I thought I’d take the time to answer a couple of customer questions since I have had very good questions coming in over the past few of months.

Q. I have an Embarq cell phone (Bluetooth) that I set up to work with my 2008 Toyota Camry. I can receive calls through my car’s Bluetooth and hear people clearly. However, they cannot hear me clearly. Any suggestions? I have had this problem for over a year.

A. After some digging around on the internet and reading numerous forums, I found that the Camry only supports certain types of phones. I am not sure whether your phone is on the list, but my suggestion would be to review your manual or contact a Toyota dealer to determine if this problem can be fixed or if the phone and Bluetooth system are just not compatible. Good for you though, for being a safe driver and attempting to go hands–free. I wish there were more drivers like you on the road!

Q. I have a 2008 Honda Fit. How can I find out where the cabin air filter is located?

A. There is no time like the present to become acquainted with your owner’s manual! Not only will it tell you where your cabin air filter is located, but it will also let you know the manufacturers’ suggested maintenance schedule. Knowing the maintenance schedule and sticking to it can help you extend the life of your mobile palace and save you big bucks, but it looks like you know the value of maintenance since you are interested in your cabin air filter.

And just a hint, I think the cabin air filter is located behind the glove box in your vehicle.

Q. I just had the brake pads and rotors turned on my car at another repair shop and the brakes still squeal! Did they do something wrong?

A. This is a tough question, because there are a lot of unknown factors here, like what kind of brakes were put on your vehicle. Ceramic brake pads, like we use at Car Care Centers, are designed not to squeal. Semi–metallic pads have a tendency to squeal more, and the mechanics installing them have to go through a very meticulous process to ensure there’s no squealing. As I mentioned in my article last month, poor quality brakes that have more metal particles embedded in the brake pads are more likely to produce noise.

There are a dozen things that must be correctly done to the rotors to ensure quiet brakes. Not cleaning the rotors properly, not having the correct finish on the rotors, or not having the correct anti-squeal dampeners can all affect the level of noise from your brakes.

As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

If you have any tip and tricks, or there is something you want to know about, email me at girlsgarage@mailaaa.com