You've got a VF. Maybe it's new to you. Maybe it's been in your garage for years. Either way, you're wondering: What actually needs fixing, and what can I skip?
Here's the truth most VF owners don't realize until it's too late: Your car will tell you what it needs. But you've got to listen.
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mR` – ~:= r92?86Di w@H ~7E6? 2?5 (9J xE |2EE6CDk^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%9:D :D H96C6 >@DE 'u @H?6CD >6DD FA]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 >2?F2= D2JD `_[___ <:=@>6E6CD] !6@A=6 E9:?< E92EVD 2 DF886DE:@?] xEVD ?@E] %92EVD J@FC 6?8:?6VD 24EF2= C6BF:C6>6?E 7@C DE2J:?8 2=:G6]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m$<:A @:= 492?86D 2?5 J@FVC6 8C:?5:?8 >6E2= @? >6E2= :?D:56 J@FC 6?8:?6] %96 @:= 86ED 5:CEJ[ =@D6D G:D4@D:EJ[ DE@AD AC@E64E:?8 362C:?8D 2?5 4J=:?56CD] tG6?EF2==J D@>6E9:?8 3C62<D 42E2DEC@A9:42==J] %92EVD ?@E 2 C6A2:C] %92EVD 2? 6?8:?6 C6A=246>6?E]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mRa – %:C6 #@E2E:@? 2?5 #6A=246>6?E $4965F=6k^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m*@FC E:C6D 2C6 =:E6C2==J H96C6 J@FC 42C >66ED E96 C@25] tG6CJE9:?8—3C2<:?8[ 92?5=:?8[ 2446=6C2E:@?—56A6?5D @? E96>]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%:C6 C@E2E:@? 6G6CJ a_[___ <:=@>6E6CD <66AD H62C 6G6?] $<:A E9:D 2?5 @?6 E:C6 H62CD EH:46 2D 72DE 2D E96 @E96CD] *@FVC6 C6A=24:?8 E96> D@@?6C 2?5 J@FC 92?5=:?8 DF776CD] #@E2E6 E96> 2?5 J@FVC6 =@@<:?8 2E e_[___Z <:=@>6E6CD @FE @7 2 8@@5 D6E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%:C6 AC6DDFC6 >2EE6CD] r964< :E >@?E9=J H96? 4@=5] &?56C\:?7=2E65 E:C6D H62C 72DE6C 2?5 :?4C62D6 7F6= 4@?DF>AE:@?] ~G6C\:?7=2E65 E:C6D H62C :? E96 >:55=6 2?5 >2<6 J@FC C:56 92CD9] %96 C:89E AC6DDFC6 :D @? J@FC 5@@C ;2>3 @C 7F6= 5@@C]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m|@56C? H966=D >2EE6C E@@] (96? :EVD E:>6 7@C ?6H E:C6D[ FA8C25:?8 J@FC H966=D 492?86D J@FC H9@=6 5C:G:?8 6IA6C:6?46]k^DA2?m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]5:D4@F?E65H966=H2C69@FD6]4@>^H966=D^D:K6D^`g\:?49QmkDA2?m`g :?49 C:>D 2C6 E96 36EE6C @AE:@?k^DA2?mk^2m kDA2?m3642FD6 E96J 2C6 =:89E 6?@F89 E@ :>AC@G6 92?5=:?8[ H:E9 6?@F89 D:56H2== 7@C 2 4@>7@CE23=6 C:56] {:89E6C H966=D >62? 36EE6C DFDA6?D:@? C6DA@?D6[ BF:4<6C 2446=6C2E:@?[ 2?5 D9@CE6C 3C2<:?8 5:DE2?46D] xEVD ?@E ;FDE 4@D>6E:4D] xEVD 9@H J@FC 42C 24EF2==J 5C:G6D]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mRb – qC2<6 |2:?E6?2?46 2?5 $276EJ r964<Dk^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mqC2<6D 2C6 2 D276EJ DJDE6>] !6C:@5]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mr964< J@FC 3C2<6 A25D 6G6CJ c_[___ <:=@>6E6CD] %96J D9@F=5 36 2E =62DE b>> E9:4<] %9:??6C E92? E92E 2?5 J@FVC6 H62C:?8 :?E@ E96 C@E@C[ H9:49 86ED 6IA6?D:G6 72DE] *@FV== 962C DBF62=:?8 H96? A25D 86E E9:?] s@?VE H2:E 7@C E92E D@F?5] r964< 367@C6 J@F 962C :E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mqC2<6 7=F:5 23D@C3D >@:DEFC6 @G6C E:>6] tG6CJ EH@ J62CD[ 92G6 :E 7=FD965 2?5 C6A=2465] r@?E2>:?2E65 3C2<6 7=F:5 C65F46D DE@AA:?8 A@H6C] %92EVD 2 D276EJ :DDF6]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mx7 J@FC 'u 766=D DA@?8J H96? J@F 3C2<6 @C E2<6D =@?86C E@ DE@A[ 5@?VE :8?@C6 :E] v6E 3C2<6D 4964<65 :>>65:2E6=J] qC2<6 72:=FC6 :D?VE D@>6E9:?8 J@F H2?E E@ 5:D4@G6C 2E e_ >A9]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mRc – w625=:89E #6A=246>6?E 2?5 ':D:3:=:EJk^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m*@FC 'uVD 9625=:89ED 7256] xEVD ?@E 2 >2EE6C @7 :7[ :EVD H96?]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mr964< E96> >@?E9=J] %FC? E96> @? :? J@FC 82C286 2E ?:89E 2?5 =@@< 7@C J6==@H:?8 @C 5:>?6DD] x7 J@FVC6 D66:?8 =6DD =:89E E92? 367@C6[ E92EVD J@FC D:8?2=]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m$E@4< 'u 9625=:89ED 2C6 @=5 E649 3J a_ae DE2?52C5D] %96J J6==@H] %96J 5:>] }:89E 5C:G:?8 86ED H@CD6] qFE 96C6VD H92E >@DE A6@A=6 >:DDi $276EJ >2EE6CD >@C6 E92? @C:8:?2= 6BF:A>6?E] w625=:89ED E92E 24EF2==J H@C< <66A J@F 2?5 @E96C 5C:G6CD D276]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m(96? J@FVC6 C625J E@ C6A=246 E96>[k^DA2?m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5>D\6?8:?66C:?8]4@>]2F^4@==64E:@?D^27E6C>2C<6E\DEJ=6\9625=:89EDQmkDA2?m9625=:89ED C6A=246>6?E 2C6 H@CE9 4@?D:56C:?8k^DA2?mk^2mkDA2?m] {ts E649?@=@8J :D 3C:89E6C[ H9:E6C[ 2?5 =2DED =@?86C E92? DE@4<] *@F D66 36EE6C 2E ?:89E] ~E96C 5C:G6CD D66 J@F 36EE6C] %92EVD ?@E @AE:@?2=] %92EVD 6DD6?E:2=]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mRd – r@@=2?E u=FD9 2?5 t?8:?6 r@@=:?8 $JDE6>k^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m*@FC 'uVD 4@@=:?8 DJDE6> <66AD E96 6?8:?6 7C@> 4@@<:?8 :ED6=7] u2:= 2E E9:D 2?5 J@FVC6 =@@<:?8 2E 6?8:?6 52>286 :? >:?FE6D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mr964< 4@@=2?E =6G6= >@?E9=J H96? E96 6?8:?6 :D 4@=5] {@H 4@@=2?E >62?D =6DD 4@@=:?8 42A24:EJ] *@FC 6?8:?6 CF?D 9@E] %96C>@DE2E 2?5 H2E6C AF>A H@C< 92C56C] %9:?8D 3C62<]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mx7 J@FC E6>A6C2EFC6 82F86 4C66AD FA @C J@F D66 DE62>[ AF== @G6C :>>65:2E6=J] s@?VE <66A 5C:G:?8] p? @G6C962E:?8 6?8:?6 364@>6D 2 5625 6?8:?6 72DE]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mRe – pFE@>2E:4 %C2?D>:DD:@? u=F:5 $6CG:46k^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mpFE@>2E:4 EC2?D>:DD:@? 7=F:5 5@6D >F=E:A=6 ;@3D] xE 4@@=D E96 EC2?D>:DD:@?[ AC@G:56D 9J5C2F=:4 AC6DDFC6 7@C D9:7ED[ 2?5 AC@E64ED :?E6C?2= 4@>A@?6?ED] s:CEJ 7=F:5 >62?D C@F89 D9:7ED[ 56=2J65 C6DA@?D6D[ 2?5 6G6?EF2= 72:=FC6]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mr92?86 2FE@>2E:4 EC2?D>:DD:@? 7=F:5 6G6CJ e_[___ <:=@>6E6CD] s@?VE DEC6E49 E9:D] x7 J@FC D9:7ED 766= 92CD9 @C 56=2J65[ 7=F:5 :D FDF2==J E96 4F=AC:E] uC6D9 7=F:5 7:I6D E92E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mp EC2?D>:DD:@? C63F:=5 4@DED Sb[___\d[___] uC6D9 7=F:5 6G6CJ e_[___ <:=@>6E6CD 4@DED Sad_\c__] s@ E96 >2E9]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9a 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mRf – |2?F2= %C2?D>:DD:@? u=F:5 $6CG:46k^DA2?mk^9am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m|2?F2= EC2?D>:DD:@? 7=F:5 :D D:>A=6C] xE ;FDE =F3C:42E6D 862CD 2?5 362C:?8D] r92?86 :E 6G6CJ g_[___ <:=@>6E6CD]k^DA2?mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m{:DE6? 7@C 8C:?5:?8 H96? D9:7E:?8] u66= 7@C ?@E49:?6DD :? E96 D9:7E6C] s:77:4F=EJ 7:?5:?8 862CD] %9@D6 2C6 D:8?D J@FC 7=F:5 ?665D 492?8:?8] uC6D9 7=F:5 FDF2==J 7:I6D :E] x8?@C6 :E 2?5 J@FVC6 =@@<:?8 2E 4=FE49 H@C< @C H@CD6]k^DA2?mk^Am
