Refine by channel:  Forum (5074)    Ask HJ (1550)    News (284)    productReview (124)    Article (112)    FAQs (7)    Good Garages (4)  

Sort by: Relevance | Newest first | Oldest first

• FIAT Panda (2003 - ) - "Friday" Cars? 28 Jul 2008 (Forum)
  With less than 500 miles on the clock, the car refused to start. The AA attended and the mechanic discovered the battery was not the one which should have been in the car. After ringing the dealer he was told they could not help and he rang round various dealers and finally drove to the nearest town and brought back a Lucas battery.
• Rover 400 (1995 - 1999) - 1998. 416 model - heating issues 15 Jan 2008 (Forum)
  I have been told waterpump, inlet manifold gasket, the misterious ball bearing, various sensors, power steering pump?, e.c.u, alternator (had battery problem) and a multitude of other things, i have rave software and a passion for learing about this 16v aluminium gold. anybody able to diagnose or help me to test further to remove possibilties or try tests to conduct the more info i have for this ex dealership mechanic the better he can probably help me the car is wonderfull and although only paid 300 for it would pay over it to fix it properly as beautiful and comfortable to drive have a t4 man from mg garage on standby for next week shoud i unplug battery or ecu to reset codes before i go to him or leave as same?
• General Q's about car servicing 17 Jul 2003 (Forum)
  Sooooo took the plunge and had a service (at a fraction of the cost) by the little backstreet garage who'd done my last couple of MOT's and replaced the battery for me last year. My last service (small) cost the same as the 6,000 mile one which I had to have (according to Honda) 6 months after buying the car brand new ( you don't have to do that now do you?
• Buy of the week? 23 Aug 2025 (Forum)
  I really rate these as a used buy, and prices are getting very appealing. That it only needs a service every two years and has an 8yr battery pack warranty (assuming it has been serviced) only seals the deal. Obviously I haven’t looked at this particular car in the metal, I’m just using it as an example of how much value can be had with used EV’s now.
• Will there be any more good cars? 23 Dec 2024 (Forum)
  I looked at new cars recently and most of them are awful, unless you want something that runs on batteries. I want a small and simple petrol car, with manual transmission, and there are hardly any. Many of them are also ugly as they seem to be moving to a 'cross over' design ??. I don't actually want one now, but I'm worried that there won't be any remaining in a few years when I want one.
• Lotus Eletre - First drive 1 Oct 2023 (Forum)
  In a huge departure for Lotus - it’s over 5 metres long, an electric SUV with a starting price of £89,500. Dual motors with 450kW (612ps) and a 109 usable kW battery, the WLTP range is 373 miles on the (smaller!) 22” wheels. The ‘R’ specification will be arriving soon with 918ps. Lots of technology (it’s Level 4 autonomous ready, with cameras & sensors in place but disabled for the UK) in the cabin and externally, and very configurable to suit a new owner’s tastes.
• Hybrid Engines when cold 6 May 2023 (Forum)
    For example, as I leave home I have to go up a hill and the engine operates at high revs without being warmed up because the battery/motor alone won't propel the car up the hill. There are a million high mileage hybrids out there so I suspect it's something that's possibly catered for by modern oils or more regular maintainence but I thought it was an interesting discussion point.
• 2006 Ford Mondeo Ghia - Ford Mondeo Radio Code 27 Sep 2021 (Forum)
  Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help with a radio code for my Ford Mondeo, recently had the alternator and battery changed and haven't been able to find the original code in any of the paperwork.  It's a 2006 Ghia and the car has the original Sony radio/cd player that came with fitted. The other issue I have is that online it says the serial number should start with a V or M and to press and hold a couple of buttons on the radio to get the serial number, however the only thing resembling a serial number when i do that doesn't have a v or an m, it says ACU CFG 830238 Is anyone able to offer any advice or provide a code?
• Peogeot 307 diesel - The car dies when I hit the gas pedal 31 May 2021 (Forum)
  And now the car won't start sometimes, when it starts it's just sit there and as fast I hit the gas pedal it dies straight away, I thought maybe the battery was a problem cuz that was broken to so I put a new one in, nothing happens, the injectors is fine, the dynamo is fine, I just had a replacement on the mass air filter or what it's called, so that's fine to.
• Toyota yaris 2013 - Toyota Yaris Lights Dimming 11 Jan 2021 (Forum)
  This can happen a couple of times when I reverse the car out of my garage, put the car in neurtal and then engage reverse gear again to leave my drive.The rest of the day/night it seems to be all ok.  I have had the battery and alternator checked with car in neutral and under full load (heater, fan, A/C, heated rear window) including all lights on.  Plus all belts have been checked. I presume this is a electrical load situation.
• Fiesta 1.6 2004 Mk6 - All the dash lights on.....! 26 Dec 2020 (Forum)
  I followed him home, no smoke, car drives perfect, all brake and indicator lights doing what they should do etc. In last 6 months car has had new battery and coil pack and passed MOT last week. I will get it plugged in for codes just wondering if anyone has had anything similar? TIA
• Parallel Parking Against The Traffic 9 Sep 2020 (Forum)
  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5740463/You-parking-car-wrong-way-risking-fine-1-000-strict-rules.html I recovered the car today, taking a charged battery to it by bus. No ticket, but Smartphone Stazi vigilantees are a growing threat here so it'll be a while before I can be sure I got away with it. Probably need a new alternator but dunno about availability yet.
• 2015 BMW F20 120i - Intermittent false warnings on central display 4 Jun 2019 (Forum)
  I am now getting occasional warnings of low tyre pressure; tyres checked and pressures correct - this warning has to be reset via the iDrive controller. The main car battery was replaced recently and shows 12.6v using a multimeter. The alternator shows it charging at 14.9v at idle. A diagnostic check at an independent garage revealed no fault codes saved on the system.
• Renault Kangoo Van - Kangoo immobiliser 14 Apr 2019 (Forum)
  Whilst trying to get the reversing light to work I seem to have immobilised the van. It was working fine then it stopped stopping. The stereo is now acting as if the battery was disconnected, it wasn’t The immobiliser light on the dash is NO longer on and does NOT come on when the van cycles through the dash lights on start up. The engine will turn over but does not fire up.
• Old Rover 25 smiles... - Bye Bye,...... 24 Aug 2018 (Forum)
  I have an elderly neighbour (86 years young) who has a  W reg 1.4 rover 25.. I saw him yesterday with the bonnet up... what's up Bill? battery flat, so charging it.. noticed the non original air filter.. Going ok otherwise... well, losing lots of water.. and look creamy water in the expansion tank... took off oil filler cap and lots of nice mayonnaise..
• Peugeot 205 1.4 carb - Spasmodic noise from warm engine 17 Jul 2018 (Forum)
  Car starts and runs well, battery holds charge.  After a few motorway miles musical noise may start, usually with easing off the throttle, coming and going with pedal pressure.  Ah, alternator bearing I thought, and a few drops of oil there relieved the symptoms for a while.
• Vauxhall Vectra - 2 engines failing - again 26 Jun 2018 (Forum)
    12-1-16   new second hand engine, full new clutch, camshaft belt, waterpump, oil & filter,  1-3-16  steerig rack, tie rods. We also had things like a new battery, new tyres and minor repairs. Hope this helps      
• Latest miracle bolt-on for engines 24 Apr 2018 (Forum)
    The submariner inventor learnt about making oxygen electrolytically while underwater; hydrogen was a waste product. Several questions occur to me: presumably the electrolysis takes battery current, which therefore uses a bit of engine power; the solution must be topped up with (presumably deionised) water occasionally; how long will an overlooked black-box containing KOH last; hydrogen leaks may be hazardous ?
• Clarke 4000 Jumpstart (part number 6240030) 12 Mar 2018 (Forum)
  I understand the alarm usually sounds if you get the pos/neg the wrong way when attached to a car battery, but it isn't attached to anything. Turning the on/off switch does nothing. 2. It also has a 12v (cigarette lighter type) socket, which is working whether the unit is switched on or off. Is this correct, or is it highlighting a problem linked to the main problem above?
• 2.2 tdci mondeo tit x sport 2011 - Ref cars in limp mode 21 Nov 2017 (Forum)
  Evening guys bit of a story to my issue, a few months ago I replaced the battery on my car then a few weeks later engine light came on took it to a mechanic who plugged it in and said dpf fault. So leave the car and had the dpf taken off and given an acid bath so it's clean, everything reset and away I go.