DEAR CAR TALK: I have a 2006 Volvo V70 wagon with 119,000 miles. For the past two years, the check engine light has been on, and the car's message panel says the engine system needs attention. I've taken the car to three reputable mechanics, including a Volvo dealer, and no one seems to be able to find a problem. The car runs fine, and I've been told that as long as it continues to drive well, I shouldn't sweat it. But the possibility of an issue continues to hang over my head. Should I be concerned? I have a second car -- a 2011 Subaru Impreza -- that I use more regularly because I'm worried I'm going to be stranded someday with the Volvo.
-- Janine
DEAR JANINE: Well, if the Volvo dealer couldn't sell you any repairs, how am I supposed to have any shot at it?
It's odd that the car's computer hasn't stored a code. Normally, when the check engine light comes on, the computer will store data that -- when read by the mechanic's scan tool -- will tell him which component reported the problem and what needs to be tested.
The possible good news for you is that usually when the check engine light comes on, it's not something that's going to leave you stranded.
Of course, there are plenty of other things on a 10-year-old Volvo that can leave you stranded, so I don't want to give you a false sense of confidence here.
But the components that turn on the check engine light usually are related to the emissions system. It could be a fuel-air ratio sensor, a problem with the vapor recovery system in the fuel tank, or -- with 120,000 miles on the car -- a catalytic converter that's ready to be replaced.
Unfortunately, it also could come on if the transmission isn't shifting properly. That's the one that could leave you stranded.
The problem also could be the computer itself. And if your dealer is really indebted to you (if you've paid off several of his boats over the years with your Volvo repair bills), maybe he'll swap in another computer for you as a test, and let you drive the car and see if the light goes off.
That's what I'd recommend. Since you're afraid to drive the car, you have to start somewhere. So test the computer first.
If it's not the computer, and the transmission is not noticeably misbehaving, my advice would be to keep driving for now ... until you either get someone to read a stored code, you fail your emissions inspection or your transmission bites the dust. Good luck, Janine.
DEAR CAR TALK: I took my car to our mechanic to have a clanking sound in the rear checked out. He resolved it by removing the heat shield by the muffler, which evidently had partially broken off. He said it shouldn't be a problem unless we "run it all day in a Kansas wheat field." How important is this heat shield for someone who does mostly city and suburban driving? Do you agree with his opinion, or should we have it replaced?
-- Mike
DEAR MIKE: I tend to disagree with your mechanic. The heat shield is there to keep your 400-degree muffler from setting fire to the wheat field you're parking in. It's also there to keep it from setting fire to the contents of your trunk.
It wraps around the muffler and, depending on the car, the muffler can be pretty close to the underside of the trunk. We've seen instances where people have come in complaining of a burning smell, and we've found the underside of the carpet in their trunk melted. We haven't found a set of golf clubs fused together yet, but we have seen evidence of significant heat.
Now, maybe your car is one of those where the muffler isn't right up against the underside of the car. But we don't know. And here's the other thing to consider: The heat shield -- on most cars -- is welded to the muffler. And when the heat shield starts to disintegrate to the point that the noise is annoying you, the demise of the muffler is not far behind.
So my recommendation would be to go ahead and replace the muffler. It'll come with a new heat shield, and you'll probably need it soon anyway.
I mean, if you drive the car only three miles a day, and the exhaust system never gets really hot, you probably can get away with not having a heat shield. There are plenty of people who do.
But if the circumstances all are against you -- your muffler is close to the undercarriage, you drive a lot, and you sell lithium-ion batteries door to door and carry them in your trunk -- we might not hear from you again.
So a new muffler and heat shield is the safe way to go, Mike.
Ray Magliozzi dispenses advice about cars in Car Talk every Saturday. Email him by visiting
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HomeStyle on 09/23/2017