Q. I have a 1996 Ford Taurus. I went in to get my serpentine belt replaced and my technician told my belt tensioner was bad. Does this seem normal?

A. Most of today's vehicles are equipped with the tensioner system. The tensioner is a spring-loaded part that puts a constant pressure on the belt. As you may realize, one belt operates all of the accessories -- your alternator, power steering pump and air conditioner-- all depend on just that one part.

The tensioner reduces maintenance by eliminating the need to manually adjust the belt. This also helps improve belt life by applying the correct amount of tension.

Some indications that your tensioner needs replacement include a whining or chirping noise, which would indicate premature wear on the belt. You didn't say how many miles your vehicle has, but if the tensioner has never been replaced it may justify having it changed. It is a critical part to keep your belt rotating.

Q. I have a 1994 Chevy Beretta and my #9 fuse kept blowing. It controlled a few exterior components; I tried to eliminate different items but continued to have the fuse blow. I took my car to a repair shop and they determined that a problem with my transmission was causing the fuse to blow. This seems odd to me that my transmission would cause a fuse to blow.

A. On today's newer vehicles many components are electronically controlled. Your transmission has electric solenoids that control the various shifting patterns. In our shop, we have seen where either the harness melts or a solenoid goes bad and creates a dead short in a circuit. I bet if you look in your owner's manual that #9 circuit controls not only interior options but also the transmission. It can be a rather complicated repair that you may want a professional to handle.

Q. I have a 1993 Dodge Shadow. At times the vehicle will crank over but won't start. It is unpredictable and seems to occur at the worst possible times. I've taken it to my repair shop, but unfortunately the problem never occurs for them. They have done different tests, and everything checks out OK. Do you have any suggestions?

A. Intermittent problems are just as frustrating for the technician as they are for the car owner. I'm certain that your technician has ruled out different components with tests. In our shop typical tests would include: a fuel pump pressure test, inspections of various wiring connections and relays, trouble code checks and inspections of your primary and secondary ignition components. We might ask our customer to leave the vehicle with us for a few days so that we may periodically try to get the condition to occur.

Co-owner of Dan R's Automotive Sales & Service, Cathy is an ASE Certified Auto Parts Specialist and a member of the Car Care Council Women's Board. In addition, she's an editorial contributor to the Car Care Council, whose purpose is to educate motorists about vehicle maintenance, repair and enhancements.

Q. I feel like my car is haunted. At times, for no apparent reason, my power locks work on their own. I can hear them clicking in the doors. Do you have any idea what would cause this?

A. The first thing that comes to mind is a weak battery. Low voltage in the electrical system can cause strange things to occur. Have your battery and charging system checked. If no fault is found there, you may have an electrical feedback of some kind in that circuit.

Q. I live in a rural area in Ohio. The first day that we had a snow and ice storm, I put my 1996 Ford Windstar in the ditch. This is my first experience with anti-lock brakes. I thought they should have prevented this from occurring.

A. No matter what type of braking system your vehicle is equipped with, stopping on ice can be tricky and in some cases impossible. The antilock braking system (ABS) is designed to keep your wheels from locking up and skidding on dry or rainy pavement. In order for the system to work, the sensors must detect some type of friction in a wheel. On ice, chances are the wheel sensor could not detect this, therefore your ABS did not assist you in stopping the vehicle.

Q. I have a 1992 Buick Park Avenue, and I’m having problems with the windshield wipers. They won’t park into place when I turn them off. What can cause this?

A. The most likely cause is a problem inside your wiper motor with the park switch. The only thing you can do is replace the wiper motor assembly. It could also be the wiper linkage that is out of adjustment.

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