Expert: John Kingery - 8/3/2008

Question
After a rainstorm,when I go to start my car,idle is a little rough,brakes are "soft"(feel slow to stop)BUT SMOKE billows from exhaust.Idrive it forward and back -30 yards exhaust smoke ends after 10 minutes and brakes are fine when I drive forward on the street./Next rainstorm same problem.Can you help?

Answer
Likely nothing.

Idle should actually be a tad better in the rain.  You may be more sensitive to it then.

Brakes, if wet, take a bit longer to stop.  That's normal.

Is it really smoke that's billowing?  If it's only during the rain, it's likely just the exhaust being caught up in 100% humidity.

Don't sweat it, unless the same symptoms are there when it's not raining.