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#1209: Who Moved My Alamo

Mar 03, 2012
This week on Car Talk, Ray unleashes perhaps his best wacko conspiracy theory of all time--the relocation of the Alamo, and his own unsuccessful attempts to rectify the situation. This all takes place as Kelly from San Antonio waits to find out if her fiance's promiscuous use of a plug-in seat massager is responsible for her car's drop in gas mileage. Elsewhere, Marshall's Jeep is making a strange clunking sound, akin to being hit from behind by a Nerfmobile; Debbie's clutch is whistling a tune laden with hints of boat payments to come; and on Stump the Chumps, we find out if Eddie in New Hampshire got his truck started. All this, plus a creative, if incredibly insincere wedding invitation, and lots more, this week, on Car Talk.

Show Open Topic

An invitation to the wedding.

This Week's Puzzler

Why would a car needing a water pump have two flat front tires?

Last Week's Puzzler

Why was the crowbar necessary when Dan's farmer pal was running his jeep?

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6 Comments

Too the Grand Cherokee Owner

Not sure where to put my "second opinion" I also own a Jeep. It's the input or output sensor on the transmission. Easy to get at from beneath. Just replace both of em. cost you around $80.
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Jeep Clunk

I had the exact same problem with a 2001 Cherokee for several years. After much aggravation it turned out that it had the wrong type of transmission fluid in it from the factory (I purchased it new). After drain and refill myself with the proper spec fluid the clunk went away and never returned. Perfect operation for over 50,000 miles since.
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The Clunk on Stopping the Jeep

I think you are on the right track with a tranny problem. My 06, V8 AWD 4Runner does exactly the same thing as the callers Jeep. What I think is going on is that as you stop the car the engine does not fully idle down and there is a delay in the tranny shifting to the lowest gear. So eventually as the engine idles down to idle speed, the tranny shifts down to the lowest gear and the clunk comes as the all the tranny linkage (i.e., drive shaft, transfer case shaft, etc.) "settles" into it's un-stressed position. Good theory, eh?:)
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It's like getting rear-ended by a Nerf-mobile.

I think it was the spare tire
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Jeep with a clunk

I had a Dodge Caravan that the bolt came out of the rear calipers and made that same type of noise. This was after a mechanic replaced the rear breaks.
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Parking brake seizes up

My '93 For Probe GT would lock up the parking brake if I set it when it was really cold out. Like 0 to 20 degrees? It had 4 wheel disc brakes so not sure how the parking brake(s) worked. Also stick shift and a slipping clutch, etc. but that's a whole 'nother story.
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