Questions from August 2010
The air-con in my car seems to have lost its cooling effect. The output is quite warm, in fact. I'm being advised to have the system re-gassed. What does this mean and why should it be necessary, please?...
Last October we replaced our 10-year-old Nissan Micra 1.3 automatic under the scrappage scheme, buying the new equivalent Micra 1.4 automatic. Comparing the brochures and specifications for the two cars,...
3 or 4 Saturdays ago you advised owners of Corsas to get a certain part checked at each service. My wife has a Corsa and I meant to cut out this piece of information but I forgot to do so. Can you please...
My wife's Toyota Yaris 1.4 D-4D TR is now one year old but has only covered 3,500 miles in a mixture of short runs to the supermarket and longer runs of up to 100 miles. Should we change the engine oil...
My wife recently purchased a 2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S fitted with 4 stud, 205/40 ZR 17 sized wheels and tyres. Unfortunately it came with a compressor and can of sealant, and not a spacesaver spare wheel,...
We drove our classic Riley 300 miles to Cornwall to be the bridal car for a friend's wedding, only for some idiot, who was clearly driving without due care and attention, to reverse into us, stoving in...
The ABS/ESP on my 56-plate Skoda Octavia 2.0 FSI failed at 32,000 miles, four months out of manufacturer's warranty and just eleven days after the expiry of the one-year used-car dealership warranty. I...
I have owned a 2006 Vauxhall Corsa from new and it now has just short of 51,000 miles on the clock. In the last year I have experienced gear selection issues and it seems to be getting worse. It occurs...
My local garage expertly services and maintains my Mercedes-Benz E200 Kompressor estate. However, as it is not a Mercedes-Benz dealer, they cannot switch off the message that comes up saying: 'Main inspection...
Ford tells me that my 50,000-mile 2005 Focus 1.6TIVCT does not need the cam belt changing until 100,000 miles or 10 years. I have read the discussion but there seems to be conflicting advice. What would...
I travel in my Motability car from London to Poland and wish to drive to Ukraine, but at the border they refuse me entry, saying the logbook of car is not correct. Because the car is on the Motability...
Six years ago I bought, on your recommendation, a Daihatsu Sirion F-Speed. Yesterday, after six years of uneventful motoring, I part exchanged it for an Hyundai i10. All I have bought for the Daihatsu...
I live in Tokyo right now and I think I will be living in the UK for a period of time as well as living in Tokyo. Im still 15 and I probably won't have £10,000 pounds when I'm 17, but I was always curious...
Good to hear you on Radio 4's The Today Programme this morning. I have a good example of the revenue-earning motives of the police and safety partnerships. About two years ago, a stretch of the A5 in North...
I just want to know whether you can tell me about the common faults on the 2007 Saab 9-3TDi Vector, and whether overall it is recommended to go for a Saab?
I find the RDS traffic updates through my car radio frequently 'behind the times', leading to being stuck in jams when I would prefer not to be. I am aware of the TrafficMaster QBusta but this looks to...
John, you state in your car-by-car entry on the Mercedes-Benz W202 C180 that the bodywork has a 30 year warranty! I called Mercedes-Benz, who said it is only three years. What is the real situation? Is...
I had an inch-wide one meter scratch across the rear door of my 2009 BMW 3 Series. Can you recommend a specialist to repair this who uses BMW OEM water-based paint and has a concealed spray booth? Also,...
My girlfriend owns a 54-plate Vauxhall Corsa 1.2. We have noticed that after a bit of rain, the next time she drives the car water sloshes into the passenger footwell when turning left for the first couple...
I've signed the paperwork to buy a new car on the basis of a very generous trade-in valuation. I think the dealer may have made an error, despite the price being agreed by the sales manager and being shown...
I am looking for a Vauxhall Astra and have found a 2007 model which only has 11,000 miles on the clock. The bodywork needs some attention but I am worried that, as the owner has only driven 11,000 in three...
Well done, HJ! Great to hear your contribution on the radio this morning. The other chap did not seem to have any answers to your points. Keep up the good work.
The rear parcel shelf on my MINI has warped or bent such that it will not fit over the rear wiper motor cowl. When the hatch is shut it now forces the shelf under the motor cowl. I can use card board...
A pal of mine is now on his third new Porsche, a second generation 997 4S Cabriolet. It's about two years old, bought brand new from a main agent and it's driven by his wife. The clutch has failed twice...
I am looking at buying a BMW E36 323i or 328i Touring. What are the bad points and what do I have to watch for?
I am a 39-year-old man with a family of five. I just passed my test two hours ago. I am kind of confused on which affordable used car to buy for my family. I have twins of 11 months and a little boy of...
I've just received a letter from the police saying that i was caught (by a camera van) doing 81mph on a motorway in Scotland. From memory, the road was pretty dry, the sun had just come out and there was...
Have just returned from picking my car up after MOT and have been told that my rear tyres have slightly uneven tread blocks. The mechanic says it is due to the budget tyres that are on there and if I only...
I'm after information regarding my 1.7 VCT Ford Puma. I have had bad running issues for some time now. Basically, when I start the car from cold the engine revs up to around 3000rpm and slowly settles...
My teenage son has been given a fixed penalty notice for exceeding a 30mph limit by a policeman checking with a hand-held speed camera. The notice shows my son's date of birth as 30 June 2010 - this would...
Should I buy this 2001/51 Renault Megane? It's an ex-police car with all service history etc, but they say its stuck in limp mode. It's priced at £595. Is it a dud if their mechanics can't solve the problem?
My 2005 Ford Galaxy 1.9 TDI's temperature gauge sits at 90 degrees at 60mph, and once up to 65-70mph it shoots up to 130 degrees. The dash says 'Stop - check coolant'. When I slow down to under 60mph the...
I got my Citroen Picasso serviced in January 2009 at a Hyundai dealer, and was told by their technicians that it needed a new crankshaft pulley and tensioner. I told them to go ahead with the work and...
I have £6000 to spend on a used car. It should be 1.4 litre with a petrol engine, to cover about 7000 miles per year, mainly short 3-10 mile journeys and a few longer trips. It should be economical and...
I have a 2004 BMW 318 Tiptronic N42 2004. If the transmission light appears what should I do?
My Triumph Herald suffers breakdowns due to rotor arm malfunctions. I've replaced the part but no joy. Any suggestions?
I have had a very bad experience with renting a motorhome. When I went to collect the vehicle at the start of my holiday, I was not happy with the condition of the vehicle, I feel that the company should...
For the first time in my life I had to drive to Battersea, South London at short notice. When I got to crossing the river bridge, I tried to get into the left lane and go west along Embankment to get back...
Can you please tell me where the fuel pump is located on my 1998 Vauxhall Vectra please?
I'm considering buying a 2007 Alfa 156 Selespeed Twinspark (1970cc). This is one of a small number of twinsparks that were sold by Alfa after the introduction of the JTS engine. I believe the CO2 emissions...
I bought a 2004 Jaguar X-Type estate a year ago from a private dealer. Last week I turned on the ignition and the passenger seat airbag and the passenger side curtain airbag engaged. There was no impact...
I have a Suzuki Baleno 1.6 which keeps stalling when coming to a halt or pulling away, and then the engine light comes on. I am going to service it but I think it might need more than a service. I hear...
Last week I signed a purchase order from the local Vauxhall main agent for a new Astra "Exclusiv" 1.4i. I subsequently discovered that this description covers two versions of the same engine, one with...
My S-reg Vauxhall Vectra 1.8's engine management light has been on for a week. Does anyone know why?
My Audi A4 recently developed a misfire on number two cylinder. I've replaced the spark plugs but that didn't resolve it. I checked the coil pack and leads, and they seem ok. I even changed the injectors...
I've just been told by my garage that my 1998 Volkswagen Golf SE should have a new cam belt. He claims that when changing this, the water pump sometimes gets damaged so they sell the process of replacing...
We have a 2006 Ford Transit Connect which passed its MOT two days ago, but now it has no power. It feels as if there is no boost from the turbo. I've checked all intercooler hoses and found them to be...
My beloved 2001 MG F has got a fault with the gearbox. She sometimes revs then drops into gear, and sometimes she's fine and goes into gear no problem. I have been told that I might need a new gearbox...
I have a Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 auto Design. It cuts out when hot then, when it cools down, it starts up again. If I hold the revs at 2000rpm it will still cut out, but will start on Easystart for the duration...
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