July 2012
wow
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Yep me too! had the car for 4 years but only done 36k miles and if by Magic once the mileage goes over 36k the light goes on and stays on. Brought it from Mazda Dealer when only 3 months old. The Mazda dealer has recently closed down and Sandicliffe Ford now taken over.Has had a full Mazda service history. They say ABS pump faliure and quoted me #560 to fix it and after much arguing offered goodwill gesture of 35%. I still feel part is not fit for purpose and will be writing to Mazda UK and also chairman in Japan for full cost cover.Does anyone know the name of the Chairman I should write to in Japan? Read more
This is a question of cost/quality I guess... I need to get brake wind-back kits for the rear calipers on my Focus and the Mrs's Scenic. There's a Laser wind back tool for around £20 which will do the scenic, and an adaptor for the Ford for another £9ish. Those blow-mould cases with a left and right-handed tool along with a set of adaptors tend to cost £60 upwards making them a bit uneconomic for DIY use. However there are plenty on eBay starting around £20 which look like the pricier ones.... anyone tried any? I'd rather get one if it allows me to cover more vehicles, but I don't want to waste money on a poor quality set with useless-sized adaptors.
Also, hand vacuum pumps. I was thinking of getting one to have a go with brake bleeding. I know you can't beat the 2-man method, but it's worth a try I suppose. Again on ebay you can start around £17 and go up to £80. Surely they're all much of a muchness? Read more
Yes it is rather long I must admit, but there we go, time goes by. I think a seal might have gone, there's a sort of little "berdumf" now and again.
It will be most interesting and most educational to see exactly what comes out. Whether it is discoloured fluid, still serviceable, or evil filth poised to wreak havoc and kill pedestrians, like they want us to believe.
When turning on my car even from cold the cooling fan is running very fast, After a short period it stops but then starts again at times.....anybody got a idea what this could be. Read more
I have the same problem did you get it sorted.
Hi everyone
Not sure if this is the right area to post this.... Read more
Yes I see your point, although, if the repair to the drain hoses was done correctly in the first place, then none of the current damage would have been caused. Also, having only purchased the car 5 months ago, and not having any problems up until now, there really was no way of knowing the corrosion was happening until it cut out on me.
Hi,
I wonder why some garages (independent, not main dealers) quote something like £45-65 for brake fluid change, £60-80 for coolant change where some others just add around £10-20 or so for both?... Read more
i just drain a bit off (coolant) ever now and again and add neat or 50 50 mix, over the years it keeps it fresh, as for the brake fluid just bleed a bit from each nipple (like putting the word down..sorry :-) and add fresh stuff.. just a thought..the cost run into a few pounds per year
Went to a hyundai dealer this morning to look at an i40, was told i needed to make an appointment, giving 2 days notice, to have a test drive and that the test drive would be limited to 15 minutes.
... Read more
driving close to 30,000 miles a year would certainly begin to add up though wouldn't it?....
Can somebody please advise on the following.
My beloved and surprisingly reliable 406 is developing a problem with the central locking.... Read more
For feedback and archive purposes. I used the car yesterday and bizarrely it worked fine. I think because it was a hot sunny day and it's been nothing but 6 weeks of rain here before so the damp must have been getting to something.
To be sure I have given the back doors a good locking and unlocking a few times.
In case this this starts happening again is there a way to turn the central locking off and just use the use key for the drivers door only?
I had a previous overheating problem (www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=96579) that is now solved. It was just a dodgy thermostat, that always seemed to be OK when I checked it (Sods Law), but swapped it for a new one and all was hunky dory, until today!
Paked the car up to go into the shop after a 10minute drive, came out 45mins later to find a rather significant coolant leak (Approx 2 litres) Couldn't see where it was coming from then, so topped it up (I had spare coolant in the car after my previous problems) and drove home with no problems.... Read more
The part should be dirt cheap, then all you need to do is replace the gasket.
Not difficult, but a time consuming task as it involves removing everything that's in the way, or basically the injection system!
I got a brand new car 2 weeks ago.Today I noticed that the paint hasn't been sprayed on properly. The car is metallic and there is a white-ish (undercoat?) shining through. It is on the area where the door is hung. Obviously its still under warranty but will the manufactuer try to tell me this problem is acceptable? Maybe it is? Maybe it is the undercoat that provides the protection to a car from rust. Please give me some advice as I am very worried. Read more
Some manufacturers only paint and laquer on the outer body panels and skimp where you cannot see. It does not appear to make any difference to the long term health of the car but it does look a bit naff, worse on some colours than others, metallics are affected most (and you pay more for those).
Subaru were the worst for this when we looked a few years ago but that may have changed....


It will fail a MOT with the light lit.
It could just be a sensor, so get it diagnosed first. If it is the pump, they can be rebuilt/repaired now rather than replaced.