CAR DOCTOR Q&A
Q. I recently had my 2018 Ford Escape back to the dealer and asked about a whirling noise coming from the rear driver’s side door when driver’s door is opened. This does not occur every time so it is hard to pin point. Naturally, it never happens at the dealer’s shop. I was however told that it is a common problem on some Escapes and F150 pickups. They told me it was the fuel pump priming the engine for easier starts. Have you heard of this problem at all? My question to the dealer is what is the fuel pump doing in the door because that is where the noise is coming from. I have also felt the vibration with my hand on the outside of the door once while this was happening. I would appreciate any info you might have on this.
A. Your Ford Escape uses two fuel pumps, a fuel pump mounted in the gas tank and high-pressure pump mounts on the engine. When you open the driver’s door the fuel pump is energized to prime the fuel system for quicker starts. The vibration is traveling through the car. My only concern would be if the noise or vibration becomes more apparent, if that happens, I would have the dealer take a second look at the issue.
Q. My husband has a new VW Jetta. The oil needs to be compatible with VW 508 00. He wants to change the oil himself and I have no idea what to get. Help!
A. Volkswagen uses a specific oil but there are equivalent-non-Volkswagen oil. The oil is a 0W-20 weight fully synthetic oil and according to Volkswagen; Castrol Edge and Valvoline European Full Synthetic as two popular oil brands that would be suitable.
Q. I have a Toyota Camry and I was just wondering if stuck in snow, is it better when trying to get unstuck with the additional weight of a full tank of gas? In the old days we would add sand bags to the trunk for traction.
A. Depends on the car and where the gas tank is located. On a front wheel drive like your Camry that extra 50 pounds of fuel might take a little weight of the drive wheels and reduce traction. With an allwheel-drive or four-wheeldrive vehicle the extra weight could be an advantage and add traction. For me I would rather have a full or close to full tank of gas to avoid running out of fuel in bad weather and become stranded.
Q. Hi Car Doctor, is there any value in switching to a high-flow air filter like a K and N type in my 2013 Chevy Equinox 2.4? I went from a V-8 powered truck to this four-cylinder Equinox and it feels like it could use some additional power.
Now of course I do not believe claims of 20 more horsepower, but anything would help.
A. The 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine in the Chevy Equinox makes respectable 182 horsepower and develops 172 pound/feet of torque. The Equinox is also fairly heavy for a smaller SUV so I can understand it feeling a bit underpowered. My experience is as good as high -flow air filters are, the real benefit is under “wideopen-throttle”. So, unless you drive with you foot to the floor most times you would see little or no benefit.
Q. In a previous column you were talking about electric cars, but no mention of Tesla, Why?
A. I think Tesla’s are good cars, but I have never reviewed one. Although. I have been a passenger once or twice, I have never driven one. For more than 25 years, I have made it a point to only recommend vehicles that I have evaluated.
Q. We are a retired couple, each with his/her own auto, in our late 70s in relatively good shape with just some lack of flexibility common at our age. Between us we drive about 7500 miles per year, mostly local with an occasional long vacation road trip. We have a dedicated, pull in outdoor parking spot in our co-op complex. Because we are thinking of downsizing to a single car, pre-set seat and mirror adjustments are also very important. Over the years we have owned mostly midlevel autos like Camrys, Priuses and one Forester, but we will spend what it takes to be safe and comfortable. My wife has a Toyota Prius and to her the visibility in all directions is poor. So, we are looking for something we could both drive and great visibility. Where should we start?
A. I would look at a compact SUV you will get all the latest safety features and generally good visibility due to the higher seating position. I would look at the Mazda CX-5 or if you wanted something a little fancier the Volvo XC60. Both ride well, handle well and the all-wheel-drive adds extra safety in poor weather. Buying a new vehicle is a personal choice so you have to try them out and see what you think. Also as important as it is the road test the vehicle road test the technology in the vehicle. Does the car have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, how clear is the backup camera, is the lane departure system helpful or annoying? An otherwise good vehicle can feel like a poor purchase if the technology doesn’t work for you.
— John Paul, Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Traffic Safety, AAA
Northeast