Is it possible to change the centre bore to fit new wheels? 2001 Audi A3

ANSWER : Hi there – you want to find hub-centric rings for your specific wheel-hub combination. These steel rings take up the excess space between the wheel hub bore and the hub itself, and allows the correct transfer of vehicle weight to the wheel through the hub, and not through the wheel bolts/nuts. Check with your wheel supplier, major custom wheel suppliers, or aftermarket custom auto parts vendors for these rings.

ANSWER : Anything is possible with enough engineering. The changes you are looking at would take major structural changes and would definitely not be an easy job. You could possibly consult a manufacturing engineer to get more details on how this could actually be carried out and whether it would be feasible.

ANSWER : Hello David, thank you for writing in. The symptoms you are having all point to an issue with the brakes sticking or applying when they should not be. Heat is caused by resistance, and the pads are designed to create resistance. Under normal circumstances, the brake pads have very little clearance when they are not applied to begin with. It does not take much to apply them when they should not be, and this would explain why the vehicle is taking more gas to drive normally. If all brakes are having this issue, you need to make sure that the brakes were bled correctly. When all four wheels are affected, you are likely looking at having a hydraulic issue. possibly have them looked at by a different shop or technician. For an inspection from our technicians, contact our service department about scheduling.

ANSWER : Hi there. The only thing that I could think possible is causing your problem is that something may not have been correctly installed while your son was completing this maintenance. However, if your engine was difficult to start before this service, it’s possible there are different components that are damaged that simply didn’t resolve the issue. The only way of knowing what is going on with your Trailblazer would be to have one of our mobile mechanics in your area come to your location and complete a car is hard to start inspection.

ANSWER : Hello.

A crank but no start condition can be caused by many things. A few common causes are a faulty crank position sensor, or issues with the fuel system. The crank position sensor is used in the engine’s fuel calculations, and in some cases it’s failure will disable the engine.

It may also be possible that there is issues with the fuel system that are preventing the engine from running. If the fuel pump or injectors have an issue the engine may not run correctly, or at all. It may also be possible, for either case, that the issue may be wiring related.

I would start by trying to determine if the engine is getting fuel and then going from there. If you need assistance with these checks, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come to you in order to diagnose your starting issue firsthand for an accurate repair.

ANSWER : A banging or rattling over bumps can be caused by several different suspension components. A worn strut can make noises as can the upper strut mount. The strut mount allows the strut assembly to turn and move up and down. If the strut mount is worn, it can allow the strut assembly to rattle or bang over bumps. Stabilizer bar end links or bushings can also contribute to a banging noise. Worn end links can allow movement in the bar, and the bushings where the bar connects to the chassis can wear away and allow the bar to contact the chassis. Even a worn tie rod or ball joint can cause noises over bumps.

Since so many components can be causing a noise over bumps, have a certified technician inspect the suspension to isolate the exact cause.

ANSWER : Code P0303 suggests a misfire in cylinder #3. This can happen for many reasons such as a vacuum leak, weak fuel pump (pressure), bad ignition coil, low voltage to the fuel injectors (causing pulse problems) or a faulty mass air flow sensor, all of which can cause an imbalance in the air/fuel charge in that cylinder. Try checking to see if you are able to replicate the misfire and see if it happens more under load or at idle or if it is completely just intermittent. This may help to narrow down what types of components to check.

ANSWER : Hello, and thank you for writing in. There are several reasons why your vehicle may pull to one side or the other while braking. The first thing to consider is a warped rotor or faulty brake pads. When you replace the pads and rotors on the vehicle you need to replace two or four of them at a time. Replacing just the one on passenger side will not be adequate. With that being said, you are more concerned about the rotors then you are the calibers. The calibers hold the brake pads to the rotors when needed. It is a warped rotor or a bad brake pad that will cause the vehicle to pull. You should start with the full service brake job including machining the rotors to flatten them out if needed, and all new brake pads. If the problem continues after that, get an alignment done on the vehicle. For more help contact our service department to schedule an appointment.