Q: I own a 2015 Corvette Z06 that has a leather dashboard. The dashboard is shrinking and bubbling up near the windshield and around the opening for the heads-up display. Is there a way to repair or replace the leather?
A: Although it looks like leather, the dash cover likely is vinyl. I don't know of any way to fix the problem, but there are replacement dash covers available. Most of them are salvaged, so checking around with auto recycling businesses or on the internet is likely to be your best bet.
Seeing the light
Q: Just had a harrowing drive on a two-lane road, blinded by oncoming headlights, exacerbated by reflection on wet road surfaces. Not one driver switched to low beams. Is that a thing of the past? It's more than a courtesy gesture. It's a safety necessity.
A: I suspect that most — if not all — of the drivers were using low beams when meeting oncoming traffic. The problem likely was that those high-intensity low beams still bother a lot of drivers. I have experimented with anti-glare nighttime glasses, but I haven't yet found ones I really like. If you wear corrective glasses, always opt for the anti-glare coating.
Brake noise
Q: I have a 2014 Toyota Avalon with 73,000 miles. I had front and rear brakes replaced at the Toyota dealer. The brakes squeak when I start the car and back out of the driveway. I took the car back to the dealer and was told that when brakes are replaced this is a common occurrence on startup because they no longer use asbestos as part of the brakes, which are now metallic. I told them I do not hear the brakes of any other cars on my block, either new or old, squeaking. They replied that even some new cars have squeaking brakes. Truth or not?
A: Brake noise can happen after a brake job, and often it goes away after a short while. But if the noise continues, there are solutions, such as anti-squeal compound and shims that can stop the high-frequency vibrations. Give the brakes a few weeks.
No accessories
Q: Please settle a disagreement between me and my bride of 37 years. She leaves on the radio, heater and other accessories when she turns off the ignition to her 2019 Honda CR-V. I say that the accessories will cause a drain on the battery when the vehicle is restarted. She says it does not matter. Who is correct?
A: Although I am not a qualified marriage counselor, I must agree with your wife. The ignition switch is the master and breaks the circuits for all of the accessories with the key off and bypasses them during cranking.
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.
