Learn Spanish (Latin America): El mecánico me pide que vuelva a arrancar el motor. - The mechanic asks me to start the engine again.

The phrase me pide que (he asks me to) expresses a request or influence over someone else. In Spanish, this triggers the subjunctive mood for the second verb. Therefore, volver changes to its present subjunctive form, vuelva.

Doesn't volver usually mean "to return"? Why does the English translation say "again"?

By itself, volver does mean "to return." However, when you use the structure volver a followed by an infinitive verb (like arrancar), it changes the meaning to doing that action again. So, vuelva a arrancar translates to "start again."

Since the mechanic is "asking," why use pedir instead of preguntar?

English uses "ask" for two different things: asking for information and asking someone to do something. In Spanish, you use preguntar when asking a question, and pedir when making a request. Since the mechanic is requesting an action, pide is the correct word.

How do we know who is supposed to start the engine again?