Overcharging car battery will kill it
Question: We have a 2006 Toyota Sienna with 40,000 miles. The car sits in the garage most of the time waiting for us to remember it's there. Often when we do remember, the battery is already dead, and I have to charge it using a 30-year-old charger with 10-amp and two-amp settings. If I leave the charger connected all the time at the two-amp setting, would it cause damage to the battery?
Question: We have a 2006 Toyota Sienna with 40,000 miles. The car sits in the garage most of the time waiting for us to remember it's there. Often when we do remember, the battery is already dead, and I have to charge it using a 30-year-old charger with 10-amp and two-amp settings. If I leave the charger connected all the time at the two-amp setting, would it cause damage to the battery?
- E.L., Vernon Hills, Ill.
Answer: If you leave the charger connected continuously, even at a mere two amps, the battery eventually will die. Overcharging a battery causes excessive gassing - the electrolyte gets hot and both hydrogen and oxygen gas are generated. On older vented batteries, the electrolyte could cook away, leaving the plates exposed and ruining them. On sealed batteries, the buildup of gases could cause the battery to burst. Charging your battery at the 10-amp rate is fine to get your battery back into service. But if you don't want to go through this drill, buy a battery maintainer (as opposed to a charger) that will charge it as necessary and then turn itself off until the battery voltage drops again. Float or maintenance chargers such as a Battery Tender keep the battery charged without the risk of damage.
Q: I have a Honda Accord SE. Lately upon accelerating there is a hesitation or almost tugging feeling, especially under 20 to 25 mph. I took it to my Honda dealer and they told me it was not transmission-related but that I needed both front-drive shaft assemblies replaced. Had that done but still having issues. Any suggestions?
- G.C., Mundelein, Ill.
A: Having the drive shafts replaced for a hesitation problem is like having your kidney replaced for a hearing problem. Since we do not have enough information to make a stab at what is causing the hesitation, we can only advise you to find a better service provider where the technicians will, like a good doctor, diagnose the problem before performing surgery.
Q: I own a 2014 Ford Escape with a 2.0-liter engine. I cannot find the location of the cabin air filter. I would like to check and replace it if necessary. The owner's manual states that it is under the instrument panel in the passenger foot well area. I looked, to no avail. The dealership service rep told me the glove compartment has to be removed in order to access the filter. What is your assessment?
- H.K., Bethlehem, Pa.
A: Your owner's manual is right. The service rep is wrong. (You should have spoken with a technician who does the job.) The filter is in the HVAC housing under the dash near the center of the vehicle. From the passenger side, you simply remove the filter cover, which is held in place with one screw. You have to first remove the plastic trim panel under the dash to gain access to the HVAC housing. Two fasteners hold it up.
Q: About a month ago, the heat shield between the exhaust pipe and gas tank in my 2007 Camry became detached after a trip through the car wash. I've been driving the car without the shield for a little over a month only to commute to work and haven't had an issue, but would like to know your thoughts on whether this is too risky.
- P.W., Elmhurst, Ill.
A: Yeah, it's risky. It is there to deflect heat away from the fuel tank.
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