Cars, tested and explained/ News, guides and fixes
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Vehicle technology and diagnostics. TunedDrive covers new cars, in-car technology, gear and the fixes that keep vehicles running, with model-specific context and clear stop points where a mechanic takes over.
24 stories
Buying and Ownership
Australian muscle cars are the V8 and six-cylinder Fords, Holdens and Chryslers of about 1967 to 1977, built to win at Bathurst. Here are the key cars, the 1972 Supercar Scare, and how to bring one to the US.
Buying and Ownership
Max's black Pursuit Special was a 1973 Ford XB Falcon GT hardtop with a fake supercharger, and the original car survives in a Florida museum while replicas fill the gap for everyone else.
Buying and Ownership
Ford Australia built its two-door Falcon hardtop from 1972 to 1978 in XA, XB and XC form, with GT, John Goss Special and Cobra versions that buyers now need to verify before paying collector money.
Buying and Ownership
The Valiant Charger was Chrysler Australia's short-wheelbase coupe of 1971 to 1978. Here are the Hey Charger launch, the R/T and E49 Hemi six engines, the earlier hardtops, how it differs from the Dodge, and buying checks.
Buying and Ownership
The Holden Monaro was Holden's two-door muscle coupe and a Bathurst winner in 1968 and 1969. Here are the HK to HZ years, the GTS 350, the 2001 revival sold as the Pontiac GTO, and buying checks.
Starting and Battery
Remote start not working? Rule out the parked conditions that block it first, then work through the settings, app and alarm fixes that get it going again.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Car leaking oil? Check warning signs, catch fresh drips on cardboard, then trace the wettest point before choosing a repair.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Blown head gasket symptoms can affect the exhaust, coolant, oil or how your engine runs. Check the temperature gauge first, then note what you can see parked.
Starting and Battery
A bad regulator, connection, or charging control can drive voltage too high. Measure at the battery posts, and stop if the battery is hot or swollen.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
If your brake pedal feels soft or spongy, air or lost hydraulic pressure may be the cause. Here's why it's not safe to drive and what the shop has to find.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Brake squeal when turning can come from pad wear, loose hardware, a rubbing shield, debris or a dragging brake. Notice whether light braking changes it.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
A brief flash usually means traction control is working. A steady light means it’s off or needs diagnosis; a brake warning changes whether you can drive.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Wondering what a tire’s aspect ratio means? Read the middle number, calculate sidewall height and weigh the ride tradeoff before changing size.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Antifreeze can be green, yellow, orange, red, pink, blue or purple. Match your car’s coolant specification to the bottle, not its color.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
New car tires can wear quickly because of tire design and driving demands. One tire or edge wearing much faster points to pressure or a vehicle fault.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Is 40 PSI good tire pressure for your car? Compare a cold gauge reading with your car’s recommended pressure before adding or releasing air.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Car leaking oil when parked? Check the drip and dipstick, then have its source repaired. An oil-pressure light or burning-oil smell means stop driving.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
If a tire keeps losing air, compare cold gauge readings, find the leak with soapy water, and stop driving if it goes flat or shows damage.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
A car can sit on a flat tire overnight or longer. Keep it parked until you have a spare or help; an inside inspection decides whether it can be reused.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
A tire hub is usually the wheel hub behind the wheel. It holds the wheel to the vehicle, while a bearing lets it turn smoothly.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Scalloped tires come from anything that stops smooth road contact, like misalignment, worn suspension, imbalance or wrong pressure. Here's what to check.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
A bad crankshaft signal can cause long cranking, stalling, rough running or a hot no-start. Save any codes and test the circuit before buying a sensor.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Brake pads cost $50 to $100 per axle as parts, $170 to $340 installed at an independent shop, or about $300 at a dealer for most cars.
Dashboard and Diagnostics
Car shakes when braking? Separate rotor, pad and caliper clues from wheel or suspension vibration, and know what to report for prompt inspection.
