Car Doctor: Is it necessary to change the oil once a year?

A: Yes, I would change the oil once per year regardless of the low mileage. I do an annual oil change in my wife’s car, which only goes about 4,000 miles per year.

Oil on short trips gets contaminated from unburned fuel and condensation. An oil change service is a good excuse to give the car an overall look for potential problems.

Q: I have a 2005 Buick. I hear a rotational — sometimes squeaky — sound coming from the front tire areas. When I first heard it, I thought it was birds chirping. It is most noticeable between 10 to 25 mph when there is no radio or fan on or a lot of loud road noises. What is interesting is that the noise goes away when the brakes are applied, so it's probably not a brake issue. Any ideas before I take it in for service?

A: This squealing noise is typical of a front brake pad warning sensor. As the brake pads wear, a metal tab will rub on the brake rotor and cause a squealing sound. When you apply the brakes, the brake pad deflects slightly and the sensor doesn’t hit the brake rotor. At this point, go to the shop and have them road-test the car and then inspect all of the brakes.

Q: My Cadillac had a dead battery. My neighbor, with his diesel truck, came over and jump-started the car. He said he can start anything, since his truck has two big batteries. The car started, but afterward, one headlight was out. The headlight turned into a $700 repair. Was this a result of my helpful neighbor’s jump-start?

A: It is certainly possible. General Motors testing has shown that the use of non-approved battery chargers and boosters can damage headlamp bulbs, control modules and other electrical components.

In some cases, the boosters — and perhaps the way your neighbor hooked up cables — may have exceeded 20-volts. GM has shown that boost voltage exceeding 20 volts during a jump-start can damage both low beam headlamp filaments.

Q: I have a 2018 Ford Escape SE with approximately 90,000 miles. When cruising around 35 mph or slower, I can feel and hear a rotational muffled thud coming from the front half of the car. Applying the brake does not affect the noise. Accelerating helps when you reach a fast enough speed. I don't experience the noise/thump every time I drive the car, but it is usually worse after driving a long distance.

I brought the vehicle to the shop, and they replaced all four brakes and rotors. However, this has not solved the problem. Do you have any idea what the problem might be?

Car Doctor:While on a road trip, what would you keep in your car in case of emergencies?

A: My first thought is a tire with irregular wear or a flat spot. I had a similar issue with my own car (only 25,000 miles) but only five years old. The noise sounded like a worn wheel bearing, but it was actually the tires.

I would start by inspecting and then rotating the tires to see if the noise travels. If the noise changes, the issue is the tires. Other possibilities are a worn wheel bearing or even a bearing in the front differential. The noise will not necessarily go away at higher speeds; it just gets drowned out by other noises.

Q: In a recent column you compared costs of a Honda Accord hybrid and a non-hybrid Accord. It seems like your math may have been off. You mentioned it could take decades to pay the additional cost of a hybrid. Do you not like hybrids?

A: I did compare the cost of an Accord and Accord hybrid, but the hybrid was a bit more upscale. Looking at the least expensive Accord and the least expensive Accord hybrid, there is a $4,080 difference in price. According to the EPA fuel economy website, there is a $500 to $600 difference in annual operating costs.

Using the more favorable number, it would take 6.8 years before the additional vehicle costs would be offset by the savings in fuel costs.

I do like hybrid vehicles. They provide — in some cases — not just better fuel economy but overall better performance. But it does come at a cost, and buyers need to realize that. In fact, I just evaluated the Honda CR-V Hybrid, and it was the best CR-V to date, in my opinion.

John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email [email protected] and put “Car Doctor” in the subject field. Follow him on X/Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.