November 2008
I am thinking about buying a 52 reg Rover 75, 2.0 cdi estate to replace the money pit otherwise known as a ford mondeo tdci.
Are there any common problems that you are aware of on this motor. I am sure you all know about the DMF on the mondeo that cost a small fortune to rectify, and i dont want to walk into that trap again. Has this car got a cam belt and are there any issues regarding changing the belt. Are there any componants that fail on this car on a regular basis. Also is obtaining spare parts an issue.
Thanks. Paul
{changed 52 to 2002 in the subject header as the question in the box prompts for 'Year of manufacture' and not registration plate prefix} Read more
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 2 *****
You might have seen my previous post about the camshaft snapping at 24K miles in my Corsa 1.2. Vauxhall as of yesterday were holding out at 60%.
I'm now in contact with another Corsa driver whose camshaft snapped yesterday at 31K and we've both contacted watchdog.
I am trying to build up a case to take to vauxhall and watchdog that says there is a known fault with the timing chain that could cause this. Any help would be greatly appreciated or if you can put me in contact with someone who the same thing has happened to.
Thanks! Read more
a W124... perhaps that answers the question obliquely.
It'll do, NC, it'll do...
Hi all, newbie here, was recommended to this site by a workmate, said you would be able to sort me out :-)
My immobiliser is stuck on, does not respond to the "zapper" , have changed the battery, but still no go.
Have spoken to a helpful techie at my nearest Toyota dealer ( over 20 miles away)
My options are ( if i can somehow get car towed or transported over there)
1: Have "zapper" unit re-programmed, if still dead,
2: Have ECU in car re-programmed.
3: If above fails, have all wiring associated with immobiliser removed, but noted that they do not have wiring diagrams, so would have to be traced through.
I had idea to post zapper over for re-programming, but they need car, keys and zapper.
So my other option is to go to a local garage, doubt if they could do programming, but could strip out wiring.
Would a Toyota dealer be the only place with the necessary kit to do the re-programming, or is it possible that a mobile techie would be able to do the job ?
I am in deepest South Devon, so pretty cut off to some extent...
Any help/advice appreciated,
Ta
Read more
Dave!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this post!...
Can somebody please confirm this? I have been told by several people that there is no law to say a reverse light must work, I've tried to get mine fixed but it turns out the fault is in the gearbox.
I know this is not an MOT issue, but I wondered if it is required to be working by law? Read more
I disagree with the law permitting just the one reversing light, all vehicles should have two, one on each side just like stop and side lights, motorbikes excepted!
(Gosh, and old thread come back to life, lots of familiar old names too, don't see them anymore)
Just bought two new tyres for my car. One of them has a red dot on the sidewall, the other one does not.
Anyone know the significance of the red dot ?
Edited thread title, Rob Read more
"Yellow spots indicate the light part of the tyre and gets mounted next to the valve." I agree, that's what I have always read, although hardly any tyre fitters do this, National tyres did when I used to use them before they did a Kwik Fit price match.
Hi,
My Renault Clio has rather suddenly decided to stop working and it seems to be or I guess it to be an immobiliser problem. At first I thought it was because it was winter it just didn't want to know and needed a new battery as it turns over and then gives up after a couple of seconds. So I bought a new battery and it did seem to work, well for about 2 days and now I'm back where I was (guess I was just lucky). I've also tried a new battery in both of my plip keys to try and make sure the signal is working properly and it does open and lock my doors so I guess the fault isn't at the plip key end, rather the receiver?
When I try the ignition and it gives up it displays the red light solidly so that seems to make me think that it is the immobiliser kicking in and killing the engine.
So I'm hoping somebody can shine a light on what's going on and where to go from here. I don't really want to have to go to Renault as I'm sure my wallet would only end up penniless.
Thanks in advance,
Ashley
Oh and sorry it's quite the essay. Read more
Hi,
Just to update everyone in case anyone else has this problem. I rang an auto electrician instead of going to Renault and he's put it on his machine to diagnose it and came up with it being the aerial coil as the key code wasn't getting received properly in the engine management system or something along those lines.
So hopefully fingers crossed I'll get it back tomorrow and I hope this information proves useful to others even if it is slightly vague lol.
Ashley
On this subject I wondered what others think.
Good,
Offer some protection against mud / grit etc. being blasted under and up sides of car.
Some might say they improve the cars appearance.
Bad,
Tend to mark paintwork where touching ( with OE parts as well as aftermarket ).
Mountings tend to cause damage where clamped to bodywork.
Mountings act as mudtrap, causing corrosion to make matters worse.
Possible extra drag at higher speeds.
Can be damaged if you reverse up kerbs etc.
On balance any good ? Read more
Road humps accounted for the front mudflaps on the Focus.
Soon had new ones fitted after I realised how much dirt they kept off the sill/bottom edges of the front doors.
Mudflaps - they're great.
My current insurer will not insure me on any of the cars im looking to buy. My cover with my current insurer runs out end of Jan. I obviously dont want to cancel and lose that extra year of no claims. Can i do this then tell my new insurance company when the year is complete and receive the No claims?
As ever thanks for your advice. Read more
Or transfer it to a car that only exists on paper.
e.g. one of the many millions of cars that have been scrapped but the details are still on on the DVLA database.
cheers (again)
Stu
hi again
since my plans have changed a little bit (I'll probably get some extra money) I'm now interested in buying and E46, a 320d sedan to be more accurate. I already read about it a lot but I'm still anxious what problems it has and what to look out when buying one. Does it have any SERIOUS problems? I'm not talking about some electric jamming on the windows, I'm talking about what serious issues it has. Since I'll be buying one soon (next month probably) I need to know just everything before I buy it ;-) are there any owners of a Bimmer like that?
p.s.1. I'm talking about the pre-facelift one, 98 - 2002.
p.s.2. does anyone know where can I get an exhaust like that:
pl.youtube.com/watch?v=m9GD1RIDNFc
? It sounds incredible.... Read more
I expect at least some comfort, so I won't buy a cheap small car like a Corsa - not my type. Actually I'm now also interested in a Honda Civic Sport 1.6 110HP, if they'll become a bit (only a bit) cheaper I'll surely look for one, they're nice except this... ugly kind of gum on the shifter. First thing I'll do when I buy a Civic like that I'll change this to alcantara at once.
Thanks for all the advices for the 320d - I look forward to buy it if my funds will allow to drive it. Maybe you can tell me also something about the Civic? I mean the VII gen., 1.6 VTEC one, 3 doors hatchback.
New here and new to cars, just got a Focus LX, 2001 Y plate. I got conned I think. remote c/l was working when I went to see the car and I paid a deposit. Three days later when I went to pick it up, all of a sudden driver door does not open with remote OR the key. Guy fobbed me off saying it was the battery on the key.
Anyway, here are my symptoms:
All doors locked
- key does not unlock driver door or any other doors.
- remote does not unlock driver door but all passanger doors unlock.
So I crawl in and manually unlock the driver door.
From the inside I can lock/unlock all doors by manually pressing the button on the driver side trim.
All doors unlocked
- when remote is pressed, all passenger doors lock then immediately unlock, but no noise on the driver door.
- Key locks all doors.
Driver door is always dead silent, no catching noise whats so ever at all times that i've been fidling.
When I removed the trim on the driver door, I pulled the power cables off the (actuator?) and all other doors got locked. Then plugged it back in and all other door unlocked.
I've checked fuse no. 63, took it out for 20mins or so, that's intacked..(real pain to get to . Spayed some clean/lube spray in the key whole as well.
If I manually lock the driver door, the remote can lock/unlock all passanger doors but the key does nothing. Only thing the key does is lock all doors while all doors already unlocked.
Please can some one help me pin point the fault and the cheapest method to solve.
Thanks Read more
I had a number of issues with the central locking on my 1999 Mk1 Focus over the years, most of which I never managed to resolve properly before I traded the car in (the remote not working and the car deadlocking whilst driving being just two !)
Below is a useful little guide to the central locking test function, which might give you extra clues to enable you to solve your problem. I copied and pasted it from here I think, so full credit goes to the original poster.
It's a good way of testing whether the receiver module is receiving signals from your remote and will also show up any problems with the door sensors, amongst other things.
NB. I've followed the procedure myself to test for the things I just mentioned and it seemed to work fine, but I can't comment on what effect rebooting the central locking module will have on your remote if it's currently working, as mine wasn't working before the test anyway.
Central Locking Test Function
1. Open any door, keys out of ignition.
2. Press the switch in the door frame part of the lock (the one that controls the interior light etc.) 6 times within 4 seconds.
The result is a car that (until left alone for a minute) will flash both indicator lights each time any door or the boot is opened.
Driving with it will permanently switch on the indicators if you go above 10kmh (6mph) until you slow down again.
It should also flash if you press any key on the remote.
If this doesnt happen with all doors, it could be a faulty switch or loom.
If it doesnt happen with the remote, it could be a faulty remote.
This function also reboots the central locking module, so it could cure associated problems too.
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I run a 75 cdt 116 bhp, I am very happy with it, got it with 120k on the clock and now has 130k.
Known problems? There are a few, but no more then any other make.
Cooling fan, 52 reg would have probably had the 3 speed fan, these fail on speed 1 (lowest) due to brushes wearing out. a rewire can be done to use the remaining 2 speeds. Easy way to check is to put ignition on (no need to start the car) and ensure aircon is on (there is a button for econ mode that turns the aircon off), the fan should run even with engine off. Cost is about £300 to have a kenlowe fan fitted by a garage, less if you want to do it yourself. You can get oem fans but they cost a fair bit more for what is perceived to be lower quality.
Plenums! Under the passenger side windscreen their is a panel that can be removed ( a couple of plastic scrivets need to be undone), this is where the pollen filter lives, it is also where the ECU is housed, it has a drain at the bottom that often gets blocked with leaves etc, causing the ecu to take a bath, this is the cause of many electrical faults!! just need to check it to make sure it is dry, there is a simple mod that can be carried out to make clearing the drain very easy.
Airbag light! caused by loose connection under driver/pasanger seat, easy to fix, remove plugs and hard wire together.
Those are the 3 main things, none of them that major imho. All I have had to do on my car was to replace the cooling fan, which was no real big deal.
Personally I think they are a cracking car for the money, a real quality feel for little money, and don't forget the cdt is a BMW 2.0 lump!!
And the owners club www.the75andztclub.co.uk is very good, and loads of how to's etc.