Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor starts this weeks show with a repair from the shop. A new customer reached out for help with a 2018 Volvo experiencing a persistent shake at speeds above 52 mph. The car belongs to a couple from New Jersey and has been to a dealership multiple times without a resolution.

Diagnosis Process:

• Ron test-drove the car and noted a hula hoop-like vibration at certain speeds.
• Placing the car in neutral at 62 mph made the shake disappear, ruling out tires, wheels, and balancing issues.
• The shake returned under acceleration, indicating a loaded drivetrain issue.
• Unplugging the rear differential’s control unit didn’t resolve the shake, eliminating the rear axle as the cause.
• Inspection of the front suspension and axles led to the discovery of a damaged right front axle boot, which had lost 90% of its grease.

Conclusion:

• The right front axle was the likely culprit, also causing excessive wear on the right front tire.
• Despite expensive previous repairs (turbocharger replacements), the issue had been overlooked.
• The owners are now considering selling the car due to additional pending repairs.

Additional Callers & Topics:

1. Water Leak in a 2014 Honda Civic – A caller from Pennsylvania reported wet carpets and a possible leak from the trunk. Ron suggested checking:

   • Sunroof drains (already ruled out).
   • Tail light seals (common leak point).
   • Trunk drainage channels for debris.
   • Evaporator drain clog if the issue persists.

2. Chatter on Acceleration in a 2018 Hyundai – A caller from Long Island described a clutch-like chatter from a stop:

   • It’s worse when cold.
   • Hyundai performed a fuel injector service, but it didn’t help.
   • Ron advised checking fuel trim data and potential pending fault codes, even if no warning lights were present.

Show Highlights:

• Ron emphasized the importance of detailed inspections and not assuming diagnoses.
• The Car Doctor T-shirts and coffee cups are popular merchandise items.
• The show wrapped up with more calls about shutters, shakes, and general car problems.

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