April 2023
Hi,
On my 2011 golf 2.0 TDi I purchased recently I am getting an intermittent issue with it starting, particularly after it has been drove for a while. It will start 9 times out of 10 straight away, but sometimes it will take a few attempts as it will die out with the coil light flashing saying emissions fault on the MFD. ... Read more
Some here may remember my saga of the irremovable Peugeot wheel locking bolt, renowned (and perhaps welcomed) in the trade as sometimes needing welding expertise to extract. (Memo to Peugeot - learn from Ford).
After its recent oil change, I noticed a small circle of oil on the ground under the sump - so I tightened the plug a bit more. No luck, so I drained the oil into a clean container for reuse and inspected the offending plug. Lo and behold, after a mere four tightenings (once at the factory, once (possibly) at the first 1yr garage service, and two by me (10k and 20k miles), the presumably single use squashable copper curtain ring had been reduced to a nanometric sliver of uselessness.... Read more
The counterpoint to this, and John's point in the first place, is what kind of manufacturer sells cars where the locking wheel bolts need to be removed because they're inadequate or uses single use washers when reusable alternatives are available?
Most issues with locking wheelnuts are caused by the user or a garage overtightening them. The manufacturer cannot control either of these....
I understand ad blue has a ‘use by’ date on the containers. But what about ad blue that’s been in the car for a while? I ask because I don’t do many miles, although they are long trips, as a result I hardly use any ad blue. As the tank is quite large, the stuff has been in there for quite some time. I last topped it up a good couple of years ago.
Is there anything I should do about it? Read more
Sometimes if clumsy blighters spill adblu over the bulk pump handle, it crystalises enough to stop the pump handle operating, a kettle of hot water over it shifts it all in no time.
I was driving on the motorway when all of a sudden noticed the temperature gauge on my car going up and down, pulled over at the next services by which point there was a metallic crackling/grinding sound. As I came to a stop, the engine cut out, long story short, the entire engine needs replacing and the cylinder head gasket has gone on top of all the labour the warranty company forced by asking for the engine to be stripped.
I purchased the car just under 5 months previous to this happening from a dealer, predictably, the warranty company has rejected the repairs so I'm wondering my rights under the Consumers Rights Act 2015. Read more
Don’t waste your time and money getting the head gasket fixed . If the engine has severely overheated , it’s basically toast . Modern engines can’t cope with excessive temperatures and recover. I would source a s/hand engine and get that fitted.
Hope someone can help ?? gearbox gets stuck in gear say third , and will rev up to redline and it won't change gear. I try paddle shift the screen displays M7 but I am in 3 gear in reality and it is happening now and then. Would anyone have an idea Read more
Get it fixed for the lowest cost possible and move it on. This was the advice to a friend’s brother when his DSG failed. Had a cheap fix, but foolishly kept the car. A few weeks later it had a very expensive failure.
Looking for some advice here. We currently have a 2015 Audi A4 Avant which we love, but we are looking to trade in for a large SUV. My partner and I have both suffered back issues recently and think an SUV would benefit. My instinct was the Audi Q5 but I see that it is very heavy and therefore not very fuel efficient. Tax is also costly. We have 2x200 mile journeys each week and 3-4 times per year we make a near 600 mile round trip to visit my family. So the miles are high therefore mpg and running costs are important to us, as well as comfort. Does anyone have any suggestions? Read more
Thank you.
Yesterday my wife and I had a tour round looking at changing the CRV we have had for 10+ years. Slightly smaller car to gain better access
The cars looked at were all Japanese and from 3 different franchises - List prices £32K - £38K... Read more
I had been interested in a new Civic Hybrid when the price of the base model was around £31000. Then they canned the base model and the Sport became the base model at over £34000. Then the price of the Sport went up twice to nearer £36000 and the top spec model to near £40000. Pretty much lost interest now.
Went to look at one at a dealership and when I asked why the prices had rocketed, he virtually said it was because of all the good reviews the car had received in the motoring press. Whether this is true or not I don't know but a car is reviewed taking into account its list price at the time. Would it have reviewed as well at an inflated price....
We’ve seen companies like Toyota making the most reliable petrol engines around.
Earlier they were not outstanding but reliable . Take the Hilux that refused to die for Clarkson.... Read more
Toyota make good Diesels.
The 2.5 and 3 litre 4 pots as found in Hilux and Prado (badged Landcruiser here) have proved very reliable, i've had literally the same engine (mechanical injection in the first) in 3 different Toyota 4x4s, none have given any issues....
Very much in the news lately is the growing tendency for councils and private parking companies to switch to a non cash system. This has not reached where I live and I was wondering what the forum thinks. It seems the older generation is making the most fuss and a dexterity of thumbs and fingers seems to be required to operate your smart phone as some 100 plus keys going up to as much as 226 need to be pushed. The process from what I read can take ages and there are numerous apps for different parking companies. I just hope Cornwall for my hols is App free or I will be driving in and straight out of its car parks! Read more
Next there'll be a Dispatches type program aired complaining about the destruction of the high street, the disappearance of people with money to spend, they never came back the second national house arrest was cancelled and we're going to ask why.
Is there anyone in charge anywhere in this country from number 1o down with an ounce of grey matter, towns depend on solvent people wishing to visit and spending their money to keep the centres viable.
So, what we'll do is make the roads as difficult to negotiate as possible for cars, we'll charge (fine) people with the wrong cars for daring to approach our town and because people always go shopping and visiting cities with their familes on bicycles we'll narrow the roads off and make cyclists a priority.
We'll plant dozens of signposts to make sure a few hundred stray inadvertantly into a bus lane so we can fine them.
If trhey don't give up and actually arrive at the town in their polluting killer car we'll make it as difficult as possible for the mug, sorry, punter to park and charge them over the odds too once they've fathomed out how to pay the fee, if they happen to need a pee after all this faff we'll charge them for that too if they can find a loo at all....well done Claude have a gong or three, you've made the town as inhospitable as possible, we on the council are behind you all the way.
i could go on but you get the picture, the more unpleasant complicated and frustrating you make an experience the fewer people will comply.
These same people can't understand why Amazon and those huge retail parks where parking is free and where dangerous people generally arn't lurking about have done so well.
Ford focus 2006 1.6 the EML light came on, plugged it in & got a P2303 fault code. Also in first gear only if you try to take off quick it starts to judder/kangaroo but will take off fine if you take off normally/slower if that relates to the issue at all? Read more
Coil pack failure is quite common, fortunately it's a fairly cheap fix. Do asap to stop further damage - whilst misfiring unburnt fuel is being sent down the exhaust and can damage sensors & the catalyst all of which cost considerably more.
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Browse
This is why it's essential when replacing the cambelt that it's fitted correctly using the right locking tools, and the belt tension is correct. On any diesel engine where the compression ratio is around 18 or 20:1 even the smallest adjustment to the timing could make a big difference. So many people fit cambelts by paint marking the old one. This is NOT the correct way to do it. I would start by replacing the cambelt again, and get someone who knows the right way to do it.