January 2006
I have a strange problem which I'm not sure how to resolve.
On cold mornings(only when temp is below 5 degrees C) my car has an intermittent misfire on tickover with the revs sometimes dropping quite harshly untill the temp gauge gets to about 60 degrees when the problem suddenly goes away. It's very noticable when sationary in traffic or when idling for a long period of time. The car is fine in all other respects and runs perfectly when warm.
My local dealer says they can't detect a misfire (although I don't think they ran it long enough) and that there are no fault codes showing. They did say there was a slight vibration at tickover but it was nothing to worry about.
Grateful for any advice.
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Hi
I have just had the ecu replaced on my 99 golf along with CAT and O2 sensors. (engine emission problem).
Since getting the car back i have noticed a knocking noise including some pedal movement when driving slowly in 1st or 2nd gear. The accelerator pedal seems to jump slightly when starting the engine.
There is also a whirring noise from the engine, pareticurlarly when turning.
I intend to go back to the mechanic but would rather go there with an understanding of the possible causes.
Anyone had this problem before? Any constructive comments would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
MH
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Thanks
Will talk to them.
MH
I tried to send this mail last night but as a first-time poster I think I fouled it up as it never appeared.
There was a recent post about car prices going up 'on the quiet'. I found a good source of advice when we recently placed our order for a VW Passat TDCi. We used an online broker and their website contained really good buying tips which I've not seen bettered elsewhere - they are on the ball when it comes to knowing which manufacturer's were about to alter pricing (eg they told me VW had a price increase on 1st Jan and Renault 4th Jan). Maybe they've got an "inside line" into the car pricing gods.
I don't usually recommend anything but am doing this time as they were very clued up and, unlike some of the other internet floggers we tried, they were bang up to date on everything and they weren't advertising old registered stock as "new" like some of them do. They are at www.dealdrivers.co.uk . Hope I've got that bit right. The VW dealer they put me onto is good too. Fingers crossed it arrives in March.
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If you "do the rounds" with the internet dealers then take the prices back to your main dealer, you'll may be pleasently surprised with the result. Even if you can get say within a few £ of the best price.
If it's a good main dealer, you'll be even more delighted.
Vehicle: Xsara estate Hdi110. 2002, 86k miles.
The heater fan on this car runs flat out, regardless of the manual setting, but only once the engine is running. After some investigation work, there appears to be a system control box, the driver control consul (containing more electronics), various temperature sensors, a flap servo and the fan unit. By adjusting the various dials and noting their actions, I have come to the conclusion that apart from the fan losing speed control, the overall system is working correctly. There are more than two chassis and power connections to the fan and I?m guessing the fan has it?s own built-in speed regulator and that it might be faulty. Does anyone know anything more? The fan is a Valeo unit.
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fan Speed controller resistor pack.
Hi everyone and a happy new year to you all!!
How much would it cost to replace a broken speedometer on a daihatsu (847cc 1998 R reg)..? Is it against the law to drive without a speedo as I know you cant fail MOT for it?
I have also been told that when in fifth gear, if you take your foot off the accelarator it goes back into neutral..???
Thanks folks.
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I'd suggest no more than an hour to replace speedo in the insert. If the whole speedo (speed and odometer) has failed it could be either the cable or electronic sender has failed rather than the instrument. My guess is legally you need it fixed.
Regarding the fifth gear issue, claptrap. The 5th gear detent has gone weak or the linkage is maladjusted preventing the gear to be fully engaged into the detent. If it is the detent its a gearbox out job (fit a new clutch at the same time), or live with it.
Andrew
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Simplicate and add lightness!!
After submitting my recent topic of my poor breaking performance on my 1995 306 td (new brake pads, discs, shoes, drums, fluid) etc i was wondering if a caliper repair kit is worthwhile trying? i dont know too much about them and what is involved.
How much does this cost approximatly and what is involved? also what is the most likely outcome?
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I would go along with the other reply, after overhauling 4 calipers on a old Range Rover....Never ever again....!
Go for service exchange recons price should not be too bad
I used a company based in Wrexham (can't remember name)very reasnoble & quick they do mail order too
In particular the difference in handling between 2.0 and 2.5 variants when driven with gusto.
Has reliability lived up to their reputation?
Thanks in advance to anyone who has driven either/both.
I have searched the usual sources of info.
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Father-in-law is on his thrid Forester, so he's obviously happy, but the fuel consumption cannot be good. We drove in tandem to Switzerland a year ago - he in his Forester, me in my (then) E320 CDI. I don't know the difference in the size of the fuel tank, but I do know that he had to fill up twice as often as me. I was getting 35mpg on a fast cruise.
When we got there I had just as good grip with snow tyres as he did with 4x4 on 'normal' tyres.
Hi all - first post!
Love the site, lots of knowledge and humour - can you help on this one?
Bought a Mazda6 TS 2.0 petrol at auction with 15,000mls and found that the 12,500 mile service hadn't been carried out - no oil or filter change! Oil wasn't low, just dirty. Car seems fine and obviously hasn't been thrashed (hardly any disc wear, interior in good nick, and alloys unkerbed). Is this serious? Dealer says related parts of my warranty will be affected. Heard Mazda engines are tough as old boots!
I may be able to get a refund from the people who stamped the service book. But the car seems just fine and I really like it.
What would you do?
Thanks!
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If the car was serviced by a non-franchise dealer, then unless you have the invoice to go with the service, and Mazda parts were used (I guess that's probably limited to the oil filter for this service?) then the warranty wouldn't be valid anyway.
Got a Golf which i purchased 2 months ago. A couple of weeks ago i noticed that it had not got the pulling power as i had when i first had it so because of christmas etc could not get the car into Volkswagen until last week were they diagnosed it as a MAF sensor which they replaced under warranty. The car was great going home but on Friday coming home from work the car went sluggish (like there was no turbo)
Took it out tonight and gave it a good reving up to 4k once it was warmed up and it's great again.
Anyone got any ideas what it could be (if anything) which i could through at Volkswagen when i phone them. It's the second time that the car has let me down as it ran out of diesel 3 days after me collecting it due to a faulty sender in the tank.
The car is a TDi Match 100bhp on a 03 plate.
Any help and advice would be appreciated Read more
When i was coming back from Minehead 5 weeks ago i noticed when on light accelerating from low revs it shudders very lightly as if it missed a beat and then drives like normal
thats another symptom of maf failure.
I know someone interested in buying a new car something like a nice diesel estate. Just wondering what the opinion is for the most reliable economical car. Wondering about japanese? Read more
An idea on size would be handy but presumably your looking mondeo size cars. Someone will offer you the Mondeo TDCi as the answer to all your needs but if it's japanese your looking at your options would be the Accord Sport Tourer CDTi, Avensis D4D Tourer or the Mazda 6 Estate.


Staggering that you can come to the Backroom and get good information and advice (as always) and then use it to go back and tell the dealer what may be wrong with your car! He should be telling you what might be wrong! There again, it is a Mercedes dealership, so no surprises!