April 02--Q: My wife took our 2009 Camry to the local tire dealer to get the tires rotated and decided to get the oil changed, too. She was told that she had to get synthetic oil if we wanted the change interval to be 5,000 miles. If she wanted regular oil, it would have to be changed every 3,000 miles. We checked with the Toyota dealer where we normally get the oil changed and they confirmed regular oil and 5,000. Have we been scammed with a $64 oil change?
-- T.M., Bethlehem, Pa.
A: Let's just say you have been super-sized. Once again, trust your owner's manual for the proper service intervals. You did read the manual, didn't you? By the way, would you like fries with that?
Q: I have a 1997 Dodge Ram with 110,000 miles. When I get the oil changed, is it worth the extra money to get high-mileage oil or am I just wasting money?
-- K.P., South Bend, Ind.
A: The high-mileage oils have additional additives to help keep seals and gasket supple. That reduces the chance of developing leaks. Replacing gaskets and seals can get expensive. The high-mileage oil is cheap insurance.
Q: I have had a similar problem to last week's Dodge Magnum. My defroster was not working well on my 2002 Prius. The owner's manual said to check the cabin filter. I replace it every 20,000 miles or when the windows start to fog. Problem solved!
-- B.C., Oak Park
A: Good point. Anything that blocks the flow of outside air will exacerbate the fogging problem. That includes leaves and other debris at the intake vents on the cowl at the bottom of the windshield.
Q: Like most cars, my 2014 Prius has a button for controlling air in the cabin. I can choose recirculate or outside air. This seems simple enough, but often when I am driving with the recirculate button on it simply turns itself off and begins to take in air from the outside. When I had the car in for servicing I asked my technician about this. Perhaps I am dim but his explanation of why this happens made no sense, but he said this is what it is supposed to do. Can you explain in layman terms?
-- R.B., Chicago
A: It is absolutely normal. According to your owner's manual: "In Eco drive mode, the air conditioning system is controlled as follows to prioritize fuel efficiency: Heating/cooling capacity is restricted. Outside/recirculated air mode may automatically switch depending on the temperature setting or the inside temperature." If you lost yours, you can find a replacement manual online at the Toyota website www.toyota.com/owners/manual.
Q: I have a 2012 Camry XLE and am planning to put a new battery in the car later this year. Will I lose all the data stored in my car's GPS and Bluetooth when the dealer disconnects the current battery to put in a new one?
-- R.B., Orefield, Pa.
A: That is a good question, but rather than discuss specifics about only your Toyota, we want to remind our readers that swapping out a battery on today's electronics-engorged cars is risky unless power is maintained. The Toyota dealer is aware of this, but some shade-tree mechanics and do-it-yourselfers may get into trouble.
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