How do I find a good repair shop near me?

A: You can find a good repair shop by checking with your neighbors, social media pages for your community, or looking for the blue and white Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) sign. ASE is a voluntary testing group that signifies at least one technician in the shop is certified.

AAA has approved auto repair shops that offer two-year warranties and professional arbitration if there is an issue. To find an AAA-approved shop, go to aaa.com/repair.

Q: I have a 2015 Hyundai Elantra with 160,000 miles on it. I am sure you are thinking, "go buy a new car." The car runs pretty well, with a few issues. The car has a distinct ticking noise when it runs. It does not seem to accelerate well (needs more weight on the gas pedal), and it really does not start well when it's cold out (meaning below 40 degrees). Otherwise, it is fine.

I have taken it to a local repair shop and two Hyundai dealers. The latter dealers charged a lot of money, but there was no change in car performance. They mostly wanted me to get new brake pads and to buy a new car.

Car Doctor:What do you think about a plug-in hybrid as an alternative to electric?

Car Doctor:Why do I get a 'no signal' message on my radio when I listen to HD FM radio?

I was wondering if you have any ideas on what may be wrong, other than the car is old. I have heard that Hyundai cars can last a long time. I do not want to buy a new car now.

A: I suspect your eight-year-old Hyundai still has some life left in it.

Your description of the various problems may all be related to one issue. Over time, carbon can build up in the engine combustion chambers. This can cause hard starting when the engine is cold, poor performance and even valve clatter. The fix is to have a professional combustion chamber cleaning. During this procedure, the fuel system is disconnected and a chemical is used to clean the internal workings of the engine.

Q: I have a 2009 Infiniti G37 convertible that has a problem. When I am filling the gas tank, the pump shuts off. I try again and the same thing happens. How can I fix this?

A: For the fuel tank to fill properly, there needs to be a vent open during refueling. The most common cause is the vent line is clogged or — in the worst case — a faulty fuel tank.

There is a specific procedure to check this, developed by Infiniti. If you decide to go this route, the procedure calls for testing to be performed with less than a quarter of a tank of fuel.

Q: I have a 2010 Honda Accord with 108,000 miles on it.

At just around 100,000 miles, it had a "full physical" by my very trusted mechanic. We checked, replaced, flushed and refilled everything that was necessary. At that time, I was hearing some very loud "road noise." I had thought it might be the transmission.

Car Doctor:Why does 2007 Camry need synthetic oil added every 250 miles? | Car Doctor

Car Doctor:Ford's speedometer is stuck at 160 MPH and tachometer is stuck at 6,000 RPM

It was looked at by numerous mechanics and, finally, a transmission expert diagnosed that I needed new tires. It was definitely time for tires (they had about 50,000 miles on them), so I put new Continental tires to replace the old ones.

The car was quiet for a bit, but now it is loud again. The transmission is smooth, the engine itself runs smoothly, and there are no rattles or other noises. The alignment is good as well. So, what could be causing the road noise?

A: I suspect the last mechanic was certainly correct with the worn tire diagnosis, but I think the tires were also covering up a worn wheel bearing. A worn wheel bearing can make the same type of whirring-sounding road noise.

John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email [email protected] and put "Car Doctor" in the subject field. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.