Is gas line antifreeze necessary in cold weather? | Car Doctor
- When is the best time to replace spark plugs?
- What is 'battery preconditioning'?
- How to repair exhaust after attempted theft of catalytic converter?
Q: Hopefully, we are done with cold weather and snow, but when there is the possibility of having very cold weather, should I put gas line antifreeze in the tank prior to filling up with gas?
A: There was a time when we put gas line antifreeze in on every fill-up. In fact, when I was a kid working at a gas station, we had gas line antifreeze sitting at the gas pump ready to sell.
Today, with better fuel storage and sealed gas tanks (better gas caps) — in my opinion — there is less need for additives.
Now, if you left your vehicle’s gas cap off and it rained, adding gas-line antifreeze would take care of the water in the tank by mixing the main ingredient of the product — alcohol — with the water and fuel in the tank and allowing it to burn harmlessly during normal driving.
To prevent moisture in the fuel tank, simply keep the fuel tank close to full in cold weather. There will be less chance of condensation and possible fuel line freeze-ups.
When is the best time to replace spark plugs?
Q: I took my 2014 Toyota Camry in for routine maintenance, an oil change and a minor tuneup (just spark plugs). I had a feeling it was due, since the car had 105,000 miles on it, but surprisingly there was no engine light coming on or sputtering. How can the spark plugs need replacing if none of those issues occurred?
A: You did the correct things, replacing the spark plugs before you had a check engine light flashing. Following the owner’s manual is the correct thing to do.
Toyota recommends spark plug replacement at 120,000 miles, so you were a bit early, but it was money well spent.
A flashing check engine light indicates a misfire, which could result in damage to the catalytic converter.
Car Doctor:Is synthetic oil really worth the much higher price?
What is 'battery preconditioning'?
Q: I have seen you talk about electric vehicles and how the range is reduced. You mention battery preconditioning and using the seat heater and steering wheel heater rather than the car heater.
First off, what is "battery preconditioning"? Using the seat warmers instead of the heater sounds both inconvenient and dumb.
A: EV battery preconditioning is warming the battery while the car is plugged in, which increases battery efficiency and range.
At the same time, while the car is plugged in, you can also warm the cabin. Depending on how far you are driving and what the temperature is, once the cabin is warm, the seat heaters do a pretty good job of keeping you warm.
We are also seeing more electric vehicles using heat pumps, which are far more efficient than electric resistance-style heaters.
Car Doctor:How can I pinpoint the source of Honda's intermittent TPMS warnings?
Repairing exhaust after attempted theft of catalytic converter
Q: Someone tried to steal the catalytic converter off my Toyota Highlander while it was parked. I work third shift at a hospital, and they must have been interrupted. When I came out, the exhaust was hanging but still there. I had the car towed to a repair shop and they replaced the oxygen sensor and welded the exhaust back in place. Will this be OK?
A: The oxygen sensor wires were probably cut, so it makes perfect sense to replace it. Welding the exhaust pipe back into place was a perfectly acceptable and economical solution to the problem.
Unfortunately, with the high price of precious metals and the lack of documentation at some scrap yards, these thefts may continue for quite some time.
Windows stay fogged up even after rain has stopped
Q: My leased Honda Civic — parked on the street — has moisture on all the windows even after rain has stopped falling. I have to wipe all of them down so I can see to drive. On the front windshield, I can use the wipers. Other cars parked near mine have clear windows. Why does this happen to my car?
A: When warmer, moist air cools (after a rain shower), it eventually gets to a temperature at which it can no longer support all the water and starts to condense. In weather talk, that is the dew point. When this happens, the moisture settles on the colder surfaces.
The other drivers may use their cars more often and there is some residual heat (warmer than the outside air) that may keep condensation from forming.
Car Doctor:Are electric cars the future? Taking a look down the road
The other possibility is built-up wax from a car wash that remains on the windows is causing the moisture to bead and run down the windows.
You might want to try a product such as RainX and Aquapel. These products repel water on glass.
My high school science is a bit rusty. Meteorologists and other scientists, feel free to weigh in on this.
What's causing multiple warning lights on my Buick?
Q: My Buick has been displaying multiple warning lights. The first time was a check engine light that went out after several minutes. Today a parking brake light, engine oil, battery warning, and traction control light. After a few minutes the entire dash display went out and all the warning lights went out. The dash came back on with no warning lights and the car is running fine. It has a 3.6 V6 and 53,000 miles on the clock.
A: The first place to start is to scan all of the modules for codes. Although the display could be faulty, it is more than likely a communications issue between modules. Typically, a connection from the body control module could be being disrupted by another module. In this case, looking for codes is the first place to start.
John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email jpaul@aaanortheast.com and put “Car Doctor” in the subject field. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.