The Car Doc talks Subaru’s cold weather problems, burning oil and more

John Paul, aka “the Car Doctor,’’ answers readers’ car-related questions.

By John Paul @johnfpaul

May 17, 2016

3 minutes to read

Q. Here’s a weird one for you. I have 2015 Subaru Legacy that I really like, for the most part. The one thing that I don’t like is that it refuses to start the second time on really cold (sub-zero) days. The first time this happened was last January, only a couple of weeks after I bought the car. It was about 10 below zero, and it started fine in the driveway. It also started without a problem after sitting in the parking lot of a local nature sanctuary for an hour or so. But an hour or so after that, after sitting in the grocery store parking lot for an hour or so, it wouldn’t start. The radio and lights worked, but there wasn’t as much as a click from the starter. We called Subaru Roadside Assistance for a tow, but when they didn’t arrive for an hour or so, we tried it again, and it started without a problem. We drove to the local Subaru dealer, but they didn’t have a clue what might be wrong with it except that it might be a faulty battery in the key, except that wouldn’t explain why it did start after sitting in the parking lot for an hour. Again this year we had the same problem. Any suggestions?

A. The problem is actually documented with Subaru the following comes from a technical service bulletin from Subaru that I found on AllData the technical database that I use. If you receive a customer concern of a no crank / no start condition during very cold temperatures, ignition relays may be the problem. After the initial start, the customer drives a short distance then shuts the car off (example: at a gas pump or coffee shop). After the time that it takes to pump their gas or get their coffee, they return to the car and it will not start. The customer may also notice the instrument cluster and/or interior lights are not illuminating along with the HVAC being inoperative. The source of this condition has been identified as condensation flash-freezing inside the relays. This bulletin provides a service procedure for replacement of the four relays, all of which are located together in the vehicle’s interior fuse box.

Q. My car, a 1959 Chevrolet Suburban is burning oil, mostly smoke at startups and when I accelerate hard. Even though it smoke it really only uses about 1 quart of oil in 800 miles and runs beautifully. I have seen high mileage oil that claims to clean sludge out and renews seals. Do you think their oil is any different than others? What about a heavier weight oil or synthetic oil would these help? I really only drive the car a few thousand miles per year but I hate seeing the oil smoke.

A. I believe based on your description the problem may be related to worn piston rings or valve seals. Switching to heavier oil will cut down on oil use and limit some engine smoke. Synthetic oil will still smoke, but doesn’t have the same obvious blue color when it burns. I have seen several ads in publication such as Hemmings and Old Cars weekly about smokeless oil. It is pure synthetic oil and the manufacturer claims no smoke during the combustion process. Looking online the reviews are good but the oil is expensive, running about $15-$20 per quart. If tests reveal the problem is just valve seals, you might want to consider actually fixing the problem

Q. In past column, you suggested that down-shifting a 2003 Toyota Camry was not advisable since the transmission was not designed for manual downshifting. I have a 2014 Ford Fusion with 4-wheel-drive and paddle shifters. I live in a hilly part of New England and using the shifters is fun and necessary at times. I would like your opinion on this.

A. The transmission in the Fusion was designed with a manual shifting mode. If you feel you want to have a little more control feel free to shift as necessary. Although keep in mind in manual shift mode you may be paying a fuel economy penalty. The car’s computer is designed to find the balance between decent performance and fuel economy.

Q. What are your thoughts on the latest Honda Pilot? I have had one for over 200,000 miles and I’m considering a new one.

A. I think the Pilot is one of the best three row SUVs sold today. I would not hesitate to buy a new one. In fact the latest Pilot was voted by the New England Motor Press as the official winter vehicle of the year.