Q: You wrote in a recent column that you should never attempt to start an already running car, due to the nasty noise it makes. My wife and I hear a similar noise when we cold start our 2014 Honda CR-V. The dealer says it's a common issue with our make and model year resulting from faulty design. They further say, it would be an expensive repair, plus it would likely just come back. Can you offer any other resolution to this offensive sound? Our ears thank you.

T.H., Naperville, Illinois

A: Although starter problems could be the cause, most likely it is the variable valve timing (VVT) actuator leaking down oil internally when the engine is off. When the engine is restarted after cold soak, the actuator makes a noise till it’s recharged with oil pressure. It's an expensive repair; and it won’t cause engine damage, just aural annoyance.

Q: I have a 2015 Prius with 127,000 miles. Recently I began to hear a rubbing sound in the front end. Also at least one tire was leaking. The tire pressure light was coming on about every 10 days. I approved resealing the beads and rotation for all four tires. They came back and said that I needed the front wheel bearings replaced. I have to emphasize that after leaving the dealership, the rubbing sound was gone. I listened for a week and it did not return. Nonetheless, I didn’t want to ignore the diagnosis and end up on the side of the road with an immobile car, so I took it to a garage that my neighbor had frequented for years. They gave the same front bearings diagnosis, so I had them proceed with the repair (for less than the dealership cost). Did the resealing and rotation of the tires result in the disappearance of the rubbing sound? Could I have enjoyed the silence and driven on?

A.G. , Grayslake, Illinois

A: Servicing the tires/wheels could have temporarily reduced the noise, but you did the right thing by having the bearings replaced. Being left by the side of the road is unlikely as the bearing will get louder and louder, crying for replacement. If the shop also replaced the hubs, kudos.

Q: I've been experiencing a strange electrical problem with my 2017 GMC Acadia Denali. I recently got a dashboard message saying, "Steering Assist is Reduced Drive with Care." This was accompanied by a continuous loud fan noise coming from underneath the hood. I brought it to the local dealership. They said they found a radiator leak so the radiator was replaced and that solved the problem for about another month. The problem came back, but this time the check engine light showed up after about 50 miles of driving. I found a suggestion online to disconnect the negative battery terminal, so I did that and that corrected everything but only for a couple of weeks.

B.S., Duluth, Minnesota

A: Your vehicle has electric power steering assist. If the computer gets a report of an error with the cooling system, it triggers the warning. The problem could be with the radiator, thermostat or sensor reporting the coolant temperature. Disconnecting the battery simply turns off the check engine light but does not fix the problem.

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