July 2007
O.K. I have a December 1999 Audi A6 2.5 TDI Avant. I like the car but a problem keeps arising. The car locks all doors when achieving a speed of about 15 mph. Infuriatingly, and quite frequently when turning a sharp corner or riding over a sharp bump in the road, the doors suddenly unlock and all interior lights come on, and there are a lot of interior lights. If the car is left in this condition the battery will just flatten. To get the system working again I need to turn the engine off and remove the key, open the drivers door and lock the car one or two times with the remote key. When the interior lights go off it is fine. Could it just be a bad socket connection or I suspect there may be a system where in the event of an accident, the central locking would unlock all doors automatically upon impact and there may be a problem with such a system. I do not know where the central locking module is in this car.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Regards, Michael Read more
My 1992 Volvo 240SE haas just passed the 150,000 mile mark, following 2.5 years of ownership, bought for £400 (though about a £1000 spent in repairs first year, not much since). I've enjoyed care-free motoring with it; i.e. I don't care if I scrape it against the odd wall or if someone crashes a shopping-trolley into it in the Asda car-park. And, hopefully, no self-respecting car-thief would be seen dead in it: that's if car-thieves have self-respect.
I bought in when my former Toyota Enima (sounds to me like a medical procedure) failed its MOT on something that would cost too much to repair; and the mechanic (who I know personally) said "'ere y'a mate, wot about this Volvo we've got round the back of garage?" (used as garage run-around). I have definitely had my money's'orth out of it.
It's deffo time to get a different car. and I am prepared to spend up to £15000, but would rather spend no money whatsoever as I like looking at the numbers in my bank account. However, I don't mind splashing out if there's something I really want (yer can't take it wiv yer when yer die, etc etc).
The only car I have seriously considered is a Jaguar XK8 hard-top, I have always liked Jaguars and I like the look of the XK8, it's soooo curvaceous & filled out; like a voluptuous woman with 'child-bearing hips'. Phwoarrrr. I would either get one for about £12 to £15K; or one for about £9K and spend a few grand on its next services, probably at a Jaguar main dealer. This is what I did a few years ago when I bought a 3-year old XJ6 3.2 - my bestest most-loved ever car.
I don't want to get, say, a Mondeo cos I think they're too 'middle-of-the-road sensibly conventionalistical'. However, reliability is very important because I get very annoyed indeed if my car breaks down and I'm late for work / appointments.
I've also thought about a new(ish) Mini Cooper.
I'm DEFINITELY NOT a tree hugger but don't fancy a 4x4; despite the attraction of putting 2 fingers up to the environmentalists.
Does anyone have any suggestions, either for particular cars or for car-choosing strategies?
Read more
If you do intend to get a Jaguar (XK8 hard-top), all of the company's models registered on an H-plate onwards are generally better built and more reliable as the Ford influence began to take effect.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
I need a vehicle moving from Birmingham to Gloucester. Does anyone know who can do this at a sensible price? The car is an MGB.
Cheers
Stuart Read more
If water run-off from a road has always drained into a nearby marsh or stream, I presume that a landowner has no right to block that drainage and as a result create a permanent flood in the road.
But what happens if that situation newly arises because of increased rainfall?
A road near us has always been bordered by a marshy field on one side, and a dry field on the other. The raised bed of the road separates the two.
Increased rainfall over recent years has now raised the water level in the marsh, and the water flows across the road into the dry field. Last year the council dug a ditch to encourage this process. This year the farmer, obviously angry at the council action in deliberately flooding his field, has blocked the hole in his bank, so restricting the water to the road.
The result is a ford, about a foot deep and 20 yards long. It arose before all the recent rain, so is likely to be permanent. Farmers with tractors and LandRovers don't care, but other users now have to make a detour of several miles.
Does anyone know the likely legal position with regard to the "right to flood"?
Read more
Likewise Cliff under Highways Act 1980
Section 100.
Drainage of highways.?
(1) The highway authority for a highway may, for the purpose of draining it or of otherwise preventing surface water from flowing on to it, do all or any of the following:?
(a)
construct or lay, in the highway or in land adjoining or lying near to the highway, such drains as they consider necessary;
(b)
erect barriers in the highway or in such land as aforesaid to divert surface water into or through any existing drain;
(c)
scour, cleanse and keep open all drains situated in the highway or in such land as aforesaid.
(4) If a person, without the consent of the highway authority, alters, obstructs or interferes with a drain or barrier which has been constructed, laid or erected by the authority in exercise of their powers under subsection (1) above, or which is under their control, then?
(a)
the authority may carry out any work of repair or reinstatement necessitated by his action and may recover from him the expenses reasonably incurred by them in so doing, and
(b)
without prejudice to their right to exercise that power, he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding three times the amount of those expenses.
dvd
In today's Motoring Telegraph, HJ implies that he likes digital speedos. I don't; I much prefer the analogue pointer in the same way that I like my ancient clockwork watch. I believe that I can more readily see my approximate speed by the position of the pointer on the dial than trying to read stylised digital figures. What do you prefer? I think digital speedos are a gimmick and manufacturers know this. Mrs H's C3 has a digital speedo and analogue tacho. So do many motorcycles. Why an analogue tacho? Because it's easier to read. Case dismissed. Next.
Doubtless in cars of the future my ignition key security card will determine the type of display I get as soon as I enter the car.
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land Read more
A lddle bit of both !
It has been suggested that the reason one of my tyres has started going down is that the alloy has become porous and that I should have it refurbed or buy new ones.
This sounds like rubbish to me. I think its more likely that the weight they fitted is disturbing the seal of the tyre against the rim. I fail to see how a 'refurb' would alter the properties of the metal even if there were porosity (which I don't believe)
Am I being over cynical? Read more
>>Anyone remember the Austin Allegro Equipe
Erm yes,I wrote one off,tyre went flat in the wet on a steep bend and a lamp post jumped into my front
how many different types of wheels are in production, what wheel will fit what other makes of car?is there a general rule of thumb or is it a bit scientific? for eg will a ford (4 stud) fit on a vauxhall of a similar size and so on... thanks Read more
IIRC I or some one else asked a similar question a while back, someone replied with a link to a site that did state which brands of car wheels were compatible with other brands.
Sorry can't remember the link but I'm sure someone will come along shortly with it, I think it could be one of those sites that sell tyres and alloys.
My CR-V was supplied with 2 'plip' keys with remote locking and alarm set/unset. A while back I bought a spare 'plain' key, the cost of which was not trivial (it still has to be coded for the immobiliser). Some time afterwards I discovered that one of the 'plip' keys would no longer start the car. I assumed that the code had got out of sync and eventually called at the dealer's to get it recoded.
Turns out that the car can only 'learn' 2 keys - so when the new plain key was coded, one of the others was deleted. Now it is reinstated, I'm told the new plain key won't start the car!
I am pretty annoyed that this wasn't pointed out when I ordered it.
Is it me or is this a mad bit of design? Can there be a good reason for it? Read more
Hi Posters,
Just checking before I go ahead to buy a fault code scanner for the RAV4 2001 model. Is the RAV4 has the OBDC 2 compliant diagnostics?
Also is the electrical connectors universal? I think the scanner about ot buy is 21 pins. Its on eBay for around £60, is it worth it?
Thank you for your help.
Regards,
Perfect. Read more
Forgot to ask, is it the PWM or the ISO I need to buy from www.gendandirect.co.uk ??
HJ's column in Telegraph today includes a reader whose VW main dealer told him a 2 year old Sharan needed all pads and discs replacing "urgently" at cost of £462. He drives 1,000 miles a month and was suspicious abt the suggestion that the discs were "wearing thin". At KwikFit they said the discs were fine and changed the pads for £157. Who can we trust, asked the reader. By the same token, if a builder says you need a £800 job done on your property, and it turns out to be an gross exaggeration, does this amount to attempted fraud - a criminal offence? Any test cases, perhaps? Question for our legal eagles, I guess. Read more
I've had good and bad service from garages, and now I stick to one trusted mechanic who looks after all the family's cars and is absolutely on the level. It's the same in the I.T. trade where those of us who know what we're doing are constantly tarred by muppets like PC World. You just have to roll with it and prove you're better by your actions - the truth always comes out in the end, and uncovering bad business always does favours for good business.
Browse
I believe that the central locking control module on this car is located in the front passenger footwell. They are not a particularly reliable unit and the location doesn't help. Take a look at the unit and check for damage to the wiring loom and also check for possible water ingress/damage.