Tires do make a difference

Q: We have a 2019 Honda Accord with 25,000 miles. We just had new Michelin all-weather tires put on the car. My wife said, “The car drives much smoother now.” I have heard people say that their new tires are much better than the old ones. Does the car drive smoother because of the new tires or because they are driving newly balanced tires? I think it is better to rotate the tires less often, but when you do, should you have the tires rebalanced?

A: Regularly rotating tires ensures that they all wear at the same rate, but it does not affect ride quality. It doesn’t matter whether the wheels were balanced last week or last year so long as they are balanced. It seems weird, but tires from different companies, or models from the same company, can have differing ride qualities.

Q: I have a 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5. The battery died at the 10-month mark, and in the past two months it has died three more times. Jumping it gets it back on track, but after four or five days of the car sitting idle, the battery is totally discharged. The dealer has replaced the battery, but the issue continues and he has found no electrical issues to repair. Do you have any ideas?

A: There is some evidence that the Bluelink system may be the culprit. Reportedly, the system may be getting too many requests (pings) from your smartphone or other device. Don’t leave your phone or other Bluetooth device in the vehicle.

Q: I can’t help but notice that almost all the wheels on cars have five lug nuts. Why five?

A: It boils down to simple physics. The star pattern provides even, reliable attachment for the wheels. Larger vehicles often have more. Some light trucks have six. Semis have 10. Some itty-bitty cars have only four.

Bob Weber is a writer, mechanic and ASE-certified Master Automobile Technician. His writing has appeared in automotive trade publications, Consumer Guide and Consumers Digest. Send automotive questions along with name and town to motormouth.tribune@gmail.com.