Ron Ananian The Car Doctor

When a Simple Repair Isn’t Simple: Chevy Cruze Breakdown, Subaru No-Start & Modern Car Diagnostics
Today on Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, a routine oil change on a Chevy Cruze turns into a full-scale repair story—serpentine belt failure leads to a bad tensioner, worn alternator, water pump issues, and eventually a radiator and A/C repair. It’s a real-world look at how small problems on older vehicles can snowball fast—and why trusting your mechanic matters.
Ron also takes a call on a 2019 Subaru Outback with an intermittent no-start tied to a faulty key fob and immobilizer system, highlighting the importance of full vehicle scans and proper diagnostics in today’s high-tech cars.
Plus: stop-start system discussions, Silverado settings insights, transmission service advice for older vehicles, fuel system cleaning tips, and thoughts on how modern vehicles are moving toward self-diagnosing and self-calibrating technology.
Car advice, done right.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com
Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes

Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel

Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900

Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern



See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DIY Brake Repair Meets Modern Cars: Electronic Parking Brakes, Scan Tools, Ford Ranger Lights & Dodge 600 Questions
Today on Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, Ron opens the hour with a real-world shop story that says everything about where auto repair is headed: what should have been a simple late-model Chevy brake job turned into a scan tool, software update, and electronic parking brake battle just to put the car in service mode. It’s a sharp look at why modern brake repair, DIY car maintenance, and even basic shop work now depend as much on software and subscriptions as wrenches and know-how.
Ron also takes calls on manual transmission fluid choices for a 2003 GMC Sierra, intermittent headlight failure and cruise control issues on a 1994 Ford Ranger, spark plug and maintenance advice for a low-mile 1986 Dodge 600 convertible, and a step-by-step discussion on how to bleed brake fluid properly. If you’ve ever wondered why car repair costs are rising, why late-model vehicles are harder to fix at home, or where today’s automotive technology is taking independent repair shops and DIYers, this hour lays it out.
Car advice, done right.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com
Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes

Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel

Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900

Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern



See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deadman's Curve Carve Show - Hour 1
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, takes the show on the road to the iconic Deadman’s Curve Car Show in Mahwah, New Jersey—where the cars are loud, the stories are louder, and the passion for automotive culture runs deep.
Broadcasting live from the heart of the event, Ron connects with a wide range of guests—from builders and enthusiasts to true icons of the industry and screen. Highlights include conversations with Paul Teutul Sr., sharing insights from the world of custom motorcycles and fabrication, and Candy Clark, reflecting on her role in the classic American Graffiti and the enduring influence of car culture in film and beyond.
It’s a celebration of horsepower, history, and the people who keep it all alive—captured in real time from one of New Jersey’s most beloved car events.
Whether you're a gearhead, a weekend cruiser, or just love a good story, this episode brings the car show experience straight to you.
Car advice, done right—then and now.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com
Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes

Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel

Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900

Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From August 29, 2015 – Hour 2
Ron opens the show with a reflection on the quiet moments in repair shops—and the meaningful conversations that happen between shop owners when the noise fades and experience takes over.
The calls cover a wide range of real-world situations. A listener considers buying a classic Honda CRX, sparking a discussion about what to look for in older vehicles. Another caller with a Honda Accord shares frustration with a dealership experience, leading Ron into a broader take on trust and communication in the repair world.
An email comes in about a Ford Explorer—but instead of fixing a problem, the goal is to dress up “boring” brakes, raising the question of appearance versus performance.
There’s also a maintenance discussion on a Chevrolet Silverado 2500, debating whether oil additives belong in a synthetic oil engine, and a diagnostic call on a Ford F-150 with a running issue that needs a careful, methodical approach.
A look back at the cars, questions, and concerns of 2015—and how much, and how little, has really changed.
Car advice, done right—then and now.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com
Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes

Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel

Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900

Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern



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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 2 of Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor is for the Weekend Wrenchers—the driveway DIYers, toolbox in hand, trying to save money and keep their vehicles going in a world where cars are getting more complicated by the minute.
Ron opens with a look at how today’s technology is changing the do-it-yourself repair game. Oil changes, filters, fluids, and some brake work may still be within reach, but more and more repairs now require scan tools, service mode procedures, and a level of information that can stop even a capable DIYer in his tracks. A real-world story about a late-model GM brake job shows exactly where the line is between determination and frustration.
Calls this hour include advice on waking up a low-mileage 2018 Toyota RAV4 that sat for months, including fluids, battery, tires, and maintenance priorities before putting it back into regular service; help for a Chrysler van with a fuel smell and intermittent stutter that may involve more than one issue; a discussion of a 2010 Ford with a rough idle and scan data questions; and thoughts on where the DIYer fits as manufacturers keep adding layers of electronics and complexity.
It’s a practical hour about what you can still do in the driveway, where modern cars push back, and why knowing your limits is sometimes the smartest repair of all.
Car advice, done right—then and now.
Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com
Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes

Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel

Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900

Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern



See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.