Dear Car Talk: Hello. I am Tahsin from Bangladesh! I have a question about my car. It’s my first car, and I don’t know much about cars.
My car is a 1992 Toyota Starlet, right hand drive. On the driver’s side floor near the door are two levers, one small and one larger in front.
The smallest I know of is the fuel door release lever. But what is the biggest one for? – Tahsin
Dear TAHSIN: This is the ejector seat. Try it.
In fact, this is the release of the hood. Or as you may call it in Bangladesh with your right-hand drive habits, the “bonnet” drop. If you pull it, it should move 4 or 5 inches. You will feel some tension and then hear a distant “thud” and feel the tension go away. This noise is the hood latch being released.
So why doesn’t the hood come up after pulling it? Well, for safety reasons, it’s a two-step release system. To actually release the hood, you must pull this lever, then go to the front of the car and hold a second part of the latch with one hand, while opening the hood with the other hand.
Here’s why: Let’s say you stop for gas and accidentally pull the wrong lever. Then you hit the highway with the hood open. At some point, due to drafts, this hood will fly off. And it will completely block your view at freeway speeds, or if you’re going fast enough, it’ll rip you off its hinges and crash into the car behind you.
We don’t want any of these things to happen. Therefore, to get the hood to open, the latching system requires you to stand in front of the car and hold a second lever while opening the hood. Presumably you can’t do that if your car is speeding down the highway. Unless you Bangladeshis have discovered something we haven’t.
Enjoy your car and take care, Tahsin.
Dear Car Talk: I have a 2017 Chevy Volt that I bought in May 2016. It only has 36,000 miles on it.
Now that the rainy season is here where I live, and the car has plenty of torque at low revs, I notice the front tires coming off with relatively modest acceleration.
My concern is that my “low rolling resistance” tires won’t stop very well in an emergency. They also seem to be getting loud. Should I replace these tires? -Jim
Dear Jim: Probably. First, the tires that come as original equipment on cars are often not that great. The cheaper the car, the more likely they will come with cheap original tires.
So it’s not at all unusual for the original tires to need replacing at 30,000 miles. Also, in my experience, some low rolling resistance tires, while increasing mileage, seem to wear a bit faster than standard tires.
Second, as cheaper tires wear, their treads become more compact, which is what increases tire noise. So the noise is another clue that it may be time for new galoshes. And most importantly, you’ve noticed that you’re losing traction in the rain. This is the tire’s most important job: to maintain constant contact with the road.
Now, front-wheel-drive electric vehicles like the Volt are more likely to spin their tires in the rain. The electric motor produces great low-end torque. But if you’ve noticed a change, that it’s easier to spin the wheels when starting than before, it’s probably due to the tires. And if that’s the case, you’re right that the stall will also be compromised.
Note that you are under no obligation to purchase the same make or model of tires when purchasing replacements. You can and should do your research. If you want to stick with low rolling resistance tires, go to a site like tirerack.com and use their search function to see which Volt replacement tires perform best.
Tires have different attributes: some offer a longer service life, others better braking or grip on the road, others more comfort or quieter. And you don’t even need to have low rolling resistance tires, Jim. You can trade some efficiency and choose any touring tire that suits your car.
But it’s best to do your research before going to a tire shop. They may try to sell you what they have in stock or can easily get, instead of what you want. And since you’ll be living with the decision for the next 30,000-40,000 miles, think about it first.
Ray Magliozzi dispenses car advice on Car Talk every Saturday. Email him by visiting him cartalk.com
