August 2001
The driver's airbag warning light on my '96 Golf TDi comes on at startup and extinguishes as normal, but recently it's started to come on again after a couple more seconds and remain lit for the rest of the journey. The handbook and Haynes manual predictably advise consulting a VW dealer (yeah, right).
What exactly does the warning light mean? Is it likely to be (a) that the airbag might not deploy in the event of a minor shunt (which I can live with), or (b) that it might randomly go bang when I'm in the outside lane of a motorway?
Any ideas, please... Read more
Hot starting problems
Car is hesitant to start when cold, but can be very difficult when hot (has been known to power up hydraulic system before starting, but has not yet failed to start)
Been into Citroen specialist who has checked no leak from fuel pipe under bonnet and checked out fuel pump, injectors, etc. and fuel supply to them.
He has suggested next step to have cylinder head off to check swirl chambers as lining may be cracked, but this will cost around £400 plus any repairs to swirl chambers, bit expnsive! Will also carry out pressure check before doing above work.
Have you any suggestions as to another fault which may be worth while checking before cylinder head comes off?
Reputable John (Wain) - honest! Read more
By the sounds of it this is a diesel model. Cracking of the swirl chambers is known, but I doubt if it would cause the problems you have.
Are the glow plugs in serviceable condition?
Has the engine been compression tested, both hot & cold?
Air ingress into the fuel system through a pinhole in a pipe or filter housing which opens up slightly when warm seems possible?
Check the fundamental things first (compressions etc)
Is there a smell of diesel fuel under the bonnet? This could indicate a weeping pipe/union etc
It could even be a fuel injection pump fault, internally, perhaps.
Rgds
David
There was an earlier thread about nearside front tyres wearing quicker than the offside, but it's now a fair way down the screen so I decided to start a new thread.
A few theories were expounded, and there seemed to be general agreement that the nearside fron does wear quicker (David Lacey and David Woollard). Roundabouts were mentioned as a possible cause.
What about road camber? Wouldn't this cause a slight extra load on the nearside? Many years ago I read that Morris Oxfords were fitted with different leaf springs on each side at the rear in an attempt to make the car steer neutrally.
If camber is a contributor to the problem then, presumably, left hand drive cars (i.e. those driven on the right hand side of the road) would suffer premature wear on the right side. Does anyone know if this is the case. Andy Bairsto, you live in Germany, has this been noticed over there? Read more
Mike
What do you mean about the ackerman principle not being what it was? I thought it was one of the main foundations of chassis design, like having round wheels, and still current today. As I understand it, Ackerman's design was based on the track rod being either shorter than the distance between the king pins if behind the wheels, or longer if in front, causing the inside wheel to turn more sharply than the outer.
Please explain.
Being a regular polisher of my car to keep it's colour after hours in the sun and make the bird muck and other dirt easy to wash off I have noticed that there are very fine scratches all over the bodywork!! It must be me and my over eager buffing.
Can anyone recommend the best cloth / material to apply AND remove wax??
Cheers
Matt Read more
Agreed to all the above, and fine scratches to glass can be smoothed by 'Brasso' or other mildly abrasive polish.
My son wants to replace the radio/single CD audio unit (Delco ) with a Kenwood Radio/Cassette unit (that came from his old car) which will also control a multi changer CD player unit .
What will happen to the current display screen (time/temperature and radio tuning info) if the system is changed?
Will the current wiring loom plug into the new unit requiring only the multi-changer to be mounted in the boot(or wherever) and the cable connected to it and the dashboard unit?
He is being asked £50 from audio shops to install it - sounds expensive. Read more
Why have I spelt ours as 'our's'?
Anyone ever imported a Mexican Beetle themselves? Do you have any advice on how to do it and are you glad you did. Read more
I was driven in an early VW at RAF Luneburg in 1948 (sorry, can't manage the umlaut) including across the rather lumpy grass field. I was used to an Austin 8 (of fond memory, I later did my courting in it, we called it "Fido").
I could have said, along with someone undesirable in another context, "I have seen the future and it works".
If you really want to polish up your car control, try drifting a Beetle in the wet.
Thanks to earlier advice from HJ and others here I handed back my Options Fiesta and bought a brand new Fiesta Ghia (8 miles on the clock)from a car supermarket for £8000 plus car tax and a hundred or so for bits and pieces. It's a cracking little car and over £3000 cheaper than my local dealer (CG Ford, Lake District). So thanks for your advice guys - I owe you a pint each.
Unfortunately, I neglected to cancel the standing order and Ford Credit took an extra payment from my account, leaving me in debit which cost me money -grrr! After 12 days and two letters they finally answered and said they were correct and I owed them the payment. This was followed by two demands for £0.00 - yes, nowt, - I ask you!
To cut a long story short, I've had to pay my bank for back statements to prove my case and I still haven't got my money back yet. I would advise anyone to avoid Options like the plague.
x Marion. Read more
The discussion above is true for direct debits from your current account. However, the equivalent debit authority from credit card accounts is different. It can only be cancelled by the other party, and not you. Even if you cancel your credit card, the credit card company can chase you later for payments taken months after the card was cancelled.
HJ's contact for a dipstick pump (1999 HJ Motoring Answers book) of Martello of Leisnter has invoveled me talking to a bemused gent who promised to ring me back. A week ago. (There is an old joke there somewhere) .
I understand that marina shops sell such items can anyone give me any good brands and/or advice : ? manual ? 12volt ? Topsider brand?
Please note I know that the best way is to undo the sump plug but I am unable to get under the car ('97 Tdi Golf ) and merely want to renew the oil & filter in between the VW dealers annual service.
Follow HJ's advice very closely and it seems a filter & oil change every 6 months will not do any actual harm and hopefully allow the engine to do a few more miles.
On a slightly different tack a farmer friend offers me Castrol tractor oil with a API-CG4 which is what my handbook says is ok. Half the price. Can anyone tell me if this is not suitable. At the moment I use Casrol GTD magnatec.
Thanks Read more
The oil changer that a friend of friend is getting in touch with Simon Saxton (see earlier thread about liquivac oil changers), was made in France and sold by Tecnix, AOC Ltd., Wembley, HA9 0TY
Its then part numnber was TEK-08, 750/2350.
I am thinking of buying a "brand new Y Reg" car from a car supermarket - probably Tradesales of Slough.
I am concerned that as such cars are already registered I will appear in the registration document as being the second owner. Anyone know if this is what happens?
Thanks. Read more
Mark did well with warranty on his passat: dealers can now contact VW UK who now have on record the date the car was sold in europe;completed book or not, this is the date they operate from.
Has any one out there had problems with the idle speed on a post 1998 model year 2000 cc Omega. Mine will not return to a proper speed when the engine is hot. I drops to around 1200 to 1500 rpm and with an automatic box this is a problem because the car wants to travel at 30mph on its own. The Vauxhall dealer has had three attempts to rectifiy this problem and it;s still there. I am aware of another (manual) Omege with the same problem. Read more
Yes sounds like classic vauxhall idle speed control valve failure to me. Cost is more like £160, fitted, assuming it's the same as a 2litre Vectra.
Regards
John
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Thanks everyone for the advice and reassurance. I shall start by taking a look behind the steering wheel, in the hope that the remedy will be cheap!
Paul