March 2007
Help have you any idea whats this electrical problem.
Monday morning smashed windscreen, replaced by one of the national chains.
After fitting drove 8 miles and lost the following electrical functions, indicators, fuel gauge, temp gauge,and rev counter. Also lost rear wiper but not washer, front intermittent wipe function, but washers working finally hazard lights working.
The front windscreeen was a heated front by the way, the car is fitted with a tracker and this is linked to hands free function of the phone aerial is one of those sticky things that go on the winscreen with the tax disc in it.
Initial diagnosis by Ford was a jem module but this has been replaced and still no go.
My dealer has replaced every module that would affect this and still no progress, he has also swapped with an identical Focus all the bits that could be affected and they are all working fine but when they go back on my car still no joy.
Initial thoughts are earth problem or windscreen company nipped wires causing problem.but as he digs deeper we are inclined to forget this as all their work seems o.k.. car now offroad for all of this week so getting a bit frustrated, Any one come across this problem even Ford technical seems at a loss.
Car is a 52 plate tdci Read more
Only done 5K miles and just picked up a 4" cutnail in a tyre. Bit close to the edge so looks like a new tyre needed. Kwik-fit wanted a silly price but a local place gave me a decent quote. Then checked with E-tyres and they were another £30 less fully fitted, great.
Only thought was the local dealer has one of those Corghi high-tech tyre machines (like this www.performancealloys.com/tyre_fit.asp ) that barely touches the wheel whereas E-tyres uses a mobile fitter with just the old-fashionedl big lever and brute force.
As the wheel is almost brand new and without a scratch would break my heart if they scraped the laquer. So was wondering if anyone else had seen an alloy damaged fitting tyres or am I being way too wussy about my precious wheels? Any thoughts? Read more
Plan a refurb when you change your tyres. Get the refurbers to do the change. They won't want to see their work messed up.
Hey, having few problems with the clutch on 1.6 8v. Since ive had it, the gearbox has always been notchy and as far as im aware this is just how it is - i know the clutch needs replacing by the end of the summer, it judders on a morning and just doesnt drive well when changing gear. 1st is always hit and miss and often feels though that is has two biting points, when youve hit the first one, the car starts to pull, but at the very last minute a second one comes along jerking you forward... over the last few days its suddenly been getting difficult to get in gear...any gear... feels 'obstructed'. No crunching noise, just a pain in the backside. Any ideas? would a new clutch sort this, and as a temp fix would chaning the gearbox oil make any difference? cheers!!
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HI it should be ok on the standerd gear oil made for that car. you just have to check witch one its on. i could tell you how to adjust the linkage. but it would be best to take to a good tec then he can sort it out. then he can do the fine ajusting sorry hope this helps
Just an update on a thread subject I brought up a while back after seeing how rubbish the A4 interior is for quality.
I recently cleaned my first Q7 and I have to say, what a lovely car and very well made - I hope this is filtering back down to the lower models now.
One thing that I read alot about is 'perceived quality'. Is this what car makers think we want?
Do we need to tell them that we want quality that is more than skin deep?
I just think back to years ago when Merc were charging a huge premium over the equivalent sized Ford ( 190 vs Sierra etc ) on the basis that the Merc WAS better quality and they werent wrong - has the gap closed now?
I dont see that it has - is the £20,000 C-Class 180 base model really worth £7000 more than the £13,000 1.8 LX Mondeo? The quality gap has however closed in the Mondeos favour. You could argue that its not like for like, but on paper, very similar cars really.
In 1988, the Sierra Sapphire2.0 LX came in at £8825, the Merc 190 2.0 Carb came in at £13200 and the Merc had the worse spec!
Why is a Merc worth so much more? You pay 30% extra for what exactly?
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I think you've been pretty lucky. Most of the German
marques are no more or less reliable than the average Ford
these days (that's not a criticism of Ford, because they are
pretty good now).
I agree, but this wasn't the point I was trying to make. What I was saying is that I will acknowledge that the German premium marques (especially Merc) are no more reliable than anything else, but the overall quality feel and experience is what keeps people on board.
Evening all,
Just returned from having a new box & centre pipe, box & tail pipe fiited and a front pipe reseal at the local exhaust fitters. The engine now idles at 1600rpm rather than its usual 900 or so. Will this calm down or should I be concerned? As always any advice or comments gratefully received.
(The car is a P reg, 85000 miles.) Read more
That makes sense; the blue one is the dash gauge.
How easy is this to do on this car, and how long does it take roughly?
Would a self bleeding kit be useful?
Thanks. Read more
Thank you for the warnings and advice guys!
Gents
The boot catch on my mondeo won't release using the "pad"above the numberplate. It is fine using the key fob and the release button on the dash. I have had no problems with it before now. I went to the tip today and had to slam the boot lid for it to close and since then this problem has been there. Any ideas please Read more
I have had similar problems with my 2003 Mondeo Estate, with erratic operation of the boot opening. Eventually this became such that only the fob would open the boot.
I traced the fault to a corroded boot switch.
To test this, remove the plastic panel from tailgate, locate the wire leading to the lock switch and disconnect at the plug connector.
Put a multimeter across the two terminals of the switch wire. It should read '1' in resistance, as an open circuit. Press the boot opening switch and you should see a resistance of zero. If you don't, strip the micro-switch down and clean it, or replace. Mine showed a partial connection all the time and a poor connection when activated.
It isn't made to come apart but will, with care. The points will be corroded and need a bit of fine emery and gentle treatment. Measure the resistances as a check when you reassemble.
Interestingly, this prevented the internal boot release from working too. It is fine again now.
Hope this saves somebody from a main agents bill!
SWMBO is looking hard at one of these, she knows what she wants and we're off to the Dealer tomorrow. She has seen a particular car - are they as bad as I fear ? (from reading bits on here), will she be disappointed after her totally reliable MINI ? Is Service as bad as people make out in VW Dealers ? BMW dealers' experience is pretty good and we've used three for both cars - the cars are always fixed properly, never had to go back other than for routine problems, the costs have been predictable. She intends to buy new. Having been trawling VW websites for the last few weeks it seems that their residues are reasonable.......HELP !.
The MINI will be sold privately and she's going cash in hand - are they any good at discounts ? SWMBO got a wedge off my 535 and my 530....she's good at things like that. Are VW Dealers easily frightened ???
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I have been very happy with my Golf GTI DSG gear box. Only had couple of warantee claims, one was a misting up back light cluster and the other was the passenger door seal came unstuck (A common fault) how ever the dealer fixed them both very quickly and with regards the seals changed all the door seals in the car with uprated ones?
Been very pleased with dealer service as well.
Cheers
Jlo
I have a problem with said vehicle 2.7 td basically lacking in power and check light coming on, could anybody tell me the location of the diagnostic socket on these vehicles and common problems would be of great help thanks.
mike Read more
IIRC there's a small fuse board inside the car (behind cover on the dash). You bridge the diagnostic terminals and read off the flash code on the MIL. Then look up the code. Do a web search and you should find exact details.
Hi guys
My wife has an L plate ZX 1.9D. When cold & releasing the clutch to move off for the first time the car judders badly. As you move up through the gears for the first time (1st to 2nd to 3rd) it judders but drives ok once moving. The prob goes away after 5 mins or so when the car has warmed up.
For instance, once the car is warm I can pull up at a junction in 2nd & pull away again with no problems & move smoothly up & down the gears with no issues.
Any ideas on what the prob maybe? The car itself is only worth approx £350 so I'm not in the habit of paying for garage repairs. I'll keep it going for a long as a I (a diy mechanic) can maintain it.
Thanks in advance Read more
Same thing happens on my Xsara, but only when it's really cold outside, and when pulling away in first on a hill. Done it for the last 30k so not especially worried.
Browse
Sorry I cannot help you on that one my reliable garage man just told me that a pin on the circuit board behind the dash that is part of the speedo display was broken and it was soldered up and working.
Suspicsion by my boss was that when the grease monkey pushed the old cracked windsreen out he put undue pressure on the top of the dash area. The car is due for replacement in June so he did not wish to spend lodsa money on the car as its nearly four years old.