Maintenance for 1997 Honda Accord w/ 51,500 Miles

Hey there,

I am coming to you fine people a second time (my first post seems to have not
shown up -- wonderful) with a few questions regarding my car and it's
maintenance schedule.

My car had begun making a high-pitched squealing as it starts on cold days,
which have been pretty much constant these past few weeks in the Northeast. The
engine would turn, and right before it would start it would slow down, make a
sort-of high-pitched sound (the best way I can describe it) and then start. It
would always start and the problem would never occur again until the next
morning.

The problem usually wouldn't happen if the day was less cold than normal and,
of course, the day the dealer checked the car out was one of those days. He did
get back to me saying he thinks it might be the cold, but couldn't see any
other problems regarding it. With that, he recommended a number of maintenance
issues I should take care of: timing belt, clean fuel injector system, clean
valves, alignment, transmission fluid is brown, and a few other things. He told
me this would cost $1,100.

Is this maintenance legit for my car and it's age? I would think it sounds
legit, but would rather get it done at my own dealer anyway, just in case.

Lastly, I asked about an alignment and the dealer told me the car drives
straight but the steering wheel is crooked. I have noticed this myself over the
past year or two and, even when it was taken in for an alignment, it remained.
Is this normal? How would this be fixed? As I said, the car has been in for an
alignment and the problem remained. It's not so much a problem as it is a
nuisance, but one I have lived with.

Thanks for all the help and for listening to my babbling.

- Brian

 

It is probably either a loose belt or a pulley on one of the accessories has
a bearing that is starting to bind. Make sure the AC is turned off when you
start it on really cold days and see if the problem recurs.

None of these things have anything to do with the squeal, but you might need
some of it. Going through it one thing at a time:

- the timing belt is not due by mileage, but it is due by age. The timing
belt tensioner could be the source of the squeal (unlikely though). The
belt is seven years old and replacing it is not a bad idea;

- if you are not having engine problems (missing, hard starting, rough idle,
etc.), you probably do not need the injectors cleaned;

- clean valves??? Maybe they meant adjust valves? Honda only recommends
adjusting the valves if they get noisy;

- If the transmission fluid is brown or smells burnt, it should be changed
immediately. You definitely need to verify this one. Pull the transmission
dip stick, smell it, wipe it on a white paper towel and see what color it is
(it should be red if its OK).

A laundry list like this all at once sounds like a service writer on
commission. Remember, the dealer's service department is a profit center. I
would definitely get a second opinion before I dumped $1100 on these guys.

If it goes straight and the tires are not showing any unusual wear, you
probably don't need an alignment. The steering wheel should have been
centered during the last alignment. Somebody either got lazy or didn't know
how to do it. If you get it aligned make sure they know you are not going
to pay unless the steering wheel is also centered when they are done. If
they try to charge extra for it, go somewhere else.