January 2010
My Avensis petrol engine is using a lot of oil (about 1 litre per 750 miles).
Does anyone else have this problem? Read more
Hi chaps, just wondering the best an cheapest place to buy a private number plate from...i know the DVLA sell them from £250 "all inclusive" whatever that means...but is there anywhere better than this?
Cheers spidermonkey Read more
I used an online company (carplates4less) for my wifes private plates a couple of years ago.
It was just under £300 for the whole lot - including transfers and a set of the plates which I thought was OK. All went through pretty quickly as well....
I lost my Nissan Micra 1.0 Inspiration 1999 key and trying to get a reasonably priced replacement. It had a transponder for the immobiliser.
I took my spare to Timpsons in Leeds and the chap put the key in the machine so could copy the transponder and cut the key and confirmed that car should work once I use it. Cost was £30
Unfortunately, after taking the key back to my car and trying, it opened the door but just after tried ignition and engine turned over, it cut out.
I immediately tried my original spare key and the car started successfully
So, I'm a bit stuck what to do next
Would I be correct in assuming that as the car did still start with my original spare key, there is no need to synchronise or reprogram anything between new key and car
Is it reasonable to think that if Timpsons had another try at copying transponder data from my original spare key back to the newly purchased one, it would work successfully 2nd time?
Is it feasible that an auto locksmith or other specialist to take this 'faulty' key and just update the transponder chip so that the car will start, or would they insist on using their own blank key and repeating the whole process of cutting a new key and copying 'data' from my own spare again?
Don't suppose anybody knows of a firm in Leeds/York area that could resolve this at a sensible price? I'm going to phone Nissan dealers now, thought have made the assumption they will charge a fortune as they seem to do whenever I've asked them for quotes previously on other types of work
Regards Read more
I went back to Timpsons and the girl at the 'cobblers' explained that as this particular Transponder is a Crypto type ie generates a new code every time the key is turned in the ignition their machine could not copy. THey can only copy keys where the code is identical every time
Got my refund from them.
At least by giving this extra information I could then just ask other locksmiths over the phone whether or not they could cut them
The approved auto locksmiths were quoting me between £70 and £90 and a local Nissan dealer over £100
Eventually came across a Hardware shop in Acomb on outskirts of York called 'Caboodle' who did it for £59.
I would certainly recommend this shop based on price and quality of service
Job done.
I was following a Passat today for a few miles, as we exited a roundabout the Passat accelerated moderately along a straight stretch of road, there were a couple of other cars a couple of hundred yards ahead.
I indicated to overtake the Passat and as I was passing it was clear to me that the driver of the Passat had floored it, not a problem because the FocuST can overtake for England though it meant that I had to accelerate harder than should have been necessary and that I had to brake as I came up behind the other cars rather than simply feathering the throttle and blending in.
I then realised that the Passat was 18" off my bumper with full beam on.
Some people dont like to be overtaken it seems !
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LOCKED.
I don't think I need to give an explanation why.
DD.
I have a problem with windscreen washer jets.
When I initially turn them on to clean the windscreen I get a quick jet of water then nothing.
Repeated turning on and off results in some water coming out.
This is also the same for the rear washer jet as well.
I checked the water bottle and this is filled up with screen wash.
The problem has existed since early December but I thought it was just down to the cold weather (freezing up), but since it has warmed up the issue still exists.
Obviously this is not electrical as the washer jet motor does come on.
Any ideas ?
{changed year in header from 20 to 09 - following a forum search of your previous postings to establish correct year} Read more
I had the same problem with my 2.0CRDi Carens a couple of weeks ago, despite checking everything including blowing down the pipe into the bottle I could not get them to work for more than a short blast at a time. The car is over 3 years old and still under warranty (5 yrs) so it went back to my Kia dealer, who have been extremely responsive and helpful whenever I have had dealings with them. The problem was a blocked filter on the pump which they removed, cleaned and refitted. Despite it being under warranty I half expected them to say that this was a maintenance issue not a warranty item but no the work was completed under warranty with no charge to myself. My faith in both Kia and the dealer was maintained and my intention will be to replace the car with the new Sorento when the time comes.
Just recently my hazard warning light button stopped working. Every time i pressed the button hazards would not come on. The problem is the button. I have removed the mechanism from the dash and found the buton to be sticking. Have lubricated with wd40 which solved the problem at first. However, I can no longer turn the hazards off. Its like there is an internal fault with the button mechanism but I cannot acces this. Please can anyone help? Also can I remove the fuse to stop the hazards keep flashing as a temporary measure? Thanks Read more
Had exactly the same problem with my clio hazard switch. If I turned the switch on I could not turn it off again. I think the button mechanism failed. You may be able to to take the fuse out but be careful not to disable the operation of other lights in the process (the hazard fuse may be linked to others). Like you I tried the WD40 thing without much success.. Luckily a week or so after the problem ocurred I got hold of another hazard switch from the scrappy for a tenner which solved the problem.
Take apart the switch and you will find a small alloy lever which is suposed to follow the chicaine moulded in the plastic. This alloy is too thin and over time bends with the pressure of the spring trying to push the button on, so when you release it will not relatch. Bend the alloy with spigot a little so it engages in the chicaine and your switch will work. My local man changes 1 every month, if the alloy were just a bit thicker there would never be a problem, it is hardly ever used so why should it fail, probably made that way....
My wife and I are going to Cardiff for the Wales v Scotland rugby international in February.
We are booked into a central hotel that does not supply a parking space.
As an alternative to dumping the car in a NCP for 2 days are their any nice suburban streets nearby to abandon it in with easy access to get back into town ?
We get down on the Friday afternoon and will leave Sunday AM (or PM depending on the result.... AM it is then) Read more
Alba is who I want to win.
And if you were from the Isle of Man you would say Nalbin?
BTW how do you pronounce Alba? Is it something like 'Alapa'? In the Gaelic, of course.
Wales and Scotland? Don't care. I can sit back and enjoy the game and not be bothered about the result.
I support the nation that plays in the town where I was born.
Hello Everyone,
My faithful servant had a little problem last night. Here goes:
While driving on the motorway it lost power on an incline, I dropped a gear to no effect, then it seemed to pick up when i dropped to third gear.
It starts and idles well, revs okay in neutral, feels slightly sluggish in second gear, noisy in third but in fourth and fith gear the engine looses all power as soon as I press the accelerator peddle.
I've had something similar in an old car and the fault was the coil pack. This was easy to test with a multimeter. Does anyone know how to test the coils on these fuel injection cars? The coil sits directly above the spark plug.
So basically:
Has anyone else had similar problem? I saw JaggyG had something similar but didn't post a fix.
Does anyone have any other ideas on what it could be?
Can these new style ignition coils be tested with multimeter?
Thanks in advance.
Aki Read more
Hi.I am having the same problem with my 05 almera.lack of power very embarrassing on motorway especially.hopefully it is same solution but what I'm wondering is if your car sounded like a tractor when in the high gears and despite accelerator being to the floor the top speed I can reach is 80km an hour?
My 1.9 Non-Turbo Diesel van has refused to start this morning. It has been turning over slowly recently but hasnt failed to start once even in thick snow. This morning it turned over but didnt sound like it was even 'firing' (wrong terminology I know!).
A year ago I replaced the glow plugs so cant imagine they would need changing again.
I tried 'double preheating' it, given the battery a jump start and a charge but it still wont start. It was fine on Saturday, didnt use it yesterday, cant use it today.
Any ideas at all please?
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I have bought a replacement stop solenoid in the hope that I can at least identify where it is in the engine bay but I just cant see it at all??
Anyone know where the thing is please???
This might be better-placed in Tech Matters, but Motorprop has inspired me to ask a question I've often wondered about.
As I understand it, a petrol engine develops a vacuum on the intake manifold when its running. This vacuum can be tapped and used for other purposes; for example, the braking system. (Have I got this correct? Feel free to correct me if not.)
If thats right, why cant diesel engines do the same?
I'm sure this will seem shockingly ignorant to many.... Read more
BMW valvetronic engines do indeed have a vacuum pump, mine has been changed!
Browse
I've just picked up on this thread, I have a Toyota Avensis 2004, which had an oil problem and had what I thought was a "new engine" fitted in July 2009 but only a short block was fitted. In July 2011 the engine suffered a total failure and it seems that it is a timing chain failure causing irreparable damage. The dealership claim it has nothing to do with the oil consumption and short block replacement but I have read that the timing chain should have been replaced as it can be damaged/have its life shortened by the oil consumption problem. If I had know that it wasn't going to have a new engine I would have insisted on one. At the time of the short block replacement the care had only done 42,405 miles. Interestingly apparently I needed a new clutch and discs and pads back and front at the same time.