DENNIS O’SULLIVAN
ANSWERS TO YOUR CAR QUESTIONS
Are wheels of different sizes really interchangeable? Dennis explains the ins and outs of tire substitution.
QUESTION
We have just ordered a Ford Focus (Titanium) with 16” wheels. With this order, we have requested Ford rims with winter tires along with the regular tires. Our request was for the winter tires to be Michelin i3. The sales person said to purchase 15” rims instead of 16” because of the price of the tires. Two questions:
Will this have any bearing on the odometer and will this affect the speedometer? Any information would be appreciated. Bill in Hamilton.
ANSWER
A lot will depend on the type of tire that you are installing. If the fifteen-inch tire and wheel combination is the same (diameter) height as the sixteen inch tire and wheel combination, then there will not be any effect on the odometer or the speedometer.
The manufacturer generally specifies what size of tire should be on your vehicle and those recommendations should be followed. Changing the size of the tires and rims can negatively affect the factory computer settings.
Some new vehicles today can have the vehicle programmed to accept the smaller or larger size tires and rims. If you do decide to go to the smaller size tires and the diameter is changed and your vehicle cannot be reprogrammed then it is going to affect your odometer and the speedometer. Larger size tires and rims will make the speedometer read slower while smaller size tires and rims will make the speedometer read higher.
I would recommend that you stay with the factory recommendations.
QUESTION
My new white Murano has recently developed tiny rust dots on the surface, mainly lower to the ground.
How can I remove them or do I have to go to a body shop to have it done?
Also, what caused this and how can I prevent this from happening in the future? Gail from Hamilton
ANSWER
You first want to find out if the rust spots are or are not related to a factory fault in the paint before you do anything else. Chips in the paint on the lower part of the body are mainly from stone chips from your vehicle’s wheels and/or other vehicles kicking up stones. Gravel roads do play havoc with the paint but many stone chips can be repaired with a small touch-up bottle of paint.
If it is found that the stone chips are coming from your vehicle’s own wheels then you might want to try and fit stone guards, which in many cases will prevent stone chips that originate from the tires on your vehicle.
QUESTION
My neighbour, who is a mechanic, and myself have put us into a little bit of a pickle. I had to replace one of the heater cables on my truck. Everything went okay until we started to reassemble the dash again.
I think that he has reached the end of his mechanical ability because it has been about two weeks since he has made another failed attempt at reinstalling the dash.
I have spoken to a couple of other mechanics and they want nothing to do with the reassembling of the dash.
Do you do this type of work and if not, would you recommend someone that will put my truck together again? Marty from Dunnville
ANSWER
I am sure that if the two of you put your heads together, you will be able to eventually reinstall the dash on your truck. The dash on your truck is plastic so you might want to wait until we get warmer weather before you make that attempt. The only advice that I can give you on where to take the truck is to check with CAA and find one of their recommended heating and cooling shops. Just for your own information, I do not know what your neighbour told you but he is not a licensed technician in this province.