Senior Editor Mike Allen answers readers' car questions. Q: I backed my truck in to a white steel post (right rear quarter panel). It didnt really dent or scratch the truck, but it left about a foot ...

Just recently I took my Commodore back to the dealer because it had a pinging problem. The result after it was checked was not good. It seems was that Holden has relaxed the tolerances on the pistons ...

It should run on 91-octane fuel without pinging; the knock sensor should ensure that it doesn't occur. Running it on higher-octane fuels makes it less prone to pinging, and again the knock sensor ...

Dear Doctor: I own a 2005 Ford Freestar that I purchased with 11,000 miles, and it has always run fine. I recently took it on a 700-mile trip. At highway speeds the engine developed an engine ping. I ...

My first experience with the term “detonation” came from an Air Force training film. It opened with a shot of a B-25 (it was an old film) that was taking off, but apparently ran into trouble because ...

Engine knocking, or detonation, occurs when fuel in the cylinders ignites unevenly, causing metallic pinging sounds, reduced power, and potential engine damage. Key causes include low-octane fuel, ...

Question: Being one of those who marvels every time I turn the switch and the car starts, I would like to know why some vehicles need higher-octane gasoline. Jeffrey Tom: The simple answer is to stop ...