Q. I know nothing about cars, but always read your column and enjoy it. I hope you can help me with my 1990 Toyota 4Runner. It doesn’t always start with the key, although sometimes it will fire up with the remote starter. When I try to start the car, the dashboard lights, seat belt, brake and battery lights all go on, but the ignition simply clicks and doesn’t turn over. When AAA came one time, they told me there was no problem with the battery, but that it could be the starter. So we replaced the starter, but the problem still exists. What should I check for?

A. These vehicles build up resistance in the wiring, which can cause an intermittent starting problem. Short of rewiring the vehicle from the key to the starter, there is a “field” fix. Many repair shops will wire a relay into the starter circuit to make sure the starter solenoid receives the 12 volts needed to get the starter working.

See a technician

Q. My 1994 Mustang runs great in the winter, but in the warmer weather I have a problem with the transmission. During highway driving the transmission will periodically slip, and the tachometer revs. I have to decelerate in order for the transmission to engage again, and then the check engine light will come on. I believe the problem only occurs when I have the air conditioner on. Any ideas of what is causing this?

A. The “check engine” light coming on could indicate the problem is more electronic that mechanical. To identify the problem, a technician will check for transmission fault codes using a scan tool. Once the technician retrieves the code, he or she can start to pinpoint the proper repair.

Maxima engine light

Q. I have a 1997 Maxima, and I have a couple of issues with it. The car has 140,000 miles on it. The check engine light has come on, and been on now for probably 2,000 miles. Ever since I bought the car about six months ago, I have tracked my gas mileage for every fill-up. Since my check engine light has come on, there has been no difference in gas mileage. When I took the car to an auto repair center to get the check engine light inspected, the codes that came back are knock sensor and O2 sensor. Should I get the check engine light checked out further?

In addition, I recently bought new Firestone tires, and they seem to be very bouncy. I know that my rear struts are pretty well shot. Would that be the reason that whenever I hit a fairly significant bump, it seems that my car bounces from left to right pretty violently? Any light you can shed on both these problems would be appreciated.

A. I would have check engine light issue looked at further. Even though the fuel economy hasn’t changed, the emissions levels from the tailpipe could be higher. In addition, you won’t be able to get an inspection sticker if the check engine light is on. Regarding your second issue, the poor ride and handling definitely could be a result of worn struts. If the rear struts are leaking, or the car bounces excessively, replace the struts.

Noisy Corolla

Q. I have a 2007 Toyota Corolla, which I bought new. Six months later I hear wind noise coming from the doors. I check the windows and they are seated properly. I contacted my dealers and he said, “that is the way they make them.” I know there has to be a way to stop the noise. What makes it worse is that I wear two hearing aids and the noise is so magnified I have to turn the left one off. Any suggestions?

A. The first thing I would do is road-test the exact same car. If the second car makes the same noise it may be an issue that’s inherent with the vehicle. If the second car is quiet then your car has a problem that can be fixed.

Worn C/V joint

Q. My girlfriend has a Subaru Impreza hatchback, and when she turns right and accelerates its making a clicking sound, any idea on what that could be?

A. The most likely problem is a worn axle C/V, constant velocity, joint. The C/V joint is the flexible connection in the front axle that allows power from the transmission to be transmitted to the front wheels.

If it sputters, smokes or stalls, John Paul, the AAA Car Doctor{+s}{+m}, has the diagnosis. For an archive of his past prescriptions for car ailments go to: www.projocars.com

projocars@projo.com