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#1222: Burnt Clutches, Blown Relationships

Jun 02, 2012
This week on Car Talk, Caroline's ex-boyfriends have labeled her a Clutch Killer. She's ignored their admonitions because, well, she was driving their cars. But, now she's got her own car, and first gear's getting a little jerky. Is she ready to face the music? Meanwhile, family trouble may be brewing for Mac out in California. Mac's brother borrowed his truck, and while driving it, the hood flew open, and caused a few boat payments-worth of damage, for which Mac's brother didn't offer to help pay. Elsewhere, Adam's Maxima's windows are mysteriously descending overnight, and he can't blame his girlfriend anymore; Sarah broke up with her mechanic after two bad mistakes but is considering giving him another chance; and on Stump the Chumps we find out if Muriatic acid de-cemented Josh's Corolla. All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

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More signs you need a new car.

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What are the five missing words in the sentence?

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Just how fast was the current in the river?

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4 Comments

Maxima issue

I am 99.999999% positive that the issue with the Maxima that the remote unlock button is held for too long. Just hold the button for more than 2 seconds and your front windows will start to roll down. Source: I own a 1998 Maxima with the same feature.
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Car doesn't start when wet

The issue for this caller may be the condition of the seal that prevents moisture from getting under the hood. I had a similar problem, and no mechanic could figure out the issue. Later, we realized the seal was practically non-existent.
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Maxima mystery

There is a feature on the remote for my '95 Maxima, that may be the culprit causing the mysterious window lowering in the night. It's the same button that locks/unlocks the car doors. If held too long, it also causes both of the front windows to roll down, stopping only when the button is released. Perhaps the easiest solution is (after making sure the doors are locked and all the windows are up before walking away) would be to keep the car keys out of his pocket. I have inadvertently set off the car alarm before, when the remote got situated wrongly in my pocket, and I suspect that's what is happening here.
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Burnt clutch

My method for teaching clutch driving is as you let out on the clutch when it start to engage push back down on the pedal. The car well start to move. Repeat the above. The car well move more and more. Then the car is nmoving and the clutch pedal can be completely released and you are off.
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