February 2009
Flying on holiday this year? Standby for possible disruption! Pilots and other key workers at 2 airports will be unable to get "airside" without a full UK ID card (allegedly voluntary when it was introduced) but now compulsory for some people to get to their place of worK.
tinyurl.com/coe2z6
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Either the credit crunch isn't as bad as it's being portrayed or some Audi dealers remain too idle to survive it.
On Sunday I made a serious enquiry for a new A6 Quattro (twice recently had to abandon the BMW in the snow) through one of the oldest established brokers, which advertises on this site.
Never heard a dicky bird. Read more
I remember working for a Big 4 accountancy firm and going to a client meeting with a partner. The partner proceeded to tell the client a complete load of nonsense - all technically wrong. Promised him things that were impossible.
Client went away with big smile on face, partner got more business. Impossible things were never delivered - my job.
It's not just car salesmen.
I recently bought an 18month old SMax 2.0 TDCI. It is great except of a couple of niggly noises that don?t have an obvious explanation. It has less than 14K miles on the clock.
1) Odd vibration noise when lift off the accelerator ? when shifting up gears. Only noticeable when shift from 2nd to 3rd, 3rd and 4th and 4th to 5th. It is more noticeable when the engine is more stressed, for example, accelerating up a slope. The noise appears to be coming from behind my left shoulder, so it may be associated with the exhaust system. Local Ford dealer says most likely cause is Turbo overrun, and nothing to worry about. Is it? Any ideas?
2) Higher pitched whine ? this is not immediately noticeable especially if playing the sound system loud. The noise is a little like the whistle from an out of tune AM radio station. This sound appears to be coming from the front centre of the car. My guess is it is coming from a pump. Local Ford dealer says its ?normal?. I?ve not heard this noise in several other recent Ford 2.0 TDCI Mondeo?s, Galaxy?s or Smax?s. My concern is that this is an early warning of a potential failure of a critical item. Any ideas?
I?d appreciate any advice on the cause of these noises and whether to regard these are worrying.
Thanks
Steve
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The engine management light came on on my FR-V and the dealer says one of the wires in the wiring loom has corroded and it all needs to be replaced as well as the engine temp sensor. Even though its out of warranty, Honda have offered to meet a large part of the cost (it was very large). I'd like to know if anyone else has had this problem and whether its right that a car should have a very long anti corrosion warranty and then have the wiring rot after little over 3 years. Did I have a faulty loom in the first place? (I dont live by the sea). Read more
you had a faulty loom when they fitted it it must of got traped a quick tug and bobs your uncle a nick in the loom
Replaced coolant temp sensor and found this was overfueling before, cleaned plugs car started ok and ran fine until cold snap and back to same problem.
Any ideas? it's off to garage on thursday for any codes to be read but any known problems with these which we could save a few quid? Read more
Replaced coolant temp sensor but this is a pig to start only when cold ok when weather is a little warmer, any ideas?
Runs fine when started no misfire drives ok.
The engine management light has just come on on my 2004 BORA TDI 130 it says in the warning display emissions workshop- status 1/1 does anyone know what this means the car is running perfectly Read more
Hi all,
I bought a 2003 Honda Jazz 1.4 CVT 9 months ago. It had 21,000 miles on the clock, and since then I've driven ~1,100 miles. I only drive infrequently, usually ~8 miles a week, with occasional motorway trips every couple of months.
1 month ago I noticed whilst driving on the motorway that the engine was a bit jerky at high speeds but low revs.
Since then I've noticed that it is jerky at lower speeds to, when at low revs (1,000 - 1,400 revs). It feels a bit like the car is about to stall.
I've booked the car in for a service and MOT on Wednesday (as it is due soon).
Is the problem due to blocked or faulty EGR valves, or is it due to CVT transmission fluid needing changing?
Should I ask them to look at or do anything specific in order to fix the problem?
Thanks in advance,
Rick Read more
Tony,
Had similar problem on our 52 Jazz.
As it was under warranty from Dealer we got the EGR valve changed shortly after we got it (?
5 yrs ago) and the juddering stopped.
Roll on to end of last year and it started it again (but a more subtle judder).
I replaced the CVT fluid and all has been well since.
The original spec fluid was ATF-Z1 ; but now there is a 'proper' fluid (CVT-F) which is what I used.
I parked the car at work this morning and about half an hour later the alarm went off - for the first time ever! I then had to deactivate it a number of times and through various combination of pressing the interior sensing button and deadlocking/not deadlocking I managed to silence it.
It all started agian a little while later and again after many attempts I managed to shut it up. It then started again, but got the car horn as well as the siren this time. I ignored it and after 5 or so goes (little gaps between each one) it eventually gave up. However, by this point the central locking started acting funny - it took two presses of the button to unlock the doors - instead of the usual 1 press drivers door, 2 presses whole car. When locking the locks would go down and then immediatly pop up. A further press they would go down and then deadlock.
Anyway, I had the car in the garage last Friday to have the windscreen washer pump replaced because it had broken. I asked if they could have done anything to upset the car and they said than they did not disconnect the battery, but they did adjust the 4 rubber stoppers across the front of the car that the bonet rests on becasue they had trouble opening the bonet. I sometimes had the problem, but a bit of jiggling and it was fine. However, when I picked the car up from them on Friday the trip computer had reset - not sure if they could have done it. It is worth noting that the car did not go anywhere all weekend and the alarm did not go off.
Anyway, got back from a meeting tonight and the car was dead - well enough power to unlock and switch on lights but not enough to start the car.
So, a few questions:
could have adjusting the rubber stoppers at the front of the car casued the alarm to activate?
Will my central locking ever return to normal?
Is anything involved with changing a winscreen washer pump create these problems?
Am I faced with having to take the car to my local Vauxhall dealer to get this fixed? (don't like the £80 charge for simply looking at something)
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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Thank you for the responses.
The radio was fine, and it looks like mine is the half canbus version based on DD's description. I am just about to ring the people that fixed the washer pump and get them to fix it - hopefully!
My brakes are seized (1988 Nissan Micra 1.0 Automatic)
Car has been sitting off road for nearly 5 months, regularly used before then.
Engine is not a runner as I'm changing headgasket & haven't finished.
I need to move the car in next few days.
I've released the handbrake, car is on a very slight gradient, tried to move it, push it, bump it, but it's not budging !!!!
1) Any tricks to get car moving without me taking wheels off & having a look at brakes, as I want to get it movable as quickly & easily as possible ????
2) If I need to look at brakes, any suggestions on what to do to free the brakes ??
(Brake shoes at back, discs at front)
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If moving the car a block of wood for the wheel to 'climb over' can also help release a seized brake.
Hi Can any one help. i have a bmw 316i and the heater has stopped working . well it works now and again but mostly not at all now. i have to top up the rad every couple of days with a small amount of water. there is no leaks and the hg was done about 5 months ago and there is no water getting into the engine or visa versa. has anyone any ideas what it could be. thanks Read more
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Didn't this used to be a motoring forum once??
Indeed - locked.