Hi there, I hope someone might be able to help.

My Focus as of late last week has developed a problem and I'm wondering whether it's something anyone else has experienced.

When crawling along busy urban road in 1st gear for a couple of minutes, when I depress the clutch pedal, the engine revs up a little from about 1000 revs to 2500-3000 for a few seconds before returning to normal. One pedestrian who I gestured to cross the road seemed unwilling given that he thought I was revving deliberately.

There doesn't seem to be any lag or slippage when accelerating though, only some increase in revs when pressing in the clutch.

Could this be anythig to do with an automatic choke? Or is ti possible that my clutch is about to conk out on me?

1999 T reg 1.6 with 65,000 on the clock.

Any thoughts gratefully received - will return about 9pm as I have to go out. I hope I've posted all necessary details.

Thanks
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A discussion on a forum documented in Daily Mail about the above subject for Safiras from 2005. Our Safira 2.0 TDI 52 plate has the engine fault that causes a warning light on dashboard and the engine rapidly slows and goes into 'limp home mode'. Complained under warrantee to Vauxhall garage (who contacted Vauxhall direct) in 2004 that this was the problem. But refused to help. Have tried to sort it at numerous garages to no avail over years.
So so dangerous. Examples on M5 North near Jnt 3 hill- overtaking lorry cut from no more than 70 to 45 mph in seconds. 3 kids on board. Also happened unexpectantly on M4, M6. Smaller jounreys also. Tried to replicate to get it into garage unfortunately not possible. The garages have always said need to have red warning light on- it never stayed on.
Vauxhall should recall all vehicles- they have got to be aware of the complaints over years. Read more

morning folks, my e34 535 sport is refusing to start. it has been parked up for quite awhile as ive been doing some work on the interior. it has only been started up and ran for roughly 5 minutes a time a handful of times when ive needed to turn it around for access.

went to start it up the other day and it just turned over and spluttered but would not actually catch and fire, my first thoughts were the engines flooded through lack of use so i pulled the fuel pump fuse and plugs which were black and soaked with fuel, i cleaned the plugs up and left them to dry for roughly 12 hours. before refitting i put a couple of drops down each bore to aid compression. after turning the engine over for a serious amount of time there is no sign of starting at all. so yesterday afternoon i pulled one of the plugs and earthed it to the block, upon turning over there is no spark. i have removed the dizzy cap and cleaned the contacts up and also cleaned the rotor arm as best i can (it doesn't look in the greatest condition but someone's stripped the allen key bolt holding it in so ill have fun trying to remove it later) but would either of these parts just fail from a lack of use? ive checked there is voltage and earth at the coil which there is so now im at a loss as to what to try next?

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Hi, just had some work done on the car, the battery was removed so now the radio/CD player isn't working and its asking for codes.

Can anyone help me out with these? Its just we lost the manual ages ago (thing was left on the roof when we drove off!) so have no idea!

Cheers! Read more

I own a 2000 Audi A6 2.4 SE Avant which is great for 364 days a year, but then I have to take it to the garage. I know I have to stomach the expense and have to sort out insurance and tax in the next month, and need to get it serviced and MOTd now. Money is too tight to mention (couldn't really afford the car, but have never been able to afford to change it as I need it pretty much every day, and never had the cash to be able to facilitate such an operation). Been scrimping and saving (and stressing) since the end of the summer in order to afford to get it all done ? let's just say there was no Christmas for me! Well, last week the time came and I took it to a new garage (after the feeling that my previous one had been ripping me off), hoping for everything to be straightforward, although not necessarily expecting it to be so. Diagnostic and MOT first and the news was bad; words like 'catastrophic' and 'uneconomical to repair' were not what I wanted to hear. The most sickening thing about this was that almost all the things that caused the 'fail' were work that had been, supposedly, done the previous year. Now I don't know what to do and the panic is setting in. I hope someone on the site (which has always been a place I've come for honest advice from John) can help confirm what I believe and maybe give some advice on where I go from here.

I want to give the full history of work done/not done as I think it tells it's own story, but for those who don't want to read all that, the basic questions are:

Should a track rod fail only 3600 miles after being replaced?
Should a CV gaiter fail after less than 6000 miles?
Should my rear brake pads come up for an advisory (wearing thin) after 9000 miles?

Now, for those of you with the time and interest to read, here is the history (I think it says a lot!):

August 2006 109,625 miles went to my local garage to do the work after finding out that gaiters, track rods, etc. needed to be done. Left a note with the garage as comprehensive as someone without all the lingo could manage (bearing in mind I see the front end as a single entity!):

'Front suspension rebuild (shocks don't need replacing though), so all tracking arms/wishbones, bushes plus all other ancillary bits needed for build. Front left CV joint. Rear discs and pads.'

Aside from servicing, MOT, etc., bill ended up as follows:

To replace rear brake discs and pads £185
To replace 1 x CV boot £120
To replace 1 x track rod end £113.50

Total bill £723

Next visit January 2008, less than 6k miles later and another MOT fail, reasons being:

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault
Offside track rod end ball joint has excessive play
Nearside front constant velocity joint gaiter split
Offside front constant velocity joint gaiter split

I asked why he hadn't done both track-rod ends the last time and he very helpfully told me he was trying to 'save me money'. The ABS fault was not investigated because the warning light was intermittent, he didn't have the computer to do the diagnostic (apparently shares it with another garage), then put through MOT when the light wasn't flashing. Again aside from servicing, MOT, etc., bill ended up as follows:

Replace 1 x (offside) track rod end £100
Replace 2 x CV gaiters £260

Total bill £774

Now to the present (finally)!

January 2009 118,773 miles. Thought I'd try a different garage after being singularly unimpressed by the previous oh so charitable attempts to save me money, just get a diagnostic and MOT so I knew where I stood (bearing in mind the tightness of my budget). I've given up expecting positive news from garages but was distraught when I received the call, then angry when given the reasons for the MOT fail:

Nearside and offside constant velocity joint excessively worn
Offside track rod end ball joint has excessive play
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault
Nearside steering rack gaiter split
Advisory on rear brake pads 'wearing thin'

In spite of the new place being an Audi specialist, they didn't manage to give me a proper idea of what the ABS fault might be ('couldn't communicate with the computer'), but were scaring me with the fact it could be the pump, rather than just a sensor which I had hoped. This particular snippet of conversation was the one that brought up the horrible words (potential) 'catastrophic failure' for the ABS, and the suggestion that, to me is a very serviceable car, one that I drive conservatively (being an Audi, what else?), one that I HAVE to rely on suddenly being 'uneconomical to repair'. Couldn't believe it seemed to be exactly the same things all over again, things that had supposed to be done ? everything within the space of 9000 miles.

To me this truly is catastrophic. Can't afford to get the work done, can't afford to not get it done, can't afford to pick up a cheap 'beater' car to tide me over until all this is worked out.

If anybody here who has waded through this has any advice I would be hugely appreciative. Am I wrong to feel I have been horribly ripped-off? Have I good grounds for complaint? How do I get through this? Please, dear forum readers, HELP!
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