Would someone to come to my home to replace a broken alternator? | Car Doctor

Q: Can I get a repair person to come to my apartment garage and replace a broken alternator?

A: If you are asking if AAA has mobile repair, no, we do not.

AAA will replace a battery and test the alternator and starter but will not replace an alternator.

I have seen some mobile mechanics over the years, but usually the repairs are limited. In fact, the town I live in has one, and they tend to focus on routine maintenance service and brakes.

Depending on the vehicle, an alternator could be easy to replace or take several hours, depending on its location. As an example, a 10-year-old Honda Accord may take 30 minutes to replace the alternator while a 10-year-old Hyundai Sonata could take two hours, due to the part's location.

If you are a AAA member, you could have the car towed to a local AAA-approved auto repair shop. To find a shop near you, go to aaa.com/repair.

What is causing Dodge Caliber to go into 'limp mode'?

Q: I have a 2010 Dodge Caliber that would go into limp mode and have no power. This has happened several times. I never know when or if it would just stop completely and leave me stranded. I had this checked for codes four or five times, but no codes were displayed. I was told that when it stops running, they would find the problem. I had to stop using this car, because I couldn’t wait until it stopped on the road. What do you think of all of this?

A: Limp mode is a type of safety system that allows the car to run and drive at a limited speed to protect the drivetrain from further damage until it can be repaired. Sometimes – and probably in the case of your car – shutting the engine off and restarting it clears the glitch and returns the systems to normal.

Regarding the lack of codes, are you checking the codes with a scanner or are you checking for codes by flashing the key on and off? A scan tool, not just a generic code reader, may give you more insight into the problem.

One common reason these cars go into limp mode is because the transmission starts to overheat. Other possibilities are faulty sensors, low fluid levels and poor electrical connections. Poor electrical connections at the fuse box due to corrosion are also quite common.

How many silver Corvettes with claret interior were made in 1980?

Q: I have a 1980 silver Corvette with a claret cloth interior. I know, in 1980, 4,341 were made in silver and only 1,338 with claret cloth out of the 40,614 in total. You seem to have all the answers. Can you please tell me specifically how many silver Corvettes with a claret cloth interior were made that year?

A: Well, I am sorry to say I am not much help on this. I would try the national Corvette Museum. The museum has an archives division and, according to the website, Betty Hardison is the library and archives coordinator at the museum in Bowling Green Kentucky. Readers, any other suggestions?

How complicated is replacing the headlight bulb on Lexus SC 430?

Q: I thought it was going to be easy to replace the headlight bulb on my 2006 Lexus SC 430. Just open the hood, pull the power cable off the back of the bulb, turn the old bulb to match up the slots (remembering to not touch the bulb end with my fingers) slip in the new bulb and close the hood. Then, I opened the hood and looked where the actual bulb was located. It looks as if I may have to dismantle a good part of the engine compartment to get at the faulty bulb. Is there an easier way to do this switch, or is it just the way they made the car?

A: The short answer is no. Your luxury car uses a HID or Xenon headlight, which is very expensive. The repair procedure is as follows: disconnect the battery, remove the radiator grill, remove the front fender liner, then remove the front bumper cover (have spare clips on hand) and now remove the headlamp unit, remove the two bolts, nuts and clips and disconnect the electrical connections.

For an experienced technician, this will take about two hours.

John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email jpaul@aaanortheast.com and put “Car Doctor” in the subject field. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Would someone to come to my home for auto repairs? | Car Doctor