Refine by channel:  Forum (3169)    Ask HJ (1099)    News (93)    Article (18)    FAQs (10)    productReview (4)  

Sort by: Relevance | Newest first | Oldest first

  • Volvo XC90 2008 - 44k engine blown - Mapfre Warranty not paying 14 Dec 2020 (Forum)
    They say that the damage is due to "low oil or heavily carbonised oil" and that this is not covered. I've asked the warranty company to confirm the reason for the denial.
  • Vauxhall Corsa C (2000 - 2006) - 03 1.2 Oil Pump and bracket 3 Mar 2011 (Forum)
    This has been diagnosed now as a problem with oil pressure. To fix I need an oil pump and the bracket/fixture/flange (Im no mechanic) that it sits in. This was ordered from Vauxhall in early December. I am still waiting for the part now and rely on my car to get to work and back everyday.
  • BMW Z4 (2003 - 2009) - 03 2.5 Engine failure advice please! 28 Jan 2010 (Forum)
    It was last driven hard in October for just a few miles and has more or less pootled around gently since then. The car has a FSH and last had an oil change (using Mobil 1) about 6 - 8 months ago, it hasn't been topped up since as it hasn't needed it. During the very cold spell the car was started and left idling whilst the screens were scraped etc. during this idling the car began misfiring and the cabin filled with smoke.
  • Stuck oil drain plug in a Saab 9-3 17 Jun 2005 (Forum)
    I have just been under my recently purchased 1998 Saab 9-3 2.0l attempting to remove the sump plug to drain the oil for a 5000 mile change. Unfortunately some idiot in the garage which serviced it last has either enormously overtighted the plug (it is steel going into an alloy sump) with a large breaker bar or they have stuck it in with some kind of threadlock type compound having maybe wrecked the thread.
  • Rover 414 99Reg 2 Oct 2005 (Forum)
    Hello there, I just bought this used car and it got a recorded mileage of 33670, and when i brough the car for a health check, the technician said it is due for cam belt change due to age (car first registered in jan 1999) and quote me £179 + vat. Is this the resonable price? I paid for my brakes pads change for £79 now i am skin. my questions are: 1) do i really need to change the cam belt?
  • Vauxhall Corsa B - Engine hesitation 23 Nov 2017 (Forum)
    No change. The cars not long been serviced as the oil is still golden. I’m going to try changing the air filter, fuel filter, maf sensor and also the crankshaft sensor. It’s going back to the garage today as they suspect the lambda sensor may need a clean/change.
  • Renault Clio 1 Petrol RT 1.4 - Misfire and general roughness 18 Apr 2010 (Forum)
    Ive recently done an oil change, changed the air filter and fuel filter, which has improved it EVER so slightly, but its still doing it. I took the plugs out to check the gaps and they are all ok, though i did notice that the porcelain centre of all of the plugs were light brown/white, which as far as i know is ideal, so all look fine, though they could maybe do with a change.
  • Ford Fiesta (1989 - 1995) - 94 1.3 HCS CFI Idle Problems - Overrevving/Underre 4 Aug 2008 (Forum)
    When I first got the car about 6 months ago displayed both issues usually at least once or twice every trip, but then after a few long motorway runs seemed to go away until I changed my oil and set the tappets. Again problem went away until last week when i replaced the oil pressure sensor. Both times i'd removed the air filter and had a poke around so i'm thinking this is due to me disturbing some dodgy sensors or wiring??
  • 2019 Peugeot 2008 - Peugeot unsatisfactory design no.2 -the sump plug. 28 Apr 2023 (Forum)
    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.
  • Peugeot 307 (2001 - 2007) - 02 2.0 hdi (fap) model lacks low end power 28 Jan 2009 (Forum)
    It is a 2002 model with the stupid fap system. It has had new fap fluid, filter and deisel filter when we bought it and i have just changed oil oil filter and air filter. The symptoms seem to be worse when the outside temperature is cold. When we purchased the car we were bombing about in it and ws getting 40ish mpg out of it now with the most careful of driving we can only get around 29mpg and it is really sluggish until you get the revs up.
  • Citroen Xantia (1993 - 2000) - 1999 1.8 16v Suspension 11 Jun 2008 (Forum)
    The rear end is perfect nothing wrong on the back, i have undone all the metal pipes while engine running and they seem to be unblocked and the flush oil is coming through ok. As you can tell i am a little lost on this by now and citreon just say its the oil that need replacing, when i separated the rack i pushed all the dirty oil back in the system but even with this flush there is no improvement. can any one help matt
  • Renault Clio II (1998 - 2001) - 2001/1.4 16v/Sump plug allen key size?/Oil rating 4 Mar 2008 (Forum)
    My grandma used to own the car, that= driving round her town at 25mph in 5th gear!! I am planning an oil change and want to use 5w/40 fully synthetic, this seems to be the best mix, high enough as recommened by Renault to protect the engine when hot and low enough to cause the minimum amount of wear when starting, So basically is it safe (ie not too thin), to use a 5w/40 fully synthetic?
  • VW Passat TDI first service problem 16 Sep 2006 (Forum)
    I called the garage up and they said '..........possibly a glitch, bring it in and we'll reset it' Hmmm......if they do that, and don't change the oil at the same time, will the car still monitor the existing oil properly or will it be confused and let the car run with nackered oil later on? Is it possible for me to detemine whether or not they did or didn't reset the service flag at 9900 miles?
  • Dodgy Astra 23 Aug 2006 (Forum)
    Well, it turns out that they were broken (oops), but we took the car into our local independent who changed them at substantially less than the 200 pounds each quoted by the Vaux. dealer. While it was in, the garage found that the oil cooler was leaking (we knew it had an oil leak soon after buying it, but just topped it up until it could be fitted into the garage), and replaced that too with our permission.
  • 53 Vectra SXI Servicing 22 Dec 2004 (Forum)
    Anyway, they have refilled the sump with semi synth 10w40 and I queried this with them as it doesn't seem to mention this oil grade in the handbook. The service manager I spoke to said that they use this oil as "in the past" they have had warranty problems with customers topping up with incorrect grade oil.He also advised me that this oil would be perfectly ok to use for up to 1 year or 20k whichever is first.
  • Instant high revs on start up = damage? 12 Jan 2004 (Forum)
    I assume that the crank, journals, and other bearings would still have been nice and oily, but in the experience of those who know, is this brutal treatment likely to have damaged anything that will manifest in many miles time? V70 2.4 petrol turbo. 10k miles. No oil change or service performed yet. TVM
  • Audi A7 Sportback - 7 Speed S-Tronic Gearbox Service Time. 4 Aug 2023 (Forum)
    I'm almost at 78k, and it needs doing. I'm slightly paranoid, as the last time the  gearbox oil and filter were changed, at 39k, the Metronics unit malfunctioned the very next week! Fortunately covered by warranty. Thanks in advance. 
  • Seat Leon turbo petrol - Service after warrenty 25 Mar 2019 (Forum)
    My petrol manual Seat is coming to the end of its warrenty period and I have to decide whether to continue getting it serviced at the main dealer I bought it from, who doesn't appear to have done much to it apart from changing the engine oil, or using one of a number of   independent VAG self-styled 'specialists'.  Any advice on the pros and cons would be gratefully received.
  • Kia venga 2 1.4 petrol manual - 18 months on 28 Jun 2017 (Forum)
    So, 18 months on, and 10,000 miles on, still very satisfied with the venga. Routine servicing with annual oil changes so far and no problems except for one weeping shock absorber, no doubt down to the state of our roads. Fuel consumption mostly around here about 35 is, 40 on a "run". we'll see how it cope with a trip to holland and belgium next week.
  • Can you recommend a trustworthy garage in Kent? 12 May 2015 (Ask HJ)
    I live near Faversham in Kent and need a garage that can service my car. Can you recommend a trustworthy garage in my area?
 

Value my car

Save £75 on Warranty using code HJ75

with MotorEasy

Get a warranty quote

Save 10% on GAP Insurance

Use HJ10 to save on an ALA policy

See offer