This hour, Ron tackles a dealership dispute after a headlight replacement—when a customer later discovers the entire inner wheelwell liner missing and can’t prove who removed it. Ron explains how to use factory procedures and documentation to hold a shop accountable and why missing liners can become a real corrosion and safety issue.

Plus: a rare day in the shop—three exhaust repairs in one day—including a Toyota Highlander with a subtle flange leak that snowballed into hardware repairs and an O2 sensor surprise. Then Ron weighs in on oil viscosity “advice” from YouTube, a Mazda CX-5 deal for a high-mile commute, and when to replace a battery on a low-use vehicle—especially with today’s electronics and battery monitoring resets.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com


Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes


Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel


Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900


Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern

 

This hour, Ron tackles a dealership dispute after a headlight replacement&mdash;when a customer later discovers the entire inner wheelwell liner missing and can&rsquo;t prove who removed it. Ron explains how to use factory procedures and documentation to hold a shop accountable and why missing liners can become a real corrosion and safety issue.
Plus: a rare day in the shop&mdash;three exhaust repairs in one day&mdash;including a Toyota Highlander with a subtle flange leak that snowballed into hardware repairs and an O2 sensor surprise. Then Ron weighs in on oil viscosity &ldquo;advice&rdquo; from YouTube, a Mazda CX-5 deal for a high-mile commute, and when to replace a battery on a low-use vehicle&mdash;especially with today&rsquo;s electronics and battery monitoring resets.
<ul>
<li data-start="67" data-end="172">Grab your Car Doctor gear &ndash; T-shirts &amp; more at <a href="https://www.cardoctorshow.com" data-start="120" data-end="170">CarDoctorShow.com</a></li>
<li data-start="173" data-end="260">
Follow the wrench &ndash; Instagram @ronananian for shop life &amp; behind-the-scenes
</li>
<li data-start="261" data-end="333">
Watch &amp; learn &ndash; Auto repair tips &amp; videos on our YouTube Channel
</li>
<li data-start="334" data-end="419">
Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 &ndash; (855) 560-9900
</li>
<li data-start="420" data-end="485">
Join the conversation LIVE &ndash; Saturdays 2&ndash;4 PM Eastern
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

With over 40 years of repairing cars and 27 on the radio helping you repair them, Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, is an expert at everything automotive. Call us at 855-560-9900.

With over 40 years of repairing cars and 27 on the radio helping you repair them, Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, is an expert at everything automotive.  Call us at 855-560-9900.

Ron Ananian The Car Doctor

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, is a nationally recognized automotive expert, master technician, and trusted voice in car repair and consumer advice. For more than 30 years, Ron has blended real-world shop experience with straight-talk radio, helping drivers understand their vehicles and the industry with clarity, humor, and honesty. As host of the long-running Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor radio show—heard nationwide across major networks—he brings diagnostics, storytelling, and practical wisdom together in a way only a seasoned mechanic can. Whether it’s a tough trouble code, a buying decision, or a behind-the-scenes look at shop life, Ron delivers the insight listeners rely on.

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, is a nationally recognized automotive expert, master technician, and trusted voice in car repair and consumer advice. For more than 30 years, Ron has blended real-world shop experience with straight-talk radio, helping drivers understand their vehicles and the industry with clarity, humor, and honesty. As host of the long-running Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor radio show&mdash;heard nationwide across major networks&mdash;he brings diagnostics, storytelling, and practical wisdom together in a way only a seasoned mechanic can. Whether it&rsquo;s a tough trouble code, a buying decision, or a behind-the-scenes look at shop life, Ron delivers the insight listeners rely on.

Ron Ananian The Car Doctor™

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 10, 2026 - Hour 2 - One Chance to Do It Right: Dealer Disputes, Exhaust Surprises, and Battery Timing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d79e0de4-5c6e-4723-a5bb-b3ce016a2618/transcript

Sometimes the best repair is the one you don’t make—and Ron explains why with a 2007 Mercury Milan that came in for a simple turn-signal problem. What looked like an easy bulb swap turns into a lesson in modern diagnostics, networked body modules (GEM/SJB), and the harsh reality of obsolete parts and programming limitations.

Then Ron takes a call on a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica with an intermittent no-start and a “pop-pop” sound near the battery—plus a hood that wouldn’t even open—raising questions about cable routing, connections, possible prior damage, and whether the van has start/stop with an auxiliary battery.

Plus: an F-150 slowly losing coolant with no visible leaks—Ron walks through pressure testing, dye testing, internal vs external loss, and when a sealant strategy may make sense on high-mileage trucks. And for low-mileage drivers wondering when to change oil, Ron stands by his rule: five months or five thousand miles—because an oil change is also a maintenance checkpoint, not just fresh oil.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com


Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes


Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel


Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900


Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern

 

 

 

Sometimes the best repair is the one you don&rsquo;t make&mdash;and Ron explains why with a 2007 Mercury Milan that came in for a simple turn-signal problem. What looked like an easy bulb swap turns into a lesson in modern diagnostics, networked body modules (GEM/SJB), and the harsh reality of obsolete parts and programming limitations.
Then Ron takes a call on a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica with an intermittent no-start and a &ldquo;pop-pop&rdquo; sound near the battery&mdash;plus a hood that wouldn&rsquo;t even open&mdash;raising questions about cable routing, connections, possible prior damage, and whether the van has start/stop with an auxiliary battery.
Plus: an F-150 slowly losing coolant with no visible leaks&mdash;Ron walks through pressure testing, dye testing, internal vs external loss, and when a sealant strategy may make sense on high-mileage trucks. And for low-mileage drivers wondering when to change oil, Ron stands by his rule: five months or five thousand miles&mdash;because an oil change is also a maintenance checkpoint, not just fresh oil.
<ul>
<li data-start="67" data-end="172">Grab your Car Doctor gear &ndash; T-shirts &amp; more at <a href="https://www.cardoctorshow.com" data-start="120" data-end="170">CarDoctorShow.com</a></li>
<li data-start="173" data-end="260">
Follow the wrench &ndash; Instagram @ronananian for shop life &amp; behind-the-scenes
</li>
<li data-start="261" data-end="333">
Watch &amp; learn &ndash; Auto repair tips &amp; videos on our YouTube Channel
</li>
<li data-start="334" data-end="419">
Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 &ndash; (855) 560-9900
</li>
<li data-start="420" data-end="485">
Join the conversation LIVE &ndash; Saturdays 2&ndash;4 PM Eastern
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 10, 2026 - Hour 1 - The Best Repair Is Not To Make One

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2bbcd3aa-3e6f-4fde-a57a-b3ce01699818/transcript

It’s New Year’s and Ron jumps right into real-world problems: a Lexus with an intermittent no-start, brakes that squeal after new pads and rotors, dash lights and tire-pressure warnings that won’t behave, and a Kia oil leak after a quick-lube oil change. The hour wraps with a Silverado that keeps killing batteries in cold weather and Ron’s reminder to stop shopping repairs by phone quote. Diagnosis beats guessing—and good mechanics aren’t expensive, they’re priceless.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com


Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes


Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel


Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900


Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern

 

 

 

It&rsquo;s New Year&rsquo;s and Ron jumps right into real-world problems: a Lexus with an intermittent no-start, brakes that squeal after new pads and rotors, dash lights and tire-pressure warnings that won&rsquo;t behave, and a Kia oil leak after a quick-lube oil change. The hour wraps with a Silverado that keeps killing batteries in cold weather and Ron&rsquo;s reminder to stop shopping repairs by phone quote. Diagnosis beats guessing&mdash;and good mechanics aren&rsquo;t expensive, they&rsquo;re priceless.
<ul>
<li data-start="67" data-end="172">Grab your Car Doctor gear &ndash; T-shirts &amp; more at <a href="https://www.cardoctorshow.com" data-start="120" data-end="170">CarDoctorShow.com</a></li>
<li data-start="173" data-end="260">
Follow the wrench &ndash; Instagram @ronananian for shop life &amp; behind-the-scenes
</li>
<li data-start="261" data-end="333">
Watch &amp; learn &ndash; Auto repair tips &amp; videos on our YouTube Channel
</li>
<li data-start="334" data-end="419">
Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 &ndash; (855) 560-9900
</li>
<li data-start="420" data-end="485">
Join the conversation LIVE &ndash; Saturdays 2&ndash;4 PM Eastern
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 3, 2026 - Hour 2 - Why the Cheapest Fix Gets Expensive

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e34423ef-852f-450c-b33c-b3c70169938f/transcript

New cars are expensive—and keeping the one you already own isn’t cheap either. Ron shares real-world stories from the shop that show just how tight dollars are right now, including a Kia minivan nearly hit with a $1,500 repair that turned out to be loose battery terminals and a worn-out battery.

The bigger lesson? You can’t diagnose anything until you fix the basics. Ron also breaks down when it makes sense to repair versus replace, why four- and five-year-old vehicles suddenly get costly, and why the purchase price is only the cost of admission—maintenance is the real bill.

In a time when everyone’s counting nickels, smart diagnostics and honest advice matter more than ever. Good mechanics aren’t expensive… they’re priceless.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com


Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes


Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel


Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900


Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern

 

 

 

New cars are expensive&mdash;and keeping the one you already own isn&rsquo;t cheap either. Ron shares real-world stories from the shop that show just how tight dollars are right now, including a Kia minivan nearly hit with a $1,500 repair that turned out to be loose battery terminals and a worn-out battery.
The bigger lesson? You can&rsquo;t diagnose anything until you fix the basics. Ron also breaks down when it makes sense to repair versus replace, why four- and five-year-old vehicles suddenly get costly, and why the purchase price is only the cost of admission&mdash;maintenance is the real bill.
In a time when everyone&rsquo;s counting nickels, smart diagnostics and honest advice matter more than ever. Good mechanics aren&rsquo;t expensive&hellip; they&rsquo;re priceless.
<ul>
<li data-start="67" data-end="172">Grab your Car Doctor gear &ndash; T-shirts &amp; more at <a href="https://www.cardoctorshow.com" data-start="120" data-end="170">CarDoctorShow.com</a></li>
<li data-start="173" data-end="260">
Follow the wrench &ndash; Instagram @ronananian for shop life &amp; behind-the-scenes
</li>
<li data-start="261" data-end="333">
Watch &amp; learn &ndash; Auto repair tips &amp; videos on our YouTube Channel
</li>
<li data-start="334" data-end="419">
Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 &ndash; (855) 560-9900
</li>
<li data-start="420" data-end="485">
Join the conversation LIVE &ndash; Saturdays 2&ndash;4 PM Eastern
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 3, 2026 - Hour 1 - The Price of Admission: What Cars Really Cost

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9e6feddf-4180-4ae5-ab04-b3c70168f9fb/transcript

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - January 10, 2026 - Hour 2 - One Chance to Do It Right: Dealer Disputes, Exhaust Surprises, and Battery Timing

In 1 playlist(s)

Ron Ananian The Car Doctor™

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips