Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a 1988 Dodge Caravan with a four cylinder turbocharged engine. I read in the owner's manual that the warranty is void if you tow using a turbocharged engine. Why is the warranty voided? John

Ray: Because it is a virtual certainty, John, that you would fry the turbo if you were towing something. The reason is that a turbo is meant to be used only occasionally. When you need a little extra power, you stomp on the gas, and the turbo kicks in. Then after you've caught up to the garbage truck that passed you and you let off the gas a bit, the turbo shuts off and cools down until you need it again.

Tom: But if you were towing a trailer, the extra weight would require that you be stomping on the gas all the time. So that means the turbo would be running, when? Right. All the time!

Ray: And turbos just aren't designed to run all the time. When you run them all the time, they fry.

Tom: That's why the warranty is voided, John. And by the way, the only reason they don't void the warranty for the non-turbocharged four cylinder engine is because they know you won't be ABLE to tow anything with it. You hook the trailer on the back and the thing just sits there, so there was no need for a towing disclaimer.

Tom and Ray share secrets mechanics don't want you to know in their 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.

© 1992 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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