Q: I have a 2010 Dodge Caliber with 28,000 miles on it. Since retiring, I only drive it about 1,000 miles every six months, at which point I change the oil and filter and do the other routine checks. Should I also be changing the antifreeze?
Also, what is it with auto designers? Why don't they put the fuel tank filler on the left side of all vehicles? It would really help improve traffic at gas stations. Am I the only one who gets upset with this?
_Richard A., Leesburg, Fla.
A: Water pumps as well as engines constructed with aluminum cylinder blocks and heads are prone to corrosion and erosion if proper maintenance isn't performed.
I'd recommend you drain your current antifreeze, refill with water, run the car, drain it again, and then refill with a 50-50 mix of Mopar MS-9769 green coolant (or its equivalent) and distilled water.
Your vehicle's maintenance schedule calls for replacement of coolant at 60,000 miles, but the coolant lists a five-year/100,000-mile lifespan, which you're past. Chrysler specifies the use of an ethylene glycol-based coolant with hybrid organic corrosion inhibitors and does not recommend mixing with any other type of coolant. Other vehicles have different requirements.
If you generally drive the vehicle for 30 minutes or longer, you'd probably be fine changing the oil on an annual basis. But if you do lots of short trips, which contribute to sludge build-up, keep changing frequently.
Fuel-filler locations seem to vary by era and country. Old-time domestic fueling pumps were at the curb, making a right-side filler the norm. Now, the left side is most common for vehicles intended for sale in the U.S. and Canada. In Europe, it's the right side. Because we now have multilane filling stations and roads filled with vehicles designed for a variety of countries, it's anyone's guess where their filler might be found. Vehicle features such as battery and exhaust system location may also be a factor.
Many vehicles have a tiny arrow on the fuel gauge as a reminder of which side the filler is located. And with some multilane stations having a one-way traffic patterns and pumps on each side of the islands, a mix of filler locations may not be so bad.
Q: What's the best gasoline to use? I just started driving and am confused by conflicting advice on which gas is really needed. Obviously, I don't want to pay more than I have to.
_June, Chicago
A: Your owner's manual or fuel filler door label (if used) will list the minimum octane fuel to be used for that engine-vehicle combination. Most vehicles are designed for 87 octane fuel. Higher-performance cars and turbocharged engines typically require 91-93 octane fuel to prevent engine damaging detonation, also called spark knock. If the information says "recommended" instead of "required," the engine can adjust for the use of lower grade 89 or 87 octane fuel. Performance will decline slightly, potentially outweighing the fuel savings, and I wouldn't try this in hot weather or demanding driving conditions. Using a higher-octane fuel than specified is unnecessary.
