March 2010
was sat in my year old Mondeo, in a car park the other day, waiting for my wife. The key was in the ignition, but was turned all the way to the left - so there was no radio, air con etc on.
Suddenly I noticed a "low battery" warning flash up on the dashboard. Afraid that it might be about to run flat, I started the engine and just let it run for about 10 minutes and then I didn't notice the warning again.
Now, I have not been driving a lot recently, maybe no more than 100 miles in the last month, and I had only driven a couple of miles that day, and not at all for the previous couple of days.
So, I am wondering if there could be a problem with the battery or if, because of the lack of driving recently, it might have just not been charged enough. However, I would really expect to be able to leave the car for a few months, without running it and not come back to find a flat battery.
Any input would be greatly appreciated. Read more
I can't decide between a 10ft automatic roller door or a standard manual up and over door. Both are around £600. Does anyone have a auto roller door? I've seen one and they appear immensely practical as they roll up like a curtain blind but the steel material its made of seems very thin. An up and over door looks better imo but its manual operation only. Read more
We had a roller door in a house we sold a couple of months ago. It worked perfectly for several years - and then the Sompfy motor failed. These are made in France and fit tightly inside the roller mechanism - and there wasn't a cheap reliable alternative. We were landed with a bill for £480. The roller door was wonderfully convenient - but I suspect an old-fashioned one would have been a lot cheaper to fix and would in any case have been more durable.
Hi all and a warm welcome back to HJ! I have just bought a stopgap van and have a couple of issues with it. Firstly, the battery light just stays on, nice and bright, not just flickering. The alternator is obviously charging ok as the van turns over fine but is this likely to be an alternator fault or a fault within the loom of the van? Secondly, the fuel guage seems to have a mind of its own. It slowly travels around its range of readings without a care in the world. Does this sound like a guage or sender fault. As always, all replies gratefully received. Read more
Many thanks for both of the replies, elekie you may recall you answered an earlier post of mine about a Nissan Sunny I had bought with a fuel/temp guage that was not working! It seems I have a thing about dodgy fuel guages!! I have actually tracked down a voltage regulator for the Nissan but really want to get the van one sorted. I filled it to the brim on Saturday and it never moved past half full. Now, 150 miles later it shows empty though it cant be. Should I try a new sender? Also I might try and get a relay and see if that sorts the battery light. Thanks again, once again!
Just trying to help out a neighbour whose Son disconnected the battery without realising the code entry issue on the radio.
BUT, upon pressing the AS key whilst switching the radio on, it does indeed come up with the display showing the four dashes, for the code input _ _ _ _... Read more
Turned out to be a bad connection between the panel and the head unit.
I had to press the panel on the right hand side, press the AS key and switch on. After the beeps, whilst keeping the panel pressed, I was able to input the code....
UK Kia Sedona 2.9 TDi Year 2000
At the time my car was starting perfectly well in the cold weather. I went on a 100 mile journey and the following day it would not start. It had to turn the engine over for some time before it started. After a weak start, it immediately stopped. I got it to start again but this time it kept going but the engine was very loud and sounded like it was maybe not firing on all cylinders. When I drove it, it had no acceleration. Eventually, after it had warmed up and quietened down a bit, I did start to see some acceleration but not as good as usual.
The next time I started it, it took less time to start. However, the oil light came on. I checked the oil level and found that it was above the minimum level. I filled it up to the maximum level and when I started it, the light was no longer lit and the engine sounded quieter.
Over time, it has begun to start better - but then the weather has warmed up as well. However, I still have a very noisy engine when it starts. This lasts for a few minutes. I have seen a drop in fuel efficiency and I still have the drop in power/acceleration. Also, the other day my wife was following me in her car and she said that black smoke was coming from the exhaust whenever I accelerated.
Can anyone suggest a diagnosis?
Thanks Read more
That's an interesting thought. I am surprised to hear that it would take a while for the cylinders to heat up. How would I test my preheater (no glowplugs on my Sedona)?
I suppose that this wouldn't really account for my black smoke though (even when warm).
I've posted elsewhere about getting ride of my 55 plate Mondeo TDCi 130, which is not wearing its age well.
Have looked at a used Volvo V50 1.8S, good, low miles example but worried it might be too small. have now seen, online an 06 Volvo S60 2.4D (the old 163bhp D5) for under £5.5k - but it's done 98K miles.... Read more
I had a 51 plate 2.0T until a couple of months ago. Bought with 126k, sold with 153k. No breakdowns, one minor fault (indicator stalk), servicing and tyres/consumables only. As 659 says, this was the last of the old school Volvos, the last to be designed, developed and engineered before Ford's involvement, and mine certainly had that traditional Volvo "tank like" feel to it. The doors clunked, the seats barely looked sat in after 153,000 miles, the engine idled and pulled as sweetly and smoothly as it did when it drove off the production line, and it didn't use a drop of oil.
Lovely car. I would still have it now if SWMBO hadn't hated it (too big, cumbersome and difficult to park)....
I just wondered if illiterate people are allowed to drive. A neighbour of mine is semi illterate and has just passed his theory although I'm not sure how as he can hardly read. Is he given a verbal test?
Then there is the question of reading road signs and hazards signs what happens there? Read more
I often feel that some sort of psychometric testing should be introduced, however unpopular. There are plenty of young men who are temperamentally unsuited to the task/responsibility for at least for a few years - I would probably have to include myself until my early 20's.
With reference to a previous post concerning parking on private land and parking companies enforcement tactics. I am so glad I read that post. I recently parked in an Aldi car park which has a contract with Parking Eye. The notice states a period of 90 minutes is allowed free to customers. We always park there, go to the bank and post office and then shop in Aldi. It is our regular routine on Saturday mornings. The day in question we were delayed both in the bank and post office, then we did a bigger shop than usual. We inadvertantly overstayed by 28 minutes. 6 days later we received a letter, all very official looking, and demanding money. The heading in very bold type is PARKING CHARGE NOTICE. They even have the little black and white checks as a border to make it look like a police notice. They have demanded £70 or £40 if we come quietly. The manager at Aldi, bless him ,is fed up with all this, he offered to have the charge quashed as we are good regular customers, but needs a receipt that we no longer have. I however remembered the post about this subject and have just simply ignored the letter. My wife however is in panic mode, thinking they will be scaling our walls and dragging away our goods and chattels. I have reassured her that this is not a PENALTY CHARGE as can only be issued by police or local authorities and the letter is in fact an invoice and cannot readily be enforced for collection for many reasons. Not the least of which is they cannot prove who was driving the vehicle. Watch this space. Concrete Read more
hello danceteacher, good result. Don't be fooled however. They are only doing this for two specific reasons. Firstly, they have realised the futility of trying to pursue these invoices. Secondly, they are playing nicely because the BPA have assured our hapless bunch of self serving politicians that they will be nice and fair when this draconian new act is passed, so for now they are showing willing. Until October when this draconian new act is passed into law. Then just you wait and see what happens when they can pursue the registered keeper, guilty or not, for any offences involving their car. The gloves will be off and it will be no more Mr Nice Guy. If for no other reason this bunch of political chancers and charlatans should kicked out of office. Concrete
My mum asked me to have a look at her car, as it keeps beeping and flashing a message about topping up coolant. Anyway, to cut a long story short, the coolant system is getting very pressurised, and pushing water out of the expansion bottle, setting off the sensor. Remove the top and water rushes back in (pressure is there even when it's been left for a couple of days!). Bubbles are appearing in the expansion tank, so I'm pretty certain that it's the head gasket, unless anyone can give me another explanation!
Car is a 51 plate, 2.0 HDI 90 307, done 108K miles. Timing belt is due also!
Can anyone give me an idea of what it will cost to get someone to replace head gasket / timing belt?
How difficult is this to do? I've got a haynes for it, and have done quite a bit of work on cars, but anything in particular that causes problems with these engines?
What parts will I need / should I be replacing while i'm in there? So far I've got: water pump, timing belt, head bolts, head gasket, thermostat, (haynes manual says to replace high pressure fuel lines, but is this necessary?)
Also says that the timing belt needs to be tensioned with some electronic tensioning tool. Never used one of these before, so is this necessary (i might be able to borrow one), or is there a cheaper way to get the right tension? Read more
sounds like an air lock mate, you need to take it to a garage to get the system relieved of the airlock through the breathers, an inexpensive fix which a good mechanic wud not charge for.
Hi every one and hoping you might be able to help !!!!
I have a 54 plate 1.9CDTI Vivaro with 134K on the clock.... Read more
hi richard
my van has exactly the same sytems as you iv e changed everything and still i have the same problem,did you sort this problem mate?pls help!!!
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