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• Vauxhall Insignia 1.4turbo - Residue from new brake discs/pads 18 Jul 2018 (Forum)
  We moved to France a few years ago, and re-registered our Vauxhall Insignia here. We've just had the rear discs and pads changed (for Bosch parts BP1233 and BD1367); there was a bit of confusion at the garage as to what pads were suitable for the car, but in the end they seemed to sort it out. After we drove about 50km on the new brakes (gently, of course), we noticed some silver liquid (?)
• Astra 1.3 diesel - Timing chain rattle 27 Jan 2018 (Forum)
  I know many people do not like this engine, but I'm seeking an objective answer, please: My car has had good quality oil and filter changes every 11k miles or so, but in just the past few weeks I can hear the timing chain rattle when it is idling. It's a periodic thing - sounds like 1, 2, 3,  pause, 1, 2, 3, pause, 1, 2, 3...
• Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi - Buying Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi 2007 service history 26 Aug 2017 (Forum)
  I've always done quite a high mileage so it never really occured to me to check the dates as well as the mileage.. Lesson learnt for next time. Is a five year period without an oil change a worry if its only done 10k or should I not be too worried about this? The car is currently on 68k miles. I should point out that my friend works with someone who used to be a Honda technician.
• Honda Accord DTECH 2.2 - VSA Triangular sign ON 17 Dec 2015 (Forum)
  Yesterday I took the car to a registered garage (Not Honda garage) for full service, All the service parts used including engine oil is from Honda dealer. The only item could not be replaced is fuel filter as the mechanic could not open the fuel filter housing cap so he removed the housing from the car and try opening it,  he did not want to apply extra force in case it break the housing which would cost £300 for the unit so the housing was put back without changing the fuel filter.
• mercedes sprinter cdi - broken engine ?? 17 Jun 2015 (Forum)
  Opening the bonnet didn't seem to reveal anywhere in particular the smell was coming from, though in the cab has bin getting a bit worse, so I tried not to use it. Today I removed the casing below the engine to look &change the oil & discovered the cause- sort of! Can anyone possibly identify what these vague bits can be please, something's melted & the following had fallen off into the casing!! Much obliged thank you!
• Mazda Mazda 6 (2002 - 2007) - May 06 Diesel 143 - misfire at 1250 revs 26 Apr 2015 (Forum)
  Hi all Have a Mazda6 Diesel that misfires off idle 1250 rev's it's been doing that for a few months sometimes. It's done 23K and had service at Dealers at 12K last May and I changed oil and filter at 18K with Mazda DPF Dexelia. Now last few weeks misfires all the time if you go slow enough in second gear and take it easy. I can even tell in these last few weeks it's not running right up to 2000 rev's.
• Peugeot 207 - Engine warning light 28 Oct 2014 (Forum)
   At  Peugeot Tech's behest we have got to fill up from empty with Shell V Max or similar premium fuel and return the car to the main agent who will add a fuel system service additive to the tank, change the engine oil and download the ECU and hope that cures the problem. Has anyone any idea what the hell is going on??? I'm wondering if Peugeot just want to keep it running until the warranty expires in March 2015.
• Corsa C 1.2 16V - Drive by wire hrottle problem 7 Jun 2014 (Forum)
  The car worked fine a couple of days ago, but is very noisy when hot, which is why I was able to get the 1612 fault code. Then I changed the oil and it's as described above. Just can't figure it out, any ideas welcome please. Thanks
• Mazda 3 TS2 1.6 D - Conrod through Engine 15 Jan 2014 (Forum)
   I understand that they have a servicing policy but think they should help out because the last service was less than 12,500 miles ago and only 9 months before the failure.  Changing oils, filters etc on a service only gives basic maintenance.  The servicing schedule for my car would not have caused the catastrophic failure. The Mazda garage does not know what caused the failure.
• 
  Buying a used seven seater - what would you recommend? 5 Nov 2013 (Ask HJ)
  I'm looking to buy a used seven seater: it must be reliable as well as economical to run (fuel, insurance, road tax). What would you recommend?
• Peugeot 406 hdi - MAF sensor faulty 20 Jul 2013 (Forum)
    There is no checklight on the dash.  i decided to clean the maf sensor but again still no change.  I then removed the plug from the maf sensor and decided to take it up the road and bingo all the power came back.  Now im not sure if this means there is a fault with the maf sensor no checklight came up on the dash even with the plug disconected which i thought was weird.
• Volvo XC90 (2002 - ) - cambelt tensioner disintegrates 20 Nov 2012 (Forum)
  I bought it from a Volvo main dealer. I had it serviced at that dealers in March 2007. In early 2008 it had an oil leak from the engine and cost £700 to put right at that dealers. In March 2008 I had it serviced at a local indpendent garage. Last Thursday (11/9/08) it lost power. The AA came out and diagnosed a slipped cam belt.
• VW Polo, 1.4 16v, 2002 - Car not starting after short journeys 7 Jun 2012 (Forum)
  We noticed this more in cold weather, but it is almost a continuous problem now. We have ecently had car serviced with spark plugs changed, and also took into dealership who did a diagnostics test, which didn't show up anything. I am started to get worried about this being a major issue, as it is drinking quiet a bit of oil (top up every 6-8 weeks) When we try to start car, we have to pump accelerator to get it going, and then it is very very rough, and takes a lot of revving to get to normal.
• Mazda 6 - Mazda 6 2.2d 185 Sport - Should I buy it? 12 Dec 2011 (Forum)
  This Mazda has full service history (Although the last two services have been done 2-3,000 miles over schedule)...I wondered whether this could have done any damage in terms of the Mazda DPF/diesel in sump problem seeing as the oil changes have been 14,500 miles between at least once? I understand the 2.2 diesel engine has a closed loop DPF system, which means it doesnt go wrong as much as the 2.0d engine, but I am looking at getting the system removed by s******* if I do buy the car - wondered if anyone else has had this done?
• Ford Focus - Stuttering Focus diesel - Engine Systems Warning 2 May 2011 (Forum)
  Garage thought was EGR valve problem -  recommended cleaning it. This seemed to solve the problem. Had full service in Jan with oil and filter change. Since then intermittently stuttering, particularly in 1st, 2nd gear at low speeds. One occasion of engine systems warning light came on - enter rev limited mode and limped to garage.
• What car next? 6 Jun 2010 (Forum)
  Much as I love the old barge, I don't have faith that this car won't fail me again. It has a small oil leak coming from somewhere behind the engine block (gear linkage?)  and drips occasionally on the garage floor so I am thinking of changing it when the road tax expires at the end of July. Our other, recently acquired car is a 2005 Suzuki Ignis which I enjoy but is a bit lacking in torque after the Citroen.
• Ford Escort 1600 Zytec 1998 - Misfire 14 Apr 2010 (Forum)
  The problem has now developed further and, now and again, the revs stay up (about 2-3000 rpm) when I change gear. Also when I start it up from cold the revs rise and then fall without touching the throttle. Mechanically, the car is in very good condition and goes like a 1600 should. It doesn't use oil or water.
• BMW 1 Series E81/E87 (2004 - ) - 06 130i M-Sport Engine Tappet Noise 8 Feb 2010 (Forum)
  The first time i called BMW service out and it didn't make the noise. It went to my local dealer who changed the oil and couldn't find any problem. Since then it has been doing it on an intermittant basis, but ALWAYS when the engine is cold. It's been to my dealer FIVE times now and it is there as i write this.
• Toyota Avensis (2003 - 2008) - 2001 1.8VVTi Co2 emission fail 16 Aug 2009 (Forum)
  Toyota dealer is not seeing the blue smoke reported by the tester but agrees there is a problem As far as I know car drives fine. Although it has always used oil which is a common problem. Tomorrow they are swapping in an ECU from another car and will reprogramme it to see if that fixes the problem. Failing that they are out of ideas. Investigative labour charge is already £400 with no resolution.
• FIAT Punto (1994 - 1999) - 98 1.2 MOT failed on emissions 11 Nov 2008 (Forum)
  It's going in for diagnosis tomorrow to try to identify the problem, but I'm a little confused at the persistent failure.The car has been regularly serviced, plugs, oil changes, filters etc, it had a new cat back in March and yet the cat appears to be rattling as if its breaking up already. Naturally I'll be returning the car and requesting a replacement cat if it the diagnosis indicates that it HAS failed, but the mechanic at the MOT garage said that if the cat proves to be the problem, the exhaust centre may try to wriggle out of replacing it by insisting theres a blockage which is down to the car and not the quality of the cat, which was indeed suspiciously cheap.