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A Toyota Highlander, specifically the 2009 2.7-liter two wheel drive 7-seater luxury version, has been in use for 14 years and 230000 kilometers. We will take a brief look at the condition of the chassis through a set of pictures. First, let's take a look at the engine compartment. The engine model is 1AR, with a straight four cylinder 2.7-liter displacement, matched with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The condition of all components in the engine compartment is okay, except for a little dirty, there are no major issues. Raise the car to look at the chassis, and you can see that only a part of the front of the engine and transmission bottom guard plate is present. The left side is the engine oil pan, and the right side is the transmission oil pan. The subframe is of the full frame type, with a MacPherson independent suspension at the front. The lower support arm is made of double-layer steel plate stamped and welded, and the ball joint of the lower support arm can be disassembled separately. There are no major issues during inspection. Looking at the middle part of the chassis, there are plastic protective plates on both sides of the exhaust pipe to protect the body. Next to the exhaust pipe is the space reserved for the drive shaft of four-wheel drive models. The rear suspension is a double link independent suspension, to be honest, the structure and materials used are not very good. When changing lanes at high speeds, the roll amplitude is large, and the rear is a spare tire. After inspection, there were no issues with the suspension of these three connecting rods, shock absorbers, stabilizer bar small connecting rods, etc. This is the chassis condition of this Toyota Highlander, overall there are no major issues.

A Toyota Highlander dealership, model 2009 2.7-liter two wheel drive 7-seater luxury version, after 14 years and 230000 kilometers of use, we will take a brief look at the condition of the chassis through a set of pictures. First, let's take a look at the engine compartment. The engine model is 1AR, with a straight four cylinder 2.7-liter displacement, matched with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The condition of all components in the engine compartment is okay, except for a little dirty, there are no major issues. Raise the car to look at the chassis, and you can see that only a part of the front of the engine and transmission bottom guard plate is present. The left side is the engine oil pan, and the right side is the transmission oil pan. The subframe is of the full frame type, with a MacPherson independent suspension at the front. The lower support arm is made of double-layer steel plate stamped and welded, and the ball joint of the lower support arm can be disassembled separately. There are no major issues during inspection. Looking at the middle part of the chassis, the body on both sides of the exhaust pipe is protected by plastic protective plates, and the space next to the exhaust pipe is reserved for the drive shaft of four-wheel drive models. The rear suspension is a double link independent suspension, to be honest, its structure and materials are not very good. The roll amplitude is large when changing lanes at high speeds, and there is a spare tire behind it. After inspection, there were no issues with the suspension of these three connecting rods, shock absorbers, stabilizer bar small connecting rods, etc. This is the chassis condition of this Toyota Highlander, overall there are no major issues.

Car enthusiasts always ask if the engine compartment can be rinsed with water? I asked the master this question, and the master's answer was: pure fuel cars can definitely be washed But why do you need to rinse the engine compartment with water? Normal engine compartments can be dirty, but as long as they are not particularly dirty, they can be blown with high-pressure air. Moreover, dirty engine compartment does not affect anything, does not affect engine heat dissipation, and does not affect normal engine operation. Flushing with high-pressure water will only increase the risk. Nowadays, new energy vehicles are becoming more and more popular, and it goes without saying that pure electric models prohibit washing the engine compartment with water. The engine compartment of hybrid models should not be washed with water as it carries a high risk and contains high-pressure components. Whether it is a gasoline car, a hybrid car, or a pure electric car, there is a radiator inside the front bumper. This radiator should be kept clean and preferably cleaned by professionals. Self cleaning is generally difficult and carries risks. This needs to be noted. Now let's take a look at the situation of the master cleaning the engine compartment of a pure fuel car through a set of pictures, as some car enthusiasts have never seen it before. This is a Volkswagen Lavida that has just undergone engine maintenance. You can see that the engine compartment is particularly dirty. At this time, the engine is in operation and the driver is washing it with high-pressure water. Due to high engine temperature, water vapor is emitted upon contact with water. The master said that such a cabin can be rinsed with water, as long as it is not constantly flushed with the plug, there will be no problem. After rinsing with high-pressure water, the master blows with high-pressure air to dry the water near key circuits, plugs, etc.

Upon arriving at the repair shop in the morning, I saw a blue Haval SUV lifted up on the jack. After asking the mechanic, I learned it was for engine maintenance, with the owner watching nearby the whole time. The car owner said the vehicle had been driven for over four years without any repairs, with regular engine maintenance, and the quality was excellent, though the car's name made me quite awkward. I replied, "The name shouldn't really be embarrassing, right?". The car owner pointed to the left side of the rear door and said, "Look at the car name 'Haval First Love'—doesn't that seem a bit strange? I can't even introduce it to others. If it weren't for the hassle, I would have already removed 'First Love.' What do you think, fellow car enthusiast?"? Opening the engine hood, you can see that there is a lot of dust inside the cabin, but there is no other situation, no signs of oil or water leakage, as shown in the following picture. Remove the upper cover of the engine and check the condition of the engine. The model is GW4G15K, a 1.5-liter turbocharged, 7-speed wet dual clutch transmission. All four tires are original factory tires with the same production date, all produced in 2021. The inner and outer sides of the tires were inspected and found to be normal. Looking at the tread again, the pattern is still very deep, with only a few small cracks, which is caused by the aging of the rubber of the tire and does not affect its use temporarily. Raise the car to look at the chassis. The engine and gearbox are covered with felt shields at the bottom, and there are holes reserved for the corresponding positions of the oil drain screw and oil filter element. Looking at the rear of the engine through the subframe, it is basically in a new car condition. The owner said that they usually keep the car in the garage and drive on highways more often. The front part is a MacPherson independent suspension, the lower arm is made of single-layer stamped steel plate material, and the middle position is welded with double-layer steel plate. The condition of each component is checked to be normal. Looking at the middle part of the chassis, there are aluminum alloy heat insulation tiles between the exhaust pipe and the body, and there is chassis armor protection on both sides of the body, with no signs of rust. Looking at the rear of the chassis, there is a torsion beam non independent suspension, with a 55 liter fuel tank at the front of the suspension and insulation tiles between it and the exhaust pipe. Overall, the condition of this 2021 Haval First Love car is indeed very good, basically still in a new car condition. On the one hand, it shows that the owner takes good care of the car, and on the other hand, it also indicates that the quality of the car is indeed good.

An all-import BMW has arrived at our dealership. Manufactured in 2017, it is a 2016 BMW X4 xDrive20i M Sport model, with a total of 110,000 kilometers driven over 8+ years of regular personal use, a completely normal mileage for a family vehicle. This time we need to maintain the engine. Taking this opportunity, let's take a look at its chassis structure and see if there are any problems. First, let's take a look at the engine compartment. The engine is of the 2.0T type, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and front four-wheel drive. The four tires have just been changed and are in very good condition. When the car was lifted, the driver directly found the position of the oil drain hole, removed this small protective plate, unscrew the oil drain screw, and drain the oil. This design is very good. Check the left front wheel and find that the inner side of the wheel rim has been repaired. The technician said that there were small cracks due to a pit before. Looking at the front suspension, the structure is quite unique and different from the commonly seen MacPherson suspension. It is a double ball joint MacPherson suspension, which can be considered as a reinforced version of the MacPherson suspension. The straight arm is made of aluminum alloy material and looks relatively small. The master said that it mainly bears axial tension and pressure, and the force is not very strong. Using aluminum alloy is enough. The bent straight arm is made of thicker cast iron material, and the master said it is the main load-bearing arm of the suspension, which can withstand a relatively large force. After inspecting the front suspension structure, the master checked the right front suspension and found that the right front shock absorber had been covered with oil sludge, indicating that the hydraulic oil inside this shock absorber was leaking. Considering that it does not have a significant impact on driving temporarily, we will ignore it for now. Check the left front suspension, all components are in good condition. Looking at the middle part of the chassis, it is completely covered by the protective plate and has good flatness. The master said that BMW cars are all like this, known for their handling, and the chassis is basically very flat. Looking at the rear of the chassis, the rear is occupied by a large exhaust muffler, and the rear suspension is a typical five link independent type. The differential is installed in the middle of the subframe. Looking at the suspension structure on one side separately, one is made of aluminum alloy material, the others are made of steel material, and the steering knuckle seems to be made of aluminum alloy material. Checking the condition of these components, there are no problems. After a comprehensive inspection, the master said that the overall structure of the chassis is quite good, except for the oil leakage of the right front shock absorber, the condition of other components is quite good.

A Honda CR-V arrived at the store, a 2023 240TURBO two wheel drive dynamic version, just 3 years old, with a total mileage of 35000 kilometers and an average of two engine maintenance services per year. According to the dashboard, the average fuel consumption is 7.6 liters per 100 kilometers, which is decent for an SUV weighing 1606 kilograms. The engine compartment is relatively clean overall, and the engine is of the 1.5T type, matched with a CVT gearbox. The bottom of the engine and gearbox are equipped with metal protective plates, and there is also a protective plate at the back, which provides good protection. The position of the oil drain screw and the oil filter element are designed with separate small protective plates, which can be removed to drain the oil and replace the oil filter element. Old engine oil is flowing out of the drain hole The front part is a MacPherson independent suspension, and the lower support arm is a double-layer steel plate structure, with a separate design from the lower ball head. No abnormal conditions were found during inspection. The middle of the chassis is not even at all, with a 53 liter fuel tank protruding on the left and a protective plate at the bottom. The capacity is not very large, and the right side looks uneven. The rear is also equipped with two large exhaust silencers, and the rear is a multi link independent suspension type. The structure of the rear suspension is the popular three horizontal links and one vertical link, and the steering knuckle is made of aluminum alloy material. Subsequently, the master balanced the tire pressure of the four wheels, put down the car to add oil, and replaced the air filter and air conditioning filter. Finally, the master cleaned the engine compartment and rinsed it with high-pressure water. Car enthusiasts can take a brief look at the condition of this Honda CR-V, and the owner is quite satisfied with it.

Approaching noon, a car came over. The driver thought it would take up lunch time for maintenance, but the owner just wanted the driver to check it. I'm going on a long journey on the highway this time to check the engine oil, chassis, and tires for any issues. This is simple! The master directly asked the car owner to drive the car onto the lift, so that it can be quickly inspected. This is a Mazda Ruiyi produced in May 2010, belonging to the second generation Mazda 6. The master said that this car was once the undisputed "king of bends"! Now, following the perspective of a mechanic, let's take a look at the condition of this "King of Curves" after 16 years of use! Measure the engine oil first, at the normal level, with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission. Check the side of the tire, there are no scratches, only aging cracks. 5218 indicates that it was produced in the 52nd week of 2018 and has been 7 years since then. The Mazda 6 is known as the king of corners, largely due to its excellent handling. When cornering at high speeds, the steering remains precise, which is closely related to its excellent chassis design and materials. The following picture shows the front suspension. Let's take a look at the structure of the front suspension, which looks like two lower control arms, but in fact, they are connected together. The right curved arm is connected to this straight control arm, and then connected to the steering knuckle through the ball joint of the straight control arm. This is different from the design of the first generation Mazda 6, but it can also be considered a standard double wishbone independent suspension. The steering knuckle is also made of cast iron material, with a layer of rust on the surface, and is connected to the upper fork arm. Looking at the middle and rear of the chassis, the body in the middle has chassis armor without rust, only the insulation tiles on the upper part of the exhaust pipe have obvious scratches and damage, but it doesn't affect anything. The fuel tank is made of iron material and has rust prevention measures on the surface, so there is no visible rust. Looking at the rear of the chassis, the rear suspension is a multi link independent type, and from the color, you can see that there is a lot of rust on the surface of these components. After inspecting the suspension components, there were no other issues except for rust. The rear steering knuckle is also made of cast iron material with rust on the surface. The master said that these rusts not only affect the appearance, but also do not affect any other aspects. The above is the current condition of this Mazda Ruiyi. After a comprehensive inspection, the driver gave a thumbs up and found that the condition of the car is still very good. However, they reminded the owner that the car is a bit old and should run normally without being too fast.

As soon as I started work in the morning, the master drove this Toyota hybrid Corolla onto the lift. I am preparing to change the transmission oil this time. The current total mileage is 270000 kilometers, and the driver said that the transmission oil was changed last time at 230000 kilometers. Taking advantage of the opportunity to change the transmission oil, let's take a look at the general oil change process together, and then see what the condition of this 2018 Toyota hybrid Corolla looks like when it reaches 270000 kilometers. Open the engine hood and let's take a look at the condition of the engine compartment. The condition is particularly good. You should know that this Corolla has been around for 8 years and 270000 kilometers, and there are no signs of oil or water seepage. Lift up the car and remove the engine and gearbox guards. We can see the condition of the bottom of the engine and gearbox, which are also in good condition without any oil or water leakage. The master said that the gearbox oil is easy to change. Simply unscrew the drain screw to drain the oil (in the red area in the picture below), and then add it through the nearby oil filler hole. One bucket of oil is enough, without considering the filter element, oil pan, etc. Regarding the condition of the chassis, the master said that he has only repaired one part over the years, which is the rear shock absorber that leaked oil and was replaced at his own expense. He has not touched on any other aspects and it is still in its original state. Check the front suspension, it is in normal condition. Looking at the middle part of the chassis, the center position is the exhaust pipe, with insulation tiles between it and the body, and plastic protective plates at the bottom of the body on both sides for protection. Looking at the rear of the chassis, there is a torsion beam non independent suspension with a protective plate at the rear and a 45 liter fuel tank at the front. No abnormalities were found during inspection. After checking the chassis without any abnormalities, the master loosened the oil drain screw at the bottom of the gearbox, as shown in the red area in the following figure. After unscrewing the oil drain screw, the light red gearbox oil flows out, and the condition looks good. At this point, the master slowly unscrews the oil filling hole located in the middle and upper part, also known as the inspection hole. As shown in the figure below, the red arrow indicates the oil drain hole, and at this time, the transmission oil is about to run out. Afterwards, the master tightened the oil drain screw hole and added new transmission oil from the inspection hole at the blue arrow position. It should be noted that the transmission oil added by the master is Toyota's original hybrid specific transmission oil, model ATF WS, which is the old hybrid oil (different for the new model, subject to the maintenance manual). A bucket of four liters was used, and the excess should be drai...