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We sold a car 'as seen' but it now needs a new engine - where do we stand? 29 Mar 2017 (Ask HJ)
My partner has just sold a year 2000 MGF via Ebay. The lady flew from her home on the Isle of Man to Gatwick, then caught a train to Slough. Following... -
My high mileage diesel Hyundai i20 CRDi has developed a sluggish starting problem, is it time to get rid of it? 27 Feb 2017 (Ask HJ)
My 2011 Hyundai i20 CRDi 90PS diesel has developed sluggish starting and oil splashed 3/4 way up the dipstick (checked after overnight standing). Coolant... -
Audi TT (51 Plate Reg 2002) - Second Hand Car Purc 7 Apr 2013 (Forum)
Also dealer would not advise name or contact details for the garage the work was carried out at?! - Day car is returned, coolant leak occurs from hose going into the heater matrix. (something disconnected during cambelt service i suspect) car once again undrivable. £70 later, hose reconnected and coolant bottle filled (EXPENSE TO ME) car is back on the road. -
Audi TT (51 Plate Reg 2002) - Second Hand Car Purchase From Trader 6 Apr 2013 (Forum)
Also dealer would not advise name or contact details for the garage the work was carried out at?! - Day car is returned, coolant leak occurs from hose going into the heater matrix. (something disconnected during cambelt service i suspect) car once again undrivable. £70 later, hose reconnected and coolant bottle filled (EXPENSE TO ME) car is back on the road. -
Rough idling Audi A4 8 Jul 2012 (Ask HJ)
I have an ageing (53 plate, 120,000 mile) Audi A4 1.9 TDI. It has been a great car but over the past few months the idle has gone "lumpy" intermittently.... -
Is it common for the water pumps in the Saab 9-3 1.9TDi to fail? 2 May 2011 (Ask HJ)
My Saab 9-3 1.9TiD was due for a new cam belt at 72,000 so it went to our local garage at 71,000 two weeks ago. Service as well. I duly paid £405 and collected... -
Di-saab-ster zone 25 Jul 2009 (Ask HJ)
I am coming to you for some advice as an avid reader of your column. My sister purchased a Saab 9-3 TID Sport (150bhp) in January of this year. From the... -
Peugeot 308 Verve 2010 - P1338 - Misfire Cylinder No.2 (Losing the will) 13 Apr 2021 (Forum)
The car will and as always displayed error - P1338 Misfire Cylinder No.2 I have browsed and searched many possible fixes which have all been completed which include: New Coil Pack (All 4 Cylinders). New Spark Plugs (Twice since problem started). New Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Drive Shaft Realignment. Car has also had a full service all filters and oil change along with a full engine flush / clean. I just don't know where to go next or what to look at as to what can be causing the problem. -
VW Polo GTI - Used car problems - help with rejecting car 28 Dec 2016 (Forum)
Spoke to well known car supermarket who I purchased off and they said run for another 1000 miles and see if it happens again. That was the plan and then just a couple days ago the coolant has dropped a massive amount. They have advised top fluids up and get it back to them, which is my next step. However the whole thing has got me quite worried about the car and I feel as if it's just a ticking time bomb to be honest. -
Jaguar X-Type 2.0d 2004 157k - Sod's Law Strikes Again 23 Mar 2016 (Forum)
Monday night, 50 miles from home, at western end of M4, had to stop because of serious overheating (red warning lights and gauge at max). No loss of coolant, oil ok, electric fan working. Cooled down quickly (outside temp 5 deg). Belts in place and working. Called my breakdown and very impressed by them (contractor was Civic Motor Services Swansea). -
Where is water leaking from on my BMW 330d? 16 Sep 2010 (Ask HJ)
I have a 2001 BMW 330d. The other day the Mrs was driving it home from the gym and it overheated. A friend at a garage the next day confirmed all the belts... -
Pug 306TD Conrod Failure-Engine Change. 27 Nov 2007 (Forum)
Have dropped another engine in, and having read the very good advice on this site, swapped the injector pumps to avoid the immobiliser problem. Engines all in, ready to go (minus coolant at the mo till i know it starts), and it turns, and nearly fires up on easy start, but wont go the final bit and start up. Heres the thing, no glo plug light on the dash. So i'm guessing the glo plugs aint working. 2 things, when i first started the engine, i had a short out between the feed wire, and a connection wire rubber casing at the connection, which cause a lot of smoke! -
Bought a lemon! First ever new car! 11 Jul 2005 (Forum)
As a woman who knows nothing about cars I thought hasle free driving at last. Was I wrong! In January a friend noticed that all the coolant had gone. So I informed dealer who took it in."Yes Miss Trusting..there is a leak,only we don't know where. Here's a bottle of antifreeze and come back if it happens again". You guessed it ..500 miles later it had all gone. -
How do we go about restarting a car that's being stood for several years? 15 Jan 2018 (Ask HJ)
In 2012 our older brother bought a tatty 2003 Porsche Carrera 996. He had the engine completely rebuilt and was well into the restoration when he got ill.... -
Buying a high mileage Q5 diesel 4 Jun 2014 (Ask HJ)
Hello, I have put a (refundable) deposit on an Audi Q5 3.0ltr Diesel S-Line. It is a LHD model, with 88k listed miles (130Kms), F(French)ASH and remains... -
Ford Fiesta (2008) - Fiesta - overheating, radiator leak...gasket gone? 15 Mar 2013 (Forum)
On Sunday afternoon I was driving and the engine unexpectedly and very quickly began to overheat. I stopped driving when the temp gauge shot up, and we put warm water into the coolant tank and that seemed to solve the problem sufficiently for me to get the last mile or so to my parents' house. I had a long journey in front of me so I called the RAC to come out and look at it. -
What can I do about my 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class's serious Valeo radiator fault? 31 Jul 2010 (Ask HJ)
I have a Mercedes-Benz C180 which I bought from new in late 2002. It has a full Mercedes-Benz service record. Despite its age, the car only has 17,000... -
Warranty for a rest 25 Apr 2009 (Ask HJ)
Having bought nine new Vauxhalls since 1960, currently a 08 Vectra CDTI, I have always done my own maintenance, with much information obtained from the... -
59 Ibiza TDI 1.6 - To keep or not? 10 Jun 2021 (Forum)
Then there is the other minor issue of air con not working due to broken pump again probably 400-500. They also mentioned a slight coolant leak although although I don't seem to lose any if at all. So all in I could be looking at £1500-£1700 bill, or £1000 at best to fix the wiring/sensor and do timing belt. I could just get the wiring/sensor repair done and delay the timing belt but it's already overdue. -
1997 Hoanda Accord 4-Cyl - ERG Valve Bench Testing? 17 Aug 2020 (Forum)
Should have used gloves, and perhaps a Davies Lamp. The original plan was to take the exhaust plenum off and wash it, but one of the coolant hoses is hard to get to and after some damage to other hoses I decided to leave it attached. https://www.driveaccord.net/attachments/img_3502-jpg.522994/ https://www.driveaccord.net/attachments/img_3503-jpg.522995/ I used old brake fluid for cleaning in a syrige sold here for use with cosmetics which has a wider than normal needle without a point, (though of course it clogged eventually) along with a twisted length of doubled stainless steel wire with a double hook at one end and a loop on the other.
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