December 2009
My '05 Jeep Cherokee diesel with 40,000 mile owned by me since new was recently recalled by my dealer as they thought the torque converter needed replacing under a warranty recall. After much scratching of heads on inspecting the vehicle they decided it needed a new one. The first attempt to fit one failed and they blamed duff parts sent by Jeep UK .(if it still exists) More parts were ordered and the work completed. After using the vehicle for less than 200 miles the transmission temp warning light came on and the vehicle remained locked in second. I had the vehicle towed to my dealer, and the service personnel verbally agreed it was probably something to do with the recall work.
They contacted Jeep UK who were most unsympathetic and who consider it quite normal for a 40,000 mile gearbox (never done any towing) to fail. With this information the service dept changed their tune, saying the oil in the gearbox was burnt, there was metal debris in the gearbox and the 'touch pads' were totally worn. They also claimed that the vehicle had done over 700 miles after the work which was nonsense, and seems to me like they're rowing for the shore. My options from them were £3,500 for a new gearbox or me find a second hand one (they're about £800 and £600 for the fitting.
What I'd like to know and can't seem to find and answer to is:
If the torque converter replacement was done incorrectly could it within a couple of hundred miles have wrecked my gearbox? As I understand it the converter is a clutch mechanism on an automatic diesel vehicle. If the vehicle was incorrectly calibrated (chipped?) after the work could this have been a factor.
Apologies for not having great technical knowledge about this, but I think I've had poor service here and the wool's being pulled over my eyes.
Any thoughts or advive much appreciated.
NJ. Read more
Appparantly it has been decided to shut the 2.5 mile stretch of road "Seven Hills Road", a major link form Walton on Thames and Hersham to the A3 and thus M25, in both directions for "UPTO 7 MONTHS" whilst gas works are carried out.
Traffic lights have been ruled out and with few DIVERSION routes it will be chaotic for 7 months.
They intend to start this early Jan !! that makes sense- start at 9 finish at 4 when it gets dark ! why not do it in May start at 7 finish at 8, or work throughout the night, or have 200 people working on it and do it in 3-4 months !! Read more
re the cut from 7 months to 12 weeks -is this one of those Compromises from the gas company- >>
see the full story at esherwalton.com/news.html - extracts below:
Scotia Gas Networks statement - latest - November 27th 2009
Why has the closure now been reduced to 12 weeks rather than the original stated duration?
Planning for this project has been taking place for many months and has happened in consultation with Surrey County Council. Following feedback from local residents and road users, we went back and looked at our planned work in the context of our wider work programme to see if there was a way to minimise overall disruption at Seven Hills Road. This further review of the project in conjunction with the local authority resulted in us being able to draft in extra resources and plan a different way of working so that the closure itself will now last for 12 weeks.
Will extended hours be worked?
Yes - we will be working seven days a week and extended hours where safe and possible to do so. We will make every effort to complete the project and reopen Seven Hills Road as soon as we can within the 12 week timescale.
Why can't work take place 24 hours a day?
Seven Hills Road and the surrounding area contain a number of homes and other properties, including a hotel. Our work will involve activities that cannot reasonably be expected to be carried at night due to their impact on local residents at this time.
Will the water or electricity companies be along next week, or sometime soon and dig up the road again?
No - we have been liaising with Surrey County Council, whose responsibility it is to ensure coordination of utility works. We have been told that neither water nor electricity companies have any impending or future works they need to carry out in Seven Hills Road.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/item.htm?id=35559
Active 1.4 8v with Start&Stop 3 door £10,995.00
Eleganza 1.3 MultiJet (95 hp) Dualogic with Start&Stop 5 door £15,595.00
Maybe i'm out of touch, but £11k for a base model Punto sounds a bit steep to me. Especially when the new Polo is the same or a bit cheaper, model for model. (not sure which is better specced of course) Read more
I'd bet the Polo buyer pays much nearer the list price and I'm sure no
one company or private pays anything like the list price for a Fiat Ford Vauxhall
or many others but a company car chooser will pay the tax on these prices.
>>
We certainly found VW dealers unwilling to give any discount from list on a new Golf recently despite waving DtD and What Car target prices in front of them, we did find one who gave us about £1K off in the end. By comparison Ford immediately got to £4K off a Focus, transaction cost for each was then within £1K so it became a question of whole life costs and perceived image which Ford lost.
I too think that Ford etc are playing a risky game in increasing their prices, in this oligopolistic market they'll be hoping that other manufacturers follow suit to sustain generally higher prices.
HJ comments in another thread that average transaction costs have risen by £1K this year already and you have to understand that the UKP / EUR exchange rate makes profitably a big problem for anyone who manufactures on the mainland and wants to sell in the UK.
The risk is that Ford / Fiat etc lose sales if UK buyers consider their products to be overpriced, on the upside this might keep second hand values buoyant ?
Does anyone know if the manufacturers have different grades of finish, I assume they have specialist bodywork people.
Something like:-
1. Car show.
2. Press fleet.
3. Showroom.
4. Joe public.
These grades are my invention. Read more
Having a family member that works at one of our mass produced Japanese companies - I asked the question and I am informed that the cars are identified as press fleet cars on the logistics and configuration labelling and it is made clear for all to see but he did think they followed exactly the same process as all the others (maybe with a bit more care - although that would be completely the wrong thing to suggest for a Japanese Factory)
Is it true that cars 57 and onwards cannot be jump started, and if they are you risk a very large bill for a new ecu. I have heard stories of upto £5k. I don't know how true this is. What technical reason could there be for a jump start blowing the ecu? Read more
Most important warning that DD left out !( just forgot to add) ENSURE the keys for the car with the flat battery are removed from the ignition & away from the vehicle whilst connecting.
This is because on some cars when the key for the vehicle is in the vehicle some of the electronics are active & if the battery is dead flat & a donar vehicle is coupled up the vehicle can be spiked before the ignition is turned on!!!!!!!!
Moral of the story is use a ni-cad battery pack or call an experienced operator. On my service calls this week with the frost I have come across 3 vehicles that have been connected up wrongly in just one week. Blown ECU's dashes,sat navs autos boxes & alternators ABS modules etc etc. loads of dosh
Is there anything about that does have the 1.9 150 engine, but does not have the DMF?
Not necessarily a Vectra. Read more
Dont think so....
hi the glowplug light on the dash has stopped working (the bulb is ok) can anyone please give me ideas about possible solution
the glow plugs are working
Read more
Hi,
I have noticed recently that the clutch pedal is stiffer than usual and doesn't retract as quickly after pressing on it. I can still change gear okay.
Is there anything I can check - can't afford to take it to a garage. I put it down to the cold damp weather but could it be something more sinister ?
Advice appreciated.
Read more
Recently purchased this car, would like to be able to start it in under 5 minutes - if anyone can help or has any ideas what could be causing this I would love to hear from you !
History so far :
Purchased car , drove home , parked up , went to bed .
Got up , tried to start car , eventually started after repeated cranking over , sounded like the battery going flat . Looked at battery , identified it as a fiesta petrol car battery !
Bought new battery , attempted to start car , cranked over and over repeatedly but no start.
Garage tow started car , took it in and tested glow plugs , found 3 were dead ,so replaced all four . Collected car and drove home .
Car started after 2 attempts next morning , drove to work. Parked outside in very cold weather all day, car would not start to go home . Garage came over to start car and tried several things including hand pumping the little fuel reservoir under the bonnet, mechanic said something about "fuel backdrain" . After 5 repeats of this procedure the car eventually started.
Took it back to garage overnight , in the morning they discovered a loose jubilee clip on the fuel pipe , which has now been tightened . Car will start but I have to crank it over for what seems like ages before it starts .
There is a little bit of grey/white smoke once it does start but this disperses in seconds and the car runs and drives lovely once it is started.
When I first got the car a relay was clicking all time ,but since the glow plugs were replaced it has stopped clicking , however when the key is turned to initiate the glow plugs there is a slight faint buzzing sound until the light goes out , sounds a bit like the radio is on but not tuned in .
Next thing to try we think maybe the glow plug relay - but these seem to be quite dear , if anyone has any other ideas please let me know
thanks in advance
Jill Read more
shouldnt really cost 500+ that is pretty expensive to be honest, as ive had to replace my cylinder head and block after bad overheating and that along with a custom head gasket and reconditioned cylinder head and block cleaned up new rings and built up for just less than 500. and year before had engine replaced for £600
but you can usually find these work horses in the autotrader for around these prices in pretty good condition these days
I have just had to replace both my rear tyres on my 05 Mondeo Ghia X estate as they were bald on the inside edges after 25,000 miles (4 mm left on middle and outer edges). The original OEM tyres went for 47,000 miles and the wear was very even when they were changed !
When looking at the rear wheel /tyres with the car on a ramp today there is a pronounced camber - they certainly don't look right to my ignorant eyes ?
After searching around I have found some references to this sort of issue with Ford Mondy estates- can anyone provide more info on why this has happened and advise of a good garage in the Keighley/Bradford/Leeds area who can re-set the tracking - camber etc.
Many thanks.
Matt
{Correct year entered into header} Read more
AFAIK the camber is not adjustable but the toe is. I suspect that it's probably down to worn suspension rubber bushes in the bottom arms.
.
Keith
Browse
Hi
Did they flash the ECM and TCM? There should be a label under the bonnet if they did. The recall should of been the an F37 a search may show up full info on this. The recall can be just the torque converter or also the oil pump. But in both cases the software updates must be done to stop damage to the gearbox. If they have done there job correctly and the torque converter or the oil pump was the course of failure then Jeep are correct and don't think you have any comeback.
Have no idea what a 46 is.