June 2006
My car has just had a 2 year servicing, at 21,000 miles. I was told that there was corroded glazing on the front discs and they needed changing at a cost of about £240. Questions follow
1. Is this normal for a car in daily use, that has never been near the sea, and has never stood unused for more than 10 days?
2. If the dicsc are changed should pads be changed too, even if they have life in them?
3. If manufacturer's OE discs are such rubbish is there anything to lose by buying cheap 'pattern' parts?
I have found a pair of discs on e bay for £49 + £10 carriage.
Thanks in advance for comments. Read more
Does anybody know what the minimum speed required is to set off both airbags of a Ford Focus in a front end collision? I was hit on the rear of my car by a focus which fired off both his airbags and he claims he was only doing 30mph is this possible? The impact was focused in on his passenger side front wing and bonet. Read more
IN the very early 1980s, CAR took a Mercedes to Moscow in Winter. They chose not to have ABS fitted to the car as they thought that they would get rear ended by a Lada and thrown inot jail.
hi a friend of mine is in dire straights ,his peugeot expert diesel is driving him mad ,when driving along it keeps dieing a death with the engine management light showing ,if he leaves it a good few mins it will start again and run until the same things happens again which is a bit risky when motorway driving ,hes had it on dianogstics and it reports no faults ,hes changed filters etc but still no joy ,any one have a clue what he can try next its costing him hundreds as it is a taxi and darnt take long journeys ,oh its on a 52 plate cheers Read more
lynrossuk
Did the garage tell you what the code number was? Can't recall any codes for starter solonoid? What year/engine etc. is your van and what's the precise fault?
Hi Everyone,
I'm hoping someone can help me out, I'm in the missle of fitting new brake pads to the rear of a 99 audi A4. Im having real problems getting the caliper pistion to go back in. It seems to be stuck (I'm pretty sure its not seized as the piston will move back out from the pedal). It seems like Im missing something to make it retract. Handbrake is off and the bleed nipple open with fluid coming out.
Any suggestions would be gratefully recieved,
John Read more
It implies the seal was was an unused area of the cylinder and as such put up a lot of resistance. Hopefully no seal damage was done but do keep an eye on the fluid level and the disc's in case a seal leaks. Is you hand brake OK it will take a while to settle in. Do not overbrake to try and bed them in as you will over heat the disc's and glaze the pads. Brake hard and short for a few days and all will be well. Was your fluid due to be changed. ?? Regards Peter
Does anyone know of a five seat convertible easily available in the UK? Read more
y2k+4 suggested it would be a great idea if FIAT brought out a Multipla convertible - I thought this was such an inspired idea, I wrote to FIAT to ask:
>I have a wife a 3 children, and would dearly love a convertible. Why
>don't you chop the top off a Multipla and offer a 3-in-the-front,
>2-in-the-back convertible? (I presume the folding roof mechanism would
>restrict the rear seat to 2 people.) It would be a wacky successor to
>the absolutely brilliant (and wacky) "normal" Multipla.
Sadly, this was my reply:
>Thank you for your interest and entheusiasm in the Fiat Multipla. At the moment,
>we have no plans to release such a vehicle. At this time, we do not feel that the
>market for a Multipla convertible will be worth releasing the vehicle.
If anyone comes across a 5-seater that's not the Land Rover and not a 1950's Zephyr (although that's sounding more and more attractive.....) please let me know! I'm sure Fiat is wrong - there must be a market amongst we middle-aged family men with one child too many for the standard 4-seaters!
Just had a quote from an authorized vauxhall service centre for a new cambelt on a '03 vauxhall combo 1700di, for parts and labour I was quoted £338.46
Does that sound reasonable - or am I being conned? Just a thought as I looked on ebay for cambelts and they didnt seem too expensive!
For new rear brakes I was quoted £153.88
Sounds a bit better.. but though i'd ask!!??
Thanks for your help
Ben
Read more
my mate got a quote for having his cambelt done on his 51plate 1.7dti combo van £240 all in and apparently there is no mod on them like on most fords where you have a kit pulleys/tensioner to change,so its the belt for arond £30 then the rest is labour still a lot to pay an independant garage would/should give you the same gaurantee and a bit cheaper....
Hi all.
I got in my ford fiesta 1.8D (1996 MK4) attempted to start the car recently. I waited for the glow plug light to go off and started the car. The car made that car starting sound several times and gave some gas however it did not start. I heated the glow plug again and the same thing happened.
I am accustom to this as its a diesel. I then tried it for a third time however this time when I turn the key the engine made no sound at all (no attempt to crank over). All the dash lights came on as per usal.
This time the immobiliser light began to flash rapidly (by the clock).
After several more attempts with the same result I gave up and got my car recovered. The recovery man checked the car out and said somethings up with the immobiliser. He said its the key, and that the car would start with the master key (red).
I tried this and also had no joy.
My friend came around to look at it 2 days later and the car started fine like nothing was wrong.
I then again tried to start the car and once more when I turn the ignition key, nothing happens.
Everything in the car works and I have checked all the fuses
Any tips/advice welcome
Thnaks
(Similar post but no help;
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=4&t=26...5 )
Read more
find the small wire that goes to the starter motor take the spade connection off clean the terminal with a bit of sandpaper/emery cloth and slightly nip the terminal up replace on starter motor,bet that sorts it.
Help!
We have a MINI on loan while my BMW is in for some work. Tomorrow Mrs P needs to use it with two child seats on board. So I only have tonight to work out the best way to fit them in. There is, of course, no instruction manual in the car!
I can see that there is a "Passenger Airbag Off" light, but I can't see how to actually turn the airbag off. Maybe it requires an option that this car hasn't got, but if I can turn it off then I'd like to.
Does anyone know how to do this?
TIA. Read more
Oh, and I personally would avoid putting a child in the front seat anyway due to the side and curtain airbags, and the ones in the a-pillar (if they're fitted).
Would those airbags not also be disabled if the passenger airbags were turned off?
I recently tried to check on a squeeking sound coming from the rear brake of my MK3 1.1 petrol Fiesta. I tried dismantling the rear drum but can't see how. It was easy enough on my past cars but this seems to be difficult. The Haynes manual says that the four bolts connecting the whole assy must be removed. Is this possible? Read more
just my opinion but if your going to all the trouble of undoing four bolts , you still have to remove dustcap to align "stub axle" up to axle , and the thought of spending 90pence on a new nut and setting torque is off putting then should one really be doing brakes at all?
At the end of a shift 0100 hours discovered that my remote key fob for VW Passat 51 reg stopped functioning!
Can still get into the car using the actual key,so could get home!
Suspect that the batteries have run out.
Does anyone know a good site to obtain these batteries online?
The other key fob wasnt working when I bought the car and I was told that it had to be reprogrammed???
Thanks for any suggestions on where to go for this. Read more
£1.99 at Maplins.
The fob needs to be split twice to get to the battery. Just done it!
Browse
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I also poke all the rust out that is in the radial slots on the basis that the improved airflow must help.