March 2006
Perhaps this belongs in Technical but it's not very technical. Before being too harsh, please bear in mind that it's being asked by someone who has owned a car for less than three years and isn't used to dealing with even minor problems.
I went to use my car today for the first time since Tuesday and immediately noticed that a tyre was flat My immediate reaction was to pump it up to find out how serious the leak was. This made me resolve to replace my cheapo Argos footpump: fine for a top-up but hard work to inflate the tyre completely.
After inflating the tyre, it became clear that the air was leaking from the valve itself.
How common an occurence is this? Is it likely to be repairable or will I need a new tyre? Given that Kwik Fit is only half a mile away and the leak is slow, should I inflate the tyre and drive straight there, or would not changing the wheel be a really stupid thing to do?
Luckily, I happen to have the week off work and don't need the car too urgently. Read more
I have recently had the misfortune of a small garage putting the wrong oil in my VW Passat 130 TDI. It's 10W40 and I thought that would be ok, but later learnt that there's PD specific oil at 5W40 designed for the PD engines.
Is this 10W40 going to damage the engine instantly, or can I change it in the next couple of weeks / months? Read more
also i stated that the oil must be the right vw
spec...that is the most important thing
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There are a very wide range of oils that meet the spec - here's a link from Audi USA, pages 7 & 8 are the ones for 505.01.
www.audiusa.com/common/images/Audi_Approved_Oil_Ch...f
I thinks it's supposed to be a world-wide list, but I notice Millers isn't on it - perhaps they're too local to be mentioned?
Anyway, although on the 502.00 there's a range of viscosity's, the 505.01's are all 5W40. So maybe the 5W on startup is important to VAG?
I have the latest Espace and in an effort to avoid the dealers am going to attempt an oil change myself.
Can anyone tell me how much oil it takes and who would sell me an oil filter, gsf don't seem to do one. Any other tips? Read more
Roger I guess its just a matter of turning up and asking for the service, I might give it a try next week in person. Thanks for all your help with this.
My Dad has an A4 TDi which has started displaying the warning light for the ESP being disabled, and pressing the button on the dash has no effect. It seems to come on a few minutes after starting the engine, and then stays on; if the engine is stopped and restarted the light doesnt come on again until after another few minutes.
Could anyone please advise what could be causing this? Could it just be a dirty sensor or something more serious? He has just recently paid £850 for a main dealer service including new discs and pads front and rear. Could it be something they have missed or disturbed in doing the work, and should therefore sort out for free?
I know the best way is to get it plugged into diagnostics to check it out, but can anyone hazard a guess so he's better informed when he takes it in? The thought of getting landed with another big bill is putting him off getting it looked at.
Many thanks,
Rich. Read more
I need to pay more attention to the OP Cheddar.
I didn't notice it was you I thought it was Rich who was posting and could not understand why he didn't know the mileage. Thanks for keeping me right.
Tom
As many of you will know I have had my 2002 Mondeo Ghia X from new, I have always understood it to have Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) though not Electronic Stability Programme (ESP). I clearly recall that EBA, auto-relock and one or two other features were introduced on what were called 2002.5 model year Mondeos.
However the Haynes manual confuses matters, it says:
"The Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) adds another function to the ABS system. Sensors measure the position of the steering wheel, the pressure in the brake master cylinder, the yaw velocity/rate and the lateral acceleration. With this information the system can can compare the driver's intention with the vehicle's movement and apply appropriate corrective action. The system is sometimes known as Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)."
I have always thought of ESP and EBA as different systems albeit using some common sensors.
Any thoughts? Read more
My 2001 V6 Mondeo does not have the mechanical EBA and it was too early for the Electronic EBA. Fords with mechanical EBA have a different servo unit to non-EBA and it has a label on it with the leters "EBA" in the serial number IIRC. My brakes have a softer feel to the pedal, which gives a feeling of uncertanty until you get used to them, but they are very efficient when hard pressed.
I drove a Ford C-Max today, and it had an electronic parking brake. I've never come across one before, and wondered if anyone had any thought about these, on reliability or otherwise. Perhaps I'd get used to it, but it seemed more controllable to hold the car on an incline using a handbrake.
Also, what would happen if, as on my Mondeo, I had a failure of several electronic components, losing use of indicators, door locks and horn. Read more
I have driven many rental cars in mainland Europe with these new ?Electronic? parking brakes, (VW, Audi, Renault are the main ones). I think they are all rubbish on manual shift cars as it makes hill starting etc. very difficult. They are probably OK on an Automatic car.
The Renaults are the worst offenders. As soon as you turn the engine off the brake comes on automatically. The VW/Audis are better in that they do not come on automatically. With the VAG cars I just park in gear with the handbrake off in case they stick, (very worried about the cold in Germany in January when it was -25C).
I still prefer the ?standard? type and might not choose a car because it has an ?Electronic? brake!
Q
Three petrol cars in the family.
1. Subaru Forester XT - does about 10,000 miles a year of mixed driving.
2. Subaru Forester (old shape) - does about 6,000 miles a year of mainly suburban driving, but some motorway work.
3. Suzuki Wagon R+ - does about 4,000 miles per year of suburban driving.
So, the Subarus have black exhausts. The XT (Turbo) has a load of soot on the inside and dribbling over the edge. The other is not so different, and they have both beenon 260 mile round trips to Wales this weekend with at least 200 miles on fast straight roads.
The Suzuki exhaust looks like it has just been replaced by a new tail pipe - its spotless. Whats going on? Is this the sympton of another problem which also causes poor economy and what can I do about it. BTW the older Subaru passes the MoT without fail. New one too new.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive? Read more
The whitey colour was lead dioxide from leaded petrol. Hence you no longer get that.
The black is just the soot emissions from the engine condensing on the side of the tailpipe. A low emission engine still produces a reasonable amount of soot (carbon) when burning. It's simply because while our combustion is currently good, swirl isn't always perfect so at less than maximum efficiency and reasonable gas flow speed you get some incomplete combustion resulting in the soot.
How do,
my rear subframe bushes have gone for sure, really loud knock over over camber bumps, first time i heard it i thought one wheel had come off?? that sound right?
anyway, i was just going to get them off ebay the power flex ones, but i don't know for sure that the subframe is ok, it should be? 51reg 30k
and will any garage be able to do this properly! as i don't want a botch up Read more
PS: I ordered the bushes from Demon Tweaks on the phone, they were delivered direct from Powerflex. About £80 inc.
having trouble opening bonnet on rover 75. handle pulled bonnet wont open, seems like cables stuck, i know cable pulls two other cables at offside inner wing to release double bonnet catches, any ideas on how to open?
Read more
unfortunately daltonman is still trapped up the wheel liner of his 75 as he hasnt reported back yet,
come in daltonman ....................
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\"a little man in a big world/\"
just a quick discussion between me and a few mates. For the mathematitions out there....would there be much of an increase in MPG on the same car with different wheels. For example 14" wheels v 16" wheels on the same 406 hdi? Read more
The reason why the lowest spec is the most economical: narrower harder tyres. But I wd guess the sympathy of the driver's foot wd count for more.
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You can't get quicker than a Kwik-Fit fitter! I crawled there just now and told the man the problem. He filled the tyre, tightened the valve with a tool he had in his pocket, pronounced it fixed, and refused any payment. I hope he's right!