Q: I have a 2008 Toyota Highlander V6 equipped limited edition with 74,000 miles that runs great. Can I switch to synthetic oil if I’ve used regular oil since the car was new? Is there an advantage to changing the oil at this stage of the car’s age? I was told that if I changed I could not go back. Is this true?
A: Synthetic oil has the added benefit of improved lubricity which helps minimize cold engine wear. Also, synthetic oil will help start in cold weather and is more resistant to oil breakdown in hot weather.
When it comes to switching, you can freely switch from synthetic to semi-synthetic oil to regular oil without any problems.
I recently had Michael Thomas from Pennsylvania on my radio show talking about this issue. You can find the Car Doctor podcast at johnfpaul.podbean.com or on most podcast sites.
Q: I have a 2008 Nissan Frontier V6 4X4 with a six speed manual transmission only 60,000 miles.
Four years and about 35,000 miles ago the ABS light came on and disabled the four wheel drive. After diagnosis at the dealer ($160) I was told the truck needed an ABS actuator. However, I was also told – since this is a manual transmission – the part is not available in the US.
After contacting Nissan (Tennessee), after contacting Nissan North America, it took six weeks to find one or make one from the original dealer. After spending $1,600 ($1,000 for parts and $600 for labor), the problem was solved. Fast forward four years and I have the same problem and the same problem with the part.
Nissan managed to locate two of the ABS actuators and I have now prepaid for the part to purchase one. The truck is in great shape, I replaced all four tires with another pile of money.
Does this sound normal for such a car? I asked for goodwill, but it was denied. Any ideas or should I drive the truck for a few years and cross my fingers before buying a new Toyota?
A: I suspect the replacement part was no better quality than the original, so it had a relatively short life. Even though the truck is about 15 years old, with such low mileage, I’d be willing to repair it and drive it, provided it’s structurally sound (some Nissan products have serious rust issues).
While $1,600 is expensive, at the price of a new car, it’s the equivalent of about three months’ worth of car payments.
Historically, Toyota products have had fewer problems than Nissan trucks, but Toyota has also had rust and engine problems.
Q: I saw your article about losing air in a tire. My wife’s car had the same problem. After the shop checked it out a few times over the course of a few months and we added new wheels, valve cores and caps, I was finally able to figure it out myself. I sprayed soapy water around the valve stem. It took about 15 minutes to start bubbling. This may help someone else.
A: Thanks for the offer. Some shops – when replacing tires – will reset the tire pressure sensors. This includes a new cap, valve core and rubber seal around the metal body. Radio frequency pressure monitors before the tire, almost all new tires have new valve bodies. New valve stems have solved many tire leaks.
Q: My 2013 Nissan Rogue has about 73,000 miles. I change the oil regularly. The machine starts up fine, but after using the machine I have to wait at least 20 minutes or more to use it again. It won’t start. Makes a creaking sound but doesn’t hold. After about 20 minutes it starts right up and works fine. What could be wrong?
A: What you are referring to is known as a “hot soak”. An engine needs compression, fuel and spark to run. If one of these elements is missing, it will not start.
The first thing to do at this point is to check the battery, cable connections and grounds. A problem that is not supplying voltage to the ECM could be a poor ground.
Some other possibilities could be a faulty crankshaft position sensor or even an ECM (computer) affected by heat.
Best to leave it to the shop so they can hook up the test equipment and test the engine after starting it.
John Paul is a AAA Northeast Automotive Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive industry and is an ASE Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email jpaul@aaanortheast.com and put “Car Doctor” in the subject field. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.