Car Talk
Oil can make a mess sometimes, but forget bad advice to start car without it
Dear Tom and Ray: Is it ever safe to start a car with no oil in it? I have a 2004 Honda Civic, and when I change the oil filter,...
Riding the clutch is fast track to a chain reaction of premature, pricey repairs
Dear Tom and Ray: A friend of mine at work and I have a disagreement regarding using the clutch on a standard-shift car. He says that keeping the clutch pressed...
Husband is right: Truck can't handle those rocks
Dear Tom and Ray: My husband inherited a 1974 Ford F-100 from his dad, and I would like to use it to pick up a load of rocks for landscaping....
Why should I pay a lube shop to recycle my oil filter?
Dear Tom and Ray: I notice that car businesses that lube and change oil for passenger cars are now charging for recycling oil filters. Is this a scam, since I...
Bad battery or ailing alternator? Car is flatlining despite jump-start efforts
Dear Tom and Ray: How does one tell the difference between a bad battery and a bad alternator? My car will not crank, but has some power (the dome lights,...
Tom and Ray put the brakes on husband's habit of using transmission to stop car
Dear Tom and Ray: My husband actually said this: "If you ask Click and Clack, and they say I did something wrong, I'll stop doing it." So here we...
A sensible, safe, ugly car is a smart choice for your teenage driver
Dear Tom and Ray: About a year and a half ago, my dad bought a white '92 Volvo station wagon off Craigslist for $500. I'm turning 16 next spring, and...
Step up maintenance regimen, and you can keep driving car that's burning oil
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2002 Nissan Altima that for the past six months has been losing oil at the rate of about a quart per month....
Exfoliate your car to extend the life of its finish? Tom and Ray demystify claying
Dear Tom and Ray: So I'm thinking of getting my car detailed, and an associate gives me a referral. While perusing the service sheet, under "Options" is listed "Claying, add...
Rattling and rolling Jeep needs a mechanic -- and possibly a new steering damper
Dear Tom and Ray: We have a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Whenever we hit a big bump in the road or a pothole, the Jeep starts shaking uncontrollably, and the...
His Prius keeps on going once gas runs out, but driver shouldn't push his luck
Dear Tom and Ray: I've got a 2009 Toyota Prius and recently managed to run out of gas. In my defense, the gas gauge is pretty finicky. In the past,...
Could stowaway snake in the engine compartment make its way further inside?
Dear Tom and Ray: I really need an answer soon! There is a possibility that I have a 5- to 6-foot, 2-inch-diameter snake living in my engine compartment. It was...
It bears repeating: Antifreeze is dangerous for pets and people alike
Dear Tom and Ray: You mentioned in a recent column that ethylene glycol (antifreeze) is toxic to animals. Is it also toxic to humans? I'm a doctor, and I prescribe...
If your camper's rocking, try these simple tests to check for worn shocks
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2001 Toyota 4Runner with 160,000 miles. I also have a pop-up camper that I pull on occasion with the 4Runner. I just...
Buff your way to better mileage? Tom and Ray wax academic on aerodynamics
Dear Tom and Ray: Can you help settle a bet with my dad? He has an SUV, and he frequently goes and gets it buffed and waxed. It runs about...
Pushing car to breaking point before warranty expires lacks both ethics and sense
Dear Tom and Ray: I know this is ethically questionable, so you guys are the only ones I can ask. My BMW is still under warranty -- barely -- for...
What long-term environmental impact might result from used hybrid batteries?
Dear Tom and Ray: In looking at "green" options for the future, I have a question about the environmental impact of disposing of hybrid car batteries. We live on the...
Upper range of speedometer numbers is a marketing tool -- and one big tease
Dear Tom and Ray: My 9-year-old son asked me why the speedometer on cars indicate speeds much higher than legal driving speeds. If it is illegal to drive 100 mph...
Junkyards can save you time and money in tracking down a replacement seat
Dear Tom and Ray: I have an old 1995 Toyota Celica with 180,000 miles on it. It's in great shape, but the driver's seat has become worn and broken --...
The need for speed? Throttle blasts do little more than waste fuel in today's cars
Dear Tom and Ray: I know we are supposed to drive our cars gently ... accelerate gently, brake gently, etc. But is there any benefit from occasional and brief...
Plastic bumper is major bummer for Dodge Dakota driver, but metal options exist
Dear Tom and Ray: My rotten Dodge Dakota (2007) came with a PLASTIC front bumper. (I knew body panels were being made of that flimsy substance, but was horrified to...
Move along, nothing to see here: Tom and Ray steer driver away from used cop car
Dear Tom and Ray: I am looking for a used vehicle for less than $10,000, and I was curious about used police cruisers. I have heard that they are built...
The less you drive a car, the longer it lasts -- but what's fun about that?
Dear Tom and Ray: My sister and I recently had an argument. She drives only short distances, rarely more than five miles. She wants her '98 Buick Regal with 40,000...
Pry, pry again: Lubricate gasket when changing oil to keep filter from sticking
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2006 4.7-liter V-8 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 50,000 miles, and we change our own oil every 3,000 miles. We always have. This last...
Tom and Ray spin tangled web of hypotheses for Fiat Spider's headlight failure
Dear Tom and Ray: I thought I would offer to be the butt of your jokes by asking about my Fiat Spider. I know one of you guys owns one....
Dealer's high-pressure response to tire blowout may be full of holes
Dear Tom and Ray: My friend has a fancy-shmancy 2007 BMW 3 Series. Recently, one of his tires blew out through the sidewall and left a gaping, scary-looking hole. That...
Texas tea brewing in the radiator may lead to an oil baron's fortune -- in repairs
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 1991 Chevrolet S-10 with the four-cylinder mill. I bought it because I had to park my Ford F-350 Dually when diesel fuel went...
Slow-moving armadillo didn't make a dent in Hyundai's air-bag system
Dear Tom and Ray: I drive a 2004 Hyundai Elantra that was bought used, and I don't know the history of the vehicle. Last evening, I unavoidably ran over a...
Couple engages in noisy debate over replacing muffler on superannuated Honda
Dear Tom and Ray: Please help settle a debate between me and my boyfriend. We share a 1994 Honda Accord with 212,000 miles. Last summer while driving it from Iowa...
Adding organic waste to the gas tank: It's natural, it's chemical -- can we do it?
Dear Tom and Ray: When I was in college during the late 1980s, I remember one of my chemistry professors telling me that he disposed of organic chemical waste...
Mom needs to shake VW nostalgia bug when considering cars for her teen son
Dear Tom and Ray: We're buying a car for my 17-year-old son. I've found two cars locally that appeal to us -- a classic 1968 VW with a few thousand...
Submersion in water may have fried air-bag system -- and who knows what else
Dear Tom and Ray: I live here in England (my wife is from New Jersey, and she introduced me to you guys). Recently my wife and I drove our "eBay...
Side-impact air bags can't do their job if they're trapped underneath seat covers
Dear Tom and Ray: My daughter has an '07 Honda CR-V with side air bags. I gave her a set of cloth seat covers to protect her seats, and she...
When careless parkers box you in, a gentle touch can get you out of a tight spot
Dear Tom and Ray: It might have been the Red Sox sticker on my car, but I found myself in a no-win situation in New York City a few weeks...
Claims of enhanced gasoline aren't untrue, just not particularly useful
Dear Tom and Ray: Is there any merit to the claim that nitrogen in gasoline has any benefit for cleaning the engine? What's the chemistry behind it? Or is this...
Heroic measures may not be warranted to resuscitate old car's air conditioning
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 1995 Volvo 940. Late last summer, my air conditioner seemed to lose some punch. Since summer was ending and the AC was blowing...
Toyota may still be the leader, but Ford is no laggard when it comes to hybrids
Dear Tom and Ray: Who is the real leader in hybrid technology? The last time I went into a Toyota dealership, the salesman told me that Toyota had just sold...
Is mechanic dispensing a lot of hot air about leaky hose? Get a second opinion
Dear Tom and Ray: I took my car in because the air conditioner wasn't blowing cold air. I was told there was a leak in the high-pressure hose and it...
A common mistake with the emergency brake probably didn't do any damage
Dear Tom and Ray: Last week, I was cleaning the interior of my '04 Ford Escape. To reach a part of the console between the two front seats, I had...
Let's twist again: After recalibration, dad's torque wrenches can live on
Dear Tom and Ray: My father taught me a lot about cars by having me do the work while he "supervised." I don't remember how old I was, maybe...
There's a fine line between early adoption and the wacko fringe
Dear Tom and Ray: I'm tired of waiting for the American auto industry to come up with an affordable all-electric car, so I'm looking seriously into buying a Chinese-made Flybo....
Hubby's Houdini act of removing gas cap won't conjure extra fuel out of thin air
Dear Tom and Ray: When my husband and I first got married (18 years ago), I noticed that when his car was low on gas, he would remove the gas...
The garage floor isn't to blame when a car battery loses its charge
Dear Tom and Ray: My son, who transports cars for a living, says that we should not put a car battery on the garage floor for more than a few...
Click and Clack give freshman a class on the art and science of the visual gag
Dear Tom and Ray: My name is Victor, and as an upcoming college freshman, in a fit of my newfound freedom, I want to add a comical touch to my...
Have mercy on your mechanic and identify oil leaks by steam-cleaning your engine
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 1984 Nissan pickup with only 64,000 miles. It runs great, but the engine is so dirty that I am embarrassed to have it...
Bay City Roller: When parking on a hill, take multiple steps to secure your car
Dear Tom and Ray: In January, I visited the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. I parked on a slightly sloping street in Golden Gate Park, locked the car...
Battery charged but engine won't turn over? You might have to break new ground
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 1991 Ford F-150. You could use up this entire section of the newspaper on this hunk of junk. But perhaps you can just...
None-too-slick mechanic may be to blame for expensive oil-pan problem
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2003 Infiniti FX45 that was due for an oil change. I had some time to kill, so I went to a Wal-Mart Tire...
Visibility outshines energy efficiency when it comes to using the rear defroster
Dear Tom and Ray: On one of the many frigid days this past winter, my husband and I had a discussion about using (versus not using) the rear defrost in...
Couple's stalling Saturn sedan is plagued by dark nights of the solenoid
Dear Tom and Ray: Our 2000 Saturn sedan has died twice in the same exact spot (stopping at the end of a highway exit ramp). The first time, it...
Cupped tires are real -- and a real danger
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe with 47,000 miles on it. Recently it developed an unpleasant rumbling noise. After taking it to the service department,...
Too close for comfort: Tailgating husband's theory is thwarted by reality
Dear Tom and Ray: I need help. I am married to a bonehead. My husband insists on pulling practically into the trunk of cars in front of him. Moving,...
Father doesn't always know best when it comes to starting off from a dead stop
Dear Tom and Ray: My wife and I recently bought a 5-speed Saturn VUE. Whenever she comes to a complete stop, she puts the car in second gear and takes...
Birdies, rest and motion: Tom, Ray and Sir Isaac Newton answer a humdinger
Dear Tom and Ray: Once, on a very long, boring trip, my passenger and I were reduced to asking each other dumb questions. We came upon one question that we...
Van driver vexed by tires that routinely lose air
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2000 Toyota Sienna van. My van tires lose air on a regular basis. The tire-trouble indicator on the dash is on most of...
There's something about Marvin: Reader still hung up on his long-lost Cherokee
Dear Tom and Ray: I am having a serious case of separation anxiety from my old car. In truth, I believe I am still in love with it. I thought...
Teen's venerable ride plagued by mysterious, recurring windshield haze
Dear Tom and Ray: Last year we bought our teenage son a 1989 Acura Legend coupe. It has been a great car, even though it's pushing 140,000 miles now. We've...
Kids' clay sculptures delight a grandma but wreck her Prius' multifunction screen
Dear Tom and Ray: I am a proud grandma and a disappointed and angry owner of a 2006 Toyota Prius. The proud grandma part is this: My precious grandchildren made...
No wedding ring on hot mechanic: Should she risk losing him by asking him out?
Dear Tom and Ray: If a mechanic is not wearing a wedding ring, is that a true indication of his marital status? I think my mechanic is HOT, but I'm...
Get a second opinion before spending big bucks on a popped plug
Dear Tom and Ray: Last night, my car, a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta, was in perfect working order when I parked it at the movie theater. When I came out two...
Washing your brakes is harmless -- but probably won't silence the squeaks
Dear Tom and Ray: My daughter-in-law just sent her son out to wash her car's brakes. I told her I had never heard of that before. She said that when...
Cold-weather grill: Click and Clack settle kaffeeklatsch cardboard debate
Dear Tom and Ray: A group of us get together at a diner for coffee most mornings. Recently I made a critical error and told the guys that I had...
If you're in the market for a used SUV, you're in the driver's seat
Dear Tom and Ray: With the economy reeling, gas prices recently higher than ever, numerous dealerships in the area going under, talks of big mergers or bailouts or bankruptcies in...
Antifreeze in the crankcase may not necessarily be the kiss of death for an engine
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a soldier who mistakenly poured a gallon of antifreeze in his crankcase. He then started and ran the car for several minutes before he...
When a good deed results in scratches, consider learning to live with them
Dear Tom and Ray: My dear, beloved 15-year-old son offered to wash my 2008 Toyota Sequoia (silver). Of course, I jumped at this surprising and welcome offer. After about 30...
Antifreeze down the wrong hatch? Removing it is a low-tech, low-cost job
Dear Tom and Ray: I recently had my 2006 Chevy HHR worked on at the dealership where I purchased it new. Long story short, the mechanic put antifreeze in the...
Stocking up on cars as a hedge against inflation won't yield many happy returns
Dear Tom and Ray: Would you discuss the ins and outs of "stocking up" on cars as a hedge against future inflation? For instance, I just bought a 2009 Honda...
Duct tape can't stand up to the heat of pressurized, 800-degree exhaust
Dear Tom and Ray: My son, 16, bought a '77 Pontiac Grand Prix. It's loud, with a big motor (muscle-car-type motor, original everything). Anyway, he sawed off the exhaust pipe...
Are new tires best in front or back?
Dear Tom and Ray: The other day, I went to purchase two tires for my Dodge Intrepid. I wanted to replace the front pair and move my old front tires...
How long do cars retain odors? The answer is blowin' in the wind
Dear Tom and Ray: My problem began when I was driving down the road in our 2005 Dodge Caravan, packed full of our own kids and kids from the neighborhood....
You should really see a professional for that embarrassing honking problem
Dear Tom and Ray: Boy, do we have an embarrassing problem. My husband's 1997 Nissan pickup's horn honks every time the steering wheel is turned. There is no telling how...
Don't get overheated over cooling system -- and don't give up on a good mechanic
Dear Tom and Ray: Love the column, hate that I now have a reason to write to you myself! I have a 2001 BMW 325xi, which I have serviced regularly...
Whether rolling along or sitting pretty in the garage, tires do have a shelf life
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 1995 Buick Regal that I purchased new before I retired. I drive the car approximately once a month. The car has 55,000 miles...
High mileage, low coolant: Workhorse Chevy may be nearing the end of the road
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 1992 Chevy Lumina with 432,686 miles on it. I'm losing coolant. The "low coolant" light goes on on cold mornings and stays on...
Valves are running like clockwork: Will routine adjustment open a can of worms?
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2002 Dodge Ram diesel 2500 two-wheel-drive six-speed manual with 130,000 miles. It's primarily used as a commuter truck -- with a little bit...
Son can tackle routine repairs, but Mom's timing belt should be changed by a pro
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2002 Hyundai Elantra with 97,000 miles. During the state inspection this week, the mechanic told me that I will soon need to replace...
Is the dealer spinning me a yarn about spiders in the fuel line?
Dear Tom and Ray: I was driving my 2007 Forester the other day when the check engine light came on (it has about 15,000 miles on it). I brought it...
Will cheating on the dealer with an independent mechanic void the warranty?
Dear Tom and Ray: My husband and I have a 2005 Nissan Sentra, and it's time for its scheduled 30,000-mile checkup. Because we still have the warranty, I prefer we...
Driver doesn't know his own strength: Ruptured brake line raises a weighty issue
Dear Tom and Ray: I had a car accident. My vehicle would not stop because a brake line ruptured and the fluid leaked out. My wife says that it was...
Wild horses couldn't keep wife from pouring money into her old Mustang
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a fairly beat-up 1994 Mustang GT 5.0 convertible that has been sidelined since 2004 when it started becoming unreliable. I bought a Toyota Solara,...
Truck's incredible shrinking oil supply means it's time for a new engine
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 1998 Ford Expedition with 150,000 miles. My wife takes the truck in every three months to get the oil changed. During the past...
It's a long and winding road to becoming a professional stunt driver
Dear Tom and Ray: I want to know how to get a job, a very specific job. It seems like every car commercial now shows the vehicle soaring through sand...
Owner of of bullet-riddled car may have bigger problems than cosmetics
Dear Tom and Ray: Although I am not currently participating in a witness-protection program, I think it best not to divulge my true name or whereabouts -- you'll understand. I...
Why don't carmakers offer an oil gauge that works like a gas gauge?
Dear Tom and Ray: I know you don't like old Beetles, but I own one, and I love it! I work for a federal agency where everyone drives brown...
