Q: During a thunderstorm, my daughter's EV was plugged into the charger in the garage when lightning hit her house. It affected the car’s charger, her electric fence and all her outdoor lights by the pool. Her EV car (Ford Mustang) seems to be fine with another charger. Do EVs have surge protectors built in?

G.R., Virginia Beach, Virginia

A: I dunno. So, I sought an answer from SAE (Society of Automobile Engineers). Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) products have built-in protection for voltage fluctuation or surges, said Jeff Laskowski, SAE content communications manager by email. That protection might have protected her Mach-E. The charger took the hit, protecting the car.

Q: On almost every car I have owned, when the gas gauge gets to the quarter full mark, it starts going down a lot more rapidly than any point above that. Is that on purpose and why?

H.S., Colton, New York

A: It’s likely because we check the fuel level more often when it’s getting low. Can I make it to the next gas station?

Q: I am the owner of a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek. I have been a faithful Subaru customer for many years. Within the last three years, I have had to replace worn wheel bearings three times. This seems very unusual as it has never happened to any car owned in the past. What gives?

S.C., Hartford, Connecticut

A: The word on the street is that this is a common ailment with Subarus of that vintage.

Q: I've had my Jeep Grand Cherokee for nearly four years now. My seat belt is very slow to retract. I've seen YouTube videos that dirt, grease and dust buildup on the belt and mechanism making it harder when pulling back. The apparent solution was to clean both sides of nylon thoroughly with hot water and soap and dry the material with a hairdryer. I've tried this approach twice now and it seems to have gotten worse.

J.P., Chicago

A: The plastic cover, which is also the guide for the seat belt retractor, often cracks and snags the belt. The retractor unit has to be replaced.

Q: I recently began using E15 gas since I am buying it for $3.45 a gallon at a Citgo station.

However, Citgo says this is not their product! The additional ethanol raises the octane level and increases the cleansing properties of the gasoline. Is this enough to rate it as a Top Tier gas?

M.E., Palos Heights, Illinois

A: Nope. The top gasoline marketers must submit a request for the designation. The Top Tier detergent gasoline deposit control performance standard describes the test methods used and the performance requirements that retail unleaded gasoline must meet to be licensed.

Q: I recently replaced my tires on my Honda CR-V at Costco. The tires come with a road hazard warranty. I noticed a nail in my left front tire. I called and set up an appointment to have the tire repaired. I photographed the nail. The next morning when I was getting ready to leave, I noticed a nail in the opposite front tire as well. I brought the car in and waited for the repair. When the car was completed, I was told there were no nails in my tires. I showed them the pictures and was told to wait. The technician came back and told me they did remove both nails but there were no leaks in need of repair. He said they were probably small nails, and I should just keep an eye on the tire pressure. Does this make sense to you?

H.W., Northbrook, Illinois

A: Yes.

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