Fix It

The 1999 Mercury Cougar has two engine options. The base engine is a 2.0-liter, in-line four-cylinder, which produces 130 horsepower. The optional engine is a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter V-6. No matter the engine size, the 1999 Cougar has an on-board diagnostic (OBD) computer with an OBD-II port.

Location

The OBD-II port is sometimes difficult to find on certain vehicles. However, the Cougars OBD-II diagnostic port is easy to find. It is located on the drivers side, under the dashboard and to the drivers side of the steering wheel.

Function

The OBD-II port is where an OBD-II scanner can be plugged in. This scanner gathers all of the information from the vehicles computer and displays it on a screen. Some computers even have testing functions for certain components.

History

On-board diagnostics started back in 1982 in California when the California Air Resources Board began creating regulations that required all vehicles to have an on-board diagnostic system -- now known as OBD-I -- to sense emission system failures. In 1996 the Federal Government followed suit by making the more-universal OBD-II required on all vehicles.

The Chevy Blazer has the same 4.3 liter engine, the same chassis and the same exhaust components from 1994 to 1999. This includes the two oxygen sensors. The bank one sensor is located on the left side (drivers side) of the front exhaust Y-pipe. The bank two sensor is located just before the catalytic convertor in the exhaust pipe. Which oxygen sensor needs to be replaced will require an OBD II (On Board Diagnostics II) computer code reader or scan tool to determine the culprit. They are removed the same way, but the bank two sensor is much easier to get to. However, the parts and labor estimate may to replace the sensor may help you decide to take on the job yourself with just a few tools.

Instructions

1

Drive the 1999 Blazer up on car ramps to raise the front end. If you do not have car ramps, lift the front of the Blazer on a flat, level paved or concrete surface using a floor jack and two jack stands placed under the front frame rails. Apply the parking brake.

2

Place a wheel chock behind one of the rear wheels.

3

Put on the safety glasses and crawl under the Blazer (on a creeper if you have one) and bring the remaining tools with you.

4

Locate the oxygen sensor to replace. The bank one sensor is up under the left drivers side just forward of the front exhaust Y-pipe. The bank two sensor is located in the exhaust pipe just forward of the catalytic converter.

5

Follow the wire harness plugged into the oxygen sensor youre replacing. Using the small straight edged screwdriver, press in the lock clip of the plug and unplug the oxygen sensor wire from the harness.

6

Place the 22 millimeter wrench or oxygen sensor socket and ratchet onto the oxygen sensor and turn it to the left to release it. If it does not want to release, light the hand held portable propane torch and heat the exhaust pipe around the edge of the oxygen sensor. Do not heat the oxygen sensor, too. Just the pipe around it. Try to loosen the sensor until youre successful. If you had to use the torch, allow the exhaust pipe to cool down and just take a break.

7

Apply a light coat of high-temperature anti-seize lubricant to the threads of the new oxygen sensor only if there is not already some on them.

8

Screw the new oxygen sensor into the port. Tighten with the wrench or socket and ratchet. Do not over-tighten. The sensor only has about 4 to 5 threads and stripping those threads would be futile to the sensor.

9

Plug the sensor wire back into the wire harness.

10

Collect all the tools and debris from under the Blazer. Remove the wheel chock and lower the Blazer.

The GMC Suburban is a large SUV that many people use for towing boats or RVs. If you are having problems starting your Suburban, there are certain aspects of the SUV that you can look at before paying a mechanic to fix it. The battery and the fuel levels are the primary reasons that many Suburbans will not start. After checking the Suburbans fuel level and the battery, you may have to consult a mechanic regarding what is wrong with your SUV.

Instructions

1

Open the hood to the Suburban and look over the battery connections. These should not have any corrosion or debris on them.

2

Remove the corrosion on your Suburban with soda and a wire brush.

3

Put the terminals back onto the battery and then tighten them with a socket wrench.

4

Try to restart the car.

5

Jump start the Suburban with another car and jumper cables.

6

Leave the car running for about 5 minutes and then turn it off.

7

Try to restart the SUV. If the SUV does not restart, replace the battery.

8

Check the fuel levels to the car. Add one gallon of gas to the car and then try to start it again. If the SUV starts, replace the gas gauge.

The 1999 Chrysler 300M has two different belts that travel around the accessory pulleys. The first belt is a drive belt that controls the air conditioner compressor. The second belt is a serpentine belt that controls the remaining accessories such as the alternator, power steering pump and the water pump. Both belts are routed around each designated accessory pulley in a method that allows the accessories to function from the same belt. Both the drive belt and the serpentine belt are tensioned by an adjustable idler pulley. If the belts develop any visible fraying, change them out immediately.

Instructions

1

Open the hood and prop it in place to prevent it from falling.

2

Locate the serpentine belt adjustable idler pulley that tensions the serpentine belt on the front of the engine. This adjustable idler pulley will be closest to the top side of the engine. Position a metric socket onto the ratchet and loosen the bolt in the center of the serpentine belt idler pulley.

3

Remove the socket from the ratchet and a both of the 8-inch extensions to the ratchet. Put the socket back onto the bottom of the extension. Move to the underside of the engine and locate the adjustment bolt on the bottom of the serpentine belt idler pulley. Position the ratchet, extension and socket onto the adjustment bolt. Turn the adjustment bolt a couple of turns to loosen the serpentine belt. Remove the belt from all of the accessory pulleys and out of the engine well.

4

Remove the air conditioner compressor belt from the bottom side of the engine also. Locate the adjustable idler pulley for the air conditioner compressor belt on the lower front passenger side of the engine. Loosen the bolt in the center of the adjustable idler pulley with the ratchet and a socket. Remove the socket and position the extensions back onto the ratchet and push the socket back onto the bottom extension.

5

Turn the adjustment bolt on the bottom of the adjustable idler pulley counter clockwise a couple of times with the ratchet, extensions and socket. Pull the belt off of the air conditioner compressor pulley and the other pulleys.

6

Route the new air conditioner belt around the same pulleys including the adjustable idler pulley. Tighten the belt by turning the bolt on the bottom of the adjustable pulley clockwise until the belt is tight. Check the belt tension by pushing inward on the belt. The belt should have no more than a half-inch of free play to be properly tensioned. If the belt is too tight or too loose, adjust as needed. Once the belt is properly tightened, tighten the bolt down tight in the center of the adjustable idler pulley.

7

Route the new serpentine belt around all of the accessory pulleys including around the adjustable idler pulley. Tighten the serpentine belt by turning the bolt on the bottom of the adjustable pulley clockwise until the belt is tight. Check the belt tension by pushing inward on the belt. The belt should have no more than a half-inch of free play to be properly tensioned. If the belt is too tight or too loose, adjust as needed. Once the belt is properly tightened, tighten the bolt down tight in the center of the adjustable idler pulley.

8

Crank the 1999 Chrysler 300M for about fifteen seconds. Turn the motor off and recheck the tension of both belts. If the belts are too tight or too loose, adjust the tension as needed to reach the required half-inch of free play

The heating and air conditioning system on your 1999 Volkswagen Passat uses a blower motor to pull air from the outside, and passes it over the heater core for heating or the heat exchanger when in air conditioning mode. When this system no longer blows air into the passenger compartment, you need to find out why. If you can hear the blower motor running when the system is turned on, there is a problem with the valves and controls. If the switch is in the "on" position, but there is no sound from the motor, the blower motor may need to be replaced.

Instructions

1

Remove the glove box from the passenger side of the dashboard. The glove box is held to the dash bezel using small screws with either Philips heads or small hex-heads. Turn these screws counterclockwise and remove the glove box.

2

Remove the lower knee below the glove box, if your car is equipped with one. Remove the bolts or screws by turning them counterclockwise with the appropriate tool. This may be either a screwdriver or nut driver.

3

Disconnect the blower electrical supply cable. This is accomplished by squeezing the connector to disengage a locking latch and pulling the connector apart.

4

Remove the blower from the air box. Rotate the screws securing the motor to the box by turning them counterclockwise with the appropriate nut driver. Set the old blower motor aside.

5

Remove any debris and obstructions from the blower motor mounting area and air box.

6

Hold the new blower motor in place and align it properly with the mounting holes. Insert the retaining screws and turn them clockwise by hand until finger tight. Tighten these screws with the nut driver.

7

Connect the blower motor power cables. Push the two ends of the connector together firmly until you hear the latch engage with a clicking sound.

8

Reinstall the knee bar. If equipped. Hold the bar in place and insert the retaining screws/bolts, turning them clockwise until finger-tight. Tighten these bolts with a nut driver or screwdriver.

9

Reinstall the glove box. Hold the unit in place and insert all of the bolts and screws you removed in step 1, and turn them clockwise by hand. Tighten these bolts and screws with a screwdriver or nut driver.

The 1999 Mercury Sable model enjoyed some early positive reviews, but major problems would later be reported on some models with the brakes, engine and various accessories. Smaller issues were also reported with other areas of the vehicle, including the transmission. As of 2010, the Ford Company is dropping the Mercury line of cars, including the Sable.

Leaking Fluid

In some models there were early problems with leaking transmission fluid well before any part of the car should be worn down. A variety of causes can trigger this problem, from loose hoses to improper fastening. This was not a common enough problem to warrant a recall or widespread announcement, but enough early repairs were made to note this as a potential problem in 99 Sables.

Front Pump Issues

Problems with the front pump in the 1999 Sable were often chalked up to an engine issue, although it affects the transmission. The front pump is a part of the torque converter in automatic transmissions, and directly affects the mixture of air with transmission fluid. If the front pump isnt working properly, most often due to gunk or carbon build up from a lack of maintenance, the car will experience transmission issues and eventually wont even shift into gear. Repair costs can vary greatly, depending on the exact nature of the main problem with the front pump and whether the issue requires a simple cleaning or if an outright replacement is needed.

Engine Problems Affecting Transmission

Some of the most common problems reported on the 1999 Mercury Sable come from engine issues that affect other parts of the vehicle so that they in turn dont work properly. MSN Auto is one of many sources citing major reports of a variety of engine problems on the 1999 Mercury Sable. Since the transmission is the most complicated section of a modern car, any problem in another part of the engine can affect the transmission.

The Dodge Ram Sport is a full-sized pickup truck made by Chrysler. The 1999 model year represented the end of the second generation for the Dodge Ram Sport. Like all trucks, the Ram takes a lot of abuse due to the design and intended use of the truck. One of the components that will eventually need servicing is the exhaust system. The stock exhaust on a 1999 Dodge Ram Sport will need to be removed if you want to upgrade it to a stainless steel exhaust. However, many people remove the exhaust to replace it because of corrosion or damage caused by road salt.

Instructions

1

Place a jack stand under the exhaust piping at various intervals to support the exhaust while you remove it.

2

Unbolt the exhaust to manifold bolts located at the front of the exhaust system. You may need to use an extended handle on the socket wrench, called a "breaker bar," to apply additional leverage on the bolts to remove them.

3

Disconnect the electrical wiring on the O2 sensors on the exhaust. These are plug-style connectors that pull right off.

4

Separate the exhaust piping from the manifold. It should pull right apart, but depending on where you live and the condition of the piping, you may need to pry the joint apart with a large flat-tip screwdriver.

5

Slide the exhaust piping and muffler off the rubber exhaust hangers on the underbody of the Dodge and drop the exhaust down gently onto the ground.

The 1999 Toyota Corolla comes standard with manual (roll-up) windows; power windows are optional. If you need to remove the cars door panel, youll need to first remove the window crank handle. A special tool is required to do this. The window crank handle is snapped on with a small metal clip, sometimes called a "C" clip because of its shape.

Instructions

1

Purchase a window crank handle tool from any auto parts store. You can also order one online. The tool shouldnt cost you more than $10.

2

Grab the Corollas window crank handle by the knob you use to roll the window down. Gently pull this part of the crank handle away from the door. Behind it, between the door panel and the crank, youll see a small gasket. Insert your tool in between the crank handle and the gasket. Insert it on the side the knob protrudes from.

3

Push the tool gently while still pulling on the handle. Youll hear a snapping sound as the clip pops out.

4

Pull the window crank handle straight away from the door panel.