Q. The front brakes and pads of my 2010 Toyota RAV4 were replaced 5,000 miles ago and the rears about 10,000 miles ago. Lately I’ve noticed that while braking, the brakes pulsate (I’d guess about once per wheel rotation) which is very annoying and that the problem seems to be getting worse. The Toyota dealer verified the uneven braking and noted that the pads are not worn but recommends replacing brakes and rotors on all four wheels at a cost of about $1,100. My local garage says that the problem is with one of the rotors but can’t determine which one, so nothing should be done at this time. So, what do I do: live with the problem or pay an exorbitant amount for an unnecessary brake job?
A. The shop should be able to check the brake rotors for out-of-round with a dial indicator. Once the issue confirmed the rotors can be resurfaced to eliminate the vibration. The best method is to use an on-the-car brake lathe. Unlike putting on new rotors or resurfacing the current rotors using a traditional brake lathe the on-the-car lathe can compensate for slightly out of round hubs that could also be causing the vibration.
Q. We have two Toyota Priuses, each with 82,000 miles one is a 2007 and the other a 2010. Both are well maintained driven mostly in the city with an occasional long distance road trip. My question is which Prius has more wear and tear? Is there any handy way to think about these things; simple time passage versus usage or is it more complicated than that?
A. The hybrid/traction battery in your Priuses has a warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles (whichever comes first). Looking at just battery life expectancy the older car at some point will need a fairly expensive hybrid battery first. The other issue is general wear and tear, like any car age will take its toll. Without knowing anymore about the drivers of each car, the 2007 Prius has the most wear.
Q. I own a 2018 Mercedes Benz and recently I noticed the highway exit numbers have changed. My question is, would the update to the factory GPS be covered under my warranty?
A. Exit numbers have changed to comply with a 2009 mandate from the Federal Highway Administration for all states to have exit numbers to match mile markers. This method will allow motorists to know the distance between exits or the miles to a destination. In addition, it should be easier to locate motorists if they break down. The old numbers are required to be posted for two years after the exit number has been updated. Since the navigation system is operating as it was designed it would not be covered under the warranty. I recently evaluated a 2021 Mercedes Benz GLC and the navigation system in this brand-new vehicle had the old exit numbers. At this point all you can do is contact Mercedes Benz customer care and ask about an upgrade to the software.
Q. I am considering a new car with pushbutton start and keyless entry. What does AAA do when the battery in a keyless entry car dies, you are on the road and locked out?
A. The key-fob contains a hidden key that in most cases slides out of the key fob. The key is then used to open the locked car. In nearly every car there is at least one door lock (it may be hidden under some trim on the door handle. Once inside depending on the car there is a spot to hold the key-fob while pushing the start button. Even a key-fob with a nearly dead battery has enough energy to communicate with the car to get the engine started.
Q. Our mechanic is suggesting that we change the timing belt/chain on our 2013 VW Beetle-Fender edition. The reason is that the engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, and it is an inherent problem that the timing belt/chain breaks or comes off and destroys the engine. The mileage on the car is 107,000, and I intend to drive it for a few more years. The mechanic also says that the rear main seal us leaking a little bit and should be replaced. Should we do this work as well or just put an additive in to possibly correct the problem. The mechanic said an additive could cause more of a leak. Its approximately $1,400.00 to change rear main seal.Please advise if the timing belt/chain issue is something that should be done, and when. Are you aware if VW has any sort of recall regarding this issue or will pay for this work to be done?
A. In certain model Volkswagen with this engine, the timing chain (which typically lasts the life of the car) failed early. There was a class action lawsuit that and from what I have read for certain qualified vehicles, warranties on timing chains and timing chain tensioners have been extended by Volkswagen to 10 years or 100,000 miles. This leads me to believe that the timing chain typically fails earlier in the life of the engine and perhaps you and your car are one of the lucky ones. Regarding the rear main oil leak. Often a gasket at the vacuum pump leaks and drips in the area of the rear of the engine. A little more careful investigation should determine the origin of the leak. Now if it is the rear main seal, it will not get any better by itself, but it may not get any worse. So perhaps in the case of the oil leak “watchful waiting” makes the most sense. Regarding “pour-in”additives that stop leaks, I am generally not a fan, but I haven’t seen any that cause harm.
— John Paul, Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Traffic Safety, AAA Northeast
