Live Chat With A Mechanic

Question: Today my Buick Century had a break rotor and break pads change, a complete new set. A few hours later I noticed that the anti-lock light stayed on while I was driving. What is the problem? My car is 1994.

Answer: It is possible that when doing the brake job, they may have damaged an ABS wheel speed sensor or wiring to one of the front wheel speed sensors. I would take it right back to them and tell them this started right after the repairs. Most shops will give it back to that mechanic and he will check it out real quick.

Thanks! If there was a damage to the ABS wheel speed sensor etc, will it cost me a lot for the mechanic to fix this problem? How easy or hard are such kinds of problems?

If he damaged something, they would have to repair it fro free. It may just be a loose connector or pinched wire. That would take a few minutes to fix. A faulty front wheel speed sensor can run a few hundred dollars.

Thanks again. I hope it's an easy problem to fix. Hope that the problem is not about a faulty front wheel speed sensor. If that turns out to be the case I guess I've to spend a few hundred dollars to fix the problem. Right? Or, will the mechanic take care of it? I'm a client and they know me well, if that can help.

If you are a good customer, they will fix a small wiring repair for free. If the sensor went bad as a coincidence, they may work a deal with you at a discount, since it happened right after their work.

That is a helpful answer and thank you very much. I'll be going back to the mechanic shop early in the morning tomorrow. By the way, the break was working fine. Forgot to ask if it is the control arms and they get worse can they break on me?

They can break, but will get VERY VERY loud and and the car will start to handle very bad before that would happen.

Ok and would it be the cv joint ? I think it's called make clunk noise?

No real problem with CV joints on this car.

Is it because its electric steering ?

We have had a few problems with noises in the electric steering, but not many.

Oh ok what about the sway bar and tie rod or stabilizer bar?

They are all items that can cause noises, but the things described above are most common.

The control arms are common?

Yes.

There Is one more thing forgot to mention my gas needle tends to move on it own sometimes. But wen it's full it won't do it.

Here is a link to the same problem on an Oldsmobile van. Second question... Fuel level sensor causing gauge problems.

Is this a big repair ? Or hopefully minor.

The gas tank needs to be removed to replace the sensor.

Is it expensive?

Part is about $125, Labor is about 2 hours.

Can this affect my gas in the tank ect. Fuel pump replaced in June.

If it starts to act up worse, you may think you have plenty of gas, but actually low or near empty.

Ok. so it called just sensor and its in the fuel tank ?

It is called the "Fuel level sensor"

Just to say for both thing s I asked 2nite the car steers perfect wen turning from  street or other rd even wen backing out from parking spot it's pretty good and of course the gas needle it does move a lil but not all the time and I gassed it up earlier it dropped a bit but that might be cause I do drive it a lot cause I do delivery for a business.

Yes, get those things we talked about looked at.

I will and thanks have a good nite.