Wheels

01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, June 30, 2004

I had my 1988 Mercury Marquis tuned up at a franchised auto repair shop. They replaced the plugs, wires, rotor and distributor cap. The tuneup cost $289.08.

It rained a week later and the car started to buck going forward or backward. The rain had stopped and the car ran like it should by the time I got back to the shop.

I went to a Mercury dealer because of a starter problem. I asked the mechanic to look at the distributor cap and rotor because I thought that might be the problem with the bucking. He said he did not find anything wrong with them.

The car still bucks when it is cold and damp outside. If I take it to the dealer, it warms up and runs well by the time I get there.

Also, my battery light comes on and off. Do you think that could be the problem? At times the light stays on for 10 to 20 minutes. The car always starts right up when I turn the key so I do not think the light is making the battery discharge.

J.A.R., Cranston

I think you have a couple of issues here. On the first, I have a question. Did the car buck before you had the tuneup? If it did, the parts that were replaced were not the cause of the buck. Perhaps you have a problem with the coil or module. There may be corroded wire connections.

If the buck came after the tuneup, I would be back to the franchised auto shop in a heartbeat. Perhaps they cracked one of the plugs or they did not use silicone grease in the plug wire boots. In any event, I would have them straighten it out. You may need to leave it overnight so they can see the problem. A car should not leave the shop after a tuneup running worse than it did when it went in.

Regarding the battery light staying on: The alternator is not charging when the light is on. You are not having a problem starting the engine because the alternator has not stopped working long enough to drain the battery, but it will.

Have a qualified technician look at both the charge light and bucking problems and do not diagnose the problem for the technician. That is his or her job. When you diagnose the problem, you pay for the mistakes.

Bad vibes in Camry

I own a 1993 Toyota Camry four-cylinder automatic. I am concerned about a vibration I feel through the steering wheel while the car is running. This vibration is most noticeable while the car is stopped and in gear; at a red light, for example. This vibration lessens considerably if the car is shifted to neutral or park. I have noticed that this vibration is not unique to my car since I have experienced this while driving other Camrys as well.

I would appreciate your help in identifying the cause of the problem.

T.D., West Warwick

The type of vibration you describe is usually associated with an engine that is idling too slowly. The transmission places considerable drag on the engine while in drive. The drag slows the engine and the vibration is exaggerated. The engine speeds up and smoothes out by placing the transmission in neutral or park. Uneven compression will aggravate the symptom.

Have a qualified technician do a cylinder balance test to make sure the compression is okay and check the idle speed to make sure it is not running too slowly.

Bigger belts

I am a large man and the seat belt in my 1997 Saturn does not go around me. I have looked everywhere for an extension, to no avail. I know that I am not alone in this predicament.

Do you have a solution?

B.W., Providence

Saturn offers two seat belt extensions. A 9-inch (P/N 21057039) and a 15-inch (P/N 21057097). Contact your dealer's parts department to order the one that best suits you.

Lights out

The lights that illuminate the radio and the cruise control buttons on the left side of the steering wheel of my 1998 Ford Explorer illuminate only to go off intermittently for weeks at a time.

I have read that this year's model is known for its electrical problems and when brought to the attention of a Ford dealership their solution was to replace the radio. I know it's not the radio since the radio works just fine and I think the connection to the steering wheel would also be ruled that!

I feel that there may be a short in a wire and I would love to give another mechanic an idea as to how to solve this sporadic glow of light.

D.C., North Kingstown

It sounds like you are on the right track. Without having your truck here to check, I would say I would first look at the contacts in the steering wheel to ensure their contact with the slip rings was correct.

Fluids mixing

Have a 1990 Buick Regal with a 3.8-liter motor with 180,000 miles on it.

My problem is I am getting transmission fluid into the motor oil. I have to add transmission oil to the transmission and drain the oil from the motor.

Both the transmission oil and motor oil are cooled through the radiator. There is no oil in the radiator water. I would appreciate it if you could give me some advice on how to correct this problem.

R.F.R., Riverside

I am not aware of an engine oil cooler in your radiator. There is a transmission oil cooler. I can imagine no way of transmission oil being transferred to the engine.