November 2006
We have a '96 A4 estate in which the dash board lights and the centre console lights don't work. Its not the bulbs they have checked out OK. its prolly worth saying that all of the instruments work correctly.
I've checked the supply to the instrument cluster lighting which is OK. With lights on, the brightness of the odometer changes, so the potentiometer is OK. If I put a temporary feed onto the output of the instrument cluster to the centre console bulbs, they all work. So, the problem is in the cluster. Right?
OK, so does anyone have a wiring diagram for the pcb within the instrument cluster? or any other hints on what I might have missed?
Many thanks for your help,
Andy
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A local dealer has a 1997 Seat Alhambra MPV 2.0 litre automatic, one owner from new with 80 000 miles at reasonable money. I've had a mind to change the Punto for something bigger and more comfortable to drive that will fit two dogs in the back, so its taken my fancy.
From the CBCB, I gather these have JATCO autoboxes, which seem to enjoy a good reputation. There have been issues with water ingress into the ECU and autoboxes locking in park, though.
So, my first question is, what's the backroom's verdict on this as an MPV? Worth a look or steer well clear?
My second question is, as this would be bought as a car to run to the scrapyard, would the 2 litre/auto combination be capable of towing a caravan or small trailer (with a suitable cooler fitted to the box) or would I become a rolling roadblock as soon as I set off for the ferry?
(Its priced at 6000 euro; for comparison, a similar age Primera would cost approx 4000 euro, or an imported Toyota Previa would be about 7500 euro)
All advice gratefully received!
- Gromit Read more
I'm in a situation with different quotes for the same work which needs done to my Peugeot 106.
1 garage is quoting me £190 (which could rise to £290) for a 40k service and timing belt.
another is quoting me £180 for the 2 but I have now just found a place which is offering both service and new timing belt for £130, excluding the brake discs (which I don't need).
I'm nearly 100% certain I'll go for the cheapest obviously, but is the anything major I should be wary about - it seems too cheap to be true as is where.
Thanks Read more
What model 106? COs the engine DOES make a difference...
madf
Hi all, can anyone help with a problem on the above vehicle. It will only rev to 1500rpm, the fuel filter has been changed but with no difference. A diagnostics check has shown no fault (although not a dealership check as they were too busy).
Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully appreciated, my friend is tearing his hair out!! Read more
UPDATE: A disc from the egr valve had come away and lodged itself somewhere, partially blocking the intake. Don't how it happened but no damage seems to have been done & it runs fine now.
The car (a 2002 Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 petrol) stalled in the middle of an 12" deep puddle and the engine will now not turn over. The starter motor engages and the lights dim when attempting to start. Suspect that water has got into the engine and perhaps causing a hydraulic lock. The oil does not appear to be contaminated with water.
Is it a matter of removing the spark plugs turning the engine over to eject any water then after it is running OK change the oil.
Thanks for your help folks,
Dave Read more
It *might* need a bit more force to try and shift
things. Have you tried putting the car in gear and pulling
the car forwards?
Do this in a high gear to make life easier!
I hydraulically locked my car once with Redex, and didn't do it any harm, but then again the engine wasn't stopped at speed!
I would take plugs out and run starter to blow water out, allow cylinders to dry out, replace plugs and restart. As Dave says, if the engine's knackered anyway then you've got nothing to gain with a softly-softly approach IMHO.
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Mike Farrow
This falls into the category of "potentially interesting website for Backroomers."
Forgive me if I am so hopelessly out of touch that this is last years news. (To give you some idea of my general worldliness I heard my first "mp3" only a few days ago. Dreadful thing).
Anyway - much is discussed at this site, and very often there are cries of "something should be done" about whatever it may be.
I have discovered this site - in effect, one can start and sign petitions that are allegedly directly presented to the Government. There is a statement that not only will they all be read, but every signatory will receive an email with the Government's response on the issue.
There is a host of transport related petitions, and of course the ability to start your own.
Sorry if that's dull. Not clickable because I never remember whether these are my own teeth, never mind the arcane and ever shifting policies of various internet fora.
/tinyurl.com/y648un
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I might as well have been. Very boomy and tinny as f....
Just after some reassurance; I'm about to have a go at replacing the alternator and am wondering if I should just cough up and pay a prof.
I'm fairly happy that I'll end up with a pile of bits on the floor but am more concerned about how easy it is to gett the correct tension back in the belt. Is this just a case of getting the positioning right on the bracket thingy?
Any advice would be greatly recieved.
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I have avoided responding until a couple of Pug experts came along. On an old 1.9 like mine this is a doddle, as there is so much space and a screw tensioner. The only problem is the bottom bolt which can stick. Can do in 15 minutes, including post-job checks. Obviously a little more difficult on the HDi, but the Haynes manual or similar should make this straightforward.
But are you sure it is the alternator? If your mechanical knowledge is such that you are concerned about the job, how sure are you about the diagnosis (as you haven't mentioned symptoms). You may be better going to a small independent autoelectrician for diagnosis and swap. The price should be less than a dealer by a massive margin, and you can witness it. Even Halfords (pause for gasp from Backroomers) do this sort of stuff now, and their charges are not that terrible as it is a fixed price usually (wish I had let them do the Punto diesel one)
I see its ok for plod to speed to collect takaways ,magistrate in Rotherham believed everyword from the police officer about an accident call 20 miles away in another city.In reality the man was collecting a preordered chinese meal for himself and his colleages he is treating the law which he is supposed to uphold with absolute contempt ,because of behaveour like this how can you you believe or trust anybody in uniform. Read more
No I'm a provincial mouse. Not funny really expecting Officers to be firing on all cylingers, especially after a quick change and after the lunch adjourment. I very nearly won a breathalyser case in these circumstances once -- ver nearly threw a spanner in the works, but Justice did actually prevail on that one.
What does a fully loaded Maybach weigh? ; -)
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I generally travel with about half the max load - it has a crawler first gear which overcomes issues with full loads on hills and I normally pull away in second even when loaded as its quite torquey.
It is low geared in general and I have had a heavy oak victorian sideboard and 6 boxes of magazines in the back and while it took more revs and more use of first gear pulling away, it was still possible to maintain normal speeds in a straightline and accelerate at a reasonable rate.
I referred to a speed limit, not a rev limiter. Speed limiters that I have encountered do not restrict the revs unless it reaches the set limit. Any limiter that limits revs in any gear is clearly a stupid idea by someone who doesnt drive.
I regularly drive newer Vauxhalls at work...... and the latest batch have indicators that seem to have minds of their own.
If you indicate left...in good time.... to give someone else a chance to pull out.......inevitably by the time you get there the damned things have turned themselves off
similarly, when you want to go the whole way around the roundabout and indicate early...... halfway around they're turned off again
also is it just me that thinks the Astra indicator lenses are useless and you can hardly see them flashing because they are so opaque Read more
After all the fun and games I had with my 55 Focus, I handed it back to the dealer who were superb in the way they handled the whole episode.
Anyway , I now have a 5 month 06 reg Astra sxi. The indicators are similar to the ones I had on the 53 Vectra a while back - similar but not exactly the same.
Having had experience of the Vectra set up, I can only say they were infuriating - especially because they cancelled just when you didn't want them to! e.g. going around a roundabout.
Things have obviously moved on in the last couple of years with this system - the set up on my Astra is superb. As above its one touch for three flashes and a firm shove to lock them down - on the Astra you can feel it when it locks,something I didn't notice the Vectra doing.
I really like it and wouldn't want to go back to the old set up.
Browse
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A closer look over the weekend showed the Alhambra isn't suitable for what I need - the boot isn't wide enough to accomodate two dog cages. If I remove seats to fit the cages, I have to leave them at home for the duration of the trip and forfeit carrying passengers at my destination.
An estate car with a rear bench that folds completely flat (e.g. Legacy, Forester or Mazda 6) is what's needed.
Thanks anyway,
- Gromit