March 2011
I'm negotiating to buy a used Hyundai Tucson 2.00 CRTD Limited (56 plate) from a main dealer. Because of my location, coastal/rural with appalling roads, it ticks all the boxes for my present needs and is clearly a straight vehicle in every respect as, at present, it belongs to the wife of one of the directors, so no worries on that score. I am a little concerned, however, about fuel consumption of this model which seems to have been a bone of contention between owners and Hyundai. The official combined mpg is quoted as 39.2 but I have read reports of owners achieving only 22/23mpg even taking into account the fact that the trip computer works in US gallons. Most people seem to achieve around 25/27mpg, still quite a long way from the official figure. To be honest, even if these figures are correct, it won't put me off buying the car as it won't be doing huge mileages and in my view, 39mpg seems unrealistic for quite a big SUV which must have the drag coefficiency of a flying brick but I would be interested to hear the views of any other contributors to this forum who run this model.
i have a 2004 renault grand senic and am having problems with the auto parking brake. renault say its the motor but it started working again but shortly after it went again. any help would be appreciated as parts are daylight robbery. Read more
I have seen a few of these with faulty handbrake systems where they have suffered rotten/corroded wiring.You will need to follow the wiring from the handbrake motor,located behind the right rear wheel,where it runs along the back of boot ledge and disappears under the floor where it exits under passenger seat and into passenger floor area below plastic false floor.Just in front of the passenger seat,below the carpet is a small relay and fuse box and a large multi pin connector block.Check this for any water damage.hth
Is the Ford Focus 1.8 tdi W plate 2000 Fuel Pump Coded as I have been quated £1400 to replace. Is this correct? Is there a chance it could be the fuel. Read more
I believe it is coded. It cost me £1300 six years ago when mine failed.
If I'd known about places like BBA reman I could've saved a lot of money www.bba-reman.com/uk/index.aspx and would've changed the pump myself and possibly avoided the coding costs. Although I may have had to pay someone to do the software details.
Hi, Can anyone advise how to adjust the handbrake cable on the Berlingo.
I've got her up on the ramp, but damned if I can see owt to adjust, there's a cover over each cable going to the backplates, but can't se owt to play around with???... Read more
On my 1992, you removed the trim surrounding the handbrake inside the car and there is an adjusting nut inside, easy to do, my cables kept jumping out of the housing, so don't have them too slack. Easy job
As the cold weather started in December, I noticed that the gearbox on the Astra became very noticeably stiffer. By the time we'd had reached the very cold spells, with a couple of weeks when the car hadn't been used at all, the gearbox became so stiff that my wife wasn't happy about driving the car. Now that the weather has warmed up to 8 to 10 degrees during the day and there are few night frosts, the gearbox has relaxed again.
I must admit, I was becoming quite concerned about this and had wondered if a gearbox problem was developing or, maybe a thinner oil was needed. I've never noticed this cold weather effect on previous cars and I just wonder if anyone else has experienced it. Maybe it's something peculiar to this particular engine/gearbox design. Read more
"Is there a cold weather related cause of this that isn't gearbox oil?"
I assume by 'linkage' the garage was referring to the bits between the gear-lever and the gearbox. I suppose some systems could be more complex than others and if various joints are demanding lubrication, then could it be the cold affecting the lubricant on those joints?...
My first visit here so I'd appreciate the benefit of the joint wisdom that prevails.
Not regularly, but on several occasions over the last year or two, with the car running, the interior has suddenly filled with a foul odour - rotten eggs/fish type - which almost necessitates vacating the car. It lingers for days despite air fresheners and open windows. It doesn't build up it just suddenly emits like a schoolyard stink bomb has been dropped.... Read more
Why not try an 'Italian tuneup'. Go bombing up the motorway for 30 miles and then back. Get everything hot. It sometimes works wonders.
Hi John
My car started to be hard to start a couple of weeks ago. When it was running it was fine no missing or lose of power. Then this weekend it would'nt start at all. There is no smoke comming out the exhaust but there is fuel getting up past the the filter. To start with I thought is was heater plugs but because there is no smoke I now think its my pump but I thought there should be no real warning with it like being hard to start, I thought it should either go or not have u any advise for me.... Read more
John thanks alot I will do that I was starting to panick thinking I needed a knew pump, might still do but I will eliminate the relays first. That makes me feel more at ease, I think I will get rid of it once this was fixed little things are starting to go wrong and its only time before something major goes wrong.
Hi bought a 2002 A6 Avant 2.5TDI. Runs really well, starts from cold fine but is very difficult to start when warm specially when say the car has been run then left for an hour or so. Bought the diagnostic software and lead but no fault codes are listed.
Has anyone had the same experience or could advise on what the problem could be? Read more
I have the same fault on the same car and was wondering if the fault was now fixed ans what cured it?
Hi again. I am am loads of trouble with my 2002 ford focus just lately, probably because I mentioned selling it, she has now cost me nearly £500 since January!!
Anyway, after just having had my brake caliper un seized today, the lad who does the repair work on the car for me has rang to say that after depressing the clutch pedal the white plastic eyelet that attaches to the welded stud on the clutch pedal fell off into a few pieces landing in the footwell.... Read more
This is the push rod for the clutch master cylinder that has snapped.I would also check the pin on the clutch pedal to make sure the weld has not broken away.Not an unusual fault on this year of car.hth
the exhaust emmissions light has been coming on and off for a few weeks now. does anyone have any ideas?
i have found on this site that it could be the cam shaft sensor? any ideas how to test this?... Read more
My girlfriend also had a VW Fox which had this problem, Engine Management light kept coming off and going on over a period of a few weeks.
As it was still under warranty we took it to a VW dealer to look at, turns out the problem was a cracked cylinder head which VW replaced under warranty without any problems, just took them 2 weeks to source the part as it is a rare failure.
So maybe worth taking it to a VW dealer for them to check out!
Browse
Thanks very much. Your very positive comments have set my mind at rest. Will definitely be buying this one if, on Monday when I view it, it is fully as described.