February 2009
The airbag light on the wife's car has come on, constantly. It also shows what seems to be the light that denotes that the front passenger airbag has been turned off. It hasn't and I've tried turning it off (facility to turn off passenger airbag) and back on again but that's made no difference.
Any suggestions?
Also if I get a code reader and reset the warning light, will it stay off if it was just an intermitent fault or a short circuit. Read more
I have mixed feelings about these cars, I have seen a few which have had low amount of owners, low milleage and in really good condition and in budget. However I get put off by the anti FIAT brigade.
The people I know who have had Puntos have not hadf any problems with them but then they have been fairly new. Would a 50k Punto with FSH and between 2000-2003 likely to be reliable or do most of problems?
I know head gaskets and gearboxes can be an issue but I am confident enough in spotting those faults. Read more
>>John are you sure all the 8 valve Fires weere non interference?
Having not actually broken one myself, I can't put my hand on my heart and say yes.
But I'm confident that the whole family - 769, 999, 1108, and the 1242 in 8 valve form, were designed as non-interference, back in the days when I had the time to follow "new" developments.
Others think so too:
www.fiatforum.com/punto/130819-1242-8-valve-safe.h...l
i have recently taken my peugeot 307 to a mates garage as the antipollution fault light came up, and the engine has lost all power.he narrowed the problem down to the turbo solenoid valve. i have recently had the diesel particulate filter replaced and also had more additive put in so i no it cant be that.my dads a mechanic so im going to get him to try and sort it.could you tell me where a can find the solenoid valve on the engine and whats the best thing to do first before buying a replacement? we had a quick look last night as i had a rough idea where it was, which was on the metal plate on the front of the engine is that correct and if so there appears to be two valves?please help Read more
I have the 107hp, is it the same? And i did do that 3-4 times and also now have passed 1000km since the change and have not got the unblock message In a while. The thing is if its ok to change One of the solenoids to the egr with a solenoid from a slightly differensiert Peugeot?:)
Hi
I took our 30k mile 2004 Jazz in to the local main dealer for one of these free winter check ups. Advised that require new front pads as only 20% left (not surprising as these have never been replaced yet) but also that the front discs are "lipped" and also need replaced.
Question - what are "lipped" discs and is it normal to require new discs at this low mileage. Is it inadvisable to replace pads but retain discs in "lipped" state.
Certainly want braking performance to be optimum so won't penny pinch if this does need done, £215 quoted for front pads and discs.
Would appreciate any advice given. Read more
Apparently they will squeal audibly
How else could they squeal?
Hi guys, i just need to verify that i need a new can sensor, im having a problem when im sat still ideling the engine sometimes cuts out, the engine management light comes on and so does the glow plug light but does not flash. The car restarts fine. Also when going up hills i can feel the car juddering as if its running out of diesel. So cam sensor or something more serious?
(2.0l tdci 05 plate) Thank you. Read more
General workshop rule is to always disconnect the battery when working on the electrical or fuel systems, and that is best practice to follow. In the case of the cam sensor, you should be OK leaving connected though, just make sure ign is off and key out.
Hello backroomers,
I've have a recurring problem with my Galaxy and would appreciate some feedback. I am now on the 4th fuse box unit, it's the one beside the battery and it's the same terminal that melts each time where the lead runs in from the alternator. Ford replaced the first one as it was under warranty but that went 9 months later last November and I've just replaced it again. Ford - and VW apparently - claim there isn't a problem but something must be causing it to overheat. I suspect the heated front screen but have no real proof. It's a 130PS Ghia with climate control and my garage has replaced the same unit on other Galaxys and also Sharans but has not been able to find out why as yet.
Any suggestions as to cause very welcome and also if other people have come across this problem.
Cheers,
Rob
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I had the same issue on my wifes 1.9 Tdi Ford Galaxy. We purchased the vehicle brand new in 2006 as they were introducing the newer shape. We had a couple of years trouble free motoring until this happened. My wife was on her way to a meeting, it was wintery conditions so she had heater, lights etc on and all of a sudden she lost all power, including power steering and ended up stuck in the middle of the road. I was shocked to see the extent of the melted fuse board and immediatelty took photos and raised my concerns with VOSA, sending the said photos. Needless to say they did not deem it serious enough to demand that Ford and their counterparts conduct a recall. The frightening aspect of this is that she could have been driving on a motorway, late at night and if this had happened she would have no electrics at all and would not have been able to warn felow motorists of the danger!
Well Mrs FC is ready for a change she has a 05 petrol Focus 2 Zetec Climate.
We are looking to source through Ford Direct again. I fancy the Focus 3 Titanium Estate in Tango Orange! Greys and blues seem to show those supermarket scratches.
Ford Direct seem to have mostly Titanium 1.8 TDCi's and 2.0 petrols, few 1.6 diesels or petrols.
I quite like the thought of the diesel due to much better fuel economy and cheaper tax.
Any thoughts, experience or advice welcome. Except my local plod use them and..............
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I have driven both these engines but in completely different cars. The 1.6 was in a Citroen C4 and the 1.8 in an S-Max. Even allowing for the kerbweight difference between the two, I would still say the 1.6 is the nicer engine. The 1.8 was completely spoiled by the age old Ford diesel problem of dead response to the accelerator and with a "hole" in the bottom of the rev range where it had no boost and barely moved the car. After the test drive, I got in our Scenic which is a similar sized car with 5 bhp less, and actually spun the wheels as I pulled away. That's how deficient the example we drove was in its response.
The 1.6 is a beautifully sweet unit with a very "petrol like" linear delivery and great response. The 2.0 is also a lovely engine. Both are, as you probably know, developed in conjunction with PSA, and the same units as the "HDI" engines in the Peugeot and Citroen ranges. The 1.8 is an evolution of the old Ford Endura DE, with common rail injection.
Fitting new dipped beam bulbs on a Mk2 Punto
1 Unbolt the three headlight mounting bolts and pull the headlight forward two inches.
( Haynes make no mention of this - " release the spring clip and lift off plastic cover" Picture one 4.3a, shows the spring clip being released - Picture 4.3b shows the plastic cover being lifted off. Look closely though and you will see that this is possible because the fuse box seems no longer present in that pic - although there is no mention of it...
So you just remove the headlight mounting bolts instead you then can lift back the plastic cover and insert the new bulb.
Its a five minute job on both sides done this way. You need a 10mm spanner and perhaps needle nosed pliers to pull the electrical lead off the bulb.
Best to check headlight alignment afterwards
The Mk2b looks easier than the Mk2 - it uses rubber `caps` over the bulb insertion apertures and nothing needs to be undone.
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If you have combined dip/main headlamps rather than seperate ones, it's a doddle.
Find a flat bit with a wall next to it. Drive the car's nose right up to the wall and put the main beams on. Draw an "X" on the wall on each light spot. Reverse car straight back several yards. Adjust lights until beams are centered on the "X"s....
This post is for information only, I hope it proves useful if it happens to you.
The disk brake callipers used on this Focus (and many other cars) are sliding action single-sided hydraulic and their operation relies on the ability of the calliper to slide across to bring the static pad into contact with the brake disk, when the piston moves its own pad against the disk. After removing the braking force, the design then relies on the motion of the brake disk to push the calliper away slightly and free the disk from the fixed pad and the moving pad.
Yesterday evening I noticed that the acceleration seemed down and a little later I noticed that the car slowed more rapidly than usual on the over-run. When I stopped and looked at the front brakes, they were hot, hot, hot!!
A combination of road dirt, brake dust and a little rust had stopped the sliding action, so when the brakes were applied, they were left dragging more than expected. You could temporarily ease this by using a wooden mallet to knock the calliper to and fro a few times, but it really needs cleaning off and the sliding surfaces treating with a high temp grease ( I use CopperEase) The car is garage-serviced every year in November and both the pads and disks are in good condition, so for both front brakes to have the same problem in such a short time may be due to the amount of rain and mud in our country lanes around here. Read more
Might be worth checking the piston action. Can they be pushed back easily and moved out again on the pedal? Are the external piston seals intact? Also worth checking the brake hoses have not collapsed. Although it is OK to use a copper grease on the back of the pads, you should not use it any where else. It just attracts dirt and dust and can make things stick. Maybe take the pads out and wire brish all the surfaces that slide.
I had this problem using a known quality (M) pad on a Honda. Finally given the small saving went back to a Honda pad, and the whole thing from pedal feel to stopping felt so much better.
I'm hoping someone can advise me a little on this so that I can decide whether the quote I have received is fair and all the work necessary.
I took my car to the garage on Saturday as there was a kind of hissing noise coming from the passenger footwell when I was using the brake and clutch in traffic. The brake pedal didn't seem to come all the way up and I was tugging it the last bit by putting my foot under it and helping it back up. I looked online for advice and thought it may be the servo. I took it to the garage, not mentioning what I thought it could be as I don't want to seed thoughts and would rather they make their own judgements based on the years of experience they have (and I don't!).
They called back on Saturday to say that it looks like the head gasket has gone and had I experienced a loss of power. The answer is no. They then said that they'd get another mechanic to look on Monday. I've now had a phone call to say the brakes are fine (50% worn and they'd replace if I insisted) but that the head gasket is broken.
They've told me that I'm fine to drive it for now,a s long as I top the water up regularly, but not to leave it too long before getting the work done. They advise a new head gasket, cam belt and thermostat all at once as they'll need to overhaul the engine so may as well do it in one go. They have quoted £1300 for the work.
I don't drive much since I moved to London, probably 10 miles a week tops with long trip once or twice a month for weekends away, usually 100 - 400 miles round trip. The car has just clocked 80,000 miles. I'm planning to drive to Manchester this weekend to visit my dad and the garage seems to think that that will be fine.
What I want to know is:
1 - do I need to get everything replaced?
2 - should I mention my thought that the servo is the problem on the brakes as they've just looked at discs and pads?
3 - is £1300 a fair price for what they are proposing to do?
4 - is it really safe to trundle the car from London to Manchester and back with a broken head gasket??
5 - should I get a second opinion from another garage?
6 - if anyone knows any good, reputable and honest garages in north London? most convenient postcodes for me are: N14, N11, N21, N13, N10 and N22 as well served by public transport or walking distance for me, anything else is likely to be a struggle!
Thank you very much in advance for any advice you can offer. Read more
Thank you all. I collected the car from the garage today, in looking at the brakes they say they noticed a water leak so checked head gasket as matter of course and that was how they identified the problem. They still seem to think it fine to drive to Manchester at the weekend as long as keep an eye on water level and temperature but I have cancelled as I'm not convinced.
I'm going to get a second opinion but wanted to thank you for your advice so far. They have been unable to answer my brake problem - which I still think is the servo.
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I take it the bit about disconnecting the battery is only for soldering a direct connection or do I need to do this if I'm just unplugging and reconnecting the connectors underneath the seat?