August 2006
Anyone know how to get the fault codes flashed via the engine management light on a 98 Vectra DI using a paper clip. Topbuzz suggests pins 5 and 6 shorted for the petrol version but only pins 3,4,5,7,8,12,and 16 have inserts on the DI?
Fault is that car goes in to limp home mode only on motorway. Switching off and on resets and car behaves normally for a while. Fuel filter and air filter have been changed. Air mass/temp sensor next perhaps?
Perplexed. Read more
We have just returned from a very enjoyable 2 week stay in France. While driving up the A28 between Le Mans and Rouen I looked in my mirror and saw a car and caravan behind me that I couldn't remember overtaking.
I checked the mirror again and found that he was actually gaining on me. Now I was cruising at around 85-90mph, like most of the locals, but he relentlessly hauled me in. I edged up to 95 but still he kept coming. After overtaking a line of trucks I pulled in and settled back to 85 and let him past.
Up he steamed and it emerged that he was a Dutch registered Citroen C6 towing a substantial caravan. I tailed along behind him for a while and he was cruising at 95mph, occasionally edging over the ton. I settled back to my 85mph cruise and let him get on with it.
I have to say that all the time I saw him he appeared smooth and steady as a rock, even when entering the bow wave of the trucks he overtook.
I'm sure you could hear the sound of the fuel gushing through the pipes to maintain such a pace. I kept expecting to come over the brow of the next hill and see a C6/caravan shaped accident ahead of me but he just disappeared into the distance.
I just hope he had a good set of tyres on that van. Read more
I never had any problems stopping with a caravan: brakes of van always carefully maintained and a stabiliser: the latter vital imo to prevent jacknifing.
But if the brakes are maladjusted and van is unstable at high speed, then a emergency stop may result in van pulling to one side and either dragging the car sideways or rolling.. or both.
madf
Wait till it's illegal and they have to increase fuel duty to recover the lost revenue.
Then you'll be sorry!
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Robin Reliant, formerly known as Tom Shaw
Had to disconnect battery to charge it,and when I reconnected it,the stereo is not working properly,ie only tuner works but not tape.Says in manual that if battery is disconnected that you will need code for stereo,where do I get this code?And how is it put in? Read more
The usual answer is that a dealer will give you the code but may require proof of ownership of the car, and the car handbook will tell you how to input the code into the car stereo. Depending on how old the car is and whether or not it has had previous owners, the info should be in the car doumenatation along with key numbers and that sort of thing.
Having had the "V" sign from the last 2 drivers I tooted at for using their phones whilst on the motorway how about a name and shame topic.
To avoid "naming" perhaps we could jumble letters and numbers but may be identify the car. Read more
DD I obviously agree. Posting real reg not right and "jumble" them (1) what's the point and (2) too many permutations to know the real one.
If someone took real reg and thought something will be done (yeh right) then report to police.
Better to wait for changes to law and the fines (£60) and more importantly, points on licence. They are on the way... or so I thought until someone probably corrects me. The tiny number of motoring related police might act then.
But then here's a thought... with ANPR cameras getting everywhere, what about some image recognition software for use of mobile :-)
As a regular motorway driver I see a lot of passengers with their feet up on the dashboard (with or without shoes depending on the weather).
Can any motor engineer or surgeon comment on the fact that in a crash you are likely to get your knees behind your ears in approx 1 second.and what that is likely to do to you.
I am aware that there is alleged to be a Kama Sutraposition like this but I bet you do not get into it in less than 1 second. Read more
Do other people, like me, take offence when front seat passengers
do this?
It amazes me that a well brought up person who is
a friend of yours thinks it's OK to abrade your facia
and cover it with visible or invisible traces of chewing gum,
vomit and dog excrement
What ??
Isn't that the road Howard Hughes trod?.
Our 1996 VW Transporter (think that's what it's called) is pretty much knackered now having been hammered by various employees over the years. There's barely a panel that has not been damaged by someone and of course no-one owns up do they...
I am quite happy to get another VW but was wondering what else might do for semi-rough building work. What are those Maxus things like? I am hoping to get the sign writing included on the deal. And this time the van stays at base, no evening/ weekend borrowing from now on. I'm getting tight... Read more
You can be into a pre registered Transit low spec/low power engine for under £10k.
& I'd guess around £1000 might come your way for the old van.
Sorry for brief response, but we've to wait for Broadband here at the new place!!
VB
This 6 or so mile stretch of dual carriageway has to be one of the most accident prone stretches of road in the country. Virtually every time I use it I see the remains of single car accidents, usually involving lamp posts near to the 3 roundabouts that are too small for a 70MPH stretch of road, what were the planners thinking?
In the last month or so I've seen a BMW Cabriolet, an MGTF and today an Xtype Jag, all in day light. Then in the evening the boy racers arrive, I'm amazed there are'nt more deaths on this road
Read more
Ohhh yes - I saw the Aston Martin dealership! Both had private plates on though - I assumed either the managers are on too much money or they were in for servicing work!
I doubt I'd even get in the tattiest looking bar - even in my best suit....I doubt I could afford to!
***** This thread has been split so as to make it easier for people still on dial up *****
***** Volume 1 of this thread can be found HERE *****
Ok ok, I'm in two minds about whether to even post this given my recent history with changing my mind about cars but....
Whilst out and about I've seen two cars I like the look of, the best of the two, and one that my dad has (quite suprisingly) told me that he thinks is much nicer looking than the BMW, is a Jaguar X-Type 2.5 V6 AWD.
It's a 2001 51, manual transmission, full leather and it looks FANTASTIC from the outside. £6,500 with full Jag History and 100K on the clock. The only thing to concern me is that AWD sounds like it might sap all of the power from the car and make it extremely thirsty. Am I right to think this? Also, are these units prone to going wrong with horrible consequences? I know the rest of the car is based on mondeo so should be quite a good drive.
The only other car that I noticefd whilst walking the dog was a Saab 9-3 (2002 onwards model) and I have to say I thought it to be very attractive, I gather they're basically a Vectra, but are they very well built? I'd be a bit nervous of it.
Anyway, sorry to sound like I'm changing my mind again, if I wasn't a long registered user I'm beginning to think people would suspect me of been a troll!
Blue Read more
Yes, it's still going well. I only returned from France about eight weeks ago so wasn't around for over three months. I don't have a pc over there and rely on a French mobile for keeping in touch.
Hope you've managed to sort out the damage to your motor, and it wasn't too costly. I'll never understand the mentality of such people.
Well the Shuttle is in need of a couple of front tyres, it has P6000s on the the front at the moment but I have always found them to be a bit soft and as such don't wear well, being a 2.3 auto and a 7 seater the fronts take quite a bit of punishment so I want something that is quite hard wearing.
So far I have narrowed it down to GOODYEAR - NCT5, Pirelli P6000's again or firestone tz200's the tyre size is 205 65 15H and budget is about £60 tops (each, fitted), I want to stay with a well known brand as this car carries lots of kids and does a fair amount of motorway work now. Any advice gratefully received. Read more
I've now run almost 1500 miles on Vredestein Ultracs, but they hadn't been tested in the wet. After yesterday and driving through a torrential storm (30mph max on A64), followed by country lanes with puddles the full width and deep water in places, followed by a muddy track in a field and then wet grass I can confirm they are excellent - ESP light never lit, even on the wet grass when I as expecting it. The Proms in the Park, the reason this was necessary, is well recommended!!
Browse
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Could be MAF sensor but if the car is still sluggish even when not in limp home mode, first check that the catalytic converter is not blocked.
This was the cause of a similar problem on my company Vectra DI but was only found by good friend of these technical threads Andrew Moorey , and only after much sensor changing and heartache at another local garage at considerable expense.
If you want the full story you can get it by searching back on the old threads here.