Q I had a Mazda that developed a bad oil leak and left a large pool of oil on my garage floor. I put some sand on the puddle to absorb it and shoveled the oil-soaked sand into a bucket. How do I safely dispose of this?
L.P., Oak Park
A Whenever you have questions about hazardous household waste disposal, the first place to check is earth911.com, where you’ll find answers to almost any question.
You may safely dispose of it in your trash if you seal it in a leak-proof container, but we suggest you contact your city or village about waste collection. The Oak Park Public Works Department can be reached at 708-358-5700 or PublicWorks@oak-park.us.
By the way, cat litter works better than sand. The litter is granulated clay that absorbs the oil. If you grind it into the concrete, it usually leaves the floor quite clean. Automotive shops use the same stuff, but it is sold under names such as Oil-Dri instead of Fresh Step.
Q I have a 2003 Lincoln Town Car. Late last year, it developed an electrical problem in the instrument cluster. During the day, the instruments are visible. But when we turn on the headlights, they are out or flickering. The Ford dealership said we need to replace the cluster. We have been waiting for the part for more than two months. Why can’t the dealer get this part?
S.M., Warrenville
A Some parts are hard to find because they rarely fail, leaving fewer in the pipeline. It is often quicker to send them out for repair than to wait until a new part is found, but some dealers are reluctant to use aftermarket remanufactured parts.
A technician friend sends his customers’ instrument clusters to Southern Electronics Inc. Visit instrumentclusters.com or call 800-446-2880.
Q Since being widowed, I have owned a 2002 Toyota Camry XLE with 58,000 miles and a 2006 Cadillac SRX real-wheel drive with 23,000 miles. I would like to trade both in for an all-wheel-drive SRX. I love my SRX, but dealers tell me it is not that safe to drive in the snow. Should I look for a good, used AWD SRX with heated seats etc? I want to cover the cost with the two cars without adding money.
G.W., St. Charles
A You appear to have answered your own question. Buying a loaded, but used, AWD SRX is a good idea. We investigated the Kelley Blue Book valuations at kbb.com, and the Camry in good condition is worth roughly $6,550 on trade-in and $7,850 if you sold it outright. Those amounts could change depending on condition and equipment. Likewise, the Caddy is valued at $16,675 on trade-in and $17,860-$18,860 when sold outright. So you could trade both in on the AWD SXR without paying more if you have good horse-trading skills.
Q Is there any way to tell whether oil is synthetic or natural once it is the car? I had my oil changed and paid for synthetic but am not sure if that’s what they used.
C.T., Chicago
A We wish it were as simple as tasting it or rubbing it between your fingers, but it’s not. Short of a laboratory analysis, you can’t tell the difference.
Q I own a 2008 Toyota Highlander with 35,000 miles. The original Toyo P245/55 tires are terrible on snow as are the only alternative (Bridgestone H400). One tire shop suggested Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza HL 255/55 as a suitable substitute. Would you recommend this size tire? How will it affect the speedometer and mileage? Can it be a problem to other components due to the fact that the new tire is larger than the original?
R.N., Skokie
A We have no experience with that tire. But Kurt Berger, manager of consumer products engineering at Bridgestone, explained: “The unusual sizing of the Highlander OEM tire does present customers with few replacement options. The 255/55R19 Dueler HL Alenza is only slightly larger in overall diameter than the P245/55R19 (30 inches vs. 29.6 inches), however this is only a 1.4 percent increase, which is within an acceptable range and should not impact the vehicle function in any way.
“I do not, however, have any specific information that would allow me to compare the winter traction of the Dueler HL Alenza with the Toyo original equipment tire. The Toyo and the Bridgestone tires are both highway all-season tires and, while they do provide traction for winter, they are not dedicated winter tires and, as such, will not provide optimum snow/ice traction. Most tires in the size range do not have aggressive tread patterns designed for severe winter conditions.”
Q What happened to Jim Mateja? He just disappeared.
J.H., Chicago
A Jim didn’t disappear; he retired March 28. But just from the daily grind. An editor’s note in the Rides section that day explained that he would still pitch in now and then. That’s good, because we miss him too.
Bob Weber is an ASE-certified master automobile technician, having recertified every five years since 1978. Address your questions about cars and trucks to Motormouth, Rides, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60611. Send e-mail with name and town to motormouth.trib@verizon.net. Answers will be supplied only through the newspaper or online.
