Does my older pickup truck have a cabin air filter?

That’s how it works

John Paul, Car Doctor at AAA Northeast, answers a question from a reader who was gifted a 14-year-old truck.

Q I have a 2010 Ford Ranger XLT that was given to me after my father passed away. I tried to find the cabin air filter but can’t find it. I’ve read conflicting statements online that there is no cabin air filter or that there is one. I looked behind the glove compartment and there was nothing there. Does this vehicle actually have a cabin air filter?

A I checked AllData, the professional database I use, as well as parts catalogs and did not find a cabin air filter listed. The Ford Ranger can be a great little truck with a little preventative maintenance, and it’s great to have something that belonged to your dad.

Q I have a 2015 Volvo S60 with 60,000 miles. I bought it when it came off lease (about six years ago, with 17,000 miles) and have had it regularly serviced at a Volvo dealer since then. Although it looks great, drives well, feels solid and safe, and is still comfortable to drive except for getting in and out of the driver’s seat, I’m thinking about getting a new car. Due to my age (just turned 82), my next car will probably be the last car I buy, and I’m considering a mid-size SUV (mainly because of the entry/exit issue I mentioned earlier) – a hybrid with the latest safety features and driving technologies. While my focus has been on the Volvo XC40 and , Toyota RAV4, etc.) My experience is that the CR-V and RAV4 are not as solid and quiet (perhaps not as safe?) as the XC40 or XC60. Am I too biased or am I getting ahead of myself by not considering alternatives?

A Volvo has had ups and downs with different owners. When Volvo was sold to Ford, I think the quality and reliability as well as design creativity suffered. The Geely group, which now owns Volvo, helped the brand in my opinion. However, in some cases the reliability is not as good as other brands. The XC60 is a nice, easy-to-drive vehicle with great seats, decent MPG and a not-too-complicated infotainment system. The safety equipment is excellent and in the automatic emergency braking tests we conducted, Volvo was at the top of the list. I agree that the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V are a bit noisy, but Volvo is a luxury brand and Toyota and Honda are not. The Toyota RAV4 in the top trim level is quite good and reliable. The RAV4 and Volvo perform similarly in crash tests. My suggestion is to drive both and buy the car you like. Both cars are excellent choices.

Q Recently I have seen a lot of portable car air pumps on social media. Do you have a recommendation for any of these?

A Honestly, they’re all pretty good these days. I have one from Slime Products (maybe $25) that plugs into a 12 volt outlet or directly into the battery. Another is made by WORX (it’s rechargeable) and uses the same battery as my weed trimmer, so I usually always have a charged battery. Small and powerful, the WORX is the one I use most often. I was recently sent one from WOLFBOX. It is rechargeable or can be plugged into the socket. It works well and has different settings for different tires (bikes, cars, trucks). As with any device with a non-removable battery, if the battery can no longer be charged, the device will be unusable.

Q My son owns a used 2017 Honda Accord that he purchased in 2019 with 12,000 miles. In the past few years he has logged another 60,000 miles, mostly highway miles getting to and from work. On Friday he noticed the check engine light coming on and took it to his local repair shop. He was told he needed a new catalytic converter. My questions are as follows: How long should catalytic converters last and is there a guarantee? He was quoted $1,100 (presumably for both the labor and the catalytic converter). He was told he could get it for less money, but it would be an inferior converter. I have no idea what brand he’s getting at this point. Is that a reasonable price?

A If your car has California emissions like most cars in the Northeast, the warranty is eight years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first. Most catalytic converters last well over 100,000 miles, so this is a bit strange for a seven-year-old car unless it has very high mileage. It’s best to stick with a factory manufactured or top quality original replacement converter. As far as the price goes, $1,100 is quite reasonable.

Q I enjoy reading your weekly articles in my newspaper and online. I have a 2002 Honda Civic LX and the driver side sun visor won’t stay in the up position and hangs down. An internal spring clip is probably defective. I have checked some online videos for workarounds, but I don’t think they will be very effective. I’ll probably buy a replacement visor, but given the age of the car I don’t want to buy the expensive factory visor. I’ve searched a few car accessories websites with no luck. Do you have any suggestions where I could buy an inexpensive visor?

A A quick online check looks like you could buy a pair of matching visors with all the hardware on eBay or Amazon. For $50, it looks like you can fix your drooping visor problem.

Q Have you had a chance to drive the 2025 Toyota Camry Hybrid? Would you buy the all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive version and why?

I only drove the Camry for quick test drives and not for a full review. My first and second impressions were that it was a well-designed car. All wheel drive vs front wheel really depends on when and how you drive. All-wheel drive is always better in winter. All-wheel drive uses an on-demand electric motor on the rear wheels, similar to the all-wheel drive Prius. So if you need to get ahead of the plows, 4WD would be my choice. If not, front wheel drive should be fine.

John Paul is the AAA Northeast auto doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive industry and is an ASE certified master technician. Email your Car Doctor question to (email protected). Listen to the Car Doctor podcast johnfpaul.podbean.com.