I've been driving very very little this year since limited to housebound by danger from pandemic. My car, usually well-maintained, had its last oil change or inspection of fluids, brakes, etc. in October 2018 (1 1/2 years ago). Yesterday I drove about 3 blocks, in unusual cold and light snow here, braked at stop sign, and car braked only slowly, jerkily, and with bumpy/grindy sound. I stopped, slowly backed up, turned very slowly around--using reverse and 2nd gear--then slowly drove home, turned and down another street, turned and drove back, using 2nd and eventually "Drive" gears, drove into my driveway, parked, then opened my garage door and drove, in 2nd gear, into garage. The car braked okay after that first event when it had jerked/bumped/ground.
What could be wrong? Could it be out of brake or transmission fluid? Could those or some other fluid have been frozen from the cold? (It was about 20 or 25 degrees Fahrenheit outside.) Could it be severely in need of an oil change? Could there be a brake or transmission problem? The car had had a big "check-up"/maintenance inspection, new hoses, oil and fluids change, etc. about 4,000 miles earlier, in July 2018, and been all right then.
Please inform as I'm supposed to get my COVID19 first vaccine shot (because of my age) next 9 days from now, but shall have to drive in heavy traffic (either downtown at 40mph or on freeway at 55-65 MPH) to get there.
Thank you so very much for any suggestions. Please know I'm a woman with little "car fixing" skills, and I dare not have anyone work in the driver's compartment of the car, due to COVID19 risk (to me and person I'm doing care of).
Thank you so very much for any information. One big help would be just to know where, in a 2003 Subaru Outback, to check fluids--including under the hood, which hose/reservoir would hold brake fluid, which is the line for adding oil, which for transmission fluid; that way I can see if any is so low their line/reservoir might be empty--though they seem okay at the under-the-hood level. Thank you!
Paula
What could be wrong? Could it be out of brake or transmission fluid? Could those or some other fluid have been frozen from the cold? (It was about 20 or 25 degrees Fahrenheit outside.) Could it be severely in need of an oil change? Could there be a brake or transmission problem? The car had had a big "check-up"/maintenance inspection, new hoses, oil and fluids change, etc. about 4,000 miles earlier, in July 2018, and been all right then.
Please inform as I'm supposed to get my COVID19 first vaccine shot (because of my age) next 9 days from now, but shall have to drive in heavy traffic (either downtown at 40mph or on freeway at 55-65 MPH) to get there.
Thank you so very much for any suggestions. Please know I'm a woman with little "car fixing" skills, and I dare not have anyone work in the driver's compartment of the car, due to COVID19 risk (to me and person I'm doing care of).
Thank you so very much for any information. One big help would be just to know where, in a 2003 Subaru Outback, to check fluids--including under the hood, which hose/reservoir would hold brake fluid, which is the line for adding oil, which for transmission fluid; that way I can see if any is so low their line/reservoir might be empty--though they seem okay at the under-the-hood level. Thank you!
Paula
Feb 12, 2021 at 4:37 PM
