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• Why the change from positive earth to negative 11 May 2009 (Forum)
  So why did the car battery earthing convention change from positive to negative earth?
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  Do you follow the same storage advice for a hybrid car as you would for a petrol car? 26 Mar 2020 (Ask HJ)
  I have read your various articles on storing a car during self-isolation (12 weeks in the case of my wife and me), and I note your recommendation about...
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  Is there a dash cam that will record who is keying my car? 24 Jun 2019 (Ask HJ)
  Is there a dash cam that will record who is keying my car? It's parked on the street outside my house and I am the only car that’s being keyed. It’s happened...
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  What are the rules on riding battery powered bicycles on the road? 3 Jan 2019 (Ask HJ)
  I am looking to buy a fold-up bike to half commute to work. I have found one that I want that has nice fat tyres, a 250w motor and can go up to 15mph (according...
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  Hell Vino 9 Oct 2011 (Ask HJ)
  My 2009 Honda Insight hybrid, bought from and serviced by the local Honda dealer (I've been buying from Honda dealers and servicing with them for over...
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  Poor starting 2 Jan 2011 (Ask HJ)
  I have 1999 VW polo 1.9 diesel, which when the weather is frosty will not start without pre-heating several times and even then the starter sounds as if...
• Citroen c3 picasso vti 1.4 petrol 2010 - Cylinder head removal 16 Sep 2024 (Forum)
  It appears I have a burnt exhaust valve, starting to wonder if I should sc*** the car and recover the £200 I paid for it! Needs about £ 600 spares, battery, brakes, possibly cat. Inlet camshaft extremely pitted. And chasing a parasitic battery drain. Advice on any of the above welcome. Thanks. Mike    
• Renault traffic business - Stop start permanent fault 3 Nov 2023 (Forum)
  Read codes with autel DF083 STOP START MODULE CIRCUIT INCORRECT SIGNAL Snap-on diag shows DF0043 stop start configuration error. Battery tested to be in good health and BMS on negative terminal shows around 1.6 volts varying. I switched the battery and the BMS terminal with one of a different van and made no difference to the fault, still wouldn't clear.
• Vauxhall Combo 2009 - Trouble with key barrel 9 Jun 2023 (Forum)
  I went to start van this morning and it wouldn't start when I turn the key. I can turn the key full way, but it doesn't generate an ignition spark at all, just flat. The battery isn't dead and the steering wheel isn't locked. When I took the key out, the dashboard lights wouldn't turn off. This made me wonder if the power was still running, and sure enough, windscreen wipers still on, so only way I can get the power to go out is by disconnecting the battery.
• Vectra C (Elite 16v Auto) 2003 - Date display gone back to 2002, wont reset. 6 Jun 2022 (Forum)
    After battery replacement a year ago, (left battery-less for a day or two, I know that was a mistake), I had some minor electrical malfunctions that all self-corrected in use.  Except this – the date display reset itself to September 2002, (maybe the original factory setting?).
• Seat Ibiza - cannot open boot 14 Feb 2021 (Forum)
  I have a Seat Ibiza mk3, 2003   intermittently the boot does not open after operating key fob to open everything up  I have been using the manual switch in the drivers door to lock doors on occasion (this means the car alarm not operative), this was to stop the alarm going off intermittently, now that seems ok, and save battery. Battery is fine, have been using car every day during this cold snap have been able to get into boot until today, again   so happened around 10 days ago, then seemed to correct itself, now happened today, I had to drop rear seat down to get me shopping out of boot   any ideas?
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  Why does my car alarm keep going off? 4 Jan 2021 (Ask HJ)
  My car alarm keeps going off. It lasts 20-30 seconds then stops, and the key fob beeps four times on arming.
• Vauxhall corsa - vehicle not starting 23 Jul 2020 (Forum)
  Hello  I have a 2009 vauxhall corsa 1.3, I recently changed the battery as my other one was flat and when given a jump it wouldn't start. I then took my car for mot after replacing battery and it failed due to anti roll bar which they replaced and then i drove my car home fine.
• Corsa D petrol (2007) - Engine management light on 9 Jan 2020 (Forum)
  Same mechanic replaced another sensor for £95. Car passed MOT. EML came on again 2 months later.  Last November, I replaced the battery in both key fobs as they were the original batteries and the keys needed several presses to lock and unlock - EML has been off ever since!! A £3 fix!
• Volkswagen Beetle 1999 - VW BEETLE HEADLIGHT 19 Dec 2019 (Forum)
  Would it be able to drain the battery if it isn’t fitted properly..
• Skoda Octavia - Turbo or hybrid... which is the greater gamble? 15 Oct 2017 (Forum)
  a)  Skoda TSI... with a turbo that could spell trouble at some point (would have the remainder of a 3 year warranty) or b)  Toyota hybrid... with battery, CVT and fancy hybrid system that could spell trouble at some point (would have the remainder of a 5 year warranty - extensible to 8 years on the battery if serviced by Toyota). And what about the much-lauded but apparently problematic DSG transmission option on the Skoda?
• Ford Focus radio code problem 23 Sep 2016 (Forum)
  My Sister-in-Law's 4 year old Focus had to have a new battery. The radio needed re-coding but won't accept the code. She has had the car from new and the code was obviously supplied with the car. The battery has never been disconnected before its replacement nor any work done on the radio.
• Ford Ka - Can't key in Keycode for KA 2050 radio cassette 3 May 2016 (Forum)
  No problems with the radio before battery change. If no-one can help, thanks for a great site anyway Tommy
• Citroen Xsara Picasso 2 tdi - central locking 2 Nov 2015 (Forum)
  hi im wondering if someone has had a fault on thier central locking system.ive come to lock the car today and the doors will not lock withthe remote.things ive tried so far are 1 remover the car battery left off for a good min then reconnected. 2 removed the battery for the remote tested the voltage on this just over 3 v. and reconnected. 3 checked fuse no 16(30 amp)for the central locking .this was fine.
• Ford Mondeo - Why does CTEK charger increase voltage to 14.4v? 21 Aug 2015 (Forum)
  Hi, I recently purchased a CTEK trickle charger to keep the battery in my Mondeo topped up, as I am often away for a few days at a time. As I understand it, the charger increases the voltage of the battery to 14.4v and then allows to voltage to drop to 12.95v before a "pulse" charge increases it 13.05v, followed by a drop to 12.95v and then another pulse, etc, etc.