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player ready...Q: I’m a 77-year-old woman who reads your column every Sunday even though I don’t understand it most of the time. I have a 2006 Cadillac DTS. For about the first half-mile after starting the car, it sounds like someone knocking from the trunk. I told my grandson there was a ghost in the trunk, but would you have better idea?
–L.B., Chicago
A: “Who you gonna call?” Ghostbusters won’t help. We quickly guessed that it may be a loose exhaust pipe, but that would knock more often than after startup. Then we surmised that it may have to do with the leveling system, but that should not make a knock. There is one thing in the rear that cycles during every cold start: the emissions evaporate canister purge solenoid. GM released a replacement that is much quieter.
Q: The heated and cooled seats in my 2007 Lincoln MKZ quit working on a recent trip. The under hood and the under dash fuses are good. The push button lights do not light. Is this a dealer-only troubleshoot and fix or is it something I can find and fix?
–W.W., Valparaiso, Ind.
A: This is a bad time of year to have the heated seats fail, but they commonly do on 2007-08 MKZs as well as Ford Navigators and Expeditions. The most common issue is a restricted air filter on the seat heater/cooler blower, and cleaning it usually solves the problem. If not, resetting the seat climate control module may do the trick. Remove, wait a few seconds, and then replace fuses number 11 and 12 in the battery junction box under the hood. (That would be only fuse number 8 on Ford vehicles.) If it still doesn’t work, have the dealer recalibrate the system.
Q: I own a few cars, some newer than others, and do my own oil changes, etc. Some of the cars have the green and some the newer orange/pink antifreeze. When purchasing supplies recently at my local auto parts store, the counter man said I could save money by purchasing one type of coolant made for both systems. The label on the container did say that was so. Would that type of antifreeze be OK to use in both systems?
–L.A., Hampshire, Ill.
A: These universal antifreeze-coolants have been around for several years and seem to be working fine. We just flushed and filled Mrs. Motormouth’s car in the fall using a universal coolant. So far, so good.
Q: Can I spray WD-40 on the rubber parts around the doors to prevent them from sticking in the cold weather?
–G.B., Downers Grove, Ill.
A: We would not advise it. The best thing to use is silicone grease. Smear a thin coat on all rubber pieces. Not only does it prevent sticking caused by moisture between the parts turning into ice, but it helps keep the rubber supple. By the way, never use a petroleum-based product on rubber as it may cause deterioration.
Send questions along with name and town to Motormouth, Rides, baiduhai, 435 N. Michigan Ave, Fifth Floor, Chicago IL 60611 or [email protected].