Toyota Repair: Starter???, toyota avalon, metal cylinders

Question
Hi Ted,
I have a 1995 xls Toyota Avalon. It has close to 400,00 miles on it. Well my car is having problems starting. I got the battery and the alternator checked and they were fine. Well when i start my car the starter click but the car won't start. It gets power because everything from lights to the radio turn on fine but won't start . Today we really needed to go shopping and we got a jump and it had a hard start and little smoke came from the metal cylinders connected to the engine. It started and now the engine light is on I'm scared and poor at the same time. Is it the Starter???

Answer
From what you told me so far I don't know if it's the starter, check and make sure the battery terminals are tight and clean, I need a little more specific description of what those metal cylinders are, if you can go to an Autozone store or similar autoparts store they will help you find out why the check engine light is on, there should be a code number in the car's engine computer, please let me know what that number is.