Q. Each weekend I try to look under the hood of my car like my dad told me to and noticed that the brake fluid was a little low. It was time for an oil change and went to a quick lube. When I got the car back, the brake fluid was still low. I asked why they didn’t top it off, the manager said they don’t top off brake fluid and said not to worry about it. What is your take on this?
A. Brake fluid can be low for a couple of reasons. The most common are as the disc brake pads wear, the brake fluid level will go down. The second most common reason is there is a leak. I suspect the quick lube place does not add to fluid for some liability fear of contaminating the brake system. Mistakenly adding a petroleum product will swell seals and destroy the brake system. If this were my car I would check the overall brake condition, removing all four wheels and checking brake pad wear. Then look for any signs of leaking, if all looks ok, then top off the brake fluid with the proper type from a sealed container.
Q. I have a 2007 Honda Civic that I want to install new spark plugs in. The car has 47,000 miles. I tried removing one plug and it is not budging. I don’t want to use too much force and break the spark plugs. Is there a way to safely remove them without damage?
A. Always a little tricky, but start with a cold engine and apply penetrating oil and let it soak in half an hour, then do it again and let it soak in. My two favorite penetrating oils are PB Blaster and KROIL. Try to loosen the plug if you get any movement tighten it back up a little. Repeat this loosening and tightening until the spark plug is free. I have seen people use impact wrenches and heating and cooling the spark plug, but over the years, this method has always worked for me.
Q. I have a 2003 Dodge Durango, that I put an Optima battery in back in September of 2015. It’s going on nine years old. I had it checked last year, and it passed. The truck is garage kept and it starts every morning. Do you think I should buy a new one based on age and do most batteries last this long?
A. The average life of a battery in the Northeast is just short of five years. Cycling a battery (allowing it to discharge periodically) is one of the main reasons that batteries fail prematurely. As a bit of an experiment one of our cars is a 2015 (30,000 miles) Volkswagen with a battery that was manufactured in 2014 and lasted until the spring of 2023. I attribute the long life to keeping the car on a battery maintainer when not in use. Should you replace a functioning nine-year-old battery just due to age, the answer is most likely yes. I would only vary from this if the battery is tested periodically and you carry a jump pack when that battery ultimately fails.
Q. I have a 1999 Chevrolet Astrovan with the 4.3-liter V-6 engine. The truck only has 90,000 miles on it. Can I use 10W-30 oil instead of the recommended 5W-30 oil and would you recommend high mileage oil even with the relatively low miles?
A. Chevrolet recommends 5W-30 oil but does list 10W-30 oil as an alternative. If this were my truck I would use the 5W-30 in the cold weather months and the 10W-30 in the warm weather months. Considering the age of the truck using high mileage oil will help keep the aging seals and gaskets pliable and perhaps prevent leaking.
Q. I recently bumped into the back of a slow-moving car and the damage estimate is $2,800 out of pocket. I only have liability coverage; would it be wise to add collision and comprehensive coverage to my Policy?
A. Always a hard question to answer, you need to look at the value of the car and the cost of the coverage. In the “old days” if the cost of the coverage was half the cost of the car it really didn’t make sense since the insurance company would total the car. Today, with car prices still very high, even an older car could be worth $10,000 or more. If your car is only worth a few thousand than makes sense to drop the coverage, but like many things in life it is just a personal choice.
Q. Can an oil change impact fuel economy? It seems like whenever I have the oil changed in my car, it runs better, and the fuel economy is higher.
A. Changing the oil will not have any negligible effect on fuel consumption but maintenance will. The better ride and improved fuel economy could be due to something as simple as adjusting the air pressure in the tires. Low tire pressure will result in lower fuel economy and poor handling.
Q. My car has a noisy belt and years ago I would use hand soap and coat the belt and it would quiet down. Is that something I can do with these wide ribbed belts?
A. Adding soap lubricated the belt and actually cased it to slip more, just quietly. The engine drive belts are one of the most important items on cars today. Unlike older cars that had multiple belts that ran various pumps, alternator and other accessories. Today the serpentine belt does all the work. Although belts last much longer than ever they do wear out. If the belt is worn, frayed or glazed, replace it and at the same time check the belt tensioner, which could be nearing the end of its life.
Got a car question, email the Car Doctor for a personal reply. jpaul@aaanortheast.com
