September 2006
I have just had an issue with our C5 when I would have been better off using the local main dealer from the outset. The car's engine management system was reporting an anti pollution fault and my first port of call, as is usual, was to consult the chap whose garage services the car. A subsequent visit to the garage and a diagnostic check resulted in a turbo overboost fault being diagnosed. He hadn't got much idea what would be causing this and three or four visits during about 3 weeks didn't solve the problem, as the fault kept recurring.
I had booked the car in again for today but I decided to ring the local main dealer for a chat about the issue, before risking spending money any more speculative work on the car. I was told it would be beneficial to take the car in to the dealer for a diagnostic check, as they have access to software downloads that indepent garages do not have. The subsequent diagnosis identified that the problem was caused by corrupt software and there was no anti pollution fault after all. A software download has (hopefully) solved the problem. The diagnosis and software download cost about £81, which is much cheaper than fishing around in the dark for the cause of a fault that doesn't exist. Read more
I'm looking for a second car for long distance driving ( to Germany and back).
I need good mpg so a diesel is obvious.
As the distances are 600+ miles each way I would like a resonably comfortable car for almost continous motorway driving.
I also need to be able to move stuff so a large hatch or estate would be in order.
Age is not really an issue but cheap and easy to maintain is. Ideally something very common so parts can come from scrap yards if needed.
Budget is 3k.
I've seen cars on autotrader for around 1000-1500 for 8 years+. Are these good buys or repair bills waiting.
I don't have any experience in buying diesels to would be open to any suggestions,
Read more
I would have thought the perfect solution was to be found with Nick in the thread below where he is asking about a guide price for his mint-ish Passat estate.
They expect the Qashqai to replace the Almeira - so in other words compete with Corolla, Focus, etc. of this world. Interesting concept. It does look interesting, but so does the Civic. Could they sell 100,000 units as estimated? Does anyone know how the Civic is shifting? Read more
I recently asked an AA patrolman which cars he sees most commonly - he said he rarely sees a Honda, Nissan or Toyota, but advised against buying a Renault or a Saab. He reckoned everything else was reasonably reliable, however he did admit to only owning Japanese cars.
Good day Guys
I have a 5 door Pug 306 (Meridian) on a 2001 plate
I have recently seen that the back doors are playing up when it comes to locking and unlocking using my blip.
The are very intermittent sometimes they will pop open and sometimes not, and visa versa sometimes they will lock and sometimes they wont
Anybody out there experienced this and if so how did you fix it???
Thanks for looking
Dave Read more
okay fixed it, thought i might help somebody else out there with my fix
Lots of people go on about the wires breaking causing C'locking failures.
Took out my plug and socket from inside the door strut (it's hidden in the black rubber boot) and there it was
Water damage to the connector. The connectors had turned white, thought about cleaning them up but decided to cut out the connectors and put crimps in its place (took me about 20 minutes)
Now i have no problems with the locking, good luck if you too have the same problem
Silly question, but my insurance company has suddenly added a clause saying that I must have an immobiliser. I think my Passat 20V 1.8S non turbo has a factory fitted one as standard, but not sure, so if anyone could confirm what this model has (immobiliser, alarm, both) I would be greatful Read more
thx Dynamic Dave, that's given me all the info I need. Just putting my mind at rest
The idiots painting the outside of the house have managed to cover my Golf mk2 in specks of white paint. I can get paint off the bodywork but not off the plastic bumpers. Any ideas? Read more
It might have been a reasonable assumption that painters would probably be the best folks to ask about getting paint off, but considering it was they who put it on in the first place it doesn't bode well! Were they professional painters? If so, I would have laid the blame firmly at their door and demanded they pay to have it properly cleaned. I would have thought that they would carry insurance for such eventualities.
Of course if they were amateurs / cowboys you haven't a hope!
I'd start with the least damaging approach (something like white spirit) then up the aggro as desperation sets in!
By the way, what kind of paint is it? I'm assuming it's gloss or masonary paint (nothing worse!) If it's water based it should theoretically soften if thoroughly soaked (maybe worth trying a heap of soaking kitchen roll for an hour or so) If it's oil based of course, you'll need a solvent of some sort.
There's always Nitromors..............but for goodness sake try anything as strong as that on an inconspicuous patch!
A heat gun or hairdryer? (Don't overdo the heat on plastics!)
Graeme
bypassed matrix 2 weeks ago. whilst scuttle drain removed - several downpours soaked the engine. that was 2 weeks ago. initially wouldn't start, got car to start but was running very rough.
removed & cleaned plugs and fitted new ht leads. car will start ok but is running rough (no power) and 'popping' at low revs.
can anyone please offer any explanation as i am totally confused and can't afford to pay ford £500 to sort it out. Read more
I have a Fabia 1.9tdi, first registered in early 2001. Always main dealer (VW) serviced with 100.000KM on the clock.
I am currently suffering from electrical problems, the most annoying of which is loss of power steering! When this happens, several symptons may occur. If at night, with headlights on, they dim for a moment and the PAS fails. At other times the PAS just fails, only accompanied by the warning light and alert buzzer. Immediate cure is to stop & re-start the engine, when all is OK until the next time. This next time could be from three hours to three weeks via three days!
Other symptoms are the ABS and ASR lights illuminating momentarliy, central locking not working properly - not always with PAS failure!
In early May this year my VW dealer diagnosed the PAS problem as a faulty steering angle sensor which was duly replaced. 5 kilometers down the road, the PAS failed again. Driving back to the dealer with no PAS I expostulated (!) leaving the engine running as I knew the problem would go away if I stopped it.
After head scratching they decided that the fault lay in a damaged electrical lead from the battery to somewhere?, replaced it and all seemed well.
We drove to the UK & back, 6000 km inc. running around there and happily tootled around locally here for a total of about 10,000km since the "fix" until the problem re-surfaced a week or so ago.
Fault codes do not seem to help as they only record the event, not its basic cause (as far as I can make out)
Any ideas?
Roger. (Costa del Sol, España) Read more
There have been several threads on PAS / electrical problems on the Fabia. Searching the Technical Forum with Fabia as a keyword will throw up a lot of information.
My father's car had a simliar problem with PAS failing and included lights flickering. He was told that it was the alternator over-charging. Other possible causes appear to be steering sensors or possibly grounding problems - check that the main battery and PAS earth connections are secure.
I liked this. You need sound.
tinyurl.com/fm42g
{Copy and paste into your usual web browser to view - DD} Read more
That was good,but I preferred the old lady and the Merc driver: www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2005/merc-airbag-p1.php
Hi
I have a 16 year old Celica with a 5 year old Exide battery (date shown on the battery). I have only had the car for 6 weeks.
Now when I tried to start the car today, the battery was dead although I did a short journey 3 days ago without problem. Questions:
(a) Is the 5 years a normal lifespan for the battery, so therefore I should replace it?
(b) Or should I suspect something else e.g. the alternator?
(c) Also Halfords are selling a replacement battery for £60. Does anyone know where to get a cheaper one in South West London?
Many thanks. Read more
OK, why can't we have voltmeters fitted, I don't suppose they would cost much.
I wouldn't know how easy it is to identify a small pipe like the one that was found, as there are a multitude of them on an HDI. The chap who services the car ruled out a split pipe, on the basis that the fault only occurred above a specific speed and didn't recur straight after the fault had been cleared. It always took at least a day for the fault to recur. I imagine the techician at the main dealer had a bit more experience in dealing with this kind of thing on C5s.