# Stupid questions about my car **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2020, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-questions-about-my-car/914722 "2020-07-08T10:20:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-questions-about-my-car/914722/21 "2020-07-09T13:55:21Z")
> [@mandala](#): > > I saw an offer for a free version of a sensor called Nonda - and promptly got it, only to find my car does not have an interface to plug in this thing. Apparently it pulls out the codes and displays them on the smartphone app. Hmm, does it connect to an [OBD-II port](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics#OBD-II_diagnostic_connector) ? Because ALL cars have had OBD-II for over 20 years. [This page](https://www.nissanhelp.com/diy/altima/projects/nissan_altima_obd_connector_location.php) shows the location for the Altima over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-questions-about-my-car/914722/22 "2020-07-09T14:33:36Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > There is a relatively new issue called Multiple Warning Light Syndrome… > > …Your oil change had nothing to do with the lights. Hot day, using AC, fans, etc. probably drained the battery down just enough. I do not know the battery set up in your 12 year old car but I would guess that you will eventually need a new battery or service of that system. > > [https://dashboardsymbols.com/2012/02/automotive-warning-lights-multiple-light-syndrome/](https://dashboardsymbols.com/2012/02/automotive-warning-lights-multiple-light-syndrome/) This is a common occurrence seen by owners on the Chevy Bolt, a fully electric vehicle. Nearly every system depends on the 12v battery and when that battery dies, the failure is not graceful. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-questions-about-my-car/914722/23 "2020-07-09T15:50:48Z")
FWIW, I wouldn’t store any liquids in my trunk unless they were strapped down securely. Starting, stopping, and especially turning will throw stuff around and spill it eventually. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-questions-about-my-car/914722/24 "2020-07-10T18:09:19Z")
A lot of cars won’t start as a fail-safe when there is any problem at all, so an intermittent problem can be a head-scratcher, because the fail-safe sometimes is in action, and sometimes not. We had a car once slightly low on oil, which DH parked on a steep hill. Wouldn’t start, because the oil appeared very low due to the angle. He thought the battery died, and tried to roll-start it, which didn’t work, but got the car on a level surface, so that it started. It took us a long time to figure that one out-- in fact, we didn’t really-- we ended up posting on an MB for the make and model, and someone suggested it. So you could just have some part that is failing when it gets to hot (which is a sign that it is close to failing altogether), and is activating the fail-safe. It could be any of many sensors, particularly part of the engine temp sensing system. You might call the dealer, tell them the problem, make model, and they’ll say “Oh, yeah, this happens.” ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-questions-about-my-car/914722/25 "2020-09-28T09:30:34Z")
So my old 2008 Altima Hybrid appears ready to give up the ghost and go gently into the night. The push-start won’t work, and lights up the dashboard with all sorts of lights but will not start up the engine. I took it to Firestone and they said it’s related to the Hybrid system and only Nissan can fix the issue. I am chary of going to the Nissan Service Center; it will probably cost me a bomb to repair. Besides, Firestone replaced my AC condenser for $800 - yes, for a car that won’t start 🙄 - and I am not spending any more. It has 120K miles on it. So it’s probably time for a new (used) car. I saw a deal for a 2019 Altima with 27K miles, with an asking price of 16.5K, which I felt is a good deal. Obviously it’s been driven a lot in just a year, but this is the lowest mileage I can find for a 2018/2019 model that fits my budget of 17K. How do folks here feel about a later-model Altima, compared to an Accord or Camry? My research indicates they are mostly neck-and-neck in almost all categories, including reliablity. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-questions-about-my-car/914722/26 "2020-09-28T15:49:19Z")
If the OP was talking about a 1974 Camaro, I’d probably have it up and running very quickly. 🙄 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-questions-about-my-car/914722.md?page=1)