issues.
The following will explain the common causes of a vibrating car:
Engine Problems
Sometimes a shake or shiver will emanate from the engine compartment, because the engine isn’t getting enough air, fuel or spark that it needs to run smoothly.
Symptoms that might indicate such an engine-related case of the shakes include the following:
Shiver or jerking occurs during acceleration
Staccato shaking, as if over a highway “rumble strip,” within a specific speed range
Car starts and drives fine for a while, but later begins to shake
These symptoms could be signaling that it’s time for a new set of spark plugs. If the plugs are fine, it could be that the spark plug wires need to be checked (are they connected in the proper order?) or replacing.

Lastly, a dirty air filter or clogged fuel filter can starve the engine of needed oxygen or fuel, respectively. So be sure to replace them at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals.

Axle Problems
Our vehicles are full of reciprocating, rotating parts that have to fall within certain measurements, or tolerances, in order to perform properly.
If an axle gets bent — which is actually quite easy to do in a collision or other mishap — it will create a jostle of a ride afterward. With this problem, the vibrating often picks up in intensity the faster you drive.
A related problem would be that the drive shaft also needs inspection. This rapidly spinning part transfers engine power to the rear axles and wheels in rear-wheel drive vehicles. If it’s bent, shaking may result...http://automedicsafrica.com/5-top-causes-vibrating-car/

What is Anti-lock Brake System or ABS?
An anti-lock brake system which is abbreviated as ABS is a secure and efficient braking system. ABS lets the driver to keep directional stability, control the steering, and to decrease stopping distances on emergency braking circumstances, mainly on wet and greasy roads. To gain this security benefits, drivers must know how to apply their ABS correctly.
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How does Anti-Lock Brake System Work?
An anti-lock braking system works with the usual brakes on automobile. ABS keeps base brakes from locking up. In vehicles not equipped with ABS, the driver can manually pump the brakes to prevent wheel lockup. In vehicles equipped with ABS, the driver’s foot stay on the brake pedal to let the system automatically pump the brakes.

Why is Anti-lock Brake System important?
When brakes lockup on wet and greasy roads or during a panic stop, steering control is lost and the automobile rotates. Rear wheel ABS prevents wheel lockup so that the car resides straightly. If the automobile has ABS control on all the wheels, and the steering also controlled. If a car have steering control, it is probable to avoid a collapse by steering around dangers if a car is not stopped in time.

How do I know my car has Anti-lock Brake System?
Generally the new cars have Anti-lock Brake System as normal or alternative equipment. There are many methods to identify if a car has Anti-lock Brake System.

Read your car owners guide.
Check the instrument panel for an amber ABS indicator light after you turn on the ignition.
On purchase, hire or rents inquire the automobile dealer or hiring company.

Will drivers detect when the Anti-lock Brake System is functioning?
In cars drivers detect a fast pulsation of the brake pedal as the brakes are pushing back this means the ABS is... http://automedicsafrica.com/important-anti-lock-brake-system/

The ignition switch, located on the steering column or in the dashboard, takes the power from the battery and directs it to all the accessories and electrical components of your car. It also transfers the power to the starter when you turn the ignition key.
An ignition switch has four positions which transforms into making a car to move:
OFF Or LOCK position; Turns off power to the engine and electrical accessories

ACC - Accessory position that provides power to electrical accessories only, not the engine.

RUN - The "ON" position that provides power to the engine and electrical accessories. The switch must be in this position for the engine to run and for the vehicle to be driven.

START - Used only to start the engine.....
http://automedicsafrica.com/well-know-ignition-switch/
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The supplemental restraint system(SRS), is a vehicular safety device that has its literal meaning indicates, is designed to deploy in the rare instance of a crash as an air bag (or air-bags) to protect the occupants of a vehicle.
Because this is not a purely engineering literature, i do not have to bore you with the details of the mechatronics concepts that run the safety technology. However, the following are the vital information you need to know about the SRS sign that comes up on your vehicle's dashboard.
When the sign comes on permanently, the vehicle is letting you know that the protective system is dysfunctional and the air-bags will not deploy in case of an accident.
The first thing you must do on noticing that the SRS icon is permanently lit is to get the vehicle scanned by a competent auto-diagnostician who it must be emphasized is going to be using a professional level diagnostic machine to do the job. This is important because almost all the DO-it-Yourself diagnostic tools out there cannot (i repeat cannot) scan SRS- related faults in automobiles.
Diagnosing the SRS sign apart from using a good professional level scanner, is a....http://automedicsafrica.com/need-know-srs-sign/

To repair your volvo car from 1999 till date, go to inside LTV complex, opposite cocacola, lateef jakande road, ikeja.

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What are the most common trouble codes that can cause your Check Engine light to come on and make your car or truck fail an OBD II plug-in emissions test? Of the vehicles tested, 6.3 percent ( a little over 100,000 vehicles) failed their initial test because of the presence of one or more trouble codes.

Most Common Trouble Codes

The following is the list of the 20 most common OBD II trouble codes with the percentage of failures.
P0420 - Catalyst System Low Efficiency - 13.2%
P0171 - Fuel Trim System Lean Bank 1 - 10.4%
P0401 - Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Flow Insufficient - 8.4%
P0174 - Fuel Trim System Lean Bank 2 - 6.8%
P0442 - Evaporative Emission (EVAP) System Small Leak Detected - 6.7%
P0300 - Engine Misfire Detected (random misfire) - 6.4%
P0455 - Evaporative Emission (EVAP) System Leak Detected (large) - 6.2%
P0440 - Evaporative Emission (EVAP) System - 5.5%
P0141 - Oxygen Sensor Heater (H02S) Performance Bank 1 Sensor 2 - 5.1%
P0430 - Catalyst System Low Efficiency Bank 2 - 3.2%
P0135 - Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Performance Bank 1 Sensor 1 - 3.2%
P0446 - EVAP Vent Solenoid Valve Control System - 3.1%
P0128- Coolant Thermostat - 3.1%
P0301 - Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected - 3.1%
P0411 - EVAP System Control Incorrect Purge Flow - 2.8%
P0133 - Oxygen Sensor Slow Response Bank 1 Sensor 1 - 2.8%
P0303 - Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected - 2.6%
P0304 - Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected - 2.6%
P0302 - Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected - 2.6%
P0325 - PCM Knock Sensor Circuit - 2.1%

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Based on the above data, it would seem likely that the number one most common reason for the Check Engine light coming on and failing an emissions test would be a worn out or fouled catalytic converter. But when you combine all of the related codes by system or component, you get a somewhat different picture. Looking at the data this way, these are the systems that are most likely to cause an emissions failure:
Evaporative Emission System - 24.3%
Engine Misfire - 17.3%
Fuel Trim (lean) - 17.2%
Catalytic converter - 16.4%
Oxygen sensor related - 11.1% Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system - 8.4%

Causes of Common Trouble Codes

To pass an OBD II plug-in emissions test, all of the OBD system monitors (self-tests) must have run and completed, and there must be no trouble codes found. So if your vehicle has one or more trouble codes, simply erasing the codes with a scan tool won't fix your problem. The cause of the trouble codes has to be diagnosed and repaired. The vehicle must then be driven until all of the OBD monitors complete their self-tests (which can be verified with a scan tool), and there must be no new codes. Then and only then will the vehicle pass the OBD II plug-in emissions test.

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Regardless of what type of oil you use (conventional, synthetic or synthetic blend), all motor oils eventually wear out and have to be changed (actually, it’s the additives that wear out more so than the oil). As the miles add up, motor oil loses viscosity and gets dirty. The oil no longer has the same viscosity range it had when it was new, and it contains a lot of gunk (moisture and acids from combustion blow by, soot, dirt and particles of metal from normal wear). You can’t really tell much about the condition of the oil by its appearance alone because most oil turns dark brown or black after a few hundred miles of use.
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The oil filter will trap most of the solid contaminants, and the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system will siphon off most of the moisture and blow by vapors, if the engine gets hot enough and runs long enough to boil the contaminants out of the oil. Even so, after several thousand miles of driving many of the essential additives in the oil that control viscosity, oxidation, wear and corrosion are badly depleted. At this point, the oil begins to break down and provides much less lubrication and protection than when it was new.
If the oil is not changed, the oil may start to gel or form engine-damaging varnish and sludge deposits. Eventually this can cause your engine to fail! Oil sludge can damage engine bearings, piston rings, cylinder walls, valve guides and lifters.

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This piece is necessitated by the unprecedented number of calls and subsequent enquiries that the speech I gave at a recent Nigerian lubricants blenders’ event, which was published on this page not too long ago, excited. Many who called wondered aloud what the fuss was about using any particular type of engine oil in their vehicles.

Let me start with a simple layman’s explanation of why you need to use the right engine oil, indeed the very grade that’s specified by the manufacturer, in your automobile (especially if the vehicle is a high-end one or if it’s not older than eight years). Modern automotive engines are not only finely cut in the intricacies of their design, but are designed with materials that should be fully treated as instructed by the manufacturers.

This is why the “religious” observance of the manufacturers’ stated grade of engine oil is very imperative. What is the meaning of the SAE, Society of American Engineers recommended, grading (like SAE 20-W-50, SAE 0-W-40, etc) that you see on the containers of engine oil?

The first numeral, specifically, say, the “20” in the 20-W-50, refers to the minimum environmental temperature under which the particular engine oil should be used. It’s obvious that with this temperature classification this blend of oil can only be used in a tropical environment like ours here. However, the “0” in 0-W-40 indicates that the engine oil with this temperature classification can be used in regions of the world where the temperature falls to as low as zero degree Celsius.

The “W” simply stands for winter; and this is why I tell motorists in Nigeria not to really bother about whatever you see between the SAE up onto the W. Our weather here cannot go below 20 degree Celsius, so none of the oil can freeze in our environment here.

The most important part of the engine oil grading that an average motorist must adhere strictly to in Nigeria is the last number after the wintry “W”. That number indicates the level of the refinement of the oil, which whether you use the oil in Nigeria or Siberia easily defines its discernible viscosity or thickness (“50” is obviously thicker than “40” and “30” is quite more viscous than “20”). So, if the manufacturer specifies that you must use an oil grade with SAE 5-W-20 (like most vehicles from 2012) because of the thinness of the cuttings between the moving parts of the internal fixtures of the engine and the crevices, and you decide to use the most popular synthetic oil in Nigeria, which is SAE 0-W-40, because of its brand allure.

What that means is that the thickness of the oil is such that your engine will not be properly lubricated because the oil of your choice is so thick it cannot pass through the thin spaces between the engine’s moving parts! This scenario will even be more stressful on your engine when you’re starting the vehicle either in the morning or after it has been parked for a while. This is usually the time when wear-and-tear occurs the most on engines.
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The oil would have settled in the sump at the bottom of the engine. So, when you’re starting the vehicle in the morning or after a long rest the speed at which the oil gets to all the necessary parts of the engine will be, amongst other factors, a function of consistency with the manufacturer’s specified viscosity grading. In conclusion, just look at it this way: water and palm oil are both liquid substances, but if subjected to the same pressure of movement, water, which is far less viscous or thinner than palm-oil, will move faster.

For further information and/or enlightenment, call Kehinde Ekisola on 08023025022.

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Those who have experienced it (overheating) before will definitely tell you that it is one incident that they don’t pray to witness again.

OVERHEATING is one word that has been on the lips of many people, it doesn’t knock before sweeping right through and when it does come in, it can be very tricky to diagnose.

Now for the benefit of those who have not witnessed the scenario before, I will give a quick description of what overheating is.

Overheating is a condition in which your engines temperature rises to a very critical level, usually above the middle of the gauge and towards the red line.

It arises as a result of a problem in the cooling system.

In one of our previous write-ups, we discussed the job of the cooling system in the vehicle and why it is important to take proper care of it.

The issue of overheating is actually not a fault, it is a symptom and it is at this junction that many mechanics and DIY’s get it wrong because they always try to solve the symptom instead of looking for the fault.

There are a whole lot of things that can cause overheating but we will be treating only one in this article, other causes will be treated in subsequent articles.

The very first on the list of causes that i will be discussing will be low coolant.

In the cooling system article, I discussed about coolant and its importance.

It is the lifeblood of the cooling system as it is the one that absorbs the heat from the engine. In a case where you have insufficient coolant, then the efficiency of the system is reduced and when this happens heat absorption becomes low thereby leaving this heat to build up in the engine.

A low coolant level can be caused by a leak either external or internal or from outright carelessness, although the latter is not all that common.

An external leak in the cooling system will be found around areas like the water hoses, the water pump, a leak in the radiator, or can even come from a leak in the coolant reservoir.

Sometimes a bad radiator cap will also result in this because it can no longer hold pressure so the coolant will keep flowing freely into the reservoir.

An internal leak will be a little more difficult to diagnose because it’s something you cannot see and it could be coming from anywhere in the system.

One good way to know that you have a leak is when you have to top your coolant every day. The very tricky thing about a leak in the system (especially an external leak) is that you will not notice the leak.

This is because the leak will only occur when the system is under pressure (except it is a very big one) and this pressure will be achieved when the engine is hot and coolant like any other fluid will evaporate at that temperature.

So what you will have is a case where as the coolant is leaking out it is evaporating and this is what at times confuses most mechanics and DIYs. Now someone must be wondering –“if I need pressure to detect the leak and I can’t do it while the engine is hot, then what do I do?”

Its pretty simple –a cooling system pressure test.

Those who are conversant with the radio program would have heard this phrase a couple of times. It is an automotive test that involves pressurizing the cooling system to a certain pressure, so as to simulate a driving condition.

When this happens it becomes easy to detect whether there is a leak and where it is coming from.

Coolant leak is just one of the many causes of overheating and now you know that checking your coolant is very important. When next you have an issue of overheating, you can go ahead to perform the test on your vehicle.

Other causes will be treated in subsequent articles.