January 2002
Yesterday, our Philipino correspondent wrote about a disappearing set of traffic lights, and the thread turned to cable-theft...
Today, there was a huge traffic jam on the way into work - some b****r had nicked the cabling feeding two local set of lights, on the main commuter routes...
Took me an hour and a half to get in (normally 30 mins) ... Read more
Dear all,
Called out the AA today. As most people assume, l thought l would never need them - how wrong l was.
Parked car, no problems whatsoever. Came back 6 hours later battery completely dead, like a bad episode of Star Trek involving power draining aliens. AA man was a gem, thought it may be the alternator as it wasn't providing as much current to the battery when the car was finally started as it should have (12.5v instead of 13/14v).
If wiring was at fault he suggested that the alternator could act to drain the battery whilst parked. Went to work after a 40 minute drive to get the battery charged up and parked it. Checked voltage/car start every couple of hours and didn't find a reoccurence, maybe the AA man had temporarily fixed it with his fiddling?
On opening car door later l noticed the brake lights had come on, and then went out of their open accord about 15 seconds after l locked it. Ambiguous Volvo saftey feature thought l. Came back to car 2 hours later, brake lights were on again and the battery was knackered. Jump start - quick drive, got out, brake lights on, keys not even in ignition.
Brake pedal appears to be bordering on triggering the brakelight even at rest, this would explain battery drain. Glad its not a more obscure electrical fault.
Anyone have an idea as to what l need to tighten/replace to stop this random car death problem, currently have bottle wedged under brake pedal when l'm not in the car?? (I'll try to remember its there before l attempt to drive away!)
thanks in advance,
dan Read more
Its a 480 (1991/2).
I was concerned about the light coming on during driving as well but short of being followed its tricky to ascertain.
Thanks for the comments, it was the fact that the lights came on when the keys weren't in the ignition that was bothering me..
dan
Whilst travelling around London today I witnessed...
In Richmond, a silver haired old lady try to drive out of a parking bay by revving the nuts of her Polo, easily 6000rpm. "Go on Love" I thought "dump that clutch, and see if you can reach the brake quick enough"
But whilst waiting to fill up in an Esso Tesco in the Kings Road, a very posh lady pulled up alongside me, in a Chrysler Voyager, got out, ummed and arred for a while, before heading into the shop and returning with a young assistant who showed her how to put petrol in it. This was after a lengthy exploration to ascertain whether the vehicle was Diesel or not
To think women have thrown themselves under horses to be let down like this.
Cheers
Rob
www.mkivsupra.net Read more
That's why I have a NATO tow hitch front and rear in my Land Rover.markymarkn wrote:
>
> Thats the only reason why I keep the towbar on my astra.
>
> sods law the day I take it off some pillock will drive into
> the back of me.
>
> M.
Greetings like minded folk. Can somebody out there please inform me of the correct circuitry & colour code for wiring the socket to compliment the trailer plug. Does continental practice differ from U.S.A. ie. Citroen/Jeep.
Regards & good motoring. Roy Hands. Read more
Greetings. Big Vern X2;Brian; Pete W & Andy Baiksto. Thanks for your comments & advice. Problem now solved. Regards, Roy Hands.
We have a 13 month old Galaxy with the much acclaimed Pump Duese VW engine. For a 1.7 ton car, it shifts very quickly, that it when it gets around the first corner. Unfortunately our car spent 4 weeks over Xmas and New Year with Ford Dealers trying to work out why it cut out soon after starting and would then not restart and needed to be towed away by the RAC. Our local Ford dealer was baffled and insisted it was because there was less than 1/4 tank of diesel. After much begging and pleading, they finally contacted a Ford Engineer by mobile phone, who suggested that the fault was due to interference between the Engine Management System and Immobiliser systems, related to dirty contacts on the Power Hold Relay (whatever that is). The car has run much better since but will still stall easily if we move of too quickly after first starting and go round a corner at too low revs (i.e. without turbo assistance). Restarting is then very difficult. My wife has lost all faith in the car and wants us to sell it. Has anyone else had any experience of this problem in other vehicles powered by this engine and are there any solutions apart from selling it? Read more
I have to concur with DW and in particular HJ on this one.
Ex colleague had almost exactly this fault with his Galaxy. Local Ford dealer had not got a clue. In the end they rebuilt the complete engine and all the gubbins......twice, and it was only on the second build that it started and ran. They had no idea, and I mean NO IDEA what they had done to correct the fault. Having personally driven the vehicle before and after the problem it was never the same car after, but it was reliable.
Its almost like the computer vs cars jokes, you know would you put up with a car where it stops working and the only way to get it working again is to uninstall and reinstall a bit of software/hardware. Maybe there is an ex Microsoft employee working in Ford, ho hum ;-(
Continuing on from the post about fluid leaking from the brake pipe banjo-to-caliper joint.
Tried to get it done at 2 local VW dealers today expecting them to turn up and just fit a new washer or whatever, bleed the brakes and disappear. Not a bit of it; they want the car on a ramp for over an hour to fit a new pipe, not just a washer and guess what - there aren't any blessed pipes IN THE COUNTRY.
I thought that the days of parts shortages had long gone. Even Renault Leeds managed to get a timing chain for a Renault 16 from France in 4 days in 1977.
Now Mill Garages Darlington are quoting me 7 - 10 days on a "vehicle off road" order, but they are kindly offering a courtesy (or hire) car. Thank you Mill, a Passat W8 will do nicely ...
Only kidding, I'm luck enough to have a spare car.
Hard luck Golf and Audi A3 owners with the same fault ... Read more
Is it ever safe?
Travelling back on the motorway this eve, overtaking lane absolutely chocker, inside lane one car every 600 yds. oh the frustration!
regards kev Read more
I've posted a picture of the problem a
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target="_blank">click here
www.btinternet.com/~harkis/help.html
>
There was an advert on TV for the Renault Megane, which showed it fitted with an on-board device for monitoring tyre pressures. Out of idle curiosity, does anyone know how this works? Presumably there is a sensor in each wheel, but how does it communicate with the rest of the car? And will it still work at six years old? (I've owned ageing Renaults, so I think I know the answer to the last question.) Read more
The Smartire system (from Randolph's link) looks like good value at $229, if you run a high performance car with expensive tyres. The senders are attached to the well in the centre of the wheel rims using giant Jubilee clips, so tyre fitters shouldn't have too many problems with them. And it looks as though you can swap wheels around from one position to another without upsetting the system.
Enjoyed it tonight, but why replace the original magneto ignition system with modern electronics?
There must be plenty of scrappers out there. I restore old radios, and every effort is made to keep the innards original, modern components being used only as a last resort. Read more
I have no problem with black presenters in proportion to their percentage in society but it has reached the point where I appear to be watching the Barbados Broadcasting Corporation.
BTW. when we had a black student from Belize at my company, I spent a week with him, showed him the joys of Chester and I believe we both learned from the experience. He was the top student in the Belize Electricity Companyand his prize was to meet me!
It is propaganda and mind games I object to. These fools are creating racists where there were none. People will choose who to associate with , not be told.
Hello
My Clio's cam belt broke recently. Having investigated, Renault quote 72K miles for replacement; we've done 57K. Renault have also advised that they would not consider any compensation as the car (a) is not currently being repaired at a Renault dealer, and (b) has not been regularly serviced by a Renault dealer. (This is not unrelated to the fact that the two nearest Renault franchises have ceased trading in the last three years).
Since the car has had full and regular servicing by a good local independent garage, I'm unimpressed by Renault's attitude. What are my chances of getting anything out of them?
P.S. I think HJ's comments on replacement at 35-40K are very valid! If I knew then what I know now... Read more
If the car is out of the warranty period I don't think you have any case at all. There is also generally a time limit as well as milage on cambelts, you don't say what age the car is.
If the car is still under warranty, you may have a case even though you have not used a main agent for the servicing provided it has been carried out to schedule. If Renault won't play ball, however, it could take an expensive legal action with no gaurantee of any joy. You may have to cough up and put it down to experience.
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Ian,
I can report that our stolen traffic lights have been recovered! It appears the thieves could not find an immediate buyer, so threw the lights in the local creek, whence they have since been recovered by the local constabulary.
The cabling however, is a different story, and like yours is gone. Even as I write I am sure whole enclaves of squatters' hts are about to enjoy free power as they hook up to the national grid.
Either way the intersection resembles a Rubik's Cube as anyone and everyone forces their way across. Of course, my F-150 clears a path rather better than the plebs in their Lancers....