Q: I read your column every week and have learned a lot. Thank you for all the info. I live in Chicago and have a deep-cycle battery for my pop-up camper that I keep in my unheated garage between trips. I have it on a maintenance charger. Should I bring it indoors during the Chicago winter, or will the charger keep it ready (and undamaged) for next season? E.Y., Chicago A: The charger will be all you need. Maintaining the charge will also cause the battery to stay warm internally. Q: I drive a 2021 Kia Sorento that needs new tires. The special security key to unlock the wheels is missing, hidden or possibly never received (I don’t recall ever seeing it). The tire shop says they can replace the tires and put normal lug nuts on. They said I can contact Kia and purchase a new security key for $80. I’ve heard that thieves can purchase master security keys online for less than $100 if they want to steal your wheels. So, I’m planning to simply tell the tire shop to change the tires and put the old-fashioned normal lug nuts on the car since I’m not worried about theft (and they’ll steal the wheels anyway if they buy the tool). Any thoughts? J.M., La Grange, Illinois A: I am beginning to think that locking lug nuts provide little more than peace of mind for the car owner. I have not heard of a master key, but there are readily available tools for removing locking lug nuts. Go for four regular nuts and you will only be out about five bucks. Q: I recently bought a new Subaru Forester that came equipped with an automatic engine shutdown feature when not moving at stoplights. I don’t like this feature and select it off with the override function. I think this constant starting and stopping would be hard on the engine and starter. What do you think? T.M., Barrington, Illinois A: I get this question a lot and answer it the same way every time. No, the stop/start feature does not cause excessive wear on anything except, perhaps, the owner. Q: I recently purchased a 2005 Honda CR-V, which is equipped with Idle Stop. I’m not a big fan of it and usually turn it off, which I have to do every time I start the car. My question: Is the fuel saving worth the constant wear on the starter? I live where there are many stop signs and traffic lights. L.S., Macungie, Pennsylvania A: See? I told you that I get this question a lot. For owners of vehicles that do not have an option to turn off the stop/start feature, there are plenty of aftermarket devices that can override the system. But I have not installed any so I can’t vouch for them. As for fuel savings, it is negligible. Q: I have a 2011 Hyundai Genesis that has been a very good car for me. One issue I’ve been dealing with since last winter is that the right front tire loses air over time, whereby the dashboard low tire warning light comes on. I find it to especially be a nuisance when the weather turns cold. I recently visited my mechanic for an oil change and mentioned the tire issue. They reported back to me that they could not locate or determine where or what was causing the air leak. Would you recommend that I take it to a tire store for their opinion? B.B., Bloomington, Minnesota A: Yes, tire stores have seen it all and are more likely to find the problem. ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.