Questions from December 2012
I have a 2009 Ford Focus and the audio unit won't turn on. It recently had a flat battery and since then it won't turn on. I have put a new battery on and checked the fuses and none are blown?
I was involved in an accident shortly before my insurance runs out. My current insurance has told me when my insurance runs out the courtesy car will be taken away unless my new insurance covers it. I...
My son owns a 2005 diesel Mazda 6. We paid £1000 for a clutch and flywheel repair 6 months ago and now the engine has seized up and he is talking about paying another £1000 for a new engine as 'what else...
Can you let me know what are considered to be fair storage rates for a vehicle that has been damaged in an accident? I have received a bill for an accident 3 years ago for £150 recovery costs (I drove...
My Opel Astra 1.8 leaks oil and I want to know how much oil does it takes. I'm in South Africa.
While driving my temperature gauge rises to 90 degrees pretty quickly. Is this normal or is there a problem with the car?
Maybe someone had posted this before, but I am desperately in need for a solution to this problem. I have Chevrolet Lacetti 1.6 2004 model.
The engine keeps going off while in motion. This has happened...
We are looking to replace our 53 plate Vauxhall Meriva (which we have been very pleased with) with a used Vauxhall Astra - only one or two years old. We do about 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year. We are...
I have a Hyundai ix20 the ISG stop/start doesn't work. I have told by Hyundai that I don't do enough miles, they said I should have been told that when I bought the car in OCT 2011. There is nothing in...
My son is about to turn 17 and I am looking to buy a small car for him. I don’t want to spend more that £1,000 and I need a car that is: Safe; Cheap as possible to insure; Simple to repair (I want him...
You recommended placing least-worn tyres on the rear wheels, contrary to my belief over many years driving. This was confirmed by a few other motorists of similar vintage. Could you please clear this matter...
I'm looking for a car that will take four people and their luggage on holiday to southern Spain. I need comfortable seats and a smooth ride. Cruise control is essential. In the past I've done the journey...
My daughter who lives near Henley has recently got an academic job at Oxford that requires her to commute there on most days. Her venerable 1998R Nissan Almera is still reliable but has very expensive...
We have a 3-year old Audi Q5 that has done 55,000 miles. The tyres on it are 285/30 ZR 22, for which we can’t seem to get hold of replacements. Will other tyres fit?
When we input the car registration...
One of your readers letters extolled the virtue of running older cars. Like you, I remember when I was young and had little money. I ran old cars and can’t forget the grief they gave me. Never again.
I...
On the BBC2 programme 'How Safe Are Britain's Roads' they did a piece on an Automated Braking System that stopped/slowed the car when another vehicle or pedestrian was in front of it. I have tried to find...
I have a 2005/54 Volvo XC90 Executive with 100,000 miles on the clock, having owned if for the past 4 years. We have a family of 5 (+dog) so the space and practicality have been great and, whilst it has...
Having spent much of my life immersed in most matters car related including working on the body shop floor and restoring classics, I have an axe to grind with those who consider bringing back the scrappage...
I took my 2008 Vectra to a Vauxhall dealer (Downside Motors, Chilcompton, Radstock near Bath) for its annual service and MOT on 31/10/12. I have used this dealer once before but wouldn’t say that I had...
As your readers seldom seem to send good news about Volkswagen, I thought you might be interested in my experience. I bought a new Passat Estate in 2004 and was disappointed to recently discover corrosion...
In March I bought a new style Honda Civic (petrol). After about 6000 miles, an oil warning light appeared. As I was miles from anywhere I rang the Honda garage, which told me to contact the AA. Their mechanic,...
I would welcome your advice on replacement tyres for my 2005 X - Trail. Presently it has Dunlop Grand Trek ST20 215/60 R17's fitted. These were on when I bought the car at 29,000 miles and I've since done...
I am getting conflicting information about what I am legally obliged to carry in my car whilst driving in France. Can you shed any light on this please?
I never imagined that my choice of new car would be decided by its front seat head restraints. My wife, who drives our one car as much as I do, has a back problem and is a little short in the leg. She...
We recently purchased a four-year old Ford Fiesta Zetec from an established dealer who we have used before. After payment he gave us only one key. When we queried this he said he had only been given one...
What is the most appropriate car for a 17/18 yr old girl, hoping to go university next year. Test already passed and likely to really need a car. Parents and/or grandparents have to stump up. Many people...
I have a classic Range Rover that I have owned for 20 years. About 10 years ago I had it converted to LPG and it has served me well. However an incident occurred yesterday which has left me concerned....
I always find V-Power fuel to be really good on engine of all the fuels that I have used over the years. Does this mean using supermarket fuels result in less mpg due to higher RPM, more carbon deposits,...
I'm tempted by the Volvo C30 2.0D Powershift accepting that every few years I might have a big-ish bill with the DPF. Are the engine and transmission reasonably trouble-free otherwise?
Alternatively is...
I am currently an owner of the mark 1 Toyota Yaris 1.3 (5 speed manual) but it has now done huge mileage (147k) and I want to replace with the Honda Jazz CVT (2008), last of the old shape.
Just wanted...
My son ran into a pot-hole in Leeds and damaged the suspension on his car, which will cost about £500 in repair costs. The symptoms manifested themselves immediately after the incident and the damage is...
Start stop has stopped working at all over past few weeks. Conditions for operating have been met e.g outside temp and battery fully charged manually. Is this potentially related to the diesel particulate...
I'm looking to buy a small family car to keep the next seven years. In the past I've always bought 'nearly' new at 6-18 months old.
What would you recommend? I average 12k miles a year mostly on town,...
I have a snapped timing chain on a 1.3 multijet engine and I have heard that these engines are "safe" and as such this should not have caused internal damage. Please can anyone confirm this for me before...
I bought the car in September and I have had to have the brakes replaced. The garage replaced this at its cost four weeks after purchase as I got VOSA involved.
The car seemed fine until now. It keeps...
Sorry to bother you at Christmas (and hope you had a good one) HJ but in a moment of festive stupidity started putting unleaded in my tank. 3.5 litres before I noticed and stopped and then fully filled...
Do you have to go to court or get banned from driving completely if your insurance holder (Bell, safe drivers scheme with black box fitted) cancel your insurance policy for going over 100mph? Or do they...
Our Honda Jazz is 6 years old - a year ago the locks started getting 'sticky'. Now all the locks have failed - including the steering column - replaced at a cost of £576! And one of the keys is bent and...
Have the Health and Safety anoraks at Audi gone too far? I start my new car in the garage, drive it outside, select 'Park' and apply the handbrake. Now, when I open the driver's door to close the garage,...
We are currently looking for a new car for my wife, she currently has a Nissan Note 1.5 dCi which she is very happy with but she does 24k a year and the the mileage is getting rather high now.
We are...
What penalty or problems will there be if a car for which it is recommended that synthetic or semi-synthetic oil is used is given 'normal' oil on an oil change?
After a journey the cooling fans on my Honda Civic stayed on for a while for first time ever. They went off after 5 mins. When I started the car today the fans came on and stayed on even though the car...
I have a Honda CR-V and I would like to fit pneumatic seat covers to help combat the firm suspension.
Locating them in the UK is a problem, Alibaba show them on the internet but the seller wants to sell...
This particular car is fitted with 16 inch wheels rather than the standard 17 inch. I seem to remember you once saying that smaller wheels/ tyres give a softer ride. Is this true in general, as I find...
I have a Ford Mondeo 2.0-litre Titanium manual. Does it have a chain drive or a replaceable cam belt?
We have a Volkswagen Touran 2007 SE TDI 105 1.9. Had it for 10 months bought second hand from a useless garage and had nothing but bother with it.
It broke down on Christmas Eve and we had to be towed...
I am buying something to replace my ageing Volvo.
I was looking at the Hyundai i30 or Skoda Rapid when it occurred to me that I might be better off going upmarket and used in a similar price range.
The...
I have been using Autotrader for 20 + years.
As a small independent retailer I prefer to use my website and advertise each vehicle individually (It is also more cost effective!).
Auto trader have a club...
As I put my Vectra into reverse the parking sensors immediately start beeping constantly, as if telling me I am near a obstacle without any obstacles behind me. I put it back in to neutral and it stops....
I have a Rover 25 2001 model. Sometimes when I try to start the engine it wont turn over, as if the starter is jammed. It starts with a bump then it starts normally for a bit, then it will go wrong again.
Elsewhere on 
