CAR DOCTOR Q&A
Q. I have a 2018 Toyota Prius Prime (only 89,000 miles) and twice now I had to add coolant to the engine. When this happens, I don’t get much heat out of the heater and sometimes the check engine light comes on. I add coolant and all is fine again until it isn’t. I took it to a hybrid repair shop, and they told me it could be a problem with the exhaust heat exchanger, and it will be expensive to repair. I purchased this car to save money of gas, not pay for expensive repairs. How common is this?
A. If in fact the exhaust heat exchanger is leaking the repair is covered under the California (most Northeast states) emissions warranty. This warranty covers certain components for 180 months or 150,000 miles whichever comes first. Return to a Toyota dealer and have them check out the problem and reference TSB 0135-19
Q. I am currently leasing a 2019 Honda HRV. Recently, I brought my car in for an oil change to the dealer. They tagged the following for needs immediate attention. Among other things was a $525 charge for a 30,000 mile service. This looked like a lot of checking and minor adjustments. Is this really necessary and is it worth it to have done?
A. Honda doesn’t actually have a 30,000 mile service, rather Honda uses indicator based reminders. Honda uses an algorism to measure certain criteria to signal the owner of the vehicle when certain items need attention. This could be simple oil changes to filter, spark plug and other fluid changes. There are a couple of exceptions, at least once per year change the engine oil and every three years replace the brake fluid. You will find more information about the maintenance reminder in the owner’s manual.
Q. I like to do my own repair work and know that battery condition is important. What car battery tester should I purchase? I prefer one using an iPhone app readout.
A. At AAA we use a tester made by B2Q (https://b2qtech.com) and have found it quite accurate and very fast. For home use it may be a bit expensive. My experience is that you may find digital testers under $100 but the accuracy can vary quite a bit. For years and still used today many technician relay on analog style 125 ampere load testers. They are simple, fairly accurate and in many cases quite reasonably priced. One important aspect of any battery test, the best results come from connecting directly to clean battery posts rather than the cable clamps.
Q. I googled you. I have a real dilemma. I own a 2013 Volvo S60. I bought it from a local dealer but not a Volvo dealership. I have owned the car less than 2 years. One day I was driving, and I got a check engine light however it went off after about 30 minutes. I made an appointment with my Volvo dealership. A couple of days later I was driving and got a light that read “low oil pressure shut engine down now”. I had a mechanic to check my oil and he said it was bone dry. I knew that was impossible due to the fact that I have my car serviced on a regular basis. I had another mechanic to check it and he told me the same. There are no oil leaks, no spots in my garage and no spots in my parking space at work. After doing some research I read that this has happened with many Volvo cars yet Volvo refuses to assist customers who have gone beyond the 50,000-mile warranty. My car has 104,000 miles. I am also reading that Volvo knows this is a manufacture defect. Is there anything that can be done? This is my only vehicle and I am without a car that I depend on.
A. Some Volvo models have had issues with faulty piston rings which in turn cause higher than expected levels of oil consumption. The other issue is the PCV system can become clogged and cause internal crankcase pressure which can also contribute to oil consumption. The PCV system is somewhat complex and a bit pricy but checking it is easy. If this were my nine year old car I would check the oil level at least weekly and add oil as needed to keep from doing any additional damage to the engine.
Q. Any thoughts on the newest truck from Ford the Maverick. I like the idea of a small truck.
A. I haven’t fully evaluated one yet, but first impressions are very positive.
It is a little bigger than I thought it would be and less expensive. The idea of a four-door truck that gets 40 miles per gallon and is priced at $21,000 makes this truck a winner.
Q. I have a 2012 Toyota Tacoma with 160,000 miles on it. I just put new Goodyear Wrangler tires on. Since I had the tires installed, I get a rotational thump as the tire rolls. The noise seems to be coming from the front left and most obvious in two-wheel drive. My brakes are fine, is something getting hung up some were?
A. Just to rule out any issues with the tires, I would switch them front to back. If the noise travels, you know it is a tire issue. If the noise is constant, it is time to take a careful look at brakes, bearings, and axle shafts.
— John Paul, Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Traffic Safety, AAA Northeast