Q. I had a two low tires with nails in them from having a roof put on my house. Now that these tires are plugged are these tires safe or do I need to buy new tires?
A. If the tires were plugged, that is not a permanent or safe tire repair. When a tire is punctured, the tire should be removed from the rim inspected and repaired using a patch plug combination. Once repaired, the tire should be perfectly serviceable.
Q. I recently purchased the nicest car I have ever owned, a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV. It has less than 5,000 miles on it and looks brand new. The problem I’m experiencing is tough to describe but here goes. When I make a “tight” turn (i.e., a 3-point turn) where the wheel is turned to the extreme left or right, I get a sensation as if the wheel is taking a second to “catch.” The only way I can think to describe it is the feeling of a momentary loss of control on ice. The wheel sort of locks up until the turn is completed then returns to normal. Do you know what may be causing this? I want to bring it to the dealer but I’m not sure how to describe the issue.
A. This type of issue/problem is best demonstrated rather that explained. If you can figure out how to get the car to act up on a regular basis, then you can show the service writer or technician exactly what you are experiencing. Volkswagen did issue a technical service bulletin that may address the problem, it is titled Steering Gear Fault- C10AC07. After doing some research it looks like the steering angle sensor may not be able to determine where the steering stops end. The repair requires reprograming of the vehicle’s computer.
Q. We have a 2013 VW Passat, for the past 8 months the check engine light is on. Two mechanics have looked at it and told us engine is okay. They said the light is on because we have only driven 24,000 miles in past 6 years. We live in the city and most of the time we use public transportation. Both mechanics turned the light off, but it came on again after a few hours. We have been driving the car with no problem. However, we want to get bottom of this problem as manual doesn’t give much of guidance. Even dealership’s mechanic was not very helpful. Please give us your advice.
A. If the check engine light comes on the car’s computer system is generating a fault code. The fault code could be the result of a sensor that is outside of its normal operating limit or an actual failure of an associated part. Since the car runs well, my suspicion is the problem is related to the evaporative emissions system. This could be a leaking hose, faulty gas cap or a pump or solenoid. The fault code isn’t the answer to the problem but does help the technician find the source of the problem and clearing the code to shut off the check engine light never fixes the problem.
Q. The rear defroster on my 2006 Chevrolet Impala doesn’t work. There are two fuse boxes in this car. The main fuse box is under the hood and the other is near the passenger seat on the floor. I checked all the fuses, and all seems good. Any thoughts to get this working before we have frost.
A. There are several fuse boxes and relay boxes in cars today. I would start with a few basis diagnostic checks. The switch, fuses and relay (under the hood) and see that they are all functioning. Then from this point the wiring from the relay to the rear window needs to be checked. Some of these models had an issue with the relay box and connections inside the car. Moisture, snow and salt collects at the connector. When this happens, the wire overheats. A visual inspection of this connector will tell you if there is a problem. If you find that to be the case, cutting out the poor connection and splicing in a wire would be the simplest permanent repair.
Q. I’m interested in an electric car in the future, but I have some concerns. Can you answer or refer me to where I can find up to date information on EV battery charging stations? Who will be the dominant manufacturer of them in the future? Will all EV charging stations have a universal nozzle to charge any brand of EV or is it more VHS versus Betamax (sorry showing my age)?
A. There are many public charging stations in use today and as we see more electric cars. The majority of current EV owners charge at home using specialized home charging stations or in some cases adapters to electric dryer plugs. I don’t have a Level II charger at home and reply on 110 volt (slow charging) when I road test a battery electric car and it needs a recharge, I have accounts with charging station operators, ChargePoint and EVgo. Using an app on my phone I can usually find a charging station and get a relatively quick charge depending on the car. Tesla has their own network of charging stations. Tesla also uses their specialized plug, although with adaptors Tesla owners can recharge nearly anywhere. There is talk that Tesla may open up their Super Stations to all EV owners.
Q. I have a 2008 Jeep Commander it is the third car in the family and is relegated to winter driving and home improvement store trips. The truck acts like it is going to die once it is started and is turned off and back on again. When it first starts it is fine unless it’s been driven. Help!
A. A couple of items worth looking at are exhaust gas recirculation valve (it could be sticking open once the engine gets warm). The second item and it can be checked with a scan tool is the crankshaft sensor. The crankshaft sensor has been problematic and will either cause a no-start condition or poor running after a restart.
— John Paul, Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Traffic Safety, AAA Northeast
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Questions and answers from the ‘Car Doctor’ - The Saratogian
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