How To

In search of a new 2-door pickup truck

John Paul, AAA Northeast's Car Doctor, answers a question from a reader considering different brands for a new truck purchase.

The Car Doctor answers a question from a reader considering different brands for a new truck purchase. Nissan

May 27, 2025

3 minutes to read

Q. I asked you once about 2-door pickups. As a Toyota owner for many years, I wanted to purchase a 2025 2-door Tacoma as I have been happy with my previous Toyotas. For a month I have been corresponding with Toyota dealers as well as Toyota Corporate with no success finding one. So, I am considering purchasing the 2025 Nissan Frontier SV King Cab. It is exactly what I am looking for. The Nissan dealers have many on their lots and they cost about the same as the Tacoma. But I have never owned a Nissan, so I do not know what their reliability is (my Toyotas have been excellent). I am particularly concerned about the V-6 engine the Frontier comes with.

A. The Nissan Frontier is a no-apologies mid-sized truck, not a truck trying to be a luxury car. The last one I evaluated was very good. The strong V-6 engine is a holdover from other Nissan models and quite reliable. Technology feels somewhat dated, but it works okay. The reliability is not the same as a Toyota, but all things being equal, I would buy a Nissan along with some other nameplates. My real issue is the company itself; Nissan is currently facing financial difficulties and experiencing significant drops in operating profits and sales. There was even a possible merger in the works with Honda, but those negotiations fell apart.

Q. With the new synthetic brake fluids, are they still hygroscopic? Can these brake-fluid exchanges be extended?

A. All DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1 fluids (US Department of Transportation boiling point specification) are conventional, but are all are synthetic – sort of. The reason is because they blend components. But the “synthetic” label I believe (engineers, let me know) is more marketing than the resistance to moisture. This is like synthetic blends of oil – there is no percentage blend standard. Silicone brake fluid is also sometimes called synthetic because it is not traditional glycol based and is not hygroscopic. Silicone fluid is often used in vintage cars because it will not corrode internal brake parts. It is also not compatible with conventional brake fluid, is more compressible, and can give the driver a feeling of a spongy pedal.

Q. Does AAA repair tires at your residence? I have a flat. Will they repair the tire at my house?

A. Over the many years I have been with AAA we have been looking into mobile flat repair, but to do it properly, you need to inspect the tire (take it off the rim) to see if it is damaged. Some providers and DIY’er will put in a plug. I also carry a plug kit in my car in case of emergencies, but a plug is a temporary repair. For a tire to be repaired properly, the tire needs to be inspected for damage and repaired with a plug/patch combination. AAA will come out and air-up your tire, install the spare (if your car has one), or tow the car to a tire store.

Q. My brand-new Kia K4 just turned 1,500 miles and has an 8-speed automatic transmission with a “normal” setting and a “sport” setting. I just went on a trip driving in the normal setting. On the highway at 70 MPH, the tachometer is reading 2,300 RPM’s. I discovered the car is in 7th gear. I can manually paddle shift to 8th gear and the RPM’s drop to 1,600. On my trip there I did this all the time and got 45 MPG. On the way home I did not touch the paddles and got 38 MPG. Any thoughts?

A. This does sound a little strange. I can understand that in the sport setting, the computer will lock out 8th gear for better performance. In the normal setting the transmission should go into 8th speed at highway speeds. I would go back to the dealer and road test another K4 for comparison. Having an 8-speed transmission that does not shift into 8th gear automatically does not make much sense to me.

Q. I was watching YouTube and saw a mechanic checking for parasitic electrical drain with a thermal imaging camera. Does this work, and have you tried it?

A. I think we watch the same channels. I recently have been using an Innova infrared inspection camera. I did find a relay that stayed on when the car was off because of the heat signature. Although it is a versatile tool, it is not the quick answer to finding parasitic draw, it is just another tool for diagnostics and troubleshooting that can get you down the correct path.

John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE-certified master technician. E-mail your Car Doctor question to [email protected]. Listen to the Car Doctor podcast at johnfpaul.podbean.com.