Dear CarTalk
Your questions... our questionable advice
Ghost in The Dashboard? The Case of the Eerie AC
I have a 2021 Buick Envision. Lately, when I turn the air conditioning on, a low, unearthly moaning sound comes from under the dashboard.
Don't Get Bent Out of Shape From Steering Wheel
When going straight, the steering wheel of my 2014 Acura RDX is turned about 15 degrees to the right. Is this within tolerance, or is there something ...
Why Did Tire Rotation Patterns Change?
Back in the days of bias ply tires, there was a standard X-plus rotation pattern that also involved the spare. When radials came along, we were told t ...
Your Vehicle Doesn't Care How You Start It
I have a 2018 GMC Canyon with 40,000 easy miles and a factory-installed remote starter. I always use the remote starter and am wondering if it makes a ...
Take The Guesswork Out Of Coolant Levels
I drive a 2014 Honda Civic with only 17,300 miles. My knowledge of cars can be summed up by this: When I turn the key and it doesn't start, I know the ...
Nagging Light Ruins Glow of Alternator
I have a 2016 Toyota Highlander Limited with 166,500 miles on it. Recently, the alternator went bad, and being a 75-year-old guy who thinks he can do ...
Starting Your Days With Squeals of Fright
I have a 2017 Lexus GX 460 with about 90,000 miles. My car has been making a squealing noise ever since I had the serpentine belt replaced.
Faulty Switches May Be Causing Radio Glitches
My new used car, a 2016 Honda CR-V, has a radio that turns on and up all by itself. How can this be possible?!
Deciphering Your Audi's Smoke Signals
Black smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe. The Check Engine light is on. Is this the turbo charger?
Rethinking Safe Following Distance
As I'm sure you're aware, for many years, there was a rule for following distance -- namely, you should leave one car length between you and the car i ...
When The Warning Comes Too Late -- or Not At All
What good are the idiot lights on a dashboard anymore? I've had batteries die with no pre-warning, and now I discovered that my car was practically ou ...
Noise Sommelier To Sort Out Your Clicks And Clacks
Why does my early 2000s Honda Civic make a clicking sound while the wheel straightens out?
Mysterious Light Leads To High-Dollar Diagnosis
I have a 2009 Ford Edge with 125,000 miles. It has been very reliable since I did the timing chain, water pump, plugs, etc., at 100,000 miles.
Are Touch Screens Making Cars Less Safe?
My ownership of cars has ranged from the Dark Ages ('66 Triumph Spitfire) to the space age ('20 Chevy Bolt, '22 Subaru Outback). Those later vehicles ...
Modern Hybrids Still Need Old-Fashioned Power
Thank you for your highly informative and fun column -- always a must-read! You recently answered a question from "Simon," who had a plug-in hybrid, a ...
A Mystery Hose and Hard Brakes
I have this hose with a right-angle bend that's coming from behind the battery of our 1998 Mercury Mystique.
How To Silence Annoying Wiper Chatter
I have a 2018 Lincoln Continental. I love the car. The problem is windshield wiper chatter. It's only on the driver's side, and only on the up stroke ...
Bringing A Classic Beetle Back From The Dead
I have a 1965 Volkswagen Beetle I bought for only $400 from a friend in California. The problem is that the short block is frozen, and the engine is d ...
Broken Key in Ignition Will Require Some Searching
My brother has a 2010 Saab with a replacement key that broke off in the ignition. We can't get it out, so we can't start the car. What should we do?
Snow-go for Those 15-year-old Snow Tires
I have a tire question for you. I used to live at 8,000 feet in the mountains of Colorado. I had a double-switchback driveway on a north-facing hill.
