Q-Regarding the answer for the guy who couldn’t read the speedometer in bright sun. I don’t usually expect humor in your answers. Personally, I’d leave that to the Click & Clack guys; however, in either case, I would still prefer an answer of some sort. In this case you might have suggested that the driver simply adjust his speed to that of the other cars around him until such time as the sun conditions once again allow a viewing condition.
—B.L., Hellertown, Pa.
A-In the original question, our reader stated: “I have a 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis with a digital dashboard. When it is dark or cloudy, there is no problem. When the sun comes in the back or side, you can’t tell how fast you are going. Do you have any idea what it could be?” We answered: “We think it could be around 70 mph.”
We have a hunch that your suggested driving technique is how K.J. is currently dealing with the situation. But maybe we should have provided an answer as to why the instruments are hard to see. There could be a problem with the dimmer control; try moving it from dim to bright a few times to see. Or, it could be a problem with the circuit supplying power to the instrument cluster. Nope, nothing funny about that.
Q-I had my 2005 Buick LeSabre serviced last week (about 29,000 miles) and afterwards a service person told me that, at the 30,000 mile service, I should have the ethanol and engine cleaning service done for about $120. This is necessary every 30,000 miles due to engine component build up of “bad doobies” from the ethanol and other gasoline additives. Is this necessary?
—A.T., Thompson, Conn.
A-We have no idea what an ethanol and engine cleaning service is, but most add-on services of this nature are unnecessary at best and damaging at worst. General Motors emphatically advises its dealers not to perform internal engine cleaning since it could lead to premature wear. Nothing funny about this answer.
Q-My 1994 Honda Accord has stalled out twice, once at a stop sign. The car restarted after 6 or 7 attempts. The weather was dry. I took it to my reliable repair shop and they could not find anything wrong. The next time it happened I was driving 50-55 miles per hour, in a snowstorm, on the interstate. Suddenly the car had no power. I coasted to the shoulder, called 911 for help. While waiting for help I got the car restarted after 6 or 7 attempts. I decided to accept the tow to a repair shop in Portage, Wis. They could not find anything wrong. I was told the problem cannot be duplicated in a car repair shop. Is this an electrical problem? The mileage on my car is 139,820.
—D.M., St. Charles, Ill.
A-If you have been driving for awhile before the engine stalls, we suspect something heat related. The first thing that comes to mind is the igniter — the component that switches the ignition coil off and on. Yours is getting quite old and may be more susceptible to heat-induced failure and it is something nobody can see.
Q-I have a 1995 Acura Integra with a 4-cylinder engine. It’s got very close to 100K miles. I can’t find anything in the owner’s manual about changing its fuel filter. Should this be done very soon? (Someone told me it should be changed every 100K.) The same person told me that on these cars you don’t really do tune-ups anymore and that the spark plugs last 100K? Is that true?
—B.L., Winter Springs, Fla.
A-Most vehicles no longer have a replaceable fuel filter. It is now an integral part of the fuel pickup, pump and level assembly. It should never need changing and there is no schedule in your owner’s manual. The spark plugs, however, should be changed at least every 100,000 miles. There are none of the usual tweaks and adjustments formerly associated with a tune-up, yet the term just won’t die.
Q-My daughter has a 2000 Oldsmobile Alero which she purchased new. It now has 165,000 miles on it. The engine usually starts immediately. However, sometimes when you try to start it, the red security light starts blinking and the car won’t start. After about 10-15 minutes, the light goes off and the engine starts. If you try and start it before those 10-15 minutes elapse, it seems the waiting clock starts over and you have to wait an additional 10-15 minutes. Do you have any suggestions on this problem?
—J.F., Joliet
A-It won’t start because the theft deterrent system is activated. If the body control module does not get the correct information from the PassLock system, it sends a signal to the power train control module to disable the engine for up to 15 minutes. Most thieves won’t wait around that long to try again. There may be a problem with the ignition key or the ignition switch.
Q-Regarding the reader with the odor in his 2002 Jeep Cherokee, I’ve had odors in several cars the last few years. The first time was a Lexus SC430 that was so bad I actually had an allergic reaction to the car. In each case it was related to the A/C passenger air filter, and would usually show up when the warm weather with A/C use started each year. I now replace the passenger compartment air filter every spring and spray duct cleaner into the system to keep the problem from returning. At a cost of less than $20 per car and 10 minutes of time it is a real cheap and easy preventive fix.
—E.C., West Hartford, Conn.
A-We are glad you reminded people about the cabin air filter. Although not all cars have them, we agree on changing them in the spring on cars so equipped. It is usually easy enough for a do-it-yourselfer and is located behind the glove compartment.
Bob Weber is an ASE-certified master automobile technician. Send questions to Motormouth, Rides, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 5th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611, or email with name and town to motormouth.trib@verizon.net.
