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 Common Repairs         Dave the Mobile Mechanic



Welcome to A+ Mobile Mechanics! My name is Dave and I have been working full time as a Mobile Mechanic in the greater Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma area since 1989. I have personally diagnosed over 17,400 vehicles in the field and have performed every type of repair possible from general maintenance to complete engine rebuilds.
I am a dependable and honest mechanic that uses quality parts and guarantees all my repairs. Working in the field for the past 22 years has given me the knowledge and experience needed  to provide a quality service that will help you save time, money, and aggravation.

I have posted three articles that will answer your most commonly asked questions. I recommend starting with my " Mobile Mechanic or Shop" article, this will address many of your questions quickly and offers my opinion of how to properly use a Mobile Mechanic.

Are you trying to save money on your repair bill? I often perform diagnosis only and or install customer supplied parts, my " Do it Yourself" article will outline my company policies in detail.

Small businesses owners and fleet managers, I know how important it is to keep your vehicles moving! My " Company Vehicles" article will introduce you to the flexibility of my mobile service, it also offers suggestions of how I am able to support any business that operates a company vehicle.

Thank you for taking the time to let me introduce my company to you, I look forward to speaking with you directly, I am available between the hours of 8am to 8pm Monday through Sunday.



Sincerely,
Dave the Mobile Mechanic
 


 
             

   Customers will often call me and ask me if I work in the rain. This is what I do for a
     living, I am not sugar, I do not melt in the rain. I work in all weather conditions!




Vehicle Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Repairs 

I consider myself a expert in automotive diagnosis, I am primarily a "No Start Specialist" however I do perform a variety of repairs if they take under 3 hours to complete. Here are some recent symptoms, diagnosis, and repairs that I have completed, the vehicles are listed in alphabetical order for your convenience. Are we a match?


1999 BMW 540i/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My engine overheated while I was driving home from work, I have been adding water to the coolant reservoir, I had a back yard mechanic perform a diagnosis on my vehicle, he informed me that I would need a new coolant reservoir, I authorized him to install a new reservoir, I still have the same problem. Is it possible that he installed the hoses wrong? Diagnosis: Leaking heater control valve. I performed a visual inspection of all hoses connected to the coolant reservoir, no problems found, while inspecting the coolant reservoir I found it to be completely empty, as I started to add water I immediately noticed the heater control valve leaking. Repair: None, customer informed me he would order the part on line and call me back for the installation. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed in the parking lot of the customers condominium complex.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA  

1994 BMW 740i/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My vehicle broke down at a car dealership in Bellevue WA, would you be willing to come out and install a starter that I have purchased. Diagnosis: None, the customer declined the diagnosis fee. Repair: Remove and install customer supplied starter, after installing the starter the vehicle had the same no start problem, the starter made a grinding noise when you held the ignition key and tumbler in the crank position. Luckily, I was able to move the front crankshaft pulley which changed the position of the flywheel teeth so the starter could engage and turn the engine over, customer was able to drive the vehicle home, he will make arrangements to take the vehicle into a repair shop and have the transmission removed so a new flywheel ring gear can be installed. This is a repair that is to large to be perform in the field. Customer was charged three hours of labor. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the back parking lot of a car dealership in Bellevue.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1986 Cadillac Fleetwood/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My vehicle is broken down at my Condominium complex, could you come out and perform a diagnosis and repair the problem? Diagnosis: Defective starter, while I was removing the old starter I found the primary cause of why the starter failed, the nut that attaches the battery cable to the starter solenoid was half way off, at some point in the past the starter was replaced and the mechanic neglected to tighten the nut, I am amazed it lasted so long! Repair: Remove and install customer supplied starter and solenoid. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee and one and a half hours of labor. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the parking lot of the customers condominium complex.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1995 Ford Contour/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: While driving my car home from work last night my gear shifter lever would not stay in the drive position, I held the gear shifter handle in the drive position and was able to get my vehicle home. Diagnosis: Gear shifter assembly is broken, the assembly is mounted on the floor and unfortunately was damaged due to miscellaneous garbage that was jammed into the moving parts of the assembly. Repair: None, this was a diagnosis only, I am not sure if the vehicle was ever repaired. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed in the parking lot of the customers apartment complex.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

2001 Ford Escort/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My engine will not start and it makes noises when I attempt to crank the engine over. Diagnosis: Number three and four cylinders have no compression, the engine has been damaged beyond repair. When I arrived on location the customer told me her husband had installed spark plugs and added some oil, when I turned the engine over it made a horrible noise metal on metal, I new at this point the engine was not repairable, I believe the engine ran out of oil however the husband was not home so I could not find out how much oil was just added. I removed the spark plugs and found that the number one and two cylinders were dry and the number three and four cylinders were fuel fouled, I performed a compression test to verify my diagnosis, 0 pounds of compression in both cylinders, the engine had mechanical damage beyond repair. Repair: None, customer will purchase a new vehicle. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed on the street in front of the customer house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1962 Ford F750/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: Can you come out and start my truck, it has been sitting for ten years, my assistant installed a new starter and could not tighten the bolts, my assistant will meet you their and can help you if you need it. When I arrived on location I was very surprised to find out the assistant was a Korean lady not more than a hundred pounds, I am still amazed she was able to install the new starter, the starter had to be one quarter her total body weight! Diagnosis: Damaged primary and secondary ignition system parts, the problem was not loose starter bolts the assistant had installed the positive and negative battery cables backwards. Once I installed the battery cables properly the engine still would not crank over, I removed the spark plugs and shot a rust inhibitor into all eight cylinders and attempted to turn the engine over by hand, it still would not move, I informed the customer that this engine was probably not going to start, I made the suggestion to spray more rust inhibitor into the cylinders and let it work for a few days. A couple days later I met my new assistant "LOL", I was surprised again when I turned the ignition key and tumbler and the engine started to crank over, when the engine started to crank over it sprayed a massive amount of water out the spark plug holes on the right side of the engine block, I installed the old spark plugs and primed the carburetor, I now had a crank no start condition. When my new assistant installed the battery cables backwards the primary side of the ignition was damaged and the coil had no spark output. Repair: Install battery cables properly, tighten all starter bolts, remove and install new spark plugs, ignition points & condenser, distributor cap & rotor, and ignition coil. Have you every met someone for a short period of time and knew instantly that they had made an impression on you that would last your lifetime? This customer was one of my favorite customers of all time, he was in his 90's and had a severe lung decease and could barely speak, he traveled the world making his living under water, he ran a commercial diving repair and salvage company, he was liquidating all of his dive equipment in his final days, this is why we met. The truck I was working on had a forty foot box on the back and served as his mobile shop traveling from Alaska to California for decades, the back of the truck had every piece of dive equipment needed to work under water including his own hyperbaric chamber, he passed away a few weeks later, RIP Mr. Borton. Customer was charged four hours of labor and parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the back parking lot of a warehouse.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA 

1995 Ford Ranger/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: I pulled into a gas station to get some gas, when I was ready to leave my engine would crank over but would not start, I had my vehicle towed home and tried to start it again, it still would not start. When the customer called I informed him that I have seen this before, there was a possibility the fuel pump had a problem when he pumped cold gas onto the hot fuel pump. Over the last 20 plus years I have received hundreds of calls with this exact complaint. Diagnosis: Dead battery, jump start battery and engine started. Repair: I informed the customer I could not sell him a fuel pump unless I witnessed the no start condition, while jump starting the battery we noticed a problem with the battery cables, the customer authorized me to repair them. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee, half hour of labor, and parts. This is one of my repeat customers, I have advised him he will most likely have to replace his fuel pump soon, he will call back when it happens again. This diagnosis and repair was performed out on the street in front of the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA    

2000 Ford Ranger/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint : I was driving to work this morning and my check engine light came on, the engine started to run rough and the vehicle would shake when I would come to stop, the engine seems to smooth out when you accelerate from the stop. Is it possible for you to repair my vehicle today while I am at work. Diagnosis: When I scanned the computer I found a code PO303 set in the computer memory, number 3 cylinder misfire. The first step was to remove the spark plug and ignition cable for a visual inspection, during the visual inspection I found a foaled spark plug due to lack of maintenance. Repair: Remove and install new spark plugs and ignition cables, clear computer memory and test drove vehicle. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee, one hour of labor, and parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed at the customers workplace.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1991 Geo Metro/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: I failed my emissions test because the idle was too high, can you come out and diagnose the problem. Diagnosis: Low compression in number three cylinder, the engine idle was too high because someone had advanced the timing too far. I have seen this before, this vehicle has a 1.0 liter three cylinder engine that has a problem with burning the edges off the exhaust valves. When this happens the engine looses power, if the customer is unwilling to repair the engine the mechanic will advance the timing to give the engine more power so the customer can continue to drive the vehicle. After I adjusted the timing back to factory specifications the engine had a rough idle, I then isolated the engine miss to the number three cylinder and performed a compression test, the cylinder had only 50 pounds of compression. Engine will not pass the emissions test unless the cylinder head is removed and the valves are repaired and or replaced. Repair: None, I have advised the customer to not repair the engine, this car was not worth the money it would have cost to repair it. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed in the parking lot of the customers apartment complex.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA 

1998 GMC Jimmy/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My vehicle quit running while I was driving it home from work, I towed my vehicle home and tried to repair it by replacing the fuel filter. Diagnosis: Defective fuel pump module, the first test was checking for spark at one of the spark plugs, I always perform my ignition spark test downstream at the spark plug itself, this quickly test the coil, distributor cap & rotor, and ignition cable to the plug, spark test was good. I then installed my fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail test port, 0 pounds of pressure during cranking. The next test was to check the output voltage from the fuel pump relay, test good 12 volts, I then jacked the vehicle up so I could back probe the connector directly at the fuel pump module itself and test for proper voltage, test good 12 volts. Repair: None, customer will call back and schedule the repairs at a later date or try and repair it himself. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed in the driveway of the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

2003 GMC Yukon/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My vehicle will crank over but will not start, the vehicle is in my garage at home, are you able to work on it without moving it out of the garage. Diagnosis: Dead battery and engine ran out of gas, customer drained the battery while attempting to start the engine. I installed my jumper cables to his battery and started to charge the battery so I could start diagnostics, when the battery was sufficiently charged we attempted to start the engine, just as the customer stated the engine was in a crank no start condition, The engine had a coil over spark plug ignition system so I quickly checked for spark, spark test good, I installed my fuel pressure gauge to the test port on the fuel rail, 0 pounds of pressure, I removed the filler cap at the gas tank to install a transmission funnel, I use the funnel as a stethoscope to listen to the pump itself. When the fuel pump module turned on I heard a gurgling noise, customer was not going to enjoy hearing this diagnosis, the gas tank was empty. The fuel gauge was reading just below a quarter of a tank, another defective potentiometer on fuel pump module. Repair: Installed five gallons of gas and start the engine. Customer will keep gas gauge above the half tank level until he decides to spend the $800.00 or so on a new fuel pump module. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee. This diagnosis was performed in the garage of the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA 

1999 Honda CRV/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: Yesterday my engine rpm's were a little higher than normal and I could hear a hissing noise, the temperature gauge was also a little higher than normal. I drove the vehicle for a while and the temperature gauge returned to normal and the hissing noise went away. Could you come out to my work and perform a diagnosis and make sure everything is OK? Diagnosis: When I started the engine to begin my diagnosis I immediately noticed the check engine light was on, the customer informed me that the check engine light has been on for months. First step was to scan the computer memory, the only code I found was a evap code PO1456, this code usually will not cause a drive ability problem, in the most basic terms the evap system filters the fuel vapors from the gas tank before venting into the atmosphere, next step was to clear the code from the computer and started the engine for a visual inspection. Once the engine warmed up it ran quit well and I was unable to witness any symptoms that the customer described, no engine performance problems detected at this time, idle and temperature gauge were normal. After further inspection I noticed the engine had 169k miles on it, the customer did not have the vehicle maintenance records with him so I was unable to verify if the throttle plate and idle control valve have been serviced. My best educated guess at this time is, the engine started to miss fire, the hissing noise was the idle air control valve opening, the computer will open the valve and let more air into the engine it will also make the air fuel mixture richer than normal, this will raise the idle rpm's  in an attempt to make the vehicle run smother, when the idle is raised for a extended period of time it will cause the engine to run a little warmer than normal. During the visual inspection I checked all the manifold and port vacuum hoses and found no leaks. Repair: None, customer will call at a later date to have me complete the required preventive maintenance at his home. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed in a parking garage at the customers workplace.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

2005 Honda Pilot/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My car would not start the other day so I replaced my battery, now I have no dash lights, I think I may have a blown fuse. Diagnosis: Unfortunately, when the customer replaced his battery he neglected to remove the negative battery post protector. When he attached the negative battery cable end to the battery the post protector would not allow a proper connection. In his defense the vehicle was in a poorly lit parking garage. Repair: Remove the negative battery post protector, I also repaired the positive battery cable end, it would not tighten down all the way. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This repair was performed in the parking garage of the customers condominium complex. 
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My daughter was driving the vehicle last night, this morning there is something hanging down from the front of my vehicle and the steering wheel will not move the front tires when I turn it. Diagnosis: Broken inner tie rod end. Do you know what the odds are of this breaking in the driveway? The customer must be living right, if this part would have broken while driving down the road it could of caused a very serious accident. Repair: Remove and install left side inner and outer tie rod ends with new sleeve. The customer decided to use the money he would of paid for a tow truck and apply it to the repairs, knowing he would still have to drive to an auto repair shop for the front end alignment to be adjusted. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee, one hour of labor, and parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the drive way at the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1995 Jeep Cherokee/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: I have a vehicle that has been sitting for a while, it will crank over but will not start can you help me? Diagnosis: Dead battery and the alarm was armed. The customer had been trying to jump start the battery with a battery charger, the security light was flashing rapidly while he was attempting to crank the engine over. I asked the customer if he had the original alarm remote, the customer thought about it for a few seconds and then said it was upstairs. When the customer returned with the remote I installed jumper cables from my vehicle and charged the battery for about ten minutes, once the battery had somewhat of a service charge I was able to turned the alarm off, the engine was now able to start, When the engine started it ran for about 5 minutes and started to overheat, the radiator was leaking and restricted. Repair: None, the customer will order the parts online and call me back for the installation. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed in the driveway of the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA 

2003 Lexus GS300/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: A mouse has chewed through the electrical harness on my engine, do you have the ability to repair the connector going to my ignition coil. I have been calling around to all the parts stores and cannot find a replacement part, the dealer can only sell me the complete wire harness. Diagnosis: The number 6 ignition coil connector was damaged beyond repair. I had picked up a electrical connector picture catalog from ACDelco a few months ago, with this catalog we were able to identify the connector and order a new part. Repair: Install new connector and clear the PO306 code from the computer memory. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee, one hour of labor, and parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the parking lot at the customers condominium complex.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA   

1995 Mazda B3000/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My son was driving my truck last night and the engine quit running while he was going up a steep hill, I had the vehicle towed back to my apartment complex and tried to repair it myself. Diagnosis: When I arrived on location the customer informed me he had been changing relays in the underhood fuse relay box, he also said the check engine light had been on for months and he had been driving it that way. First step was to scan the computer memory, I found two codes 116 ECT sensor out of range and 543 open battery circuit to ECA. Next step was to check for spark, I checked for spark at the spark plug as usual, spark test good. I then removed the spark plugs for inspection, spark plugs were gas fouled and the engine combustion chambers were severely flooded. At this point I thought the timing chain had jump time or the distributor gear had broken the retaining pin. I then removed the spark plugs on the easy side for a compression test, 150 pounds on all cylinders, timing chain was still in time. I then removed the distributor cap so I could check the rotor position when the number one cylinder was on top dead center on the compression stroke, this is when I found the simple problem a broken distributor rotor, the back of the rotor had broken off the position tab that holds the rotor in time with the number one cylinder, this now explained why my spark test was good, the spark was good however it was not in proper time. While I was diagnosing the vehicle the customer informed me that he had removed the ECA relay while attempting to diagnosis the problem, this action caused the code 543 open circuit to ECA, the code 116 was a defective engine coolant temperature sensor that had high resistance. Repair: Remove and install spark plugs, distributor cap, distributor rotor, and ECT sensor, clear computer memory. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee and two hours of labor, customer supplied his own parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the parking lot of the customers condominium complex.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1991 Mazda Navajo/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint : I pulled into the 76 station and when I put my vehicle into park everything went dead, I have no dash lights and engine will not crank over. Diagnosis: The first step was to go straight to the battery and test its voltage, voltage test good 12 volts. Next step was to check the fusible links at the starter relay, this is when I found the problem a broken battery cable eyelet at the starter relay. The battery cable attaches from the positive side of the battery to the starter relay, the fusible links attach to the same side of the relay, the fusible links supply voltage to the main fuse panel, if you have no voltage to the fusible links you have no power to the fuse block and ignition switch. Repair: Solder new brass lug on battery cable and bolt to relay. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee, half hour of labor,and parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed at a 76 gas station.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

2003 Mercedes C240/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My car will not start, the dash lights are dim and the engine makes a buzzing noise when I try to start it. Diagnosis: Dead battery, battery would drop below 9.6 volts under load, the starter solenoid was making a buzzing or rapid clicking noise while it was attempting to engage with low voltage. Repair: Install new battery and clean battery cable ends. Customer was charged one hour of labor and parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the garage of the customers town home.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1990 Oldsmobile 88/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: I had my next door neighbor who is a mechanic install a new water pump on my vehicle, the next day the serpentine belt came off while I was driving it, when he came out to diagnose the problem he informed me he had left some bolts loose so the belt came off, he then tighten the bolts he had left loose and reinstalled the belt, today my vehicle will not start it will crank over but will not start. Diagnosis: I personally do not believe in coincidences when it comes to automotive repair, most of the time there is a technical reason why break down happen, in this case I have seen this problem many times, any time I hear about a broken belt and a no start condition within a few days of each other I always check for ignition spark first, my experience had paid off again the engine has no spark output from the ignition coil, when the belt came off it hit and damaged the crankshaft sensor, the crankshaft sensor provides a signal to the ignition module, the ignition module turns the voltage on and off in milliseconds time to the ignition coil, no primary signal no secondary spark. Repair: No repairs at this time, the customer wanted to speak with his next door neighbor/mechanic. Good luck with that repair, if the neighbor/mechanic had a problem installing a simple water pump, why would you trust him to remove a vital part of the engine? The crankshaft pulley/balancer has to be removed to install the new crankshaft position sensor, the crankshaft pulley/balancer bolt is torqued to 110 foot pounds. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed at a Chevron gas station.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1993 Pontiac Grand Am/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My daughters car is running rough and she was barely able to drive it home last night, can you come out to our house and diagnose the problem. Diagnosis: Failed primary and secondary ignition parts, this engine has a distributorless ignition system that uses a crankshaft sensor, ignition module, and three separate ignition coils, two of the three ignition coils had no spark output, how she drove this vehicle home is a mystery to me. The customer had a friend attempt to repair the vehicle, after installing two new coils and four out of six spark plugs, they surrendered their attempts and started to shop around for a professional mechanic. During the diagnosis I found two new coils, one old coil, three different brands of spark plugs, and finally two different sizes of ignition cables. The original problem was a defective ignition module, on this ignition system it is crucial to keep the secondary ignition resistance levels even to all cylinders, two cylinders had 9.5mm ignition cables and the other four had 7.5mm, the four cylinders that had the lower resistance level cables were the four cylinders that quit working. Repair: Remove and install all six spark plugs , ignition cables, one ignition coil, and ignition control module.  Customer was charged a diagnosis fee, two hours of labor, and parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed out on the street in front of the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA

1990 Toyota Celica/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: While I was driving home from work a taxi cab driver pulled up next to my car and informed me that my brake lights were not turning off, the next day my battery was dead, I had another mobile mechanic service come out to repair the problem and he could not finish the job, the vehicle has been sitting for quit a while can you repair it? Diagnosis: Leaking windshield, rusted brake pedal assembly, defective battery, and shorted starter. This one was very interesting and quit the challenge, try explaining this one to a customer in chronological order. Your windshield has been leaking and your brake pedal assembly has been rusting away for quit a while, when you apply the brakes the brake pedal is not returning to the start or top position, the night you were driving home and the taxi cab driver had informed you that your brake lights were not turning off that was the original problem, when you parked your car that night the brake lights must have stayed on and drained your battery, when you hired the first mobile mechanic you told me he had made an attempt to jump start the battery and then installed a new starter, the battery should have been replaced first and then retest the starter circuit at that time, I believe the mechanic had the same problem I had with the battery it was defective and not accepting a charge, unfortunately when the mechanic installed the new starter he purchased a very cheap part that is now testing bad. Repair: Remove and install new battery and starter. Once the vehicle was able to start I had the customer press and release the brake pedal several times, the brake light switch would stick periodically and leave the brake lights on, I adjusted the brake light switch and lubricated the pedal pivot, customer will check the brake lights over the next few days when she leaves the vehicle, I informed her if they stay on try to pull up on the brake pedal and see if they go off, I have advised the customer that she might have to install a new brake pedal assembly. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee, two hours of labor, and parts. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the parking lot of the customers apartment complex.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/ WA    

1985 Toyota Corrola/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: I was driving my vehicle home from work this morning and noticed a large cloud of smoke behind me, I think I have a blown head gasket. Diagnosis: Worn valve guides and leaking valve seals. With the customers complaint of a blown head gasket the obvious first step was to check the coolant level in the radiator, the radiator was full, I then had the customer start the engine so I could perform a cooling system diagnosis, I was unable to find any problems with the cooling system, the thermostat open and closed at the proper temperature, the cooling fans cycled on and off properly, the engine ran for over twenty minuets without overheating. While I was diagnosing the cooling system the customer informed me she had just put one quart of oil in the engine before leaving work, the light turned on I have seen this before, the engine valve guides and seals are leaking, the odometer reads over 289k miles, this is a common problem with high millage engines, when you add oil to the engine it will leak by the valve seals and travel down the valve stem and pool on top of the piston, once the engine is started it will burn the oil off and then eventually quit smoking. Repair: None, with the millage on this vehicle I could not recommend any repairs at this time, customer will start looking for another vehicle to purchase. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed in the driveway of the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA 

1993 Toyota Corrola/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: My car quit running would you be willing to come out and diagnose the problem, and would you be offended if I wanted to repair it myself? I have taken the dash apart so you can access the circuit opening relay, I have been trying to diagnose the problem myself all week. Diagnosis: Defective fuel pump. The first test was easy, turn the key to the on position and see if the check engine light came on, it did, this test informed me that the circuit opening relay was indeed operational, the next test was to install a noid light to the fuel injector harness and a spark test light to a spark plug cable end, I then had the customer crank the engine over, both lights tested good, this test gave me all the information I needed to pin point the problem quickly, if you have good ignition system spark that lets you know the timing belt is not broken because it is still turning the distributor, if the noid light is flashing while the engine is cranking over that lets you know that the distributor is sending a signal to the computer and then the computer is sending a signal to the fuel injectors, this is my version of a quick system performance test, I then removed the back seat to access the fuel pump panel, I removed the outlet line from the fuel pump to check for fuel pressure, 0 pounds of pressure, last test was check for proper voltage to the fuel pump, test good 12 volts. Repair: No repairs at this time, customer will replace the fuel pump himself. Customer was charged a diagnosis fee only. This diagnosis was performed out on the street in front of the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA 

1986 Toyota Landcruiser/Auto Repair/Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic 
Customer complaint: One of my front drive belts broke while I was driving, I ordered the belts and tried to install them myself, for some reason I am unable to install the air pump belt, the belt appears to be to short I checked with the part store and they say I have the proper size belt, can you come out and install my belt? Diagnosis: Customer could not install the air pump belt because the air pump itself was not traveling far enough in its adjustment slot, this is a common problem, you must remove the air pump hoses at the pump so the pump is able to move closer to the engine. During the belt installation we found the original problem with the broken air pump belt, the air pump was actually frozen and would not turn. The customer will order a new air pump and said he would call me back to complete repairs. Repair: No repairs at this time. Customer was charged one hour of labor. This diagnosis and repair was performed in the driveway at the customers house.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/ WA

2009 Winnebago/Auto Repair /Car Mechanics/Mobile Mechanic
Customer complaint: We are a national company that is working at a large home improvement store in your area, we have two RV's in Seattle and one of our employees noticed a fuel smell the other day, we had another mobile mechanic come out to perform repairs, the next day the fuel smell was still there, would you please come out and diagnose the problem we do not trust the first mobile mechanic at this point. Diagnosis: The generator fuel lines are leaking, the fuel leak was dripping down and landing on the top of the catalytic converter. This was a very dangerous situation, when the generator was installed they cut the fuel lines to short and had to plumb in longer fuel lines, they used the wrong parts it appeared to be two feet of brake lines with improper fittings on the end. Repair: Tighten fuel lines to the best of my abilities and inspect for leaks, I have advised the customer to take this vehicle back to the manufacture immediately, I have also advised the customer to not run the generator until the fuel lines are permanently repaired or replaced, the engine fuel lines were not involved, it was safe to drive the RV back to the manufacture. The customer asked me to meet his other crew the next day so I could inspect the other RV, the other RV had the exact same problem. Customer was charged one hour of labor for each RV. This diagnosis was performed in the Lowe's parking lot.
Seattle/Bellevue/Tacoma/WA









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