WCCO's Car Care Jan 17, 2026

Changing Aging Tires, Antifreeze Answers, Jumpstarting Tips

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28:32

Term

dry rotting

Dry rotting is when rubber tires start to break down and crack because they've been exposed to sunlight and air for a long time. This can make the tires unsafe to drive on.

Car

Nissan XTerra

The Nissan Xterra is a type of SUV made by Nissan. It's designed for off-road driving and has a tough look.

Part

airbag sensor

An airbag sensor helps the car know when to inflate the airbag in an accident. If it doesn't work, the airbag might not deploy.

Part

corroded bolt

A corroded bolt is a metal piece that has rusted and become weak. This can make it hard to take out when fixing something.

Car

Lexus 350E

The Lexus 350E is a luxury car made by Lexus in 2005. It's designed for comfort and has many high-end features that make driving enjoyable.

Car

Ford F150

The Ford F-150 is a large truck that can be used for many purposes, like carrying heavy loads or towing. The 1995 version is one of the older models in a long line of F-150 trucks.

Part

e-brake

The e-brake, also known as the parking brake, is what you use to keep your car from rolling when it's parked. It works differently than the regular brakes you use while driving.

Part

cable

The cable is a part that connects the parking brake to the brakes on the wheels. It helps pull on the brakes when you pull the lever to park the car.

Term

parking brake

The parking brake is what you pull to keep your car from rolling away when it's parked. It's an extra brake that helps secure the car in place.

Term

emergency brake

The emergency brake is a special brake that helps keep your car from rolling away when parked. You pull a lever or push a pedal to use it, and it works separately from the regular brakes.

Term

rust

Rust is what happens when metal gets wet and starts to break down. It's a common problem in older cars, especially if they haven't been taken care of properly.

Term

brake shoes

Brake shoes are parts inside the brakes of a car that help stop the wheels from turning. When you press the brake pedal, they push out against a drum to slow the car down.

Term

Antifreeze is a liquid that helps keep your car's engine cool and prevents it from freezing in cold weather. The color of the antifreeze can be important because it can tell you what type it is and if it's safe to use in your car.

Car

Hyundai Elantra

The Hyundai Elantra is a small car that is good on gas and has a nice interior. The 2013 version is one of the models you can find, and it's known for being dependable.

Term

alignment rack

An alignment rack is a tool that helps mechanics check if a car's wheels are pointing in the right direction. If they're not, it can cause problems with how the car drives and how quickly the tires wear out.

Car

Toyota 4Runner

The Toyota 4Runner is a type of SUV that is good for driving off-road and has a strong build. It's a favorite for people who like outdoor adventures.

Term

cruise control

Cruise control helps you drive at a constant speed without needing to press the gas pedal. It's useful for long drives on highways.

Term

distance sensor

A distance sensor helps the car know how far away it is from other objects. This is important for safety features like automatic braking or maintaining a safe distance while driving.

Car

Chevrolet Tahoe

The Chevrolet Tahoe is a large SUV that can carry many passengers and has a lot of space for cargo. The 2015 version has a strong engine and comes with modern features for safety and fun while driving.

Term

sensors

Sensors are small devices in cars that help keep track of things like tire pressure and temperature. They send information to the car's computer to help it run better.

Term

winter grade oil

Winter grade oil is a type of oil designed to work better in cold weather. It helps your car start more easily and protects the engine when it's cold outside.

Term

0W20

0W20 is a type of engine oil that works well in both cold and warm weather. The '0W' means it's good for winter, and '20' means it has a certain thickness when the engine is hot.

Term

5W20

5W20 is a type of engine oil that is good for both cold and warm weather. The '5W' means it's suitable for slightly warmer winter conditions compared to 0W20.

Term

start-stop technology

Start-stop technology helps save gas by turning off the engine when the car is stopped, like at a red light, and then quickly turning it back on when you want to go again.

Term

self-parking

Self-parking means your car can park itself without you having to steer, using sensors to find a spot and guide itself in.

Car

Nissan Rogue

The Nissan Rogue is a type of car called a crossover SUV. The 2013 version is known for being good on gas and having a lot of space inside for passengers and cargo.

Car

Ram 3500

The Ram 3500 is a big truck that can carry heavy loads and is often used for work, like towing trailers or hauling equipment. It's built to be strong and reliable.

Term

tire pressure

Tire pressure is how much air is inside your car's tires. If the pressure is too high or too low, it can cause problems like uneven tire wear and poor handling of the car.

Term

sidewalls

Sidewalls are the sides of your tires. They help hold the tire's shape and protect it from damage when you hit bumps or potholes.

Car

Nissan Versa Note

The Nissan Versa Note is a small hatchback car that is great for city driving and is known for being fuel-efficient. It's a good option if you want a compact car that saves on gas.

Term

gas mileage

Gas mileage is how far a car can go using a certain amount of fuel. It's usually shown as miles per gallon (MPG), and higher numbers mean the car is more efficient and uses less gas.

Car

Mazda 5

The Mazda 5 is a small family car that has sliding doors and a lot of space inside. It's designed to be practical for families with kids.

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Once again, to talk about your car, your truck, your van, whatever vehicle

you may be having problems with, and you want to get to the bottom of this,

and you need to bring it in for service, your favorite dealer, your favorite shop,

but you want to know ahead of that game what could be ailing.

Well, we found just the guy for that. He'll give you those answers as best he can.

He does a pretty doggone good job. A next awful is with us,

ASC Certified Technician at Lloyd's Automotive in St. Paul, among other things.

Nick, good morning.

Good morning, Denny, and yes, we will do our best and try.

And you were being a good dad again. You are speaking to us from Rochester now, right?

Yeah, you know, as we know, we do our winter detail of hockey, so we're down here in Rochester

for a hockey tournament, so I'm calling in for my hotel room here at the Courtyard Marriott.

All right, very good. Good luck to everybody, by the way.

If you have any, again, if you have any kind of a car care question by all means,

let's hear from you sooner rather than later, our time flies by.

Nick takes his leave about 7.45. So yeah, let's hear from you.

You want to call and chat with Nick? Great.

If you want to just send a text like some folks are doing, that's good too.

Here is that number for either 651-461-9226.

Tester just sent this in. Then we'll get to a more complicated one.

Tester says, I bought new tires 12 years ago. I only have 10,000 miles on them.

Is it time to replace them? Because of the age of them, they look fine.

Do tires age? Well, they do, don't they?

They do that. The rubber compound will slowly deteriorate, kind of dry out.

Our biggest concern is that that dry rotting, the cracking between

the tread and the inner parts of the tire there.

I would take it in next to me at the service, have them inspect them.

Do share with the fact that they're 12 years old.

If the rubber's intact and things aren't cracking,

look like they're separating, potential blowout type of scenario.

Maybe go a little bit longer. But 12 years and 10,000 miles,

you're not driving the vehicle whole lot as it is.

So if they look fine, I'd probably let them go a little bit longer,

but keep in mind at some point you'll need to replace them.

I'm looking at a text that's a little more complicated,

but I'm not to put pressure on you guys, your crew at Lloyd's,

but I bet you could take care of this.

Let's see, you'll be the judge.

A text that says it's a 2011 Nissan XTERRA.

The airbag light on the dash came on, so they said,

I took it to the dealer to identify which airbag.

They determined it to be the driver's side airbag sensor

located under the carpet near the seat.

The dealer says the sensor is attached with a bolt,

which has become corroded.

And since the bolt is so short,

it may break when trying to remove the sensor,

and they have no other way of reattaching the sensor.

They offered no alternative if the bolt breaks,

except not to have the side airbag function.

Is there another creative way of reattaching the sensor

if the bolt breaks?

Now I know you have some pretty creative people,

including yourself.

There are Lloyd's.

I bet you there's a solution to this now.

Again, no pressure.

What do you think of that?

Well, we have a little tool, it's like an inductive heat tool

that we can put over that bolt.

Now, obviously it's going to create a lot of heat,

and it may damage that sensor,

but the sensor's faulty.

We're replacing it.

So we'll apply some heat and very carefully,

probably not like an air wrench,

maybe a ratchet and socket,

and try to kind of work with it.

You know, you kind of work it back and forth

and slowly try to back that bolt out.

If the bolt does break,

depending, you'd have to get a visual inspection, obviously,

it is possible to drill that out

and retap that hole to put a new bolt in.

So there probably is a workaround there.

Could be a little time consuming,

could be a little costly,

but you definitely need an airbag,

and that's a crash sensor,

which the airbag needs to work in the event of an accident.

As I said, you have some pretty creative people there at Lloyd's,

and I just, I bet somebody could figure out a way,

kind of what you, exactly what you're talking about.

So if that listener send them,

get the Lloyd's and have them check it out.

Get another opinion at least, huh?

All right, this, excuse me,

Texter says 2005 Lexus 350E,

probably ES 6-cylinder.

The dashboard lights, engine light is on,

the SC track light is on.

My mechanics don't know why the lights are on.

They ran a test, can't figure it out.

What would you be do with Lloyd's?

Well, the lights are likely on for the same reasons.

I don't, probably not multiple issues there.

We would retrieve the codes,

do a little research on what the code description is,

what the potential causes of the code is,

go to those areas and do some testing.

You know, the truth is,

people always think that,

oh, the lights on, you connect to your computer

and it tells you what's wrong.

What tells you is like what the fault code is,

and then within the data of that fault code,

what isn't reading correctly.

So it's up to us to take that information,

dissect, do some research, and some tests,

and to determine what caused the fault

to make the light come on.

All right, let's grab a phone call this morning.

Tom, checking in from South St. Paul, I believe.

Good morning, Tom.

What is your question for Nick?

Good morning.

Thanks for taking the call.

I've got a 95.5 ton F-150.

I need a e-brake rebuilt from the crankhead all the way back.

I think I need a cable.

I need it rebuilt.

They tell me it's a big job.

In fact, some of the smaller shops don't want to do it.

So could you explain that to me?

I'll hang up and answer your listener answer.

All right, Tom.

Thanks.

So he's talking about the parking brake,

or the emergency brake as we call it.

A vintage vehicle, 1995.

It's been on the years for a long time.

I think the fear is the moment of rust.

Now I'm sure we can source those cables.

You get back at the rear brakes.

So the cable goes from the handle of the foot pedal

under the vehicle, through the box of the vehicle,

back to each wheel where there's a lever

and the brake shoes that push out and engage

the brake drum to keep the vehicle stationary

when you engage it.

A lot of components there.

It can be done.

I think the problem is likely that somebody inspected it

and determined that the amount of rust,

whether it's on the cables,

it's at the pivot point in the drum.

And that task can be quite costly.

Not only costly, but finding out of those components.

As these vehicles are aged,

a lot of those pieces are not available.

I'm sure the brake shoes are readily available.

Maybe some of the cables.

So you have to get creative.

Once it's taken apart to try to source all those parts,

the lesson anyone wants to do is get the vehicle inside,

tear it all apart,

and that will find those components to do the repair.

So keep asking around.

Find a shop that can look at it.

They'll do some research.

It might take a day or two to get source all the parts.

I'm sure it's repairable,

but also keep in mind it could get quite costly.

That's here from you.

If you have any kind of a car care question for Nick.

Six, five, one, four, six, one, nine, two, two, six.

Texas says does the color of antifreeze you use matter

or is universal fine?

Maybe it's the old days.

I haven't dealt with antifreeze in a long time.

Isn't it usually green?

It used to be green.

And now there's many different colors.

Really?

Yes.

And depending on the manufacturer,

the specifications that can vary.

So typically what we do is

there's a global product out there.

If that global product has your specification approved, it's fine.

We'll use a global product to top things off,

but if you're doing any major service

of water pump thermostat

where we're exchanging a large amount of the coolant,

we like to use the original equipment stuff just to be safe.

So if you're topping it off,

I think a global product is just fine

as long as it has your specification approved on it.

If you're doing a major job,

I would go buy the original equipment type coolant.

All right.

So we have.

All right, I would love to hear from you.

If you have any kind of a car care question for Nick 6514619226,

we'll have a quick break here and be right back on the other side.

I can tell you we are at 11 above.

We might hit 12 above for a high today.

We dropped to one above overnight tonight.

Kind of a blustery day tomorrow

with maybe one to two inches of new snow possible.

We might get up to 17 degrees tomorrow for the holiday on Monday,

only four above.

We'll get more details coming along in just a matter of minutes here.

Right now it's light snow, 11 degrees here.

Doostock A30W CCO.

Good morning.

Welcome back to CCO's Car Care Show.

Denny Long here along with ASC certified technician Nick Stoffel

from Lloyd's Automotive.

Nick, we always like to find out from you.

If folks do need some help from Lloyd's,

where do we find you?

Absolutely.

If you do have a question and need a little information

from you taking in your shopper dealer,

you can call us.

We will help.

Our number is 651-228-1316.

If you have to be in St. Paul's,

stop and say hi.

We're at 982 Grand Avenue,

which is two blocks east of Lexington Parkway.

If you need more information,

check out our website at Lloyd's Automotive.net.

We will give you that information

before Nick leaves us,

which is about 7.45.

And Nick, I'm going to be visiting that great place

Tuesday morning, as a matter of fact.

And taking a chilly walk to find some coffee,

I think, later too.

All right, 7.21 in the morning.

Let's see.

We have more folks to help out here.

Texture says I have a 2013 Elantra.

When the roads are wet or snow and ice covered,

the rear end seems to drift left and right.

I thought it could be low tire pressure,

but all the tires are at 32 pounds.

What do you think the rear end would be drifting?

I think, obviously, a visual inspection.

We'd likely put it on the alignment rack,

take some measurements, see if something's out of skew.

It feels like the rear end is drifting,

but that could start with the front.

So if the tow adjustment or something's out of

specification, it might make the vehicle

feel like it's wandering,

meaning that the rear end of the vehicle

is trying to keep up with the front.

Something like that.

We get a little snow in the forecast.

I think it's fair enough to say

I would get that assessed pretty soon

because the last thing you want is an unfortunate

situation where you slide off the road

or run into someone.

So I think that's a priority.

Have the alignment checked.

Based on what we learned there,

we take the next steps of trying to figure out

what happened and why something isn't right anymore.

Yeah, check it out.

Thank you for the show.

You're welcome.

Texture says I have a Toyota 4Runner.

Is it possible to disconnect the sensor

for the car distance when cruise control is on?

Texture said I had four hours drive yesterday

and the sensor froze up

and would turn off the cruise control.

The sensor would clear

then I could turn the cruise control back on.

That repeated several times.

What do you think of that situation?

I'd want to get a visual inspection there.

I think what they're referring to is a distance sensor

which is on the front of the vehicle.

Once we get some snow and sleet,

that'll create some ice

that might stick on the front of the vehicle.

So maybe you have to clean that off.

I haven't heard of such a situation.

So start what you haven't looked at.

Get the vehicle cleaned up.

If it's a continuing problem,

check with the dealership.

Maybe there's a workaround there.

But I wouldn't start disconnecting things

without more information

because I always feel if we disconnect one thing,

there might be a cause and reaction there

or which causes something else

not to work properly.

So I would be very careful

how I would proceed there.

6-5-1-4-6-1-9-2-2-6

any kind of a car care question

you want to get answered

from Nick at Lloyd's Automotive.

Here is a 2015 Tahoe intermittent message.

RE check suspension.

Any idea what we're looking at there?

You know, same thought there

with the winter months.

A lot of times we get snow

and ice built up on sensors

and components that can sometimes

cause them to misread.

You know, it's going to be cold this week

but once it warms up a bit,

get the vehicle washed.

If you have continuous problems there,

maybe taking them,

have them retrieve the codes,

figure out which sensors misreading,

visually inspect it,

and kind of take it from there.

But we do see a lot of false information

when things get slippery and wet.

So I would be cautionary there.

If it's a continuous problem,

have it looked at.

Very good.

Here's something I wanted to check out

as a matter of fact.

A listener wants to ask your opinion

about these new jumper cables.

Well, they're not cables.

They kind of are.

These devices.

I think they're kind of like

small battery packs.

Have you seen that?

You know what I'm talking about?

I do.

And it's funny that we bring that up

because as you know in the winter,

I go a lot of places for hockey

and we were up in Fargo here

maybe a month ago.

And one of the guys at the shop,

actually several of the guys at the shop have them

and I brought one with them.

It's had this odd feeling

like I might need it.

And one of the parents needed a jumpstart

and I took that little handheld device,

hooked up the cables,

and it did work.

It's jumpstarted the vehicle.

So those devices do work.

You have to remember.

And as you read the descriptions,

as you can charge it

and just kind of leave it,

you probably periodically,

once a year or every six months

or whatever it is,

need to take it out of your vehicle,

recharge it.

So it does work on the day

that you do need it.

But they do work,

which is pretty amazing.

Is it, I'm thinking about

when you're normally

hooking up jumper cables,

to the car that needs to be jumped,

you put, you know,

one cable on ground

and the other on the other terminal.

Do these both go on the battery

directly?

Yeah, the cable ends are the same

as any jumper cable.

You know, the red goes the positive,

the black goes to the negative.

But then it plugs into a device.

You know, it's, you know,

it's, you know,

three inches by six inches.

It's not, it's a handheld device.

Wow.

It's full of like a little

lithium battery

or some capacitor.

Some don't have enough power,

enough reserve to get a vehicle.

Just one extra little

step in it to get the car started.

Now if the car is completely dead,

the battery is frozen.

Those situations,

not likely going to work,

because like even jump starting

that vehicle may not work.

So, but if you have a weak battery

on the coldest days,

it gives that little extra oomph

to get the car started.

It's kind of slick.

I got to check that out,

just in case.

So it's like a little battery pack.

But like you said,

if the battery is frozen,

totally dead,

it's not going to give it,

even with a regular jump start.

All right, you can call us,

you can text us 6514619226,

any kind of a car care question.

You may have.

Here's something I haven't heard

in many years.

Now I've seen it on my instruction

manual on my 29 year old

snow blower.

But is there still such a thing

as a winter grade oil

texture wants to know?

That is a good question.

Vehicles now use the same grade

year round.

You know,

most often vehicles use like

0W20 or 5W20

weight oil years ago.

And it's in several decades.

They used to switch from like a

530 to a 1030,

or depending what the

what the vehicle was,

there was a different grade oil

because it was a little bit

lighter oil in the winter months.

So things thickened

that they would work a little

bit easier for you.

But we don't have to worry

about it anymore.

Use the same grade year round.

Is all oil,

may sound like a silly question,

is all oil detergent?

Is some kind of a detergent?

I do believe most or all oils

have some sort of detergent

or additive package built

into them.

You know,

you see a lot of marketing.

Some of it's,

you know,

it's all real obviously.

But depending on your needs,

some of the marketing stuff will

head you one direction

versus another.

You know,

when in doubt,

check the owner's manual.

It'll have a specification.

Follow that specification

and you'll be just fine.

Jumping ahead on a text,

while we're on the subject of oil,

wants to know other differences

between oil filters.

We've talked about this before.

You get what you pay for

with oil filters.

Is that true?

It is absolutely true

and you don't need to go out

and spend the most money

on the greatest filter.

But you also should not

buy the least expensive filter.

You know,

we as oil intervals

have got longer.

You know,

as we recommend

5,000 miles on synthetic oil,

that filters on that vehicle

or on that engine

for several months,

several thousand miles.

You want to make sure

it's going to do

its best job filtering

the best it can

through that duration.

Once it's full,

it's not,

you know,

it's not filtering

as well as it used to,

so a lot of that

contaminations make

this way through the engine.

So I think

if there's an option,

it's an extra dollar or two,

it's well worth the price.

Would you say

a couple of times a year,

minimum to get your oil changed?

Because I don't drive

as much as I used to.

And I think the last time

I was at Lloyd's

was into July.

That's why I'm coming in Tuesday.

Is that pretty good

as far as timing

and mileage?

I think twice a year,

not just for the oil,

but for the vehicle.

You know,

we can get an assessment

before we roll into winter

or the summer travel season.

Let's get that vehicle

up in the air.

Let's look underneath,

check the tires,

the brakes,

steering suspension,

all those components,

lubricate or clean,

what needs to be lubricated

and cleaned,

get fresh oil,

a good filter in there.

It does cost something,

obviously.

But twice a year

to spend those few dollars

is probably well worth it

just to make sure your car

is in good working order.

That's a good point

because your crew,

they look at other things

besides.

That's true.

How is Dan Burns these days?

The text wants to know

will you tell me?

I talked to Dan

a couple of weeks ago.

I think he's doing great,

isn't he?

He's doing great

and he still works up.

He was in here

this last week.

We've kind of developed

this little niche for him.

When someone's on vacation,

he'll come in and work

and, you know,

he doesn't always get to work

out of his bay,

as you probably know

where that is.

He owned that business

since 1991

and his office

was his toolbox.

And his toolbox

is still there

because it's not going anywhere.

So we love having him.

He can come in there

as much as he wants.

I love the fact

that when someone's

on vacation,

he fills in

and the guys love

having him around.

So I hope he doesn't go

anywhere anytime soon.

Yeah, we hope not.

Well, you say give greetings

from our listeners

to Dan.

All right.

We're going to take a break,

Nick,

and have a look

at that forecast.

Nick could be with us

for about another 10

to 12 minutes or so.

So take advantage

of his expertise

if you have

want to get an answer

about your problem vehicle.

Call us.

Text us 6514619226

from News Talk 830.

This is WCCO.

Good Saturday morning

until you welcome back

to the remaining minutes

of CCO's Car Care Show.

Denning long here,

long with Nick Stalfel

from Lloyd's Automotive.

We still have some time

for your questions.

So let's grab one

Nick Randy calling in

from Burnsville this morning.

Thanks for waiting, Randy.

What is your question for Nick?

Yes, I bought a new car

that has self-driving

and it is kind of nice,

but I'm a little afraid of it.

Has Nick got any experience?

I mean, is it a good thing

or is not?

You know, I think

as we all get a little bit

older, we're worried

about the newer technology.

Oftentimes people ask

about the start stop.

There's the lane correction.

There's a self parking.

You know, as these technologies

come along,

us that have been around

for a few days

had been driving

for a long time

need to learn to adapt to it.

I think the younger folks

embrace it much better

than we do.

So I would think

based on your comfort,

you know, you're in the vehicle.

You know, the vehicle

wants to do some of these

things to help assist us

and keep us safe.

It's a good thing.

But you'll be cautionary,

you know, if you're not

comfortable with it,

don't utilize that add

out of that feature.

But I think as time goes along,

we're going to become a little

more comfortable.

You know, backup cameras.

I mean, how many of us

couldn't go without them now?

You know, as we always

talk about my truck,

you know, it's got

backup cameras.

And so I'm plowing snow.

I really appreciate the fact

because I look out the

rear of your mirror.

I can't see what's

right behind me

because the truck's too tall.

Having a camera makes

sure as I don't run into something.

So as I mentioned,

these technologies are nice.

They're good for us.

Those of us that have been

around for a while,

it takes us a little time

to adapt to them.

Interesting.

I bet it's different.

Thank you for that call.

Yeah, I bet we're going to

hear more of that,

more calls,

more texts about that very

thing.

This listener, Nick,

noticed an oil leak

that was noticed

on a 2013 Rogue

was told they need

a boot replacement

needed on it.

Is that expensive

and how urgent is that?

Well, the cost,

I'm not sure of to be honest,

depends on the amount of time

associated with the repair

and always with a leak,

it's kind of a heads up there.

If we get it up in the air

and we determine that

it's significant enough

where it's making a mess

on the ground,

obviously that's large enough

leak that it should be repaired.

The risk that we run is

you don't know

if it's engine oil,

some sort of transmission fluid,

power steering fluid,

whatever you have for a fluid

that's leaking,

the concern is that if it gets low,

what damages it creates.

So talk with the shop,

the dealership,

whatever the vehicle's been

looked at,

have that conversation,

determine the amount of the leak,

the significance of it,

that fluid that's leaking

is it getting anything else wet

because that oil can contaminate

and create other problems too.

So if this leak is going to be

repaired to prevent further

costs and further repairs,

it's likely worth it.

So I guess I would start with

to determine how bad is the leak.

Very good.

Looking at another text

that came in a bit ago,

iDrive,

Texture says a 3500 ram long box

and the tires say

I need 80 psi in the tires.

I'm going on a trip to Arizona

and not having any weight in the truck.

Do you think I can reduce the pressure

down for a softer ride

if I can down to what psi do you think?

Well I believe that that 80

is the max pressure.

You open the driver's door,

there's a placard there

that gives you a specification.

I think my trucks is like 60 and 70

front and rear.

And to be honest,

I go with 60 on all four of them

you know because I do

also want to enjoy that ride.

I would say let's just be careful

because we don't want to go too low

obviously.

We also don't want to go to a

pressure that's going to affect

how the tires wear.

You get too much air in the tire

it kind of blooms out.

You're going to wear out the center

of the tire faster than the rest.

You get too low of a pressure

and those sidewalls are going to cave in

and those outer edges of the tire

are going to wear too fast.

So I think I do a little research.

I'd really doubt that 80 is the recommended

specifications probably between 60 and 70.

I think going down to 60 psi will

make a little bit difference in the ride

and not affect the way the tires wear.

Very good.

Let's grab another phone call

before we run out of time.

Michelle checking in from St. Paul this morning.

Hi Michelle, what is your question for Nick?

Well I have a 2016 Nissan Versa note

and I bought it because I wanted the

good gas mileage with a small car

and so I pay attention to that average

MTG and during the summer it's usually

at 35, 36.

I mostly drive in the city

but and obviously the gas mileage goes

up if I go out on the highway

for longer trips.

However this winter I've noticed that

the MTG has gone down to 32

and every week it seems to be going down

a little bit more.

I don't know if that I've never noticed

that before in the winter

and I'm just wondering if that's

something that could be wrong with

I don't know a sensor or something else.

That's a good question.

We get that you know from time to time

people always wonder why their fuel

economy is different in the winter months

versus the summer.

A couple things to take note of

the makeup of the fuel does change

a little bit so it might not be as

efficient and you know we've had

callers before explain that to us

but also keep in mind that we might

warm up the vehicle a bit more

which is used in fuel you know you

might start the vehicle in the

summer months we hop in and we go

the winter months we might let it

warm up for a minute or two or longer.

That's using fuel so that will affect

our fuel economy.

So also keep in mind if there's

something wrong with the vehicle

or it's using excessive fuel

the car is going to identify that

whatever sensor component has

is not reading or working properly

it's going to flag that and turn

the check engine light on.

So if you're worried about

something from the vehicle itself

the vehicle will take care of itself

turn that light on to give you

the heads up hey let's go look

take me to the doctor have me

checked out but the light is not on

I think likely it's the fact that

the fuel has changed a little bit

in the winter months

and you know we let it warm up

we let the car run a little more

idling which will use some fuel

which will affect the fuel economy

going from 35 to 32 is something

but it's not significant

so I think it's just that

that we you know you let it run

a little bit

and the make up the fuel has changed.

And it's that time of year too right?

Cold, cold.

Yes absolutely.

All right texture exhaust leak

in a 2013 Mazda 5 not loud yet

have multiple bids to fix

anywhere from $400 to $3,000

How do I decide?

Car otherwise in good shape?

Well exhaust leaks

the loud is your your heads up

but keep in mind when it's idling

if it's underneath the compartment

where we're sitting

that exhaust will make its way

into the vehicle

which is unhealthy for us

you need to have it fixed

as far as the pricing

there's a huge range there

I think we did ask a few more questions

the lower end I suspect

that somebody might be

just doing some sort of repair

maybe what we call it a patch

maybe it's not permanent

the more expensive estimates

is likely maybe some original

equipment exhaust components

which can be costly

I'm sure there's something in the middle

maybe there's some aftermarket

components or parts that can be used

save you some money

without risking or having

the problem happen again

so I would

ask a few more questions

before you make that determination

Nick got a comment from a gentleman

from Rice Lake saying

my grandson took me for a ride

in his Tesla's self-driving car

and I instantly became comfortable

with the technology

it sees everything at once

and I can only see one thing at a time

I'm not going to buy one though

because of the recharging

requirements so far

so that comes from Brett

will a possible oil leak

in other texts or writes

be worse

interesting question

be worse while driving

or be the same when idling

trying to find it

that is a good question

it depends what the source of the leak is

a lot of gaskets

that will seep or wick oil through

if it's something

a component's under pressure

you know with the oil pressure being higher

it's going to leak more

so it really depends on what

what the leak is

if you're trying to determine

what it is a lot of times

what we might do is clean up

you know degrease

as we call the engine

add some dye to the motor oil

drive it for a bit of time

to try to

determine the source of the leak

which is a good way to kind of

figure out what's going on

all right we're just out of time

nick

good luck to everyone there in

Rochester

and let's tell everybody

how we can find Lloyds

yes sir

if you have a question

need some advice

About this episode

Tire aging, antifreeze types, and jumpstarting techniques take center stage in this informative episode. ASC Certified Technician Nick Stoffel tackles listener questions, including whether 12-year-old tires need replacing, the importance of using the correct antifreeze, and the effectiveness of portable jump starters. He also shares insights on diagnosing airbag sensor issues and the impact of winter on fuel economy. With practical advice and expert tips, this episode is a treasure trove for anyone looking to enhance their car care knowledge.

0W20 5W20 airbag sensor alignment rack antifreeze brake shoes cable corroded bolt cruise control distance sensor

Chevrolet Tahoe Ford F-150 Hyundai Elantra Mazda 5 / Premacy Nissan Rogue Nissan Versa Nissan XTerra Ram 3500 Toyota 4Runner

Original notes

How to tell when a tire is getting old and when it needs to be changed. Figuring out why dashboard lights are on. The process to install an emergency brake. Does the color of antifreeze matter? How winter weather can impact sensors on a vehicle. Opinions on rechargeable jumpstarting boxes. Differences in oil filters. Facts about the self driving feature. Ask our car care expert Nick Stoffel of Lloyds Automotive. Visit lloydsautomotive.net 651-228-1316.

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