Darren McGee/The Globe and Mail
My dealership told me that I need to perform a de-carbonization on my 2013 Ford Explorer. I have 72,000 kilometres on this vehicle. Is this necessary? – Tiki
Highly unlikely unless you have been using copious amounts of discount gas. A few tanks of premium from a top tier oil company, such as Esso, Shell, etc., will provide the cleaning agents to remove any carbon built up at this low mileage.
Auxiliary lights
What is the law in regards to auxiliary driving lights? Many cars and trucks have the bumper or fog lights on with the headlights on low beam but the auxiliary lights blind the oncoming drivers worse than if the vehicle had the high beams on. – Bob
Neither are necessary – unless they are true fog lights. The majority of auxiliary or fog lights are mere affectations. At play here are separate U.S. and Canadian regulations and the difference between "fog" and "driving" lights. Generally speaking, proper fog lights are designed to spread a wide low beam – the top of which is not above bumper height, in order to reduce bounce-back or glare and provide illumination near the ground. They are tied into the low beam circuit to prevent them from being used in conjunction with high beams, which would create massive glare. If you can use your high beams, there is obviously no fog and no need for fog lights. Regulations require lights designated under SAE standard J583 as fog lights to operate in conjunction with low-beam or alone. They must shut off automatically when high beams are engaged.
Driving lights, on the other hand, are generally considered as supplementary to low and high beam lights and can operate with either or both. High-quality driving lights are capable of providing illumination far past that of the regular high beams, and they have to be wired to go out when the low beams are engaged to prevent blinding oncoming motorists.
Complicating the issue is the requirement in this country for vehicles to display a daytime running light. In most cases neither the "fog" or the "driving" lights are likely to be of much use for anything other than decoration. The Canadian regulations state, Under Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations, Part III, Requirements about the use of headlamps and front fog lamps, Part 25 "fog lights may not be used a) so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road; (b) so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility and (c) so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked. They also state under Part 29 that "In addition to the requirements of section S5.5.7 of TSD 108, the lamps (low beam lights) referred to in section S5.5.7(a) of TSD 108 shall be activated when (a) the front fog lamps on the vehicle are activated in a steady-burning state other than as daytime running lamps.
Head gasket
I have a Honda Si will the odometer showing 225,000 kilometres. I have maintenance done every six months or 10,000 kilometres. I have been told my head gasket is gone. Is this a defect in this model year or just from normal driving? – Maggie
I am not aware of any recurring problem with Si head gaskets so I assume your problem is from normal driving. Granted, it is not normal at that mileage, but it is within the range of probability.
Strange noise
I have a noise emanating from the passenger dashboard area when you feed the vehicle fuel. It is not persistent but is a high-pitched fan noise that comes and goes. It is never evident when I have the car at the dealership. What can I do? – Susan
There are numerous items that might be the source – too many to make anything other than educated guess without hearing the noise or seeing the vehicle. While the noise is present, try the following:
1.) Manually adjust the speed of the HVAC fan. There may be a leaf or something stuck in the blower fan.
2.) Crack open a window. If it is air-pressure related, it will be tough to locate.
3.) Take note at what engine (not road) speed the noise occurs. Try holding the engine at that speed. If the noise remains, it is a sympathetic vibration, and again, tough to cure.
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