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This car thinks it's been burglarized Fri, Mar 19, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I am trying to jump-start my husband's 2008 Honda Accord. It's been sitting for a few months since he was deployed to Iraq, and I need to move the car ASAP before the street...

Reader asks for help with a stinky situation Fri, Mar 19, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: A passenger in my son's Toyota Tacoma truck did not get his head all the way out of the window prior to vomiting. The exterior and the interior of the truck have been...

Why odometers never lose their data Fri, Mar 12, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: Everyone knows it is illegal to change an odometer reading, and I wouldn't do it even if I knew how. My 1999 Chevy Malibu (the best car I've ever owned) has an electronic...

The upside of a world-be mechanic boyfriend Fri, Mar 12, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I'm a busy, poor veterinary student with an old, 1989 Volvo 240 DL. I have a wannabe boyfriend/mechanic who likes to tear into things and see what's inside, then put things...

Does tucking engine in at night keep it warm? Fri, Mar 5, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I need your help! My significant other has been placing a blanket over her engine for years now. During spells of extreme Minnesota winter weather, she'll go out and throw...

Bigger wheels are no deal in this case. Fri, Mar 5, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I live in Albany, N.Y., and I own a 2009 Dodge Journey, all-wheel drive, with 19-inch wheels and tires. I didn't realize it at the time, but getting these optional huge...

Should driver investigate dealer mishap further? Fri, Feb 26, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2003 Toyota Prius, which has gone 67,000 miles. I always take it to the dealer, and recently had it there for its 65,000-mile service. After a fairly long wait, the...

No truth to this observation Fri, Feb 26, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: Was it just me, or did my Jeep really seem faster this morning in the cold, -15 F air? I've always heard that the colder the air, the better the combustion. Is there any...

The procedure to follow if gas pedal sticks Fri, Feb 19, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: Recently, there was a large recall of Toyotas because the gas pedal could get stuck on the floor mat and cause the car to keep accelerating wildly. Yesterday the pedal got...

Reader needs help choosing a midlife crisis car Fri, Feb 19, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: Guys -- you probably have been asked this before, but here it goes anyway. I am 46 years old, divorced for two years, recovered financially, and I am ready to purchase a new...

Tom and Ray weigh in on lead weights Fri, Feb 12, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: It turns out that lead wheel weights are the biggest source of lead in California's waterways. There is a bill that would ban them in favor of safer alternatives, especially...

Something about this diagnosis sounds off Fri, Feb 12, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: My daughter bought a 2005 Kia Sorento nine months ago, and was given an extended warranty by the dealership. A week ago, it started running badly, so she took it back. The...

Olive oil good for many things, but not repelling snow Fri, Feb 5, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: We had a big snowstorm this week. Not wanting to scrape the ice off my windshield, the night before the storm I looked around for something to put under my wipers to keep...

Tom and Ray can't get onboard with this dangerous idea Fri, Feb 5, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: My problem is my 1995 Chevy High-Top Conversion Van model G20. I am a fanatical sports fan. I never miss a football or baseball game. I also do a lot of RV-ing, so I spend a...

The case of the misaligned hub covers Fri, Jan 29, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I live in New Hampshire, and have a 2002 Saab 9-5 Aero. About 10 weeks ago, after putting on the snow tires, I personally put the little blue "hub covers" with the Saab logo...

In extreme cold, block heaters should be used regularly Fri, Jan 29, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I live in interior Alaska, and it gets cold. How cold, you ask? It's been -40 F (that's negative 40) for the past week or so. My husband and I go back and forth as to...

Nice gesture does no harm to cars Fri, Jan 22, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I am a valet at a local country club in Wisconsin. As you well know, it gets very cold here in the winter months, and that leads to my question. As a favor to the members who...

Technical service bulletins explained Fri, Jan 22, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I've heard you refer to "bulletins" ("maybe there's a bulletin on it") in addressing repair problems. My question is this: If there is, in fact, a bulletin out on a repair,...

How to price your personal rental Fri, Jan 15, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I'm living with a bunch of poor, just-out-of-college/sometimes-in-grad-school folks who are planning to share my car. I don't want to sell it. I'd like to come up with a way...

An answer to your air-bag problem -- no charge Fri, Jan 15, 2010 | Leave a comment Dear Tom and Ray: I recently purchased a 2009 Chevy Traverse. My wife, who is a vertically challenged 5 feet 1 inch, likes to sit on a cushion to gain greater visibility. However, when she...