Q. I have a 2000 Ford Taurus and after sitting in the driveway for a week this winter I came home to find transmission fluid leaking from the dipstick. I started the car and the level in the dipstick tube went down. I drove it and it shifted ok. I’m afraid to drive it and I don’t want to damage anything. I added more fluid because it was low. I drove it and then parked it. I seemed OK for a few days and then started leaking out of the dip stick again and continue to leak. I made several phone calls but haven’t spoken to anyone who has ever seen this before. I’d like to take it someone who knows what is causing this. Do you have any idea what the problem is?

A. This is actually a fairly common problem and Ford has issued a technical service bulletin describing the repair. Have your repair shop reference TSB number 06-18-13. The bulletin describes erratic fluid level reading and the dipstick tube leaking. The repair involves replacing the transmission vent with a different design. The repair should be able to be completed in less than an hour.

Check the battery first

Q. My son has a 2001 Ford Focus with a manual transmission. It will not start, but the lights and horn work. There is a “clicking” sound coming from the engine compartment. In the old days that would mean a solenoid problem. Do you think it is the solenoid or starter? If it is the solenoid, is it as easy to change as on an old Ford?

A. The solenoid is mounted on top of the starter making it a bit harder to replace than the older Fords you remember. This car also uses a starter relay that could be the problem. Begin with a test of the battery and all connections, next look at the relay and then the starter.

Worn tie rod understandable

Q. I went to the local tire store for a front-end alignment and was told and shown that the left-side outer tie rod was worn and needed replacement. There was some movement but not that much. My car is a 2001 Buick LeSabre with just under 48,000 miles on it. Does this fall in the normal category and is it because there are no grease fittings?

A. If the steering components on your car had grease fitting and were lubricated regularly, it is entirely possible the part could have lasted longer. I have seen sealed, nongreaseable tie-rod ends and ball joints last the lifetime of a car, and I have seen them wear out in as little as three years. Considering the stress of a tie-rod end living in New England with our less-than-perfect roads and the use of sand and salt in winter, it is not abnormal to see a five-year-old part wear out.

It might be bad wiring

Q. My wife has a 2001 Mercury Marquis we bought new in 2001. Three months later the ABS and traction control lights were lit on the dash, the dealer had to replace the ABS module. Nine months later the lights were lit again, the dealer replaced the ABS module. At 22,000 the lights came on again and the ABS module was replaced again. Now even though the car is eight years old with only 55,000 miles the lights came on again. We took the car to the dealer only to be told that the module had to be replaced at the price of $900. Is there a service bulletin issued for this type of problem? Do we have any recourse from Ford Motor Company? We are nearing retirement and worried about the mechanical issues we are facing, I can’t afford to be replacing this module every couple of years.

A. A check of AllData the technical database I use, shows no bulletins or recalls of the ABS module. Before you replace the module again, have a technician check all the wiring to the module. The wiring that runs along the frame is prone to wear and chaffing that can set a code that could lead a technician to believe the module is faulty. Considering the age of the vehicle and the current financial condition of Ford Motor Company, I don’t believe you would get any financial assistance, although it can’t hurt to try. The Customer Assistance number for Ford is 800-392-3673

Recheck serpentine belt

Q. The intake manifold gasket of my 1999 Chevy Malibu was leaking antifreeze. I had it fixed at a local garage and asked for the serpentine belt to be replaced. The leakage stopped but now the car has a squeak when I press the gas pedal. If the car is idling there is no noise. I went back to the garage and was told the water pump needs to be replaced or it will start leaking soon. I checked my records and found the water pump was replaced two years ago. Could it have worn out so soon?

A. It is possible the water pump is worn, but I would have the repair shop recheck the serpentine belt. If the belt is out of alignment it will make this kind of noise.

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