Q. I purchased a 2014 certified preowned BMW from a dealer in 2017. It came with a Carfax report, so I know it has the original battery. I am not having any problems. How long can it last?

A. The average life of a battery in the Northeast is about five years, so based on that you are overdue. At the very least have the battery tested to see how it is doing. Have I seen batteries last 10 years, yes, but not often. If this were my car with what is typically the coldest part of winter approaching, I would replace the battery.

Q. Huge fan of your weekly articles. I have a question. Recently, in a Home Depot parking lot I drove over what I believe was a spray paint tube and it splattered in the back of my car. What can I do to get this off? I believe it is paint but it could be spray glitter. I was curious if taking it for detailing would do the trick.

A. A detail shop would be best if you do not want to try to clean it yourself. A professional shop will try nonabrasive solutions first. They will use chemicals such as Prep-All, acetone, and Goof-Off. If that does not work, then a very light sanding with 2000 grit paper and then a buff and wax. The sooner you get to it the better the end results. 

Q. I have four cars that I keep in storage. They are a 1984 corvette, 1962 Austin Healy ,1961 280 SL Mercedes and a 2000 Porsche 911. Can you please recommend a trickle charger that will last and keep batteries fresh? 

A. First off, nice collection of cars. The two brands that I have had the best luck with are the Deltran Battery Tender. They have one unit that is switchable depending on battery chemistry. The other is from CTEK MXS 5.0. Both of these units are good quality and will keep the batteries fully charged/maintained and ready to drive next season. If it makes any difference Jay Leno uses the CTEK chargers. 

Q. What do you think about disconnecting the negative side of battery for 10 seconds on 2017 Mazda CX5. I want to do this to reset dash and get rid of check engine light? Do all other electronics on computer stay set?

A. Generally, no, this clears the memory in the computer which also can clear the radio presets. The car may even start and stall a couple of times once the battery is reconnected. Clearing a check engine light never fixes a problem. When the issue is detected again the check engine will come back on. If it is an intermittent issue or one you repaired the light should go off on its own.

Q. I love reading your column weekly, it keeps me updated on the automotive world. I do most work on my vehicles from my 1968 Oldsmobile to my 2018 Dodge Durango. Here is my issue my wife’s 2013 Cadillac ATS. The car has a 2.0-liter engine, and it has an anti-freeze smell that comes and goes, and the engine light stays on for days and then disappears. I find no leaks or wet spots anywhere. I do notice that the antifreeze refill bottle gets full and does not drain after the car is warmed up. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

A. Start with a check of all of the fluids. Then a scan of the car’s computer system to see why the check engine light is on. The cooling system in those cars is complicated with lots of places where there could be leaks. From the radiator itself to the numerous cooling lines that run up to the intake manifold. Anyone could leak very slightly but not enough to change the level very much. When I first see a surge or overflow tank acting up the first place, I think about is the pressure cap. Whether it is a cap on a radiator or one on a surge tank it is designed to allow vacuum to build and release to allow fluid to move. At a shop, a tech would test the cap with a pressure tester as well as pressurize the entire system to look for a leak and perhaps add a dye to the coolant.  If this were me, I would get a good bright little flashlight and look at all the coolant hoses and the radiator, especially where the tanks attach to the core. If all looks good, then I would replace the pressure cap.