January 2004
Hi,
Have a 1991 BMW 316i (E36) and have been experiencing wet carpets on the passenger side, both front and back. I suspect the leak is from the front and trickles back since I park on a drive with a slope. However I am not sure it is rainwater leaking form the outside. Only the footwells are wet with no evidence of a leak from above. Could the heater matrix be leaking? Is it a known problem with these cars?
In addition the fuel guage has now stoppped working it was showing quarter full, but when I filled up it remained at this level and in fact has now gone down to zero, but interestingly the orange low fuel warning light has not come on (the tank is full of petrol). On checking the rear footwell there is a large bundle of wires from the rear of the car going to the front on the passenger side which have all got wet.Could it be that there is a short circuit in these wires that also carry the fuel level sender signal? If so what do I do!!
Regards and thanks in advance
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Hi,
I have a feeling the clutch may be slipping on my car, whats that test you can do to check because if i go to a garage and say ithink it\'s slipping they take that as it is slipping£.
Ian Read more
just a quickie this one folks,
mates just bought a mondeo lx on 15\" wheels, and has lost a plastic wheeltrim, will any 15\" trims fit?. i have found a set on e-bay for £16, that have 5 studs on the trim, but his wheel has only 4 studs,would these be o.k?
billy.
{Billy, I have moved this from IHAQ vol 32, as this is a motoring related question. DD} Read more
very badly scuffed D.D,
That would probably explain the missing wheel trim. Sounds like the previous owner has been kerbing the tyres a lot. If I was your mate I would give each tyre and wheel a good going over with a beedy eye, and also have the tracking checked while he's about it.
Hi,
I've got a Citroen Xsara 1.9TD, 1999. Anyway, the gearbox has always been a bit notchy since I got it (3 months ago) but I asssumed that that was just the car generally. IT's done 60,000 miles.
I always found it difficult to get a smooth gearchange, especially from 1st - 2nd and put it down to my driving... I'm not harsh on the clutch or anything, it just seems to be the way it is.
As of today, the gear change has become extremely smooth (like a really good auto) yet I haven't changed my driving style at all. Not only that, the gearlever felt like it has immersed in oil and went straight into any gear I tried with very little effort.
Is this a: a clutch faullt or b: a gearbox fault or c: my driving?
Or should I thank my graces and hope it carries on like this. The clutch is not slipping, I tried to move off in third at 2500RPM with the handbrake on and stalled nicely. The car has a 3 year warranty so I'm not terribly bothered... I'm more worried about it falling apart a long way away from the garage.
Thanks! Read more
I'm also the first victim of the cold snap - I went out to the car about 30 minutes ago and as I opened the door the handle broke off in my hand. The two legs sticking out the back have snapped clean off - presumably after becoming brittle from the cold.
Fortunately, the garage I bought it from has agreed to replace it for free... looks an evil job as part of the handle is still stuck inside the door. Still, it might sort out the rattle from the door trim.
For 6 years now both my wife and I have been with GEM for our breakdown cover but luckily have never needed to use them .
GEM is or was cheaper than the alternatives for the full recovery service when I went to them originally as they are an insurance based service , ie you have to pay for the recovery up front and then claim.
It seems that all the motor insurance companies now have links with and offers on breakdown cover and there may be better deals around.
I wondered if any of the Backroomers had any experience of using GEM and what their response was like to claims before I look round at prices to renew.
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I have used them a couple of times. Payment was return of post--long before the credit card bill came in.
I found them the best value of all the schemes I looked at.
One big advantage is that you can choose your own breakdown company to call out.
Hi there,i have a V/WPolo 1.4 auto R/98.I find when i drive over potholes etc the steering pulls and the back end goes out.Its also the same in the wet weather.I have standard tyres on it size 13.Want i want to know is,if it would make much difference if i got bigger tyres to put on it and if so what size?
Would appreciate your advice
Many thanks Palamanda
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Are all the tyres the same ? and what size are they, 13 is onlt the diamater you should find a number like 165 65 R13 . Are they at the right pressure. If they are then have your suspension checked for a worn shock absorber or worn bushes. Regards Peter
I have fitted a new cambelt and tensioner but have only roughly set the belt tension on my AAZ diesel. Is there an acceptable approximate method or where can I hire/buy VAG No.210 tension gauge?
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Many thanks for the tips; I immediately tried out your advice and I had guessed about right for the tension. The reassurance of a gauge would be nice but experience leads me to believe my own eyes only hence the piece about hire/buy the vw tool. I am very impressed by the vento car itself my only regret being the absence of aircon. Apparently this was an optional extra on some models so I\'ll keep looking at the ads.
Apologies if this particular aspect has been covered before but I can't see it in any of the threads.
I recently saw a VW Golf which had some sort of headlight modification so that when his sidelights were on, they resembled the angel eyes of a BMW 5 series' lights. I have since seen an old style series with the same.
Now I know that we now get bulbs in all colours etc, but is there an actual law which determines the shape of the light, especially on sidelights? Standard manufacturer sidelights can vary from a small single bulb on its own as in my current Scenic, to the standard headlamps as in most cars.
However, is there anything to stop this being adopted by the go faster brigade, and before you know it we could have lights that, for instance, have logos, or initials or whatever? I understand that on main beam they would need to comply with certain distances and brightness etc, but what about on side lights?
Think I better lodge that patent just in case.......... Read more
Hmmm, batman stickers on my headlamps. Great idea DVD, I shall order some Fedora shaped stickers so I can cast the shadow of HJ everywhere I go.....
Can anyone tell me if changing the glow plugs on a Montego TD is an easy job (such as changing Spark plugs on a petrol model), or if its more involved?
Neil T
SEAT Leon TDi 150, Toledo 20VT Sport, Various Montegos... Read more
If they are tight, try removing them on a hot engine, together with lots of WD40 or similar.
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groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
Sat at the red pedestrian lights in my car this morning, as you do. No pedestrians. Cyclist went straight through, as they always do.
So; as virtually ALL cyclists (in Cambridge anyway) take zero notice of red lights, and virtually ALL drivers take full notice of red lights, does that mean no cyclists are also drivers? Or if they are, why do they behave differently when cycling as opposed to driving?
Ideas include:
No significant consequences if caught on a bike.
Genuine disbelief rules apply to cyclists.
Assumption a bike can zip alongside turning cars or whip around pedestrians safely.
Any others?
FWIW I cycle and drive, and am given odd looks when as a cyclist I always stop at red lights, follow one way roads the correct way, never ride on the pavement, etc etc. Read more
There has been some progress in recent years, particularly with Advanced Stop Lines. Far too many dedicated lanes are dangerous for reasons cited above, created by Councils to use up budgets and tick the boxes for their cycling targets. Eighteen inches of green tarmac, up against the kerb and under double yellows is a death-trap not safety provision. As well as obstruction by debris and gravel dedicated lanes loose priority at all side roads. Drivers turning to their drives are not looking for a bike a 20mph plus either. I'd rather take my chances integrating with the rest of the traffic.
There are pressure groups, mainly the Cyclists Touring Club, advocating for cyclists with the DfT, but too much of their limited capacity is taken up fighting for basic rights without pressing for the kind of review dipstick advocates. I don’t think licensing would work, too much beaurocracy for the real gain. Insurance is a thorny issue but mostof us are probably covered either by the personal liability sections of our home policy or through membership of the CTC or like organisations.
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Thanks for the answers, the car is a nissan primera 2.0i sx, will try the above in the morning.
{Car details duly added to subject header. DD}