DENNIS O’SULLIVAN

A Kitchener reader wants to know if the leaky oil filter that led to the loss of about a litre of engine oil spells disaster for his car’s motor.

QUESTION

I had the oil changed at a local fast lube outlet and on the following day, there was oil on the driveway. When I checked the oil, I found that it was down about one litre so I called the garage and told them about the oil on the driveway and the fact that the engine was down about one litre of oil. They told me to bring the car back, which I did. They put the car up on the hoist and found that the oil filter was leaking.

I asked them if the defective oil filter had any effect on the engine and they said that it did not but others have told me that there could have been internal damage as a result of the defective oil filter.

My concern is whether I, down the road, have anything to worry about?

I also asked them about the oil on the driveway and they told me to just wash it down. This is not good for the environment I suspect.

What do you think? Sam from Kitchener ANSWER

Your address is only two kilometers from the garage so there is little chance that the leaking oil filter, that lost about one litre of oil, has caused any internal damage to your vehicle’s engine. To put your mind at ease, I have asked the garage to give you a letter in writing stating that the oil filter was leaking externally and that they did replace it for you.

The filter was leaking externally so I suspect that most of the lost oil leaked out while driving home. The garage has told me that your driveway is gravel so there isn’t much one can do for the oil that leaked onto it. QUESTION

I purchased a used car about twenty days ago and the alternator had to be replaced while I was up at the cottage. I brought the old alternator back so the used car dealer could see that it was replaced but they told me that the alternator is not part of the safety and are not willing to do anything for me.

Do you think that they have a responsibility to at least pay for half the cost of the alternator replacement? Donna from Hamilton ANSWER

Unfortunately, things do wear out on a ten-year-old car and since there wasn’t any applied warranty on the car, the used car dealer does not have to pay for any of the alternator repair. I also understand that this is your family’s third car purchased from them so a goodwill gesture certainly would be advisable and they agreed. You will be able to pick up a cheque for fifty dollars towards the cost of the alternator. QUESTION

I have a 2012 Ford Focus and I suspect that someone, other than myself, has a key for the car. The reason that I say this is that I have at times noticed that the car has been moved from where I parked it the night before.

I understand that this car has a factory security system and when I asked my dealer to check to make sure that it was working, they told me that it was going to cost around one hundred and fifty dollars to check out the system.

I have the original two keys that came with the car so there isn’t any chance that someone else is driving the car with one of my keys.

There are only three people in the house, my seventeen-year old grandson – who has his own car – and my wife. I have stopped mentioning this to my family because they think that I am paranoid after I complained that it had been moved a few times.

Do you know of a way to check out the security system to see if it is working without having to spend so much money? Bob from Lincoln ANSWER

You have not fully specified where you park your car but I suspect that you are having this problem in your own driveway. I do not know how often you believe that the car is being moved without your consent but the first thing that I would do, without spending any money, is to take note of the kilometers on the car when you park it and/or just chalk mark the tires.

If you then believe that the car has been moved and the kilometres are the same, there is a chance that someone in the house is moving the car around to get their car out of a parking space or into a parking space.

Your car is equipped with a factory security system called SecuriLock. This factory system is a passive security system that does not require you to do anything other than remove the key from the ignition cylinder. There are two ways to check the SecuriLock system without spending a lot of money. You can either have the dealer or a locksmith cut a non-transponder key to operate the ignition cylinder and this key should not start the vehicle but it will turn the ignition cylinder to the on position.

The other method is to remove the plastic cosmetic steering column covers and just disconnect the SecuriLock system and try to start the vehicle. I would check the kilometers and/or just chalk the tires and not spend any money or accuse anyone until you again approach the family to see if they are moving your car to jockey their cars around.