Q. My 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix with a V-6 engine is discharging anti-freeze when it gets hot, especially when idling. I removed the thermostat, and it is still happening. Do you think reinstalling a new thermostat may help this problem?

A. The first thing you need to do is determine if the engine is overheating or if the radiator cap is weak and not holding pressure. All cars today use a pressurized cooling system with a surge or overflow tank. As the engine temperature rises, the coolant will transfer to the surge tank. As the engine cools, it will siphon back to the radiator. If the engine is overheating, find the cause. Install a new thermostat; this is absolutely necessary for proper engine operation. Once the thermostat is installed, inspect the radiator cap, cooling fan and the radiator itself.

Q. My 10-month-old Toyota FJ Cruiser, with only 7,000 miles on it, is starting to chip paint in a few spots on the forward pillars. The dealer said this was caused by pebble strikes. He gave me a vile of blue matching touch-up paint. I'll read the directions carefully before applying, but are there any tips you can give me about applying touch-up paint?

A. Like all painting projects, the key to doing a good job is in the preparation. Start with cleaning the surface to remove any wax buildup. If the chip is down to bare metal, sand the area lightly and apply a primer. When using touch-up paint, apply several light coats until the chip is filled in. After the surface has dried, some light sanding with very fine sandpaper may be necessary. Finish the repair with a little coat of factory-style clear paint. After about a month (or as recommended by the paint manufacturer), buff and wax the repaired surface.

Q. My 1996 Toyota Camry has a four-cylinder engine with just over 165,000 miles on it. This car has been serviced regularly, according to the recommended maintenance schedule. My problem is I have needed to replace the idle-air-control valve five times since I purchased the vehicle in 1996. This has happened at fairly regular intervals (every 25,000 to 30,000 miles). Is this a normal wear-out rate for this part? If not, what could be causing this to happen?

A. The idle-air-control valve receives a continuous signal from the car’s computer. Using this signal, the computer is able to control the idle speed. The valve is a common failure on this model-year Camry, but is my understanding Toyota has improved the overall quality of the replacement part to remedy the high failure rate. Still, since your car has such a high failure rate, have the technician test all the electrical connections looking for over-voltage problems.

Q. Recently, I purchased a 2002 Chevy Venture van. The other day, I noticed a front parking and turn-signal bulb just went out. I bought a new bulb, thinking it would be no big deal. This is the first van I have owned, and I'm dumbfounded as to how I can put in the new bulb. I opened the hood and thought I would just have to remove the coolant reservoir to get at it. After unbolting and moving this to the side, it looks like a bunch of other stuff has to be removed to get at this bulb. Is this the only way that bulb can be replaced? If it is, this will be my last van, or least one that is designed like this.

A. To replace the turn-signal bulb, you need to remove the headlight bracket. This is done by removing the wing nuts that hold the bracket. Once you have done this, you should be able to access the bulb.

Q. I have a 1984 Chevrolet Citation, which is in good condition and has been in continual use up until now, although it has very low miles. When I start the car, it goes to "fast idle" even after the car warms up. So far, I have replaced the carburetor and computer and checked all the vacuum lines. It still idles fast. The car is in good shape, and I want to keep it running. Do you have any advice?

A. Perhaps the new carburetor just needs to be adjusted. Here are the basics for early computer-controlled carburetor adjustments. Once the engine is warm and the choke is fully open, adjust the idle solenoid screw with the plunger fully extended. If this car is equipped with idle-stop solenoid, disconnect the electrical lead and adjust the carburetor body screw to 600 RPM in drive. Engines equipped with an air-conditioning speed-up solenoid should be set as follows. Turn the air conditioning on and disconnect the compressor clutch wire. Adjust the solenoid to 600 RPM in drive with the plunger fully extended. To set the fast idle, set the choke cam on the high step and adjust the engine speed to 2500 RPM.