February 2008
I was changing some blown bulbs in the dashboard so I had to contort myself to get my hand in behind the instrument panel - at this time the speedo cable was being put under some pressure as it was still attached to the back of the speedometer (couldn't get my hand in to disconnect it), when the housing behind the plastic part which attached to the speedo pulled away exposing the metal part of the cable in the middle - this then showed some slack- should this middle cable have been tightly secured at the join with the lower cable at the other end?
Anyway, I reconnected the part of the cable that had pulled apart and when all the surround dashboard parts were put back together I took it for a test run - THE SPEEDO DIDN'T WORK !!! I opened it up again to look but the cable end was still connected to the speedo.
Enquiringly, I rang my local Citroen dealer who said I probably needed a new speedo cable - I also read that there is an upper and a lower cable (the part that I have the problem with being the upper I presume). The Citroen man also said that this would be a nasty job !!!
Ok what I really would like to know is - Does my cable need replacing and if it does do I need to replace the lower cable as well, or is there any other surefire method of getting the speedo back to working order ???
If anyone could help me find a solution I would be most grateful.
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Just had a service on my car. The dealer has advised that the Front Brake Pads have become cracked, the discs are showing a blue streak and should be replaced.
The pads and discs where previously installed by Ford and i have done 5000 miles on them.
Ford have advised that this could be down to overheating, they also blamed alloys for allowing water to get onto the brakes causing the pads to cool down quicker and forcing the pads to become brittle. But i have not driven the car excessivly hard and there is minimal wear on the pads other than the cracking.
As Brakes are "wear and tear" parts the dealer has told me they wont replace them.
Does the cracking of pads sound normal or should i push to get them replaced.
{No mention of age of car, despite requests to include this. So picked up age range from drop down menu}
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The brakes used on Fords are also used on thousands of other cars without problems any stripping of threads or misalignment is soley down to bad workmanship.
Anyone used HJ's New Car buying formula to successfully negotiate a deal lately (take the best OTR price, then take away the road tax and veh reg fee, then knock off 15%)? If so which manufacturer? I may try this with Nissan or Hyundai shortly.
Also, anyone used Autoebid, a reverse auction house which charges a fee for its services? Read more
Walking can take a bit of nerve - but I always find that salesmen react better to a straight scenario than 'uming and ahhing"
Yes, I think they do - except, of course, if they're pursuing unrealistic (or optimistic) dealer targets. In a way, stating what you're willing to deal at takes the pressure off them - they suffer less torment when wondering what margin they could have made if you'd simply said "Yes!" to their first offer.
I drive a Suzuki Ignis 2004-plate (out of warranty), have done 20,000 mls from new, and I am considering taking up the new (from September 2007) AA Catastrophe Cover from AA Warranty to cover major mechanical failures (excess £300) after reading in a car mag that 29% of repair bills exceed £3,000 (according to AA Warranty), which scared me a little! It costs approx. £9/month.
What do you reckon of this cover? Has anyone had to claim on it before?
This is what I have found on the Net about this new type of cover:
"The AA Warranty operation has launched a monthly payment product offering comprehensive ?catastrophe? cover.
Costing £8.99, rather than the regular £25 a month, it is intended to provide major mechanical breakdown repairs, but carries a higher excess of £300.
Costly problems flagged up by the AA include automatic transmission and cam belt failures.
?It?s the costly threat of a broken gearbox, failed engine or other catastrophic problems that most concerns people when they take out insurance,? said AA Warranty managing director Simon Tennyson.
His company specialises in motor warranty and residual value-based gap insurance products".
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Thanks to all of you, you have been very helpful (thanks Movilogo for the website, could prove very useful). I am a total mechanical numpty and your advice is invaluable.
I don't think I'll get an extended warranty now, by the sound of it there are mixed messages about WD and the like.
I will let you know if anything drastic happens to my Suzuki. It is a lovely car to drive
-unlike what WhatCar? says!- and I intend to keep it for at least another 2/3 years.
My mate over revved in reverse by accident (bit of a nightmare) but basically he has done his gearbox I think. This fell out:
i18.photobucket.com/albums/b117/markyp23/DSC05336....g
if that helps with the diagnosis.
Basically I'm pretty sure he's done the gearbox but I am wondering how much it will cost to repair - parts/ how many hours labour?
Cheers for any replies. :) Read more
Hi there
I wasn't here at the time but I'm told the AA guy diagnosed it as a driveshaft problem and took it to a garage for my mate.
Cheers for the help.
Hi members,
I got a penalty charge notice stating parking in park or unloading/loading in a restricted street where waiting / loading / unloading restriction are in force.
Date of notice : 01/02/08
Penalty charge £50 if paid within 14 days otherwise £100.
what background can i appeal to cancel penalty charge notice
{Shouting amended, and email address removed so that people can read here the answers to your question, rather than it arriving in the privacy of your inbox} Read more
1. Any defect in the Traffic Regulation Order for the area concerned?. Copy at your LA Traffic Section. Does it cover the area involved.
2. What does it stipulate re waiting, total or partial?.
3. Do the signs conform to Traffic Signs and General Directions 2002?
4. Was the PCN affixed to your vehicle or handed to Driver - if no hasn'rt been properly issued?.
5. Has the PCN two dates on it? Date of Offence, Date of issue? If not invalid PCN.
5a. Does the PCN ID your vehicle?.
6. Was the Warden in plain clothes ? - Uniform required.
From what stated and if you DID park illegally as suggested let the moths out of the wallet before the surcharge kicks in. Almost all LA's aware of the above old get outs and more so as 31.3.08 new legislation in about parking etc and LA''s were requested to review orders and signing so that all above aboard before that date.
dvd
I have just done a small piece of work concerning a subsidiary of Messier-Bugatti, not whoever makes the Veyron - VW is it? - but the descendant of Ettore's company, still based in Molsheim, making among other things aircraft undercarriage including wheels and carbon brakes, similar to the ones used in F1 and some very advanced (and expensive) road cars.
How are these discs made? I gather that the basic manufacturing process involves rough machining, but the discs then have to undergo further fine finishing and deburring and so on, even perhaps get surface treatments. But what basic material are they machined from, and how is that made? Is it some sort of fabric like brake linings used to be? Perhaps it won't be a mystery to one or two of you. I am all ears (when not all mouth that is :o}). Read more
Just a slight "correction" - the brakes on road cars aren't carbon but carbon-ceramic.
They're made from silicon carbide reinforced with carbon fibre. Basically it's made by first making a carbon disc (as described above). Then, silicon powder is placed in contact with the disc surface and heated to between 1400 and 2000°C under argon gas. The silicon powder melts, diffuses into the disc over a period of 3 hours, forming silicon carbide.
I've trawled the old posts (and fordmondeo.org!) and can't find any specific answers to this, so thought i'd give it a go with a new thread!
My recently acquired V6 Mondeo only gives me hot air with the revs over around 2,000rpm!
I've checked the collant level and it had a new water pump about 3 years ago.
I wondered if it is more likely to be the thermostat (?) than the vacuum assist on the flap controls?
Anyone else resolved this, as it seems to have been a problem for other too!
Thanks in advance!
S Read more
Thought i'd give you all an update!
I backflushed the heater matrix and loads of gunk cleared - resulting in better flow through the matrix a heat at all revs - BUT...
Still using coolant and now got noticeable steam at the tail pipe, so definitely looking like early signs of HG failure!
With a bill of around £1000 looming to get the job done properly. I have reverted to looking at the possibility of using the US product "Thermagasket" which seems to have some rave reviews!
Anyone got any experience of this? They promise a refund if it doesn't work!
I will try it, may as well on a car worth £500, rather than scrap it or spend £1000!
I'll give you all a log of events and let you know what I think of it!
Thanks again for all your advice!
S
Got into a conversation about small petrol engines and what would be the simplest to service, an engine with hydraulic tappets, chain cam and not with wet liners or known weaknesses.
I realised at that point that i knew nothing as I have been diesel focussed for 17 years.
I remember an old 1.3 Polo that just seemed to need oil, filters and plugs at about that time, but what`s its contemporary?
We discussed the small Japanese engines and these seem to need tappet adjustment.
How about the smallest petrol engines from Ford, Vauxhall and VW? for simplicity of home servicing and reliability?
What are the reasons (re servicing ease) for your choice?
(Car factors excluded, just the engine and its ease of servicing at home and its reliability)
Regards Read more
>Manufacturers setting out with a new model to please the regulars of the backroom..
Jeez I wonder what the spec of that would look like! Good thought Kevin.
Oilrag......methinks this could be a good thread idea, some bizzare looking contraption no doubt but...
Think you may be right NC, they wouldn't make a lot of lolly from the regs here, and i bet we'd still moan if the exhaust lasted 20 years.
Maybe some of you are already aware of this , but here it is anyway!
reviews.ebay.co.uk/UNLOCK-THE-DIGITAL-DASH-ON-FORD...3 Read more
Fords have had this facility for years & it was even available on the old granada. Its useful but most won't understand the info. You can get live data info & even miles per hour into KPH but its about the onlu use for the average motorist. DTC codes are retrivable as well.
Doc
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My reading of the parts database is that there are 2 upper cables - one for Reflex cars and one for everything else - part No for Avantage then would be 96 097 386. There are several different lower cables listed depending on the engine fitted.
Haynes says "Remove the Facia" as the first step!! It may well be possible to remove the instruments, centre heater console and glove box and then pull the old cable out towards the instruments, using it pull a string in (Haynes recommends this to pull a string through the bulkhead from the engine bay), then pull the new cable back in. Depends on where it is routed behind the dash. Either way it's not going to be fun or easy.....