Q.  My dad’s 2000 Buick Park Avenue runs great, but the gas gauge is malfunctioning. He fills the tank, and an hour later it shows empty. There’s no leak. Can it be fixed, and is it worth it? 

A.  The most common problem with inoperative gas gauges is the sending unit that resides in the gas tank. The part sells for about $175, plus the labor to drain the fuel, remove the tank and install the new part. The total cost could be $500. If the car is in good condition, why not spend $500 to keep from running out of gas?

Q.  There’s a smell of antifreeze in the cab of my 2005 Dodge Dakota, and the front window fogs up for a minute when heater is turned on. Is this a heater core, and if so, how much would it cost to fix?

A.  This is a classic symptom of a leaking heater core. The typical cost of the part is $175. The labor to replace it in your vehicle is about 4.5 hours, plus any additional time to drain and re-charge the air conditioner.

Q.  The headlights on my 2001 Chevy Venture minivan don’t light up the road very well. The van passed inspection, the lights are aimed correctly, and I recently replaced the bulbs with brighter Sylvania bulbs as well as cleaned the outside lenses with a headlight buffing kit. Over the weekend, I removed the lenses and had to dump a bunch of water out of each. To make matters worse, I found that the inside of the lenses look cloudy. Is there a way to solve this problem?

A.  There was a time when replacing the bulb solved most headlight problems. But now that most vehicles use replaceable bulbs inside a headlight assembly, problems such as yours are becoming common. Unfortunately, the only answer is to replace the entire headlight assembly, an expensive proposition.

Q.  I’m looking for a small sport-utility vehicle. So far, I’ve narrowed it down to the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue and Mitsubishi Outlander. If it were your money, what would you buy?

A.  The motor-press association of which I’m a member recently voted the Hyundai Tucson as the overall best vehicle in the small-SUV category. The honor was based on the Tucson’s combination of good looks, decent fuel economy and outstanding warranty.

Q.  To prolong the life of tires, brake pads and rotors, what’s the best way to stop? For instance, if I’m approaching a stop sign or a red light, is it better to gently apply the brakes and come to a gradual stop, or to apply them closer to where the car should stop? It’s definitely more comfortably for the passengers to experience the gradual slowdown, but from a purely mechanical point of view, does it make any difference?

A.  In my opinion, applying the brakes gradually is the best method to increase the life of the brake components. Anytime you apply the brakes rapidly, you’re wasting energy that was developed by the vehicle’s engine. Go easy on the gas to maximize both fuel economy and brake life. 

Q.  My kids are approaching driving age, what does AAA have to help kids learn to drive?

A.  AAA has a great new teen-driver Website, Keys2Drive (www.AAA.com/Teens). It’s packed with videos, tips, quizzes and illustrated handbooks. It’s a must-see for parents and teens.

Q.  My 2006 Dodge Caravan has two 12-volt power outlets. There’s one in the front (which doesn’t work) and one in the rear compartment (which does). According to the owner’s manual, there’s no fuse, but some sort of relay that must be reset by the dealer. I’m stumped—if both outlets are in the same circuit, how can one be OK and the other dead?
 
A.  According to AllData, the technical database I use, the two outlets are on separate circuits protected by conventional fuses. I’d recheck the fuses, wiring and ground circuits.