June 2012
Hi
I have a Ford Focus 1.6 2001 which has been causing me many problems recently. Just a bit of background to start - the car overheated and cut out a few times, was pressure tested and we discovered the head gasket needed replacing. This work was carried out approx 1 month ago, the garage also replaced the temp sensor and thermostat at the same time. Since then the temperature gauge has been going into the red whenever the car is under any strain, even the slightest incline and it shoots up, and only by taking my foot off the pedal and slowing right down brings it back down again. ... Read more
Hi Guys
I have a 2009 RAV4 diesel and started to get a little brake judder. My dealer says that I have corroded discs and need pads and discs all round. Cost knocking £500... Read more
Hi Guys
I have a 2009 RAV4 diesel and started to get a little brake judder. My dealer says that I have corroded discs and need pads and discs all round. Cost knocking £500...
Hi,
My partners car failed its MOT today, we've had it a year, and it sailed through its last MOT according to the previous owner when we bought it.... Read more
Heard back from the garage today, and the total cost (including a new tyre) is £279. Quite happy with that! Car will be repaired tomorrow....phew!
Dear Sir. Madam.
With reference to above this Ford Focus has failed to start about 10 times in the last 6 months... Read more
When it does start ok does it start first time ?
Starting problems can be caused by a number of things, fuel filter blockage, air leakage, spark plugs need replacing, air filter clogged, old fuel, poor battery condition, electrical problems, etc.
There is a known software corruption issue that causes intermittent starting problems, the solution is to get new software installed.
On behalf of my Mum - 75 years young :-)
She bought a brand new Honda Jazz i-Shift in 2009 and also the Honda Happiness Fixed Price Servicing Plan for 5 Services. Bought the car as it got good reviews from HJ and wanted as little trouble as possible - she is very happy with the car and finds i-Shift no problem.
Most journeys are cold starts and short runs, as you would expect a driver her age.
(Btw, she only tops up with Shell V power petrol, again a HJ recommendation)
ISSUE = on her 2nd Annual Service, the Engine Oil and Oil Filter NOT changed as stated in Honda Happiness Fixed Price Servicing Plan.
Service 1 (12 months) - 6225 miles - everything done as per Service Plan
Service 2 (24 months) - 9871 miles - engine oil and oil filter not replaced
In Year 2 I believe my Mum should have got an AB2 Service, instead she only got a B2 Service.
First:
Contacted Honda Dealer where service done and I was informed that car electronic system only came up with B2 service, therefore oil and filter not changed.
I informed them that my Mum's Honda Happiness Servicing Plan does state that Service 2 should be AB2. To this the Dealer replied they could only do an AB2 service if the electronic system stated they could and if they did do an AB2 service, then Honda would not pay them.
They are the experts so left it at that.
Second:
As car is up for Service 3 (36 months) I thought I had better check what is actually covered in the Servicing Plan so went on web to get more information.
On Honda web site, see www.honda.co.uk/cars/owners/partsandservicing/fixe.../
the Servicing Plan states - at Service 1 to 5, 12,500 mile or time (12, 24, 36, etc. months), "whichever comes first", engine oil and oil filter to be replaced.
So contacted Honda directly and their Customer Relations informed me:
- after speaking to the Service Dealer, that the car did NOT need oil and filter replaced and the B2 service was correct.
- I then highlighted that Honda's own web site states that engine oil and filter should be replaced annually, besides it being in their paper Servicing Plan schedule. The Customer Relations representative then checked with Honda Master Technicians at Dealer Technical Support, and again I was told that the car did NOT need oil and filter replaced and the B2 service was correct.
I was then informed that I was confused and not clearly understood the Honda Happiness Fixed Price Servicing Plan.
Yes, I am confused as to why the Honda Dealer did not replace oil and filter at Service 2 (24 months) as stated on their web site and in their paper Servicing Plan schedule.
In Year 2 I believe my Mum should have got an AB2 Service, instead she only got a B2 Service.
Am I being stupid, missing something obvious or as Honda Customer Relations have stated "not understanding the Servicing Plan"? If I have misunderstood the Servicing Plan could someone please explain in simple language.
Also, am I wrong in my assumption that engine oil and oil filters should be changed annually, especially if low mileage?
All comments/advice/help greatly appreciated in advance.... Read more
By mistake, I had posted this Question first in 'AskHJ' as I thought it was the Forum. He has replied:
"I think the oil and filter should be changed every year regardless of mileage and don't understand why it has not been changed. If you can prove it should be changed by a download of the service requirements, then tell the dealer you will sue him to do what you have paid for using the small claims track of the county court."...
Just taken my Fiat 500 in for level 3 service and MOT. 20,000 miles on the clock. Failed MOT because I need new offside rear subframe brackets...is this normal? Read more
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Having got the erratic temperature guage, ie not getting up to 90 and staying steady, falling back to 0, going half way between the two etc., etc....
Replaced superceeded black sender unit 4 pin connector with new green sender unit four pin connector. All now working as it should be.... Read more
1997 rover 400 diesel .my speedometer has stopped working . any ideas on what is the cause and how to repair it on this model? Read more
It depends whether this model has electronic engine control, its about the changeover period, if it doesn't then the problem will likely be the the speed sensor probably mounted somewhere on the gearbox/diff, if it is electronically controlled and the sensor is faulty it would probably have caused a reduction in engine power, so if the performance is still OK it likely to be the speedo itself.
I recently parked on Crown Point in Leeds - where I parked for three hours. I left the site initially to go into town and then came back and shopped on the site.
... Read more
Either pay up or ignore it. Once you enter into a correspondence of any sort you could be seen as having admitted some guilt and/or liability. The worst of these people have been known to "scan" your signature and paste it into a letter purporting to to be from you and that sort of thing. IMO this is something which is black or white with no grey. Pay or totally ignore
My wife phoned from work today to say that the tyre warning light had come on. Its not far so I drove over swapped cars and went to my local ATS as I could see something in a tyre. He pulled out a very short screw that had not punctured the nearly new tyre but the sensor had obviously detected a "problem". I have followed the runflat saga thoroughly and these are on 17" rims.
All presures checked OK, warning reset and all OK I hope. The tyres are Continental and even a puncture in the centre is not deemed repairable so I am told. At this point I get nervous! Has anyone any experience of BMW tyre insurance and any reservations about it if tyre is worn etc? Replacement (I would go for Michelin) seems to be around £150 . Takes me back 30 years or so when these were a new invention on a Mini GT! ... Read more
Thanks for advice. Just thought I would comment that having checked the pressures were OK and reset the warning light we drove 500 miles to vist aged mother in law and all remains fine. Frankly I can do without the stress of all these hi-tech warnings - I've driven long enough to know when a tyre is going down!
Browse
The radiator is the most likely cause, get it checked, if it’s ok then it sounds to me as though one of the hoses is perished which would again account for the problems you are having. If the radiator is ok ask the garage to check and /or replace the top and bottom hoses from the radiator. Did you have the head bolts re-torqued after 1,000 miles? They should have told you this, get it checked. As a last resort try getting the gauge tested, it’s unusual, but it can go wrong. I doubt the thermostat is faulty; it would overheat all the time if this was so.