An elusive owner’s manual
Q: I read the item (aboutPDFowner’s manuals) with interest. I was in that situation when I boughtmy 2019 HondaAccord. Iwrote to Honda that, when I am on the road and find I need to refer to the manual for example to understand awarning light, I do notwant to have to squint at aPDF onmy phone to see what’s what. Iamnot a Luddite, but Iwant a book I can open, find the index, and find what I need. They printed out a bound manual formeat no charge.
M.H., Racine, Wisconsin
A: I too prefer hard copies. I am not a technophobe (andwould not have joined a mob trying to burn down a stocking factory), yet when recently installing a mesh router, I printed out the manual— double sided, or course. My newspaper even arrives in a box near the road.
Q: About the small “owner’s manual” in the glove compartment rather than the full deal, it’s a trend for everything these days. One option is sending thePDFto one of the online print shops and get a hard copy made. I ask for “booklet” size (fits better with the gloves) and spiral bound (stays open to a particular page).
J.D., West Dundee, Illinois
A: Great idea.
Q: My 2016 Lincoln MKCdisplay says “system off to save battery.”
The dealer replaced the battery underwarranty with a newone, but the same message appeared. I’m concerned it will appear again when out of warranty and this model vehicle is discontinued. Should I be concerned that this is a software problem and there is no download to update available fromthe manufacturer?
R.M., Crystal Lake, Illinois
A: Your car is actually behaving normally. In order to prevent the battery from discharging to the point that you can no longer start the car, it shuts down nonessential systems. This happens mostly with cars that are not frequently driven, especially in very cold environments. One thingwewould have checked, however, is the charging system. The battery needs to be at full charge when you shut down the engine.
Q: I owna 2006 CadillacDTSwith theNorthstarV-8 and 98,000 miles. The vehicle runs exceptionallywell and the engine has only been serviced by the Cadillac dealer. The vehicle has begun to cut off while in drive with nowarning and no check engine light. It starts back up and runs perfectly forweeks or months. Amechanic did a diagnostic test but there were no code errors. What systems should I investigate?
A.T., Chicago
A: Caddy dealers have very sophisticated testing equipment and in the hands of awell-trained technician it can provide a ton of information. Stuff like short term and long term fuel trim. Yeah, it is rocket science. Systems can be observed in real time as well as report older data. Not every problem sets a trouble code, only those that have something to do
with emissions. Of course, that covers a lot of ground. If you dealer doesn’t have techs with up-to-date training, seek another dealer.
Q: MyToyota Camry Solara convertible has 72,316miles and I’m concerned about when I should replace the timing belt. I’ve been told the belt probablywon’t last for much longer than 72,000 mile and if it breaks, it will cause severe (expensive) damage.
What are your thoughts?
B.M., Wilmington, Massachusetts
A: The four-cylinder engines have timing chains and the V-6s have belts, so it depends on your engine. For belts, we suggest replacement sometime between 75,000 and 100,000 miles. It should be stated in your owner’s manual, if you can find it.