Recent content by Michigan_t4r

My 2004 has 103500. Still runs like its new.

My guess is piston slap. Piston slap happens when the sides of the piston have too much clearance from the engine block. This results in a slight knocking sound. Typically this happens when your engine block is very cold. As any materials science professor knows, when you drop the temperature...

I thought the 4x4 v8 had some additional cooling for the transmission (maybe transfer case) or something. Can anyone confirm?

Maybe the guys with the aftermarket exhausts can chime in. Does anyone with an aftermarket exhaust have the dreaded "steering wheel vibration" problem?

Check to see if the skid plate is cracked. I had a crack in my skid plate that originated fromthe hole where the bolt fastens the skid plate to the vehicle. Surprisingly, the dealer told me that this isn't all that uncommon of a problem. It can happen if the bolt holding the skid plate is...

Bottom Line: As ready for an all-terrain adventure as it is for carpool duty, but not as docile as its predecessor, nor as solidly crafted as the Toyota 4Runner http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=104745?tid=edmunds.h..insideline.promo.2g.* Interesting read - my...

Sounds like Razo's are the ones to get. I have a few questions: OK - without sounding too much like an old man - Are the Razo's street legal? It's not uncommon for very hot bulbs to "char" the inside of theheadlight housing - did you have any problems with this?

Ouch - that sucks. Funny thing - the same thing happened to me. I had only 1800 miles when my driver side rear tire ran over a nail. The tire was completely destroyed. I had no luck with getting it fixed for free. However, I talked to the salesman who sold me the 4runner and he was able to...

I'd like a tire pressure monitor that tells you which SPECIFIC tire is incorrectly inflated.

It looks as if the black liners may match the seats and the interior trim pieces. Any thoughts?

The same thing happens to me after a car wash or when its really humid outside after a heavy night of rain. I'm not sure if its something serious. My theory is that water gets into the brake pads. Once the brakes are used, the water evaporates from the pads and the problem goes away. Does...

They are made in the Tahara (Japan) factory which won JD Power's 2004 Platinum Award which is given to the factory with the fewest defects based on vehicles sold in the US market.

I have a 2004 V8 Sport 4x4. I have the front end vibration problem but the only reason why I notice it is because the vehicle is so damn quiet inside. I told a few of my friends that have Explorers, Tralblazers and Jeeps about the problem. Their response is always, "What vibaration?" It's a...

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2005/jeep/grandcherokee/100457049/roadtestarticle.html?articleId=103495&tid=edmunds.h..wkedmunds.roadtests.1g.* "The Bottom Line: A joy to drive both on pavement and dirt trails, but downmarket furnishings and cramped rear seating make it a tough sell over the Toyota...

Hello All, I have a question regarding the transfer case skid plate: is it OK to remove it? I don't do any heavy off-roading and for some reason the skid plate has several cracks in it. The dealer may replace it, but if the warranty won't cover it, I was planning on having it removed. Any thoughts?