Q: I am an owner of a 2010 Equinox with 70,000 miles. After replacing all four struts, we had a wheel alignment done. The vehicle had a left pull after the alignment. My mechanic switched two front tires left to right. Vehicle still pulls left. I recently read that the steering angle sensor needs to be reset after an alignment. Is this true? I don’t believe this was done on my vehicle. What is the function of the steering angle sensor?
G.C., Chicago
A: Delphi Technologies, supplier of steering angle sensors to GM says in its website, “As of the 2012 model year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) required all new passenger vehicles sold in the US to be equipped with ESC for overall safety. Electronic stability control (ESC) is a series of sensors that work with a computer to improve vehicle stability by detecting and reducing the loss of traction.” The most important sensors are the yaw rate sensor, lateral acceleration sensor, wheel speed sensor and steering wheel angle sensor. After an alignment or other suspension work, the steering angle sensor must be recalibrated. This is simply done using a scan tool plugged into the OBD (onboard diagnostics) connector.
Q: I have a “howling” tire. After my tires were rotated it was on the left front. The noise was too much so the dealer rotated them all back to where they were. The dealer said the tire was cupped. My questions are what would cause a tire to cup and is it safe to keep driving on it? I have 30,000 miles on the tires. Still have good tread. Dealer told me there was no warranty to cover this. I bought the car new with these tires.
C.T., Chicago
A: Although tire cupping can be due to a misaligned suspension, the most common cause is worn ride control devices—shock absorbers or struts. A bent rim is another slim possibility, but the dealer would have probably spotted it. Although annoying, the tire is acceptable to drive on until replaced.
Q: My wife bought a new Camry in 2018. She has put 10,000 miles on it. The car is in mint condition. We do not want to sell the car; we want to eventually give it to our grandson. I turn on the car once a week and idle it for 10 minutes, but I do not take it out of the garage. The car has a synthetic oil in it. Should I be doing anything else to preserve it?
M.K., Bloomingdale, Illinois
A: It sounds like your grandson will be getting a sweet ride. Meanwhile take the car out for a spin about once a month or so. Drive a combination of local and highway speeds. Give it some exercise. And, oh, change the oil based on the time interval stated in your owner’s manual.
Q: I was told many years ago (maybe 40 years ago) that you should never shift from reverse to drive or drive to reverse before completely stopping because it will damage the transmission. Is this true? My husband always does this on my 2015 Nissan Murano and it worries me.
B.F., Dundee, Illinois
A: It’s still a good idea to come to a stop before shifting from reverse to drive, but it is not essential like it used to be. Instead of relying on hydraulic pressure to switch gears, today’s cars use solenoids controlled by a computer. Now, as one solenoid applies, another solenoid releases at the proper time.