Ask the Guide

If the third brake light is working, then the problem is not with the brake-pedal switch (or the third light would not work either). That the two lower brake lights stopped working together is also a clue that it's not the bulbs that are at fault.

I'd be looking at the fusebox to see if the fuse that controls the lower brake-light circuit has failed. There should be a map of the fusebox inside the plastic cover, and from that, you can identify which fuse protects that circuit, and go from there. If there's no blown fuse at fault, you need to start checking earth connections as these can also cause all sorts of electrical mayhem. An auto electrician could probably sort this quite quickly without changing any more working parts.

It's quite probable that the check-engine light was triggered by the worn out condition of the battery you replaced, not the brand new one being fitted. Such cars hate low voltages, and that's precisely what a worn battery produces. That said, changing the battery can sometimes cause a modern, computerised car to throw a fault code, and when that happens, the check-engine light will illuminate.

You can try to re-set the vehicle's computer by disconnecting the battery and leaving it for an hour. Then reconnect the battery and see if the light has disappeared. If it hasn't, it may be that the computer simply needs to relearn a few parameters after having been disconnected from the power when the original battery change was made. A decent drive might return things to normal.

But don't forget the basics: Check the condition and cleanliness of the battery leads, terminals and make sure that all the connections are tight. If there's still no joy, have the vehicle electronically scanned and let the computer tell you precisely what's wrong.

This crops us frequently as a dispute between car owners and dealerships and it's all because of one thing: Extended warranties are generally not worth the paper they're printed on. They're designed to relieve car buyers of more money, thinking they'll be covered if the worst happens. Usually, the warranty is carefully written to avoid paying out on the things most likely to go wrong. Never has 'read the fine print' been so important.

Consider that the warranty your purchased only covers the first $3500 of an engine replacement. Where on earth can an engine be replaced for that sort of money? It's a clear case of the fine print giving the warranty provider a convenient escape clause. Don't forget, this extended warranty is not a Ford factory warranty, it's a third party deal that car-dealers love because they get a kick-back from the warranty company every time a car buyer signs on that dotted line. Dealers also love these warranties because it forces owners into over-servicing their cars. Does it not seem strange that the car designed and engineered by Ford to have a 12-monthly service interval suddenly needs a six-monthly service as part of the warranty conditions?

As far as the replacement engine goes, be very careful about what you're being offered. If the engine is, indeed, a reconditioned engine, it doesn't really matter how many kilometres it has already done because reconditioned means it has been fully rebuilt with new parts. If, however, it's a second-hand engine plucked from a wrecked Kuga, then I would argue that an engine with the same mileage as the one in your car should be fitted. But I'll guarantee you there's some fine print in that warranty that makes me wrong about that, too.

Many automatic vehicles have their transmission cooled as part of the car's engine cooling system. The transmission fluid passes through plumbing that takes it through (usually) the bottom tank of the car's radiator where it's cooled, keeping the entire transmission at the correct operating temperature.

So, if there was a problem with any of this cooling network or the radiator itself, it's entirely possible that the transmission could start to overheat. When that happens, all sorts of problems arise, including a loss of drive or slipping as it's also referred to.

The other major cause of transmission slip is a low transmission fluid level. Because the transmission in most cases is a sealed system which doesn't require fluid top-ups, many owners simply forget about it altogether. In a lot of modern cars, manufacturers don't even provide a dipstick with which to check the fluid level. But if there's a leak – even a small one – anywhere in the system, the fluid inside the transmission can fall too low and slippage can be the result.