Q. I have a 2001 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck, with a 2.2L engine that’s logged 71,000 miles. My problem is that recently it has begun to idle much too fast when fully warmed up. If I shut it off and restart the engine, it idles fine. I would like to have some idea of the cause before I bring it to the repair shop.

A. One of the first places to look is for a possible vacuum leak. The fast idle speed may be due to the computer system compensating for a vacuum leak by speeding up the idle. The other area to look at is the wiring for the idle speed control motor. Sometimes there is a break in the wiring that causes the idle speed control motor to increase the idle. Shutting the engine off and restarting it “jiggles” the wiring and the idle returns to normal.

Century concerns

Q. I bought a 2000 Buick Century with a 3100 6-cylinder engine and 9,000 miles on it. Are there any special issues or care required for this make and model?

A. The first thing you should do is bring the car to a repair shop for an overall evaluation. A low mileage car can have its share of problems from lack of use. The most common issues with this model are a coolant leak at the intake manifold, and an air conditioner system leak at the evaporator. Other than those problems, the mid-sized General Motors cars of this vintage are pretty dependable.

Front-end squeak

Q. I own a 1993 Camry with just over 100,000 miles on it. After I start the car and turn the steering wheel to either right or left, I hear squeaky noise coming from the front of the car. Once I speed up, the noise disappears. What could it be?

A. The noise could be the result of many issues. The first thing to do is have the suspension system checked. The noise could be a worn bushing or “dry” ball joint. The other possibility is that the power steering belt could be starting to wear. The best thing you could do is bring the car to your repair shop and leave it overnight. Then, if possible, meet the mechanic the next morning and demonstrate the noise.

Transmission code

Q. I have a 1995 Mercedes Benz C280 with 106,000 miles. Last year I had the ignition system replaced because it was running badly. Now the check engine light is back on. The code is for a transmission miss-shift, but nothing is detectable when driving. I would like to get the transmission serviced, but I am concerned about opening a can of worms. Any thoughts on what to do?

A. At this point you need to further diagnose the transmission code. Just servicing the transmission (fluid and filter change) will not solve the problem. There are many possible causes of transmission trouble codes, each with its own repair strategies.