June 1990

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DEAR TOM AND RAY:
BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I EACH OWN 1986 NISSAN HARDBODY PICK-UP TRUCKS. MINE HAS BEEN MAKING A HIGH PITCHED CHIRPING NOISE FOR A WHILE NOW. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS FROM BRAKES TO BELTS TO BEARINGS. IT ONLY DOES THIS WHEN IT'S COLD, AND IT CHIRPS WHETHER IT'S MOVING OR STANDING STILL. NOW MY HUSBAND'S TRUCK IS STARTING TO CHIRP. CAN YOU HELP US GET IT NARROWED DOWN BEFORE WE TAKE THEM IN TO A SHOP?
DEBRA

TOM: WELL, THE GUY WHO TOLD YOU THAT IT COULD BE BRAKES OR BEARINGS HAS BEEN BREATHING TOO MANY EXHAUST FUMES LATELY, DEBRA. YOU PROBABLY NEED BELTS. OF THE THREE--BELTS, BRAKES AND BEARINGS--ONLY THE BELTS COULD CONTINUE TO MAKE NOISE WHEN THE TRUCK IS STANDING STILL.

RAY: AFTER FOUR YEARS OF DRIVING, IT'S PROBABLY TIME FOR NEW BELTS ALL AROUND. EVEN IF THEY LOOK OK, THEY'RE PROBABLY GLAZED AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT.

TOM: HAVE THEM CHANGED. JUST DON'T TAKE IT TO THE GUY WHO TRIED TO CONVINCE YOU THAT YOUR BRAKES COULD CHIRP WHEN YOU'RE STOPPED AT A LIGHT.

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© 2006 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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Auto repairs can be costly! Save money by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet: "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.