September 2008
Hi everyone, I own a 02 reg Vauxhall Vectra 1.8, I have had it for 2 years now, and for the past 4 months I have had the Engine Management Light on, and since then the car has been consuming more petrol than before the light on, it drives well no problems apart from when I stop the Idle is not stable, keeps going up and down, it keeps feeding it self until it stebalises, never used to do this, I have been told that it could be a fault with one of the sensors, I dont know which.
I have spent quite a lot of money in this car and would appreciate any possible help, or advice. I just had the car serviced and there is no difference to it at all.
Thanks for any comments.
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Hi Gents,
I problem has just started yesterday with my focus. When ever I apply the brake pedal the boot unlocks and I get the warning on the dash saying luggage compartment open.
It does the even when the car isn't running but with the ignition on. I have looked for fuses that might have blown but can not find one and all the connections to the boot seem fine. The other thing is I can only open the boot by using the boot button on the key, even when I unlock the car I can not open the boot by the boot catch.
Any idea?
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Well known problem and the subject of a Ford recall of the boot electronic mechanism.
Hello,
I bought a Seat Ibiza a few days ago, it is my first car. On driving it back home i had to rev it insanely hard to get it going, i tried to use gentle acceleration the first few times but it kept stalling.
I also noticed the gears were very stiff and it was especially hard to move from the second gear into third, however once in third gear the car seemed at it's best.
I also noticed that when i was in third gear, the speed didn't pick up much at all even though the engine sounded like it was very willing to gain speed, and you have to rev it in reverse to get it going, which to my knowledge is not ideal for a 1.4 engine???
Starting the car off in first gear is an absolute nightmare, it wobbles like jelly and i'm petrified of driving it!
My dad had a go in it and he said there is definitely a problem with the clutch. However, do you reckon that the whole clutch needs replacing, or is it just some smaller parts? Also, are there any other clutch parts that you reckon would be needed as well as the whole thing needing replacing?
I would be quite willing to pay up to have the clutch replaced, but if there are lots of other parts that need to be bought and fixed too then i guess i'll have to get rid of it.
Dad said the gearbox may need replacing in future, however after reading up on the net it seems this could be connected to the dodgy clutch system.
Anyway all your replies are much appreciated thanks, i've got hardly any knowledge of cars so i need them!
Hannah
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Thanks for all your help :-)
I actually bought this car from one of the manufacturer's garages!! You'd think it couldn't get any better then that... obviously not.
I wasn't allowed to test drive the car, even around the compound. They told me it had no MOT. But looking at the receipts now it did have 7 days left, and as this is a fancy showroom, surely they should have had temporary trade tax/insurance too so i could have driven it around the forecourt?
Even though they knew i was coming, they sandwiched the car between 3 others, so i wasn't even allowed the space to feel the biting point. If i could have tested this it would have given the car's faults away.
Because i couldn't test drive the car, i had to put my trust in what the salesman said. I asked whether it had any problems with it, and he said 'to be honest, i think it only needs servicing, which you could do at home'.
If he had told me he was unsure of any faults, or that it had a bad clutch, i wouldn't have bought the car, or at least negotiated a discount for clutch replacement.
I bought the car at the full asking price of £994, trusting in the salesman that it 'only needed a service'. And of course this is an established SEAT dealer.
The day i picked up the car, the salesman couldn't start it up at first. I asked him whether there were any problems with the car and he said 'no it just needs warming up'. Once he got it going he was trying to move it and kept revving it loads and i was getting worried and asked again if there were any problems and he said 'no, it just needs warming up'.
And he looked a bit worried and then he said 'this is not like the other cars i've driven'.
Well what can you say to that?
He then left the car facing outside the showroom. This backs onto a very busy shopping centre jam packed with cars and kids running everywhere, and said 'drive safely'.
The car lunges forward unpredictably so needs more space to move around. It makes me really upset to think that this guy, knowing that the car wasn't right and that i am an inexperienced driver, let me drive this car in this busy place where i could have ran someone over. I was a nervous wreck.
If i would have known the clutch was faulty, i would have left it at the garage to be fixed before driving it.
He told me later he didn't think there were any problems with the clutch but i don't believe him one bit, he drove the car around and there were mechanics on site driving them around and they would have sensed this problem fairly quickly.
It upsets me to think that they are more bothered about red tape and closing a deal rather then being honest about a problem and preventing an accident.
Also, the mileage in the advert was incorrect, it was stated as 23,000 miles rather then 84,000 miles, only noticed once i looked at the milometer, but they did confirm the mileage mistake before i bought it.
I've been asked to drive a 7.5GVW truck as part of my job.
The trip would be approx. 200 miles round trip, the vehicle would be a hire truck and my License covers me to drive the truck. My employer says I don't need a disc.
I've done a search where I can't find a straight forward answer to whether I do or not need to attach a disc in the cab where there is a tacho clock fitted.??
thxs Read more
Hi,
In short - Yes, you do need to fill out and use a tachograph disc, or insert a digital tachograph card if the truck is fitted with a digital tachograph (56 plate or newer). If it's a digitach it is illegal to drive the truck without a card inserted.
The only circumstances where it would be acceptable not to use a tacho disc would be if you were driving the truck carrying your own personal goods, in no way connected with work (for example moving house).
If you or your employer don't have any discs you could ask the hire company, they will be able to find you a couple of spare ones I'm sure. If you don't have a digi card, they cost £38 from the DVLA...
Your employer should make sure the truck and its contents are adequately covered by insurance and if you intend to keep the truck overnight your employer will need an operator's licence for their premises (if they have other trucks then it's reasonable to assume they will have an O licence) and a designated place to park it.
You will also need to follow the EC Drivers' Hours rules, which in your case basically mean you need to take a break of at least 45 minutes after strictly no more than 4 and a half hours' driving. You will also need to keep the paper disc with you when driving for the following 4 weeks, then hand it to your employer who must retain it until it is 12 months old.
If you need any more advice, just ask. (7.5t driver!)
Is there any technical background for bigger brake pedals in autos?
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>>>where turn signals are used to inform you that you have just been cut up,<<<
Ah ... I've always wondered where all the London bus drivers retire to!
Dog : )
Hi,
Went to see a Fiesta today, looked pretty good, put down £60 deposit (he wanted 700, got it fo 660 + 6 months insurance, mot will run out in mid nov).
Just done a RAC check and it comes back as a Cat D total loss, "VRM recorded as a total loss by an insurance company" and "D - Vehicle damaged but repairable - the insurer decided not to repair"
I did say the sale depends on these checks. Do I continue with the transaction or not?
Thanks,
Luke.
P.S: I know I should've done a mobile check while I was there, but it didn't cross my mind at the time :( Read more
You gave somebody half of the V5 for £60... naive I guess doesn't really do justice to it.
Next time you sell a car, the first person who turns up with the cash gets it; there are too many timewasters out there.
Help...
My friend was driving my car (with my permission) and was stopped by police.
When asked why he was stopped, they said that it was because there was no valid mot on my car.
I bought my car from a garage in November 2007 and naturally thought that the mot would be up for renewal in november 2008. The police advised my friend that the mot expired on 26 august 2008. I have never received a reminder for this so therefore i had not had my car mot'd.
the police contacted me and advised that i would be formally charged with allowing my friend to drive my car with no mot.
my friend will also be charged with driving the car with no mot.
(does this mean that i will also be charged with no insurance as my mot was not indate? i was fully comprehensive cover with my insurance)
I have since had my car booked in for an mot (as i was not aware that the mot had expired at that time)
will this be points or fine or both or will this result in a court appearance with a criminal conviction for which i may need to do time...or community service?
this is the first time i have been in a situation with a driving offence.
would you suggest that i go see a lawyer?
please help, any advice greatly appreciated.
Foxierox Read more
Yes MOT on ANPR. Yabba Dabba Dooooooooooo!
I recently saw a driver in a carpark cleaning his parking sensors. Is this necessary? Read more
Exactly - I know the rear of the Honda is "somewhere" behind me, but I could probably only tell you the exact distance to about 2 feet. Have only reversed into something once, in fact - I went backwards into a parking space just as someone at one end started to move backwards to pull out. He didn't see me pulling in, I only realised that we were closing rather abruptly at the last second and threw out the anchors.
Gentlest of bumps and he stopped, got out, and looked at the back of the cars (no damage). Then he drove off without a word. I imagine he thought he hit me and vice-versa.
Hi all,
Something just puzzle me and I cannot find a good explanation for.
Why do diesel engines get quieter and more economical when warm? What is the technical explanation behind the change in engine characteristics?
Many thanks,
G Read more
The proper reason why they are noisey cold is the fact that as they don't run fuel enrichment cold ( as pointed out by DP) the diesel injection timing is advanced to compensate for a slower burn. Hence this is where the knock comes from is the advanced combustion. As diesel burns slighly slower the timing has to be well advanced.
On the whole the average diesel engine is built in a much stronger & heavier material & often have a larger water capacity & the combustion tempretures tend to be lower hence the longer warming up period.
The only reason economey would improve hot is due to the fact that the engine produces more power due to effienct combustion & sutible timing hot than cold. They do not burn signifantly more fuel cold but need a heavier right foot.
Part of the diesel ( cack noise ) is created by the difference in tempretures of fuel being injected into the engine.
I Doc
Can anyone recommend a decent set of aftermarket rear parking sensors to fit the in-laws Volvo V50? There are stacks of them on t'internet and on Ebay specifically, most of which are (alarmingly) cheap, but the inlaws don't mind paying a bit more if it means they actually work.
I have a cheap Ebay set on my S60 fitted by the previous owner, which work well when in close proximity to something, but emit very annoying "random" beeps when reversing in clear space.
If anyone has any experience with specific makes / models, I'd be grateful if you could share them.
Cheers in advance
DP
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cpc.farnell.com/reversing-aids
look here, they sell reversing cameras with screens, or the cheap and cheerful beeping
versions.....
.
when I had my s40 I fitted a pair of cheap stick on sensors. no holes drilled into the bumpers, and the cable fed into the car via the rubber grommet in the spare wheel well, I guess its there for towbar wiring.
when the car was sold I asked the buyers if they wanted it removed as no damage was caused to the car when fitting it.....being a saloon they wanted it left where it was...
.
good luck finding a system you like.
Paul.
v40. (wifes)
gt avalanche 3.0 (mine!!!)
Hi again guys, I seem to be completely wrong, I took the car to a garage yesterday, and booked an appointment, the mechanic told me they will nedd to perform a diagnostic as it could be different things causing samer problems, for the stalling part when refuelling and sometimes when just turing the car on, he said it wont be the fuel filter as you just had it serviced, its eaither the fuel pump or i dont know something else he said.
If the car is wasting largew amounts of petrol, is due to a sensor fault which I dont know, reason why i think its this is becuase i dont think the car is controlling the amount of fuel it burns at all, not long ago I could easly cover 65 to 70 miles for £10 of petrol, now i can hardly get close to 50 I would be lucky. full tank only lasts me a week, and I dont travel that much, 35 to 40 miles per day max.
I think its best if do all the repairs and sell it as I cant really afford it anymore and buy a smaller engine car, but I would like to fixeverything before I sell it. Peace of mind.
I will let you know the diagnostic results after I get them.
Thanks
Regards West