Car Doctor Q&A

Q With retirement and the pandemic, I drive only about fifty miles a week. The gas in my tank lasts for seven to eight weeks. With so little use, will the gasoline get stale? A Replenishing the gas in the tank every eight weeks, it is not likely to become stale. Although it certainly couldn’t hurt to purchase some gasoline stabilizer and add a few ounces when refilling the tank. Gasoline stabilizer is the same additive that many people use in there seasonal power equipment. It would also be better to refill your car’s tank when it gets down between one half and one quarter full. Driving with a nearly empty fuel tank can shorten the life of some fuel pumps.

Q You have been kind enough to answer a question or two for me in the past concerning my other vehicle. I now have an issue with my 2005 Nissan Frontier 4x4 truck that has 192,000 miles. The “service engine soon” light stays on. The shop first replaced the oxygen sensor as that was the code indicated. I thought the truck was fixed but after a few days the light came back on. They then installed a new gas cap as the code indicated a problem with the evaporative emissions system, but again after a few days the light came back on. I am calling them back today to report the light is still on. They are a reputable shop that only works on import vehicles and they have always treated me fairly. The truck is due for an inspection in October and I would like to ensure it passes. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations of what to do next? A I’m suspicious, the second issue with the evaporative emissions system (EVAP) is probably the cause. At this point the next bit of diagnostics once the codes are read is to “smoke-test” the EVAP system. A machine pumps synthetic smoke into the system and basically, the technician looks for leaks. It is a little more involved than it sounds. the technician needs to actuate some of the valves/solenoids to look for problems. The most common repair for this model is the EVAP canister and solenoid.

Q My car started pulling to the right. What was interesting it just started, I didn’t hit a pothole or curb, the car just started pulling to the right. What can cause this to happen and is it expensive to repair?

A The issue can be a simple as a low tire and that is the first place to start, checking and adjusting the tire pressure. The problem can also be caused by a faulty brake caliper, dragging slightly causing the car to pull to one side. A badly worn suspension part or even a tire with a condition known as conicity can cause pulling. A good shop will start with an overall check of the tires, brakes and suspension and then check the wheel alignment.

Q After 10 years as a supermarket employee my car looks like it was used for batting practice, there are dents and dings everywhere. Short of living with its appearance and short of painting the entire car is there anything I can do to get the car to look better?

A Depending on the damage you may find that a thorough buffing of the paint with polishing compound followed with waxing may make a big improvement. Now of course this won’t remove the dents but cleaning up the paint transfer and dirt from the damaged area may make the dents less obvious. If the paint isn’t cracked or chipped, you could try paint-less dent removal. These technicians massage out the dents from the back of the affected panel and generally the results are quite good.