How To
John Paul, AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor, answers a question from a reader whose dash was suddenly filled with system error alerts.
Q. A problem has popped up with my 2018 Accord EXL 1.5 turbo. A few days ago when I started the car, my dashboard looked like a pinball machine, with one system error after another being displayed. My great local mechanic replaced the ignition coil and spark plug on cylinder one. This appeared to clear up the issue until yesterday when the problem returned. The other issue is the battery voltage is 12.2 volts and 14.4 volts while charging. Almost four years ago I had a similar problem and a new Honda battery solved the problem. Eventually, the warning lights went out, and all was okay until two weeks ago. Any thoughts?
A. Having the car looked at is the first step. This should include a good visual inspection, followed by a complete scan of the car’s computer system. The 12.2 volts indicates about a 50 percent state of charge with the battery. Charging and testing the battery, visually inspecting the wiring, and then checking for codes would be the steps to follow. The issue could be a result of one of the other three spark plugs and ignition coils failing combined with a battery that may be nearing the end of its useful life.
Q. Recently I bought and used (as well as love) a portable air compressor for my car. I even have given it as a gift to other family members. My BMW dealer told me never to use one because it ruins the sensors in the tires. Is this true?
A. The only way to ruin the sensors is to add a non-compatible sealant. Some air compressors have a sealant tank, and adding this gooey stuff to seal a nail hole could cause an issue with the sensor. Just adding air with a portable compressor will do no harm. Even the compressors with the sealant usually have a switch to add or not add the sealant.
Q. A few years ago, I purchased several portable jump starters for the family cars. They are small and seem very handy. I charge them every six months so as to be readily available in case of need. Recently, I have read that they can cause harm to the electronics of a car. What I have read is these units will start a dead car battery, but they might harm the electronics of the car. Is this true? Not only did I buy a couple for us, but I gave some to my kids. I suspect my 2010 Toyota RAV4 might be immune from the electronics issue (maybe not), but I am concerned about a 2019 RAV4, a 2017 Honda Accord, a 2023 Honda HR-V and a 2024 Honda HR-V. The units I purchased are the Battery ResQ 12V 400A USB Power Bank with a LED Flashlight. What are your thoughts?
A. You should always be cautious any time you jumpstart a car. That being said, as long as you can attach the booster pack to the battery or dedicated jumpstart posts, you should be fine. Most jumpstart packs have short leads which can be a challenge with some batteries. Damage can sometimes happen when you attach the leads to something other than a jumpstart post or battery terminal. As an example, an antilock brake module mounted on a metal bracket might look like a good ground, but an electrical spike due to a poor connection may damage the module. I am not familiar with the Battery ResQ jump-pack, but using a decent quality jump-pack as designed should cause no problems.
Q. Recently on my 2018 Nissan Maxima SL with 28,000 miles, the airbag light remained on. I scanned the computer and received code B0020-13. I know it is a code for an open circuit on the driver’s side or the airbag system, but I am unsure where to start. Any suggestions would be helpful.
A. Unfortunately, the repair data on this car is not great, I checked three different sources and did not find too much in the way of detailed diagnosis. Following the available Nissan repair procedure starts with inspecting all of the wiring and disconnecting and reconnecting the harness connectors. It certainly is possible one of the pins has become loose causing a poor connection. The next step is to clear the code and see if it returns. The most common historical repair is the replacement of the driver’s side module.
Q. I was recently stuck in traffic and saw a cute little SUV called a Captiva. It appears to be made by Chevrolet, but I cannot find any information about it. I am looking for a used small SUV and this one looks sized just right. Where do I buy one?
A. The Captiva was a compact SUV made by Chevrolet for use only in fleets and discontinued in 2015. The Captiva was built in Mexico and designed by GM Korea. The vehicle you saw was, most likely, purchased used from a rental company. A current similar vehicle is the Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain. I did read at one time that GM may bring back the Captiva name as an electric vehicle.
John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE-certified master technician. E-mail your Car Doctor question to [email protected]. Listen to the Car Doctor podcast at johnfpaul.podbean.com.
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