Q: I own a 2018 Honda CRV. Imagine my surprise when I went to the garage and found all the windows and the moon roof wide open. My research showed that when you press the fob a certain way, either accidentally or on purpose, this happens. All I could think of was parking outside during a storm and coming out to find my car filled with rain or snow.
The dealer claims not to know anything about this and says it can't be fixed. I have been unable to find anything in the Honda literature that mentioned this problem. But I've been able to duplicate it: Lock the car, hit unlock once briefly and then do it a second time for about 10 seconds. How can I fix this?
A: You can't fix it because nothing is broken. It was designed to do that. If your car was parked in the sun all afternoon, you could let it cool off before you get in by pressing the unlock button on the key fob and pressing and holding it a second time until the windows begin to lower. As computer programmers like to say, "It is not a bug but a feature."
Mouse-proofing
Q: My wife and I use Fresh Cab to prevent mice in our camper — along with our lawn equipment and even the Weber grill — when it goes in the shed for the winter. I don't want to jinx anything, but it works great. We buy it at Tractor Supply Co. I'm sure it's available online. What isn't?
A: I am not familiar with this product but will pass along your information. I did, however, research the active ingredients: balsam fir oil, lavender oil, Spanish rosemary oil, cedar oil, orange oil, lemon oil and plant fibers. I would avoid putting it on a salad.
Touchy subject
Q: My wife and I have a 2014 Mini Countryman with 48,500 miles. It drives like a dream, and I am happy with it. She, on the other hand, thinks it is too small. I can see that. So, I offered to buy her a Porsche Cayenne, but she doesn't like its looks. So, I offered her a Cadillac Hummer EV. She says it's too big. Aren't we men supposed to be in charge of cars?
A: I'll answer that as soon as I find my 10-foot pole.
A close shave
Q: I own a 2010 Subaru Forester with 80,000 miles, and I plan to keep it at least three more years. In 2017 I purchased a set of Continental tires rated for 70,000 miles. They have about 15,000 miles on them now. A nail punctured the sidewall on one tire, which could not be repaired. The place where I have my auto serviced stated I could not buy just one tire. I would have to purchase a full set or have the one I purchased shaved down to even out the wear, which would cost almost the same as a new set of four. Does that sound right?
A: Yes, it does sound right. It is important that all four wheels are rotating at the same speed to prevent damage to the four-wheel-drive system.
Bob Weber is a writer, mechanic and ASE-certified Master Automobile Technician. His writing has appeared in automotive trade publications, Consumer Guide and Consumers Digest. Send automotive questions along with name and town to motormouth.tribune@gmail.com.
