I have just bought a Fabia 5 door hatchback from an auction.
So far £100 for an M.O.T, £625 for a recon gearbox. Just got back from the garage an d th P.A.S. warning light is stays on. Hedlights flicker and both passenger footwells are full of water
Any advice on the problems, water in footwells first please.
DON'T SHOUT ! Re-written for you on this occasion
Edited by Pugugly on 31/03/2008 at 21:17
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The best advice I can give you is that if you buy a nine year old car from an auction its always going to be likely to have some issues with it. It will gave been sold as seen so you have no comeback against the auction house. If you want out of it, put it back into the auction, with 12 months ticket on it there's a chance that someone else will buy it for reasonable money.
If you want a cheap car then either buy privately or pick up something form ebay. At least you'll have chance to have a good enough look over the car to gauge accurately what condition its in.
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thanks 4 reply,very sound advice hope other people will see error of my ways.cheers
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Common sources for water in footwells are badly fitted/damaged pollen filters, broken door membranes and debonded windscreens. If it smells sweet it may also be coolant leakage from heating system.
You will have to peel back carpet and dry it all out then feed a hose on the windscreen and get someone in car to look for leaks.
If no luck try hose on door glass.
Normally leaks are more labour intensive to fix rather than requiring expensive parts, so
the more you can do yourself the better.
Headlights flicker / PAS problem (Is it electric PAS?) maybe earthing / alternator / battery problems. Best left to an auto electrician unless you familar with these types of systems.
Check the battery connections/Headlight connections are tight and battery is in good condition first.
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Some years ago I used to know someone who traded in cars as a sideline. He tended to buy either high mileage or older vehicles at auction and sell them through the local papers. Every fifth or sixth car was a lemon and he put it back in the auctions the following week where he either broke even or made a loss. In his position this was totally acceptable but for buying your main car it is too risky. Best to buy a trade in or privately so you can give the car a through check - engine, electrics, etc. - and a test drive. Since the early 90s cars have become to complex to gamble on.
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Almost 100% the water will be coming through the door membrains/window lifters, and as for the power steering its not uncommon for the pumps to fail but check the battery and alternator first. They use an electric pump and it needs the battery voltage to be 100% to function correctly.
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thankyou 4 taking time & trouble, over my problems.have ordered workshop manual,from ebay,hopfully this w/end will seal doors,have ordered pollen filter also.but will leave all electrics to somebody who knows what ther doing.thanks very much HAPPY MOTORING
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thankyou so much for your expertise and sound advice.have ordered workshop manual,from ebay,+pollen filter.a busy w/end ahead. HAPPY MOTORING.thanks again.
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With pollen filters it is normally the filter housing surround and the surrounding trim that get damaged or are not refitted correctly and cause leaks. Although if your filter is wet, it should be replaced anyway as probably mouldy.
Edited by Saltrampen on 04/04/2008 at 10:46
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