January 2009
Noticed for sometime, whenever you go to a Auto car wash or one of these Hand car wash places. That after when the car has been cleaned they spray something that appears to be a wax or similar, then either blow dry or shammy dry.
Any clues as what it might be, as its difficult to remove from the Windsreen after. Read more
Hello,
My Accord 2.0 SE Auto (70,000) had been behaving perfectly up until a few weeks ago.
I had it serviced at my usual Honda dealer (as I have every time) and also had the cambelt changed at the same time as specified in the service details. When I picked the car up all was fine. The very next morning I drove off as usual and got a very big shock as the gearbox changed from 1st to 2nd gear. Instead of the usual smooth change it lurched forward and thumped into 2nd gear literally shoving myself and wife forward in our seats. It did this a couple more times from 1st to 2nd although I was much more gentle with the throttle so it wasn't quite so bad. From 2nd to 3rd was slightly jerky but not too bad. Once the engine started warming up (coolant gauge moving to warm) the problem disappeared and all changes were nice and smooth again. All was well until the next time I started from cold (after standing for several hours) and the same thing happened. Always for the first few minutes gradually easing as engine warmed up.
I returned the car to the dealer and left it overnight so they could try it with a totally cold start the next morning. The service manager admitted it was a little sluggish until warmed up but felt the gearchange was ok for a car of about 70,000 miles. He said they checked all that they had done at the service and cambelt change and everything was in order and all settings were correct. He said the gearbox hadn't been touched as the service didn't require it to have oil topped up etc.
Basically he said car was fine - no problem!
The problem did continue exactly as before. I should have gone back again but the dealer is some 45 miles from where I live Croydon (misplaced loyalty to the garage I bought the car from) and I let it be and just put up with the problem.
Six weeks later over the Christmas period after a trip to Devon and back I drove the 3 miles or so to Croydon and the car was behaving worse. Even having warmed the gearchanges were jerky (all of them now) and occasionally it would pull away very sluggishly.
Finally I contacted my local Honda Dealer and took the car in for an early morning checkup again leaving the car overnight. I also noticed an ominous damp patch on my drive.
Next day the garage phoned and said there was no oil in the gearbox at all. It had pushed out of the drive shaft seal and the bearings in the gearbox were shot. They have sent it off for a £1700 rebuild.
Finally my questions are:
Could the original Honda garage have done something to cause the gearbox to fail?
After all the car was fine until the very day after the cambelt change and service. Is anything they would do at the service likely to cause the original symptoms?
Do I have a leg to stand on if I go back to them and complain or even go to Honda themselves?
It seems to me more than just a coincidence that the problem occured straight after the service and now the gearbox is damaged.
Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Thanks for reading all this.
DJS Read more
Hey djs
Just been reading your forum posting - Ive got the same problem, and its just after a service by a Honda Dealer, summin strange going on here?
Did you ever get to the bottom of this problem, do you know why it happened just after the service?
Your advice would be appreciated, just cant afford a new gear box - could a stitch in time save my gear box? Any tips?
Cheers
WE
Was doing some shed clearing over the weekend, including lots of old pots and jars with unknown contents. Now the car absolutely stinks of creosote or something similar. I can't see any evidence of leakage anywhere so I'm hoping it's just "in the air". Leather upholstery btw.
Remembering something on a thread a few days back, I've put an opened bag of charcoal in the back foot well. Same thread also mentioned bowl of vinegar , which I shall also try. Anyone have any better suggestions please? (Yes, I was already thinking of selling it...!!) Read more
Get it written off and buy it back as a bargain. Do it up in your own time ?
I've has this Clio for around 4 years and about 2 years ago it started suffering from a problem where the Electronic Fault Light (has a picture of a glow plug on it too) comes on a few seconds after starting the engine. The engine then hunts around looking for idle, revving up to 1000 and down to almost a stall, if no gas is given then the engine eventually stalls. This problem and warning light used to clear if you could get the car up to speed (around 35 mph) and keep it there for about 30 seconds, the engine seemed to be a lot more stable under load as it still hunted quite a lot if you tried to keep the revs up in neutral. The problem used to be very intermittent, maybe once or twice a month.
Now the problem is almost every trip, a bit of research seems to indicate that this problem is common on Clios of this era. I've had a good look in the engine bay, looked in the fuse box for chafed wires and wiggled all of the looms I can see while the engine is idling normally to try and induce the problem but no luck. The Clio is an old style Clio II but with a 16v 1149cc engine (apparently the old style usually have the 8v engine). Can anyone suggest a way forward with this, its been to the garage a few times recently (head gasket, water pump, coil pack and MAP sensor replaced) but I'm not overly happy to chuck more money at it.
Thanks for any help. Read more
hi, i have the same problem with my car, i was just wondering if you have the problem fixed? if so, what was the problem and how did you go about solving it.
kind regards...
Hi,
I have a 2004 TDci Focus with 36k on the clock. Our mileage has now dropped dramatically - with the car only being used twice a week for short runs - and then once a month for a 300 mile "dash in a day".
It still starts 1st time - but is becoming increasingly "reluctant" & I understand why this is - so am seeking your views on various ways of trickle charging the battery whilst its parked up - various devices are available. I have access to a garage - so could also place the battery on charge for long periods - although don't really want to have to charge the battery in the "normal way" unless I can avoid it.
How long to Ford batteries last, @ 4 years should I be thinking about a new one?
Thanks in anticipation.
Robert Read more
The alarm L'escargot !
I'm looking to replace my N reg Citroen Xantia 1.9TD estate with something needing less repairs/maintenance!
Basic requirement is for :
-roomy load space in back when rear seats are folded down,
-need to be able to carry a couple of large items(bumpers etc)
-reasonably economical, prefer diesel
-not too young-(pre 2000)so no catalytic converter test on MOT
-reliable and well built, not requiring constant repair
-I've got a motor trade background-so can do do my own work
-considering Volvo 940/VW Passat/Ford Mondeo etc but am open to suggestions
-not keen on french models.
Thanks
Bumperman
Read more
ESCORT.
Provided the engine's good (ie no piston ring damage from the wrong oil) they are very hard cars to scrap on the bangernomics principle. Almost anything that goes wrong will be cheaper to fix than it would cost to replace the car, even more so if you do the work yourself.
Should mention that the wishbones only tend to last a couple of years, worth checking regulary as they send the tracking out, replacing the wrecked tyres can cost you more than replacing the wishbone.
Ihave a 1998 Finesse 1600. It was bought in 2001Mileage22000. In Oct 2003 at 28000 I changed the cam belt, pulleys etc with a kit purchased from the local Ford dealer.
Now at a mileage of 43000 the 5 year belt change recommendation is due on time alone.
Should I change the belt etc. again?
Thanks
Freman Read more
Thank you to Honest John and freman for the 5 year comment. My 85 year old mum was concerned about whether to get it replaced and this was very helpful.
Peace of mind for for about 70p a week. Only you will be able to judge whether that represents good value.
Read more
Some of you will remember the 25% + inflation of the 1970s. A Sunday newspaper was suggesting ways of coping and mentioned that the RAC were offering life membership for £100. I 'phoned up on Monday to be told that this option was no-longer available. Ignoring this I wrote to them and sent my cheque for £100. Amazingly I got my life membership and a refund of £20 because I had already been a member for a number of years.
It covers both my wife and me and has only been used twice - once when my wife ran out of fuel and once when the windscreen shattered.
Hi
Corsa needs some new clips on the CV joint as part of the MoT.
The Haynes manual recommends special pliers to secure the ends, which look like top cutting pliers just with blunt ends.
Having a look in Halfords tonight, I see only hose clip pliers which look very similar, but my question is are these the same thing? Read more
Soft iron wire can be used-one complete loop round the cover and then twist.
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 174 *****
In this thread you may ask any computer related question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
Usual rules apply,
No motoring related discussion,
No politics,
No Speeding, speed cameras, traffic calming
No arguments or slanging matches
Nothing which we think is not following the spirit of the thread
Nothing that risks the future of this site (please see the small print for details www.honestjohn.co.uk/credits/index.htm )
Any of the above will be deleted. If the thread becomes difficult to maintain it will simply be removed.
There is a wealth of knowledge in here, much of which is not motoring related, but most of which is useful.
This is Volume 173. Previous Volumes will not be deleted.
A list of previous volumes can be found by clicking Here
PLEASE NOTE:
When posting a NEW question, please "Reply to" the first message in this thread, i.e. this one. This keeps each question in it's own separate segment and stops each new question from getting mixed up in amongst existing questions. Also please remember to change the subject header.
Read more
Thanks jbif. What I would try to avoid though is using shares. For one Microsoft's implementation of a file share protocol (SMB) is very inefficient for small files. On the same PC it makes sense to access the music directly.
Browse
If you wash a car yourself, do a final rinse with a 2 gallon watering can with a fine rose, with blood heat warm water and a capful of dishwasher rinse aid. The water sheets off. Also useful if you hose blast an engine compartment, and then do above to avoid drying marks.