July 2002
I am looking for further advice and comment. I have read Doddy?s topic (16/6/02) and mine is practically the same, only double. I gave up pursuit the first time around, but this time I really do want to pursue further.
I own a 1997 (?R? reg.) 306 DT and have owned it for less than 2 years. I bought it from an independent garage with a 3-month warranty included. The same garage has regularly serviced it. I also check the oil and coolant etc. on a regular basis.
In September 2001, whilst on the A1 motorway, a con rod shot through the side of the engine. The car had only done 45,000 miles. Neither the garage or Peugeot accepted any liability, the latter stating the car was ?too old?. The car was subsequently repaired at own cost. The garage replaced the engine with a second-hand one, as I could not afford a brand new one. I was told that the replacement engine had done less mileage than my own.
Two days ago, it happened again!!!(10 months on from the first incident). A con rod shot though the side of the engine whilst on the M4 motorway. I could not believe it. This is so dangerous. I had my 3-year-old daughter in the back and my husband and friend were also travelling with me. We could have all been killed!!! Not too mention the other vehicles that could have been involved in this and the previous incident. The speedo clock stated it had done 57,000 miles.
The garage has confirmed the damage to be in the exact same area of the engine as the previous. They can only replace the engine (second-hand again) at a slightly reduced cost.
I consider I have been ripped off. Surely someone should admit responsibility to this? What scares me is the fact that I have escaped twice from this danger and still live to tell the story!!! It seems evident to me that there really is a fault with these engines. Can anyone offer me any advice as to how I could pursue this? I would also be very interested to hear from others that have suffered similar experiences as this.
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My Beemer is booked in for a service today - Inspection II - I have sweaty palms worrying about the dreaded call telling me some major extras need doing. I will let you know the damage.
I booked the service with courtesy car over 3 weeks ago. Wife turns up there this morning - 2 little kids in tow to be told \"oh no you have not booked a courtesy car - we don\'t have a car available\". I threw the toys out of the pram (on the phone) - major wobbly. Suddenly they say \"oh a car has just become available\". The guy then starts saying I don\'t know what has gone wrong you are not booked in...etc as if I was lying. I made it clear I didn\'t want to hear any excuses -they had just made a cock-up but of course they won\'t admit it. Major stress for nothing.
Why is everything in the UK involving a service completely carp? Having lived in the USA I know it is possible to actually deliver what you say you will deliver. Read more
"Yet another thread from the Jurassic age.."
Resurrected because some joker thought he could get cheap advertising. I've hidden the post.
From searching the backroom I find that "wheel alignment" and "tracking" are the same thing?
From what I have read and enquired you can pay between £20 and £65 for an "4 wheel alignment check with basic adjustment"
Do you tend to get what you pay for? The diferrence in costs seems to be very high.
How often should tracking be done? When tyres are replaced, or yearly (as ATS suggests) or only when a problem is identified? Read more
I don't run it -120.
Normal ride height is -80.
Negative rear camber is just one of those things I'm having to put up with. It's nowhere near as bad as the rear camber on a lowered beetle anyway!
If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen.
communities.msn.com/honestjohn
I am not sure whether this thread should be disussion sited or technical. I leave it to the experts to decide.
[I\'ve moved it to Technical because I think it is of future value. MBRM]
I have become a more hesitant driver because of the blind spot in the right wing mirror of my L.reg Mercedes 109E. Pulling out to overtake or change lanes has become a real worry to me. Today I nearly sideswiped a car even though I was as cautious as I could be. Needless to say, I and the other driver were more than a touch discombobulated.
I have been advised that Halfords sell a small mirror that one sticks onto one\'s wing mirror so improving visibility.
Has anybody out there any experience of such an item and could advise whether it works or not.
Is there any other solution to this problem.
I am going on a trip of approx. 450 miles within the next few weeks so would really, really like to lesson the risks of any
further incidents.
Thanks in advance for all responses.
Rita. Read more
Re Clarkson/Vectra mirrors:- Reckon you've hit the nail bang on the head, Norman!
I see in today`s telegraph that the Ford Ka has been having problems with spark plugs seizing and shearing off in the cylinder heads. As my daughter is taking delivery of one soon, I was wodering if any of you tech-heads know of any product on the market to prevent this happening. Would the copper grease used on brake calipers be suitable or not? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Read more
Richard, thanks for the info about the Hillman Avenger and the carburettors. Fascinating stuff!
I have only come across one Plymouth Cricket, owned by a chap down the road from where I used to live. This car was a left-hand-drive automatic (Borg Warner 65 I think) and was fitted with twin Stromberg carbs. The owner came to borrow some tools from me to remove the cylinder head. I offered to give him a hand and, as we walked down the road, I asked him what had happened. He said it was running rough and when he started up that morning he saw water droplets coming out of the exhaust so he knew the head gasket had blown. You've guessed already - all it needed was a new diaphragm in one of the carburettors!
I purchased a new Ford Galaxy TDI 115bhp in May 2001. I am very pleased overall with the vehicle - except for one thing.
The vehicle is fiited with the VAG 6 speed gearbox which is very pleasing to use once the car has warmed up, usually over a distance of 4 to 5 miles from cold, unfortunately, until then I find that the gear change from 1st to 2nd tends to 'grate'. I have tried adding an additive to the gearbox oil but it has made no real difference.I assume that the reason for this is that until high revs have been achieved,then the gearbox oil will not have reached all parts of the box? Ford dealers say it is 'within tolerance' but for a vehicle of this price I do not accept this as a valid explanation!
Can anyone out there shed any light on this annoying 'fault' Read more
Bryan:
I should think you local Ford dealer's parts desk would advise you of the recommended quantity of oil?
Andy
I have a Volvo V40 1.8 which very recently has been indicating an ECU warning light which doesnt go out after restarting the engine or leaving the car overnight....it does go out later at some apparently random interval. Details below...sorry if it is a little long winded.
If any experts have any ideas I would be grateful, the car is booked in for a diagnostics check next week and it would be great to have some ideas before the service manager tries to blind me with technical jargon.
Many thanks
Ian
Volvo V40 1.8XS 2000MY ECU warning light
Apart from engine stuttering when ECU light turns on no other symptoms.
1. 19/6/02
Driving in slow moving /stop-start city traffic for 10 min, engine stuttered then recovered but with ECU warning light on. (dont know if fan had started). Stopped and restarted engine at traffic lights but light still illuminated when engine running. Parked car for approx 3 hours. On restarting the car the light extinguished as normal once engine running.
Warm sunny day.
2. 29/6/02
10 miles of slow moving traffic on M5, engine coughed then recovered, fan started and ECU light illuminated. ECU light stayed on for next 80 miles. Stopped car at destination. Restarted car several hours later in the evening and ECU light still on when engine running, stopped engine after test.
Left car overnight and in the morning the ECU light went out normally once engine was running
Warm sunny day
3. 1/7/02
15 miles of slow country lanes at under 30mph, 2nd and 3rd gear. Towards end of journey engine stuttered, fan started and ECU light came on. ECU light remained on when car restarted that evening. ECU light still on when engine running the next morning. After a 7 mile drive the car was left parked for 4 hours. On restarting the engine ECU light turned off as normal once engine running.
Cool damp day
4. 5/7/02
After a 20 mile dual carriage way trip at 60mph drove on slow country lanes after a few miles engine stuttered and fan and ECU light came on. Continued to destination (few miles) and parked car. ECU light still on next morning when engine running, remained on for 40 miles until a 2 minute stop at motorway services when engine was turned off, light extinguished when
engine restarted.
No further problems to date.
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Ian,
Mass Airflow Meter (MAF) measures volume of air entering inlet manifold. Lambda (or Oxygen) Sensor monitors Oxygen level in raw exhaust product (ie ahead of Cat) to enable fine trimming of air/fuel ratio. Crank Angle Sensor (CAS) measues engine rpm, but may also identify No.1 cylinder. Some engines also have a Camshaft Sensor for cylinder identification. In addition you have Coolant Temp Sensor, Throttle Position Sensor, Air Temp Sensor and so on, all values contributing to the Electronic Control Module (ECM) mapping of igniton timing and fueling.
HTH, Adam
After having a 4 wheel alignment done over christmas my Mondeo is still chewing rear tyres (the fronts are fine.)
I bought some subframe alignment pins on the internet and found the front subframe to be misaligned according to the alignment holes in subframe and shell.
Today I have booked the car (into a different garage) for a 4 wheel alignment and subframe alignment (and MOT.)
The garage informed me that they don't align the subframe using pins, the whole setup is checked and adjusted using the 4 wheel alignment machine.
Does this sound correct and has anyone had any experience in this area please?
The garage is only asking £25 + vat for the 4 wheel alignment which seems cheap. They will ask a bit more if they have to adjust the subframe. Read more
The tolerances on subframe alignment on the mondeo are so great that you don't even need the alignment pins, you can do it by eye from underneath. If the subframes are so badly misaligned to be the cause of your problem then I would suspect that the car had been side impacted at some time (or it is 2 cars welded together).
If I fit rear windows to my Golf van does it become a car? Can I send the V5 document back to Swansea with the Body Type changed to Hatchback?
Thanks for your help. Read more
In the days of his mad youth my brother-in-law took out a party of middle-aged/elderly ladies in his Commer van seated on a selection of dining chairs and sundry other seats.
Must have been interesting going round corners or stopping at the lights!
Or should I wait for a new Espace?
Wifey wants an MPV for our 2(later 3)children and general life detritus. I want a Nissan X-Trail myself, but she is under peer pressure (and pregnancy hormones!)and gets to choose within reason. I had settled on a TDi Alhambra / Sharan, but now the new Espace is looming. I don't like the out-going Espace, even with the huge discounts on offer, and have a background dislike for most French cars (we have a BMW 3 and a VW Polo). Do you think the Espace IV is worth waiting another 3-4 months for? Some of the pre-release info looks quite impressive, but then both the Vel Satis / Avantime on which it is based are lemons to a degree.
Ta
David Read more
You should go for the Seat Alhambra, VW build quality & parts at lower price, plus loads of goodies included in price. Had a 1.8 20v turbo version for 3 years and 83,000 miles, never missed a beat and amazing performance for MPV. If you want better than my average of 28MPG go for 1.9TDi engine, latest version is nearly a match for the turbo petrol engine but 45 MPG. My 3 kids love it and want me to get another when I replace it.
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Mine showed a crystallized fracture half way across. The rest looked like it had bent and then snapped.