Refine by channel:  Forum (5074)    Ask HJ (1532)    News (283)    productReview (122)    Article (112)    FAQs (7)    Good Garages (4)  

Sort by: Relevance | Newest first | Oldest first

• SAAB (mostly) cold starting problem 4 Jan 2005 (Forum)
  Once the day warms up a bit it usually starts OK but this is not much use to her as she needs it to get to work. She's had the battery and plugs checked and the HT leads and distributor cap changed with no success. I've suggested they get the coil and lead changed which they are doing this week but this is clutching at straws. Also I've checked the fuel pump is working.
• Ford Fiesta Stereo Help. 21 Sep 2004 (Forum)
  I have stereo issue's I believe she is a Ford 2006/2007/2008 radio cassette player, I know you are all thinking get with the times but all in good time. It comes up with the ellusive code reqd message, believe battery has recently been disconnected and as such requires code, I have only just bought the car and surprise, surprise as Cilla would say no code with it! I have phone the guy who I bought it from but alas he does not have any idea either, can anyone shed some light/assistance on this one?
• Toyota reliability/value for money 10 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  My '97 Carina 5-door CDX (top of the range, with all bells and whistles) has today sailed through its MOT yet again with no faults. 69K miles, original clutch,exhaust,cat, battery, discs and rear shoes. In the 5 years I've had it (since new) it has never given me a problem. Only money spent on it has been 4 new Michelins, one set of front pads and wiper blades. I change filter and oil (Mobil 1) 3 times a year and coolant every 18 months.
• Diagnose my Carlton's hot start problems 22 Sep 2002 (Forum)
  So, I was convinced it must be the starter motor, so last week a sourced a replacement from a scrappie for £12. He tested it on a battery and it worked fine. On Saturday I took it to my friendly Morecambe garage who fitted the new motor. So, to make a long story a bit less long, this was fitted and worked okay (not quite as good as the old starter).
• 
  Can you get a sat nav for bikes? 27 Nov 2019 (Ask HJ)
  Obviously I’m not expecting this to be a full sat nav like a Garmin or something like that, but is it possible to get a small sat nav system for a bike...
• Toyota Prius not rubbish to drive shock! 30 Jul 2009 (Forum)
  There is something strangely fulfilling about coasting downhill with the shift lever thingy in the ?B? setting and seeing the battery in the display turn green as you fill up the last charge bar. I also found myself trying to accelerate in such a way as to keep the petrol engine from cutting in for as long as possible for no other reason than liking the feeling of silent forwards motion.
• 
  Why won't my SLK unlock? 12 Nov 2019 (Ask HJ)
  My Mercedes SLK 250 won't unlock. Last Sunday it sat on my drive during very heavy rain and hasn't let anyone in since. The key raises the button but the...
• Lexus RX400h - RX400h owner's review for gordonbennet 20 Jun 2019 (Forum)
  Definitely faster than my old Jag XJR to 30 and faster than the official figures suggest (except in the wet). The later 450h trades some of this acceleration for extended battery-only range. At the last service – the 11 year old battery pack showed no signs of aging and is still very healthy passing the hybrid-drive test with flying colours. The 3.3litre v6 is fairly punchy but like many Japanese cars seems to have quite loud valve-train noise.
• elusive VW Golf Mk3 starting/firing issu 14 Nov 2013 (Forum)
  Background: Last year I had an issue with factory fitted scorpion alarm (some of you might recall this one!). My fault for removing the battery thus enabling the transponder to lose the codes & never reacquire them. Had a prof auto-electrician decomission all this, although oddly I still get a 3 peep alarm arming noise whenever I remove the key from the ignition.
• Mk 3 1.9TDI VW Golf - Speedo playing up & Electrical lighting problems 23 Feb 2013 (Forum)
  I read a lot about earthing issues which may or may not have something to do with one or both issues and so I have cleaned up the battery terminals and have also removed the battery plate and cleaned up the earth connections below this. I put it all back together and went to try the indicators and brakes combo to see if the problem had gone.
• Volkswagen Passat - Consumer Advice Req - 2 Breakdowns in 10 weeks 31 Jan 2011 (Forum)
  I guess the answer to the question about injectors failing suddenly or over time will determine whether this is a viable route to go down, as it helps in deciding the probability of the fault being present at purchase. 5) The battery going flat after 6 days, is that just indicative of a battery at the end of it's life, or could there be a wider issue which is related to the injectors failing? When I bought the car I had to contact VW to get the radio unlock code, which indicates that it's been flat before.
• Automotive: The Right Tool for the Job 4 Nov 2005 (Forum)
  Craftsman 1/2 x 16-inch Screwdriver: A large motor mount prying tool that inexplicably has an accurately machined screwdriver tip on the end without the handle. Battery Electrolyte Tester: A handy tool for transferring sulfuric acid from car battery to the inside of your toolbox after determining that your battery is dead as a doornail, just as you thought. Aviation Metal Snips: See Hacksaw.
• ID3 initial impressions. 26 Sep 2025 (Forum)
  There’s no noisy combustion motor up front rattling away and no complex automatic gearbox - it’s a battery and a big electric motor. It’ll cost buttons to fuel, and it cost nearly £20,000 less than its new price at less than 3yrs old with 18,000 miles up and it looks like a new car. It comes with 2yrs VW warranty, 5yrs battery pack cover, 2yrs Mot cover and 2yrs servicing for £99 extra.
• 
  How can I keep an old cheap car going? 11 Aug 2025 (Ask HJ)
  My runabout is a 26 year-old Corsa, approaching a genuine 60K. I bought it for £240 8 years ago from an old chap who had started to bump into other cars...
• New car privacy concerns 23 Jul 2025 (Forum)
    On top of all this, I’ve read about issues with connected cars drawing constant power from the 12V batteries in internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, leading to flat battery problems. For instance, the UK Yaris Hybrid has faced complaints about this very issue. It’s frustrating to think that the technology designed to enhance my driving experience could also lead to unexpected inconveniences.
• 
  Why are hydrogen cars not available? 19 May 2025 (Ask HJ)
  I really don't like the idea of buying an electric powered car. I have seen articles from some quite major companies who have made a hydrogen engine. Why...
• 
  Can I reject an EV because the range is less than advertised? 3 Apr 2025 (Ask HJ)
  I am a volunteer driver and take people to hospital for their treatment. I need a car that has a range of 340 miles, so a saw a car Polestar advertisement...
• 
  When should I sell my car? 8 Nov 2023 (Ask HJ)
  I've a 2014 Alfa Guiletta on 107k miles, which has had replacement front and rear suspension arms in last 18 months, new battery two years ago. It's reliable...
• 
  Will the cost of charging an EV remain less than an ICE car? 11 Aug 2022 (Ask HJ)
  With the price of petrol and diesel lowering slightly and the price of electricity likely to double if not more, will the cost of fuelling an electric...
• 
  Spare wheels - do we really need them anymore? 19 Jan 2022 (Ask HJ)
  When we bought my wife's Honda Jazz it came with a tyre repair kit but we could buy a spare, and this came in handy when she hit a kerbstone and ruptured...