Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - September 5, 2026 - Hour 1

A 2015 Dodge Durango arrives on a flatbed over the weekend with a crank-no-start. The tow-truck diagnosis? Fuel pump.

Maybe?!

By Monday morning, the Durango starts perfectly—and that’s where the real diagnosis begins. Rather than throw a fuel pump at it, Ron goes back to basics: codes, fuel pressure, fuel volume, current draw and finally a thermal imager. That’s when one electrical connector starts telling the story, climbing past 160 degrees.

The fuel pump wasn’t the problem. A failing connection in the fuel-pump circuit was.

Then comes problem number two: Chrysler’s apparent solution involves a wiring harness costing roughly $3,200. Ron keeps digging through service information, part numbers and cross-references until he finds the connector needed to make the repair for under $200.

Same vehicle. Same failure. Completely different repair.

Also this hour: a listener with a 2020 Honda Odyssey that intermittently loses electrical power, why a battery can test “good” and still deserve a closer look, the importance of loaded voltage-drop testing, and a 2004 Cadillac SRX presenting a different challenge—what do you do when the parts you need simply aren't available?

The lesson? A symptom is a clue, not a conclusion. Test the basics, prove what's good, find what's bad—and sometimes, think outside the box.

Car Advice, Done Right 

🌐Visit: CarDoctorShow.com

📸 Follow Ron on Instagram: @ronananian

🎥 Watch repair tips and shop videos on YouTube

📻 Join the conversation LIVE Saturdays 2–4 PM 

 

 

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - September 5, 2026 - Hour 1
A 2015 Dodge Durango arrives on a flatbed over the weekend with a crank-no-start. The tow-truck diagnosis? Fuel pump.
Maybe?!
By Monday morning, the Durango starts perfectly&mdash;and that&rsquo;s where the real diagnosis begins. Rather than throw a fuel pump at it, Ron goes back to basics: codes, fuel pressure, fuel volume, current draw and finally a thermal imager. That&rsquo;s when one electrical connector starts telling the story, climbing past 160 degrees.
The fuel pump wasn&rsquo;t the problem. A failing connection in the fuel-pump circuit was.
Then comes problem number two: Chrysler&rsquo;s apparent solution involves a wiring harness costing roughly $3,200. Ron keeps digging through service information, part numbers and cross-references until he finds the connector needed to make the repair for under $200.
Same vehicle. Same failure. Completely different repair.
Also this hour: a listener with a 2020 Honda Odyssey that intermittently loses electrical power, why a battery can test &ldquo;good&rdquo; and still deserve a closer look, the importance of loaded voltage-drop testing, and a 2004 Cadillac SRX presenting a different challenge&mdash;what do you do when the parts you need simply aren't available?
The lesson? A symptom is a clue, not a conclusion. Test the basics, prove what's good, find what's bad&mdash;and sometimes, think outside the box.
Car Advice, Done Right&nbsp;
🌐Visit: CarDoctorShow.com
📸 Follow Ron on Instagram: @ronananian
🎥 Watch repair tips and shop videos on YouTube
📻 Join the conversation LIVE Saturdays 2&ndash;4 PM&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&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™

The $3,200 Wire Harness That Didn’t Need To Be

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0af2a3e1-95e9-42d1-b67f-b4bc015ae7fe/transcript