Answers to your car questions

QUESTION

Hi Mr. O’Sullivan, I am, like most people who write to you for advice, a regular reader of your column. I enjoy reading for your expertise, as well as the ‘gotcha’ moments for those who write with ulterior motives. I have a question for which I hope you will have some advice. Last November, we had our winter tires on rims installed on my wife’s 2015 Honda Civic at Costco. These are the original Bridgestone Bilzzak tires that we purchased when the car was new. They are always stored on a rack in our garage. They look brand new and there’s hardly any wear evident to me, an untrained eye, and that’s why I’m writing for advice. The car only has 115,000 kms and is hardly driven on long journeys in the winter because we use our other car for such trips. When the tires were installed at Costco, the gentleman said that they were ten years old and he recommended that they should be changed next season. Does the age of the tires and not the wear, negate them from being used after 10 years?

Thank you, Mark from Kitchener

ANSWER

Hi Mark! It is a bitter pill to swallow but tires, that are older than six to eight years, are recommended to be replaced even though the tires show considerable tread wear left on them. The reason for this is that the rubber composition in snow tires can degrade over time which can affect the tire’s performance and stability. This is also the problem with summer tires over six years old.

PS: Just a word of caution. If you are thinking of selling your used snow tires based on the tread remaining and knowing and not disclosing that they are around ten years old, might get you into some sort of legal trouble if the person buying and installing the tires should encounter problems with them.

QUESTION

Hi Dennis

I look forward every Friday to your column in the Hamilton Spectator. My question for you is something that has me puzzled every time I fill up my gas tank. The distance to “E” (empty) is always different. Not by a little, I have readings from 584 kms to 708 kms yet I always fill to full the same amount every time. Why such a difference ?

Best Regards, Kym from Rockton

ANSWER

Ever since I can remember, gas gauges

in vehicles have been a contention of concern for many motorists. The official word is that an automotive gas gauge is not an accurate instrument. It is only an indication of how much gas that you might have left in your vehicle’s gas tank. Have you ever noticed that when you fill up your gas tank and then drive, let’s say from your home to Toronto, the gas gauge hardly moves but on the way home, you use a quarter of a tank of gas? Part of the reason for this is gas expansion and the other part is the inaccurate gas gauge. I have told my readers to never rely on the gas gauge when it reaches a quarter of a tank of gas. Sometimes however, on a new vehicle, the gas gauge could be out by many gallons and the dealers have had to replace the gas gauges.

QUESTION

Hi Dennis! I enjoy your columns every week. I get a chuckle when people try to get you to solve their problems when they’re not truthful. I have a 2019 Rav 4 Hybrid. Is it safe to rust proof it at Krown or does that void the warranty?

Thanks, Bill from Dundas

ANSWER

Contrary to what most motorists have been told, Krown rust protection will not void the warranty on any vehicle. I always recommend that you use a credited rust protection provider to do the job for you. There have been some instances when an unqualified rust protection provider has haphazardly rust protected a vehicle which in turn has created a fire hazard and/or a costly electrical fault.

READER’S COMMENT

Hi Dennis! Your answer in the Friday, Feb 16 Waterloo Record was the wisest; most logical; most level-headed and most down to earth (I could go on) response to the climate/environment/ electric vehicle discussion that I have ever seen in the mainstream media! Thanks so much for putting that out there.

I love your column and your answers are so often more than just technical advice e.g. like the time that you had to resolve the argument between a mother’s two sons. You are like the Ann Landers of tech issues! Keep up the great work.

Blessings, Bill Los, Listowel.

MY COMMENT

Thanks Bill for those kind words. Emails like yours help me to overlook a nasty email from a reader like the following: “Mr. O’Sullivan, I read your email on Friday 16 and it is very obvious that you are one of those climate deniers so I hope that you and your family choke on your own car pollution.”

PS: A nasty email from a reader who did not leave their name!

To my readers: Please indicate the town, city or village that you live in. Be advised that unfortunately not all emails can be answered. Send your questions (including address) by email to: dennis.osullivan665@gmail.com