CAR DOCTOR Q&A
Q. I came across your name on the web in an article for headlight bulb longevity. I have a new 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe with standard halogen 9005 bulbs. These lights are pretty poor and got a low IIHS rating. I would like to replace them with some sort of upgraded bulb. My research came across many articles that advise everything from LED bulbs to just brighter standard bulbs. It looks like the best option is to take an older HIR1 bulb from Toshiba and trim the tab, so it fits in a 9005 housing. Are you familiar with these bulbs and is this advised? How long should they last?
Q. There are a couple of issues, the reflector is designed to match the bulb profile. This means the bulbs may be brighter, but they may not be focused properly. Looking at what I could find about the Toshiba bulbs they look slightly bigger than the stock bulbs which could change the lighting pattern. You could try a higher performance bulb such as the Sylvania Silver Star Plus. They will put more light on the road but the overall useful like is in my experience about two years. The other issue is I couldn’t find the bulbs on Toshiba’s website. After doing some additional research it seems (according to enthusiast forums) these bulbs are no longer made by Toshiba and what is for sale are reported to be counterfeit. AAA tests have shown that many vehicles today, the low-beam headlight are ineffective at speeds over 45 miles per hour. For safety, when there are no other vehicles in your path, drive with your high-beams on and dim them in traffic.
Q. My vehicle is a 2013 Jeep Patriot and when I accelerate it whines constantly. The noise is the exact whine you get from lack of power steering fluid. Any ideas what it could be, the power steering fluid is full.
A. The noise could be a faulty power steering pump, wheel bearing that is failing or a badly cupped tire. When diagnosing the issue, does it make the noise if you rev the engine in park? If no, that would rule out the power steering pump and other belt driven parts. A transmission with a badly worn bearing could also be making noise. The best thing to do at this point is go for a ride with a mechanic and point out the noise. Once they have identified the noise, they should be able to give you an estimate of the cost to repair the issue.
Q. MY 2004 Acura TSX with the first start in cold weather it is a slow strained crank. The engine will start by the 4th-5th attempt and then keeps starting. Once started, the car runs normally, and I haven’t (yet) had a problem starting any time after the second of two consecutive warm days. The battery is less than two years old, and the voltage is normal. We also maintain the battery with a charger periodically. When it is hard to start battery-a booster while cranking did not help start. I tested ground points which seemed OK, and the battery negative terminal jumped to engine block ground made no difference. The local autoparts-retailer scan-tool saw “no codes had been saved”. I don’t have the tools or experience to check things like MAF sensor, throttle, valves, spark plugs, fuel filter, pressure, etc., but can at least hear fuel pump when the ignition key is turned on. The car has 125,000 miles on it, although this year I have driven less than 500 miles.
A. The first place I would start is with a proper battery test. A voltmeter is handy, but it won’t tell you the true battery condition. Driving so little (500 miles in a year) I am surprised the car starts as well as it does. The other components you mentioned could cause drivability issues but will not cause the strained starting symptom. The most common problem with this model is the negative battery cable has high resistance causing excessive voltage-drop, and a replacement is usually required. The other common issue is the starter itself is failing. This was fairly common in similar Honda vehicles. Still, I would start with testing the battery when it was fully charged, then the starter and other electrical components.
Q. I’m an older woman and I have 2000 Buick LeSabre and the gas cap is very hard to get off. I have replaced it with a new gas cap from a Buick dealer. I still have problems getting it off to fill the car with gas. The dealer says it not the gas cap but the plastic inside the pipe to fill the tank. My local shop cleaned it and tried a little WD-40 which helped a little but the problem is still there. The Buick dealer tells me that I have to replace the pipe or maybe the gas tank. He estimated the cost to be $600.00 dollars. I was wondering if you have any ideas to solve this problem cheaper than the dealer estimate. I like this old car; it rides nice and is easy for me to drive.
A. A used part may offer some savings. You could also perhaps consider using a tool to reduce the effort needed to remove and replace the gas cap. If you do a search online for “gas-cap” removal tool, you will find something to help. This tool is a little handle with a slot in it and makes it easy for people who have arthritis to tighten and loosen gas caps. Although this won’t fix the problem, it may make the problem less of an issue.
— John Paul, Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Traffic Safety, AAA
Northeast