October 2009
My mental arithmetic is not what it was. I used to be pretty good at the usual quiz time mathematical conundrums but age is taking its toll.
What has this got to do with motoring, I hear you ask. Well, I took delivery of a Mazda 6 TS earlier this week and, so far, I am more than happy with it - in fact it is absolutely superb. However, the trip computer is causing me problems. The fuel consumption figures are shown in 'Litres/100 miles'. This information means nothing at all to me. I seem to remember that there are 4.545 litres to the gallon but trying to convert that to gallons whilst driving through leafy Cheshire is more than I can manage. Is there an easy rule of thumb to make the conversion and (possibly more important) is there a work around to convert the trip computer to 'miles/gallon'. I can't find anything in the Owner's Handbook.
The other readings ('average speed 'and 'fuel left before empty' are in Imperial measures).
Help would be appreciated. Read more
hi all, ive never change a fuel filter on a diesel, do i need to fill the thing with diesel first? if so is it via the 'in' nozzle on the filter? Also where is the oil filter and washer pump on ths car, i want to change all filters but the washer has packed up, though the wipers still work so im guessing its not a broken fuse!
cheers Read more
The filter must be fully primed before attempting a re-start.
I use a 1 litre Wanner oil gun (splendid tool) as a suction tool on the filter outlet to draw fuel from the tank. One good pull is usually enough - use a translucent connecting pipe.
659.
My Dads car has just failed on the plates. They have a honeycomb background, he's had them for about 8 years! Been told a change of rules, any comments? They were Halfords. Read more
I don't see the problem. Being a biker I have a legal plate for mot time and day to day plate for the rest of the year, it's only a five minute job to change.
Hi
One of my brake ligkts has failed. I took the 2 bolts out of the rear lamp cover any tried to pull it off, but it just won't budge. Is there a trick to this. I don't really want to have to go to a garage for this, but neither do I want to do damage wrenching the cover off. Any tips?
Regards & Thanks
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That all looks a bit odd, something has gone horribly wrong somewhere on the keyboard - Let me try again, I removed the rear light cluster by removing the two bolts but it is a very tight fit and on assembly it is slid with 2 plastic pins into a couple of plastic locating sockets. Getting the cluster out of these sockets isn't easy and requires patience and as I said "short finger nails". When it does release it comes out with the need to catch the unit before any damage is caused.
Hi All,
I have a two year old A4 Avant 2.0 TDI SE Multitronic being held for me, a pool car though I will have to keep it a while.
I have just found out that an A3 2.0 TDi S-line S-Tronic is coming up.
The A3 is newer and CR so more refined no doubt, also lower CO2 saving £60 ish per month, I also prefer the S-Line spec.
The A4 has a bigger boot so is a better family car and has cruise control, otherwise I lean towards the A3.
Any thoughts? And any comments on the relative merits of Multitronic v S-Tronic?
Many thanks. Read more
Good choice. >>
Enjoy it.
Thanks DP, I hear about 25mpg and also 40mpg on a run, if I can get 30mpg across country and 40mpg at 75 on the motorway that will be great, wont feel too guilty then!
Hi
The horn on my diesel van does not work when the ignition is turned on, however, when it is turned off, the horn works.
I have been told that the problem might be with the BSI unit, but according to the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual, it is not wired through the BSI.
Is the diagram wrong, am I mis-reading the diagram, or does the horn somehow require some sort of signal from the BSI?
Any help to clarify or repair this fault would be greatly appreciated.
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Hi The horn on my diesel van does not work when the ignition is turned on, however, when it is turned off, the horn works. I have been told that the problem might be with the BSI unit, but according to the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual, it is not wired through the BSI. Is the diagram wrong, am I mis-reading the diagram, or does the horn somehow require some sort of signal from the BSI? Any help to clarify or repair this fault would be greatly appreciated.
I had the same problem as many people on the internet and I have come here in the hope that someone can cure it in the same way. The problem was that the horn would work when the ignition was off but not work, or sometimes work intermittently, when the ignition was on. When I took off the steering cowl (not the steering wheel -- too scared of the airbag) I saw a wire going from the key barrel to the back of the steering wheel mounting, and a similar one to the wiring loom on the other side. I took these out, blew into them, pushed them well home and voila! fault cured in time for the MOT. If blowing doesn't work, I guess you could try electrical contact cleaner.
I looked on the internet before and found loads of people describing the problem but no-one really describing the cure, hence this reply. I hope this fix will cure your problem if you are having the same issues.
I've just been given a fixed penalty notice - endorsable for dropping my daughter off just after a pedestrian crossing on the zigzags and told that even though I remained at the wheel with the engin running and hazards on that I was parked, thus would get 3 penalty points for a PC32 code. They insisted that I got out of the car leaving it in the "hazardous" position for which I had apparently got the notice for longer even though I offered to drive the few metres to a non zig zag area first. They also appeared to ignore another driver who appeared to do the same thing immediately in front of my vehicle and less than 2 metres from where I was standing, is there any way that I can avoid getting the points or penalty charge? Read more
Near to where I live they have rearranged the pelican crossing. The bus stop is now about 10 feet from the actual crossing. There is a properly painted 'bus stop' lettering and yellow border on the road but between this and the crossing is just one zig zag line. There is also a similar set up on the other side of the road with the other bus stop.
Apparently this is quite legal see regulation no. 22 here www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1997/240001-a.htm#5
I find this a very strange thing to allow when ordinary cars aren't allowed to park on the zig zags.
Today i have received a notice of intended prosecution as i allegedly contravened a red light. I just wondered if anyone could offer me some advice as to my options. I passed my test in june this year. The letter states that this offence was in august, and i can remember going through an amber as i knew it would be more dangerous to stop on a 40 road than to go through i was commited to carrying on. I completley dispute the fact that it was a red light. I was told by my instructor it is better to go through amber if you feel suddne braking would cause an accident and this is what i did. It was 100% not red.Would it be worth fighting this in court or should i just accept the 3 points and fine? I am now paranoid that ive done it since because this was 2 months ago and i am so worried that my licence will be taken away. would they have told me with this letter? Im so worried and need some advice. Thanks Read more
Why so long to receive the log book, having bought the car in July?
Seems to me you've lost this fair and square. You'll have to drive perfectly for the rest of your first two years to avoid a 6 pts totting up ban.
I'm currently getting amusement watching the antics in the back street where I park every day near work.
Basically about half the residents' cars leave each day to go to work, and the spaces are taken during the day by other people, such as me. This seems to work quite amicably, apart from one householder who marks "his" space with traffic cones as he leaves each morning, so that he can park outside his house again when he returns in the evening. (There are no parking restrictions, residents' permits, etc in force)
One morning recently when I arrived there were no spare spaces, so I removed the cones and parked in the space. The following day I noticed that someone else had done the same, and so it continued for the week.
Today I found that he had escalated the action and had placed an extended step ladder on its side in the road outside his house. I am keeping well clear of it now, having started this little piece of drama just for the hell of it.
It's not as if he wants to keep a space clear for a delivery or something like that - he wants to reserve a section of road all day so that it is clear for him in the evening.
I'm tempted to report him for obstructing a public highway. On the other hand I'd quite like to watch how this develops. Read more
BOL!
Seriously though, on a public highway, it is first come, first served, end of. Clearly, if any reasonable person saw a sign requesting space because of mobility issues etc they would oblige, but anyone hoping for a claim on roadspace just because they own the house overlooking it is optimistic.
Hi, my Focus had the now seemingly common loss of power followed by Engine System Fault light the other night, and doesn't seem to have quite the same get up and go that it did previous to this.
So I took it into the local garage and they identified 2 faults that had been logged - one with the Turbo, and the other with the Fuel Pump.
Since I only bought the car back in August (having only covered 32000 miles) they thought one may have been carried over from before, so they said I should keep driving the car until it happens again, so they can diagnose a problem.
While I am not sure if this is good advice or not, I have been driving it (but not on long journeys - I am a gigging musician) and it just feels like something is wrong, but despite spending an hour pelting down a stretch of dual carriageway I cant get any real loss of power or lights to come on.
So I wonder if there is a crack in the pipe as mentioned in the honest john what to watch out for section of the Focus II listing, but since I know very little about cars I don't know where this pipe is.
Can anyone help with a diagram or description so I can check it if possible?
Could really do with getting this sorted out as I have lost all confidence in it, and feel like I ought to sell it (its my first car purchase - not a great experience!!!!) and go back to my dads old Fiat Brava which despite having a 1.2 litre petrol engine has never had any problems and only needed about £1000 worth of work in over 100,000 miles and 9 years.
Thanks
Stuart Read more
Hello. You may have already located it by now, but the pipe to the intercooler runs along front of engine and then down side of engine block. Have had similar problem with a 1.6 tdci, on which the pipe had a huge crack causing the car to overboost and then the turbo would just drop out entirely. The pipe, I would imagine, is the same in principle on the 1.6 and 1.8's.
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282/litres per 100=MPG
282/mpg=litres per 100