November 2006
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6169590.stm
7-9 Dec public shows.
14 Feb cutoff for comments Read more
Hi just found out from AA why my golf is not starting its dued to a switch on the autogearbox which tells it the cars in park gear. Is this a cheap job to fix?
Cheers Graham Read more
Hi all,could someone provide me please with the e mail and postal address for Vauxhall customer service uk..seems to be a bit elusive on a google search.
many thanks
Jim Read more
thanks dd
After interrogating my dear wife for a few minutes.. this is what appears to be what happened.
Background info is that every now and then she notices a "squealing" noise from under the bonnet. also her battery light tends to come on very occasionally, but "only when driving through puddles..." (women....)
A few days back it was raining REALLY heavily and was pretty cold. She was driving the girls back from school and was in a slow moving traffic jam for ages with all the electrics (fan, front demister, rear demister, radio, lights, etc...) going. Suddenly the radio cut out, the dashboard lights all went out and the car engine seemed to labour a bit. She waited for a minute or so, then turned off the rear and front demisters and all the lights came back on and the radio did too.
She drove home (another 10 miles or so) then parked up normally. Next morning, she went to use the car and it was dead as a doornail. Not a flicker of light anywhere to be seen and no ignition possible. RAC called out, not really got much of a clue, measured battery at "2 volts" apparently, connected jump leads and got it started, then measured again and said it was receiving a very slight charge but not enough. He called their tech line who mentioned a "faulty fuse box" as a posisble problem. He followed us to the local garage where we dumped it until Monday so they could look at it. Garage called us back saying they weren't good enough with electrics to diagnose the problem, but they charged the battery overnight and my wife was able to start it this morning at the garage and drive home. By the time I got home a few hours later, it was all dead as a dodo again.
I connected my jump leads to it and started it up, then disconnected the jump leads. Immediately the main lights dimmed and the engine laboured a bit, but it kept going. Inside, no dashboard lights at all. Revving the engine caused a fan-belt (or alternator belt? Don't know?) squeal. Whilst sitting there I decided to turn on some other electrics and picked on the rear window demister... instant engine death - just like a kill switch and all lights off totally (including interior light - not a flicker of light in there) and ignition completely dead again.
This is all very familiar to when my old fiesta's alternator gave up years ago, but not entirely... I'm pretty sure that it got to the point where it completely tried to run off the battery and couldn't be driven, whereas my wife's appears to be fine until the engine stops and the battery doesn't appear to be holding its charge, even when it has been fully charged...
Anyone got any ideas on the problem based on this description please? Read more
A colleague of mine is having a similar problem on a 1992 1.4 Fiesta. Battery completley flat on a couple of occasions after leaving for a few days. No obvious reason for current drain, battery apparently in good condition and holding charge when disconnected. However on reconnecting another fully charged battery I noticed that the LED display on the radio was glowing but without any figures or letters showing and without the ignition being switched on. Disconnected the battery and the LED went out. Also discovered the radio doesnt work anyway whereas was working perfectly before. So removed fuse 2 (radio and interior light) and have not had any problems since.
There may be other faults but certainly the radio seemed to be drawing a current in some way which I havnt worked out. I have heard that, in certain situations, broadband wifi can have strange effects on car radios and certainly this car is normally parked in an area thats full of wifi signals so we'll bring it round to my place ar some point and take the radio out and see what we can find.
Hi all hope you all are well. Have a small problem with my Mk2 1.6 auto (1989 F). Every now and then it just wont turn over to start. Not long had a vw service and battery so ill rule them out. The other day i did find a little puddle of water in the bulk head above the fuse box. The drain pipe was bloked with leaves and so on, but i have now cleared it. Does anyone think this may have something to do with my problem as water may of run down to the fuse box????? Any help and how to fix would be great.
Cheers. Have a nice day Graham Read more
Hi again, yeah its the gearbox switch. AA bloke said. Is this a big job?? what sort of money am i looking at?
Cheers
Graham
Hi new user here
i have an audi A4 2.6 se 1995 when i turn on fan nothing happens does anyone have any ideas
Read more
Make sure you test out the motor before you spend massive amounts of money when it might only be a relay,switch or even a fuse.
As far as cars go, I'm just a layman who can read a workshop manual. Over the years almost every garage I've used, from main franchise to small independent, has shown their incompetence all too readily, compared to my basic knowledge.
My needs are straightforward - I only want jobs doing that are needed - if there are choices I want to be involved, by phone, before the work is done - the work should be done competently - the work should be value for money.
I don't have any problem with mechanics making a living and proprietors making a profit, I just don't want to be conned.
I don't think I'm on my own with these requirements - has anyone else got a selection process that works? Read more
David, who's the mechanic in Cardiff out of curiosity?
Have jus purchased my son a 1999 Ford Fiesta 1.3 finesse V reg and he has asked for a set of alloys for Xmas. Can anyone tell me if a 15inch alloy with 195/45/15 tyres will be suitable without us having to alter either the suspension or the arches? His present wheel size is 13inch with 165/70/13 tyres.
I would like him to be able to just put them on Xmas morning and drive with no probs.
Thanks very much
Liz Read more
Thanks to everyone with all the help. Have now purchased set of 6.5 x 15 inch Wolfrace alloys 4 x 108 ET 35 with 195/45 tyres, locking nuts and valve sleeves so MR should be quite happy Xmas morning.
Thanks everyone!!
Liz
Just like to add the above link is probably not safe for work! Read more
>> >> - it was not meant seriously!! Honest!! ;-)
I realised that Phil, but you know how easily some people
are mislead on here.
Excellent website Phil. I accept your challenge.
89 Nova bought for £180, so I'm not complaining, but the speedo reads about 15 mph high, perhaps more, as 95 indicated was more like 70 actual. Additionally the trip ticks, and does not roll over.
My guess is that it's best to leave it well alone, and accept it, but has anyone had any success in repairing/replacing a conventional speedo using breakers' stock? Read more
Suspecting it's had a speedo swap of course.
Browse
Here we go again. Widen the road to make it hold more vehicles waiting to pay the Dartford Crossing Toll. Brilliant idea or crazy idea depending upon your point of view.
Road users are now paying a French company to cross the Thames via an already paid for pair of tunnels and a bridge.
They were supposed to go after the Crossings were paid for
Wed Nov 30 12:00:00 GMT 2005
When the tunnel was built in 1969, the tolls were supposed to be scrapped once enough cash had been taken to cover both the cost of construction and the on-going maintenance. This period was extended with the construction of a second tunnel in the late 1970's, and extended once again with the construction of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which was completed in 1991. The crossings were finally paid for, and enough money set aside for their maintenance, in 2003. The government, however, immediately moved to reverse the promise first made over 3 decades earlier, preferring instead to trouser the £65m + profit it generates each year. They did have a consultation process first, but, despite hundreds of responses opposed to the continuation of the tolls, the outcome was as could have been predicted without the pointless expense of pretending the consultation would change anything.
www.scrapthetolls.com/
The traffic flow and the air quality in the locality would certainly improve if the tolls were removed.
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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.