March 2009
Hi all, been having intermittent problems with my car cutting out, sometimes it will restart within seconds or minutes, other times it might be hours and can then be fine for many miles (100+). Anyway, having conducted the flash code retrieval (bridging TE1 and E1 in diagnostic port) the code 14 came up.
This is "ignition No IGF signal to ECU for 4 consecutive IGT signal during engine running
Open/short in IGF/IGT signal from igniter to ECU
Igniter malfunction ECU" according to one site, but my question is does anyone know the location of the igniter on the 1332cc Corolla (its the newer 'bug eye' shape). I'm thinking there is one built into each of the coilpacks (there's 2 on this car, one for cylinders 1 & 4, the other for cylinders 2 & 3). Would this cause the car to completely fail though as surely the chance of both coilpacks/igniters failing is remote?
All replies gratefully received. Read more
Can someone tell me please if there is a fuel filter fitted on this model?
And if so where the heck is it....cant find one!!!! Read more
Any ideas? The last 3 weeks I've had restricted power periodically, mainly when put under pressure, up hills or trying to pull away quickly. It's been smoking well upon starting, but smoking eases up when it's warmed up. Fuel consumption is down. It's done 128k. Then today I had complete loss of power. Drivng along the A12 at 70mph, went to overtake, and nothing. Still starts and moves with lots of black smoke. It sounds ok when idleing, but sounds like a tank when you move it. Read more
Hi
My Octavia is fitted with the Climotronic Heating/venterlation system it has developed a problem where it only produces hot air. If i have the heat control set on anything less than hi i can hear a clicking noise from behind the dash. I believe that the heat flap must be stuck fully open and the clicking noise to be the motor trying to close the stuck flap.
my question is does any body kwow how to the reach and free the flap without taking the heater distibution box out as it looks a very time consuming exersize.
Any help will be gladly appriciated.
Thanks
Tony Read more
Hi, my son is complaining of vague sterring on his car. I had a look yesterday and would have to agree. On occasions you can have 1/4 of lock on but still be going straight, esp when recovering form a turn. There appears to be no play in the steering at standstill. The PS fluid return hose from the rack to resevoir looks like it could do with replacement where it has rubbed against a brake pipe, but other than that there is no sign of leakage or any other fault. The column pinch bolts are tight and the flex coupling is in good order. Any ideas what could be the matter? Read more
Thank you for all your suggestions. The car has only done 116k. Thanks to the photos I know where to look for the cracking. Fingers crossed it's no worse than a dodgy rack.
I'm thinking of buying a campervan but as they are a bit expensive and it will only be used about 6 weeks a year I thought I might hire it out to help cover the costs. Has any backroomer experience of this sort of thing? The main problem I can think of is insurance. Read more
Zilok is a website that allows people to hire out their stuff, a sort of eBay for rental (featuerd in the Sunday Telegraph the other week where somebody hired a FONDUE set!). Personally I would be terrified of the liability issues: what if your power drill injures somebody? You could perhaps advertise on there. At least the rewards would be likely to be great enough to justify the insurance costs with a camper van.
i took my car to have a new part on it. the car was involved in an accident whilst at the garage. this resulted in having doors, windows,front wing replaced plenty of filler in the car, mainly to the back of the car the piece that runs up past the boots window and rear door window towards the roof. All parts were second hand sanded down and resprayed, the gaps in the doors are all uneven, and when closing the bonnet only half the bonnet shuts tight, im unsure if the garage has insurance it wasnt used on my car. i was wondering if i could get a mechanic to do an independant inspection or is there a firm i should contact who does this. im unhappy because the car isnt in the same condition as when i left it at the garage. i had to have a breakdown company come and collect me, when i picked the car up, after a few hours of driving it broke down, they seem to think the chasis is twisted.
subject line altered to reflect question
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My friends car has just come back from the bodyshop and you really would not
know its ever been in an accident every panal looks perfect probably more straight than
when it left the factory!
When panels have been replaced I can invariably tell merely by comparing welds on one side of the car with those on the other side. Bodyshops can't replicate the original welds. Similarly, the surface finish of resprayed panels is always different from that of factory-sprayed panels.
You just need to look carefully.
A lot of the taxi companies near me are now running a fleet of petrol Astra Gs, and I have also seen a couple of 1.6 Zetec Focus with taxi plates on too. Now I wonder why this is?
Is it because diesel is quite a bit more expensive to buy so the savings are not so great? Is it because modern diesels are too complicated?
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When I was working as a private hire driver in a diesel Octavia a few years ago (before vehicle age restrictions were introduced) there was a large food preparation factory in the area which closed down, making around 200 people redundant. The workforce had been quite well-paid and most of them drove fairly late-model petrol family cars such as Avensises and Primeras. Shortly after the factory shut its gates there was an influx of new owner-drivers coming into the licensed cab trade, mostly driving the aforementioned petrol cars.
We did also have a couple of 1.8 petrol Vectras alongside all the diesel Skodas and Peugeots in the company fleet. A P-reg Vectra that ran to 335,000 miles (although it had a voracious appetite for coolant for about the final 50,000), and an R-reg that also made over 300,000 miles without terminal incident. The R-reg had one fastidious driver from new, and he bought it from the company when he retired - even with the intergalactic mileage you'd struggle to find a tidier example.
Dave TD.
Currently looking for something to replace my current car with. Use it mainly for work on a 50 mile round commute a day (mainly motorways).
Needs to be fun to drive, reliable, preferably petrol (I know a diesel will probably work out cheaper but I didnt find the last one I tried - a 2.0 TDI Leon - much fun. Also worry about the reliability of the diesels, though that does not mean I have discounted one altogether).
Price wise looking to pay £8-9K though could go a bit higher if needed. I'm a male 25 btw.
My current thoughts are:
BMW - 3 series coupe 330ci (though would be looking at one round 02/03 with 60k for the sort of money above). Advantages - looks the part, I assume will drive well though I am yet to try one. Disadvantages - older so perhaps reliability problems, running costs.
Skoda Octavia VRS (fast, reliable, based on golf but cheaper to buy). Disadvantages - not as nice to look at as the other suggestions, interior a bit dull, badge.
Golf GT 1.4 170 or GTI (realise I may have to increase my budget a bit for one though)
Audi A3 (again probably over budget and overpriced so will probably discount)
Obviously prefer the golf or audi over the Skoda but then is it worth the extra for a nicer interior / image? I assume the ride and handling will be similar on all 3?
Ford Focus (good handling but ST version is probably a bit thirsty)
Mondeo ST
Any other suggestions. I have yet to try any of the above but looking for some suggestions so I can narrow down a shortlist of 3 or 4 to go and test drive.
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Not too worried what others think. I will buy the car based on whatever drives well / best suits my needs for a reasonable price. Just really trying to get some suggestions of cars to try. Am definately not looking at any particular brand because of a badge. Though I do think the badge / image does have a big impact when it comes to resale time.
Doing a lot of motorway driving I can't see the advantage of going for a smaller engine as I don't think there is a massive difference in economy once you get on the motorway unless of course I go down the diesel route.
Hello just been reading how Vauxhall Vectra prices are down by 61% over 12 monthsd avd between 30 & 50% or most other mass produced cars.
Why buy new as you still get the remaining warranty!
I have noted that prices have bottomed out.
Last year, you could by the previous mode Ford Ka, brand new with tax for 4500 quid - now they are selling at that for a year old model.
A family member bought a Saab, 57 plate sport/auto, 9k on the clock, convertable for 11k - 21k saving.
Smaller automatic cars are retaining their price better as our daughter is looking for one as her first car, max spend 4 - 4:5k - about 2 years old & less than 15 on the clock - avy ideas?
Thanks
{typo in header corrected at OPs request}
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I know someone who is wealthy and is also something of a car nut. He never buys new cars and his reasoning is that if he buys used then he gets to test the actual car he will be buying, rather than a sample of it. So he can avoid those unfixable niggling "they all do that, sir" faults like drifting to the left or jerky autoboxes.
Of course, he could just be tight. :)
Browse
First thing I would check would be the air intake hoses, could be one is collapsing under heavy vacuum. Try disconnecting the air intake hose from the manifold and see if that improves it. You will have no turbo boost but if the smoke and rough running stops, that's what it will be.