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• Peugeot 306 1.4 Meridian (2000) - Ignition / Cooling fan trouble 27 Feb 2011 (Forum)
  Sometimes the engine will keep running after I remove the key (it eventually stops when I press the brake) and cooling fan will then run constantly, meaning I have to disconnect the battery to prevent it draining. I took it to an amateur mechanic who pointed out a burnt out, melted fuse in the interior fusebox as the problem.
• Any - Holding the car on the clutch on gradients 3 Jan 2011 (Forum)
   Every morning there are several drivers holding the car on the gradient using the clutch.   They are not driving autoboxes as they don't have brake lights on, and the cars often roll backward a little before trickling forward again -- which they wouldn't do if they were autoboxes in 'Drive'.   Seeing this got me thinking about DMFs and failure rates.
• Nationwide Autocentre... Experiences? 30 Aug 2010 (Forum)
  But we didn't get the usual call saying there were lots of things wrong, just advisories re. the exhaust and brakes (for future work). Has anyone else had experience of Nationwide Autocentre? Are they good for simple stuff, best avoided, or does it depend on the location? TIA
• any - Pedal position -- pictures? 22 Aug 2010 (Forum)
  For reference, the Focus's accelerator pedal is around 2" too far to the left for me, and the brake pedal more like 3-4"(at a minimum) as they have made no effort to group the two pedals together as the typical Japanese carmaker does. They're also set far too high which is going to be more tricky to filter without looking at vehicles but if I can get rid of a fair few it would help.
• Ford Fiesta - Bearings failure after 3 months 20 Jul 2010 (Forum)
  Hi - my car failed its MOT in May and had new brake drums and bearing replaced. However on the way to work there was the loudest sound coming from underneath my car - so I took it to a gargage (different one). They said the wheel bearing was knackered and needed replacing.
• Honda Jazz 1.4 - Honda Jazz Service Rip off? 15 Jun 2010 (Forum)
  I've just been quoted £330 for a service which consists of: Changing oil filter, brake fluid, fuel filter and pollen filter. I don't know what prices for servicing are meant to be but this seems a bit steep to me. What does everyone else think? Should i stick with Honda or find somewhere else to get the service done.
• Salt and the road surface reservoir 30 Mar 2010 (Forum)
  Then you find yourself on the motorway and it rains.  There it is on the car windows again - and nibbling ast the brake lines, corroding those little nuts and fasteners and starting to rot the ever so vulnerable cheap skate radiator core. Funny thing salt. It`s gone completely 2hrs after it snows - but when you don`t want it, it hangs out in the road surface for weeks.
• Toyota Auris (2007 - ) - 07 2.2 Clutch down but moving on its own? 4 Feb 2010 (Forum)
  Getting ready to move i put it in first with the clutch pressed right down. And the car started moving very very slowly. Back in neutral, brake and i was stationary again. I've always put it down to being on slight slopes in the past or nose heavy diesels but... this test made me think twice. Any ideas what this could be? I've only done 30k and i'm sure it can't be clutch wear.
• Some people dont like to be overtaken [Read Only] 25 Jan 2010 (Forum)
  I indicated to overtake the Passat and as I was passing it was clear to me that the driver of the Passat had floored it, not a problem because the FocuST can overtake for England though it meant that I had to accelerate harder than should have been necessary and that I had to brake as I came up behind the other cars rather than simply feathering the throttle and blending in. I then realised that the Passat was 18" off my bumper with full beam on. Some people dont like to be overtaken it seems !
• Why aren't refunds given if a 'fix' doesn't work? 12 Jan 2010 (Forum)
  I recently asked my wife to take her car into a garage because the exhaust was making a noise. She was shown a hole and properly charged for a part that worked. Had she been charged for new brake discs, and left with the exhaust still barking away, I'd have been up there like a flash threatening all sorts of retribution. Why do we motorists put up with similar scenarios when they involve the moving parts?
• ABS damn nearly killed me.... 23 Dec 2009 (Forum)
  So here I am doing my best to be responsible. Pulling out of a sideroad (ungritted, black ice everywhere) in an AWD Jag X type, brake gently, hit the black ice at which point the ABS kicks in. BUT, the car doesn't slow, and I'm now sailing towards the main road even though the pedal was hard down. Now, someone do please correct me, but I think, in the old days, we were better off before ABS in this situation as at least one could control the skid.
• Ford Fiesta (1995 - 1999) - 96 1.25 Car reverses without lifting the clutch 22 Dec 2009 (Forum)
  When I put my car into reverse it works fine, but if I reverse then let the car roll again and reverse again etc, the more times I do this the less I have to let the clutch up and eventually the car will end up reversing whilst my foot has pushed the clutch pedal right to the floor and it even over powers my brake and then eventually stalls, at this point my gear stick is stuck in reverse and will only free up once my foot has left the clutch. All my other gears are fine, it just seems to be reverse, any ideas what this could be??
• Vauxhall Vectra C (2002 - 2008) - 03 2.0 collapsed front springs 10 Dec 2009 (Forum)
  No warning. But broken on taking the car in the morning. Heard 2 clicks (thought it was the usual hand brake problem), then immediate thudding in the wheel arch. Parked. Had to get a special (RAC) flat bed to get it into a Vauxhall dealer who claimed they had never seen its like before. My questions are is this just my bad luck of getting, say, 2 innadaquate, badly forged springs, or is this a more general weakness (in which case it is a safety issue)?
• How many points/fine will you get if... 23 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  She had an adult in the front seat and a child in the footwell. She is also driving with 2 faulty brake lights. Only the middle one in the rear screen works. So she is carry 2 children with no seat belts, for which i believe carries 3 points £60 fine each for each faulty light carries ??? and carrying more people than intended ???
• Ford Galaxy (1995 - 2006) - Should I scrap her, my good & faithful servant 21 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  ie my dear old Galaxy is due her test on the 3rd Dec Bought June 1998, 207, 000 miles, should good for another 50,000 or so? She will possibly/probably need an exhaust, or moderate /extensive welding brake pipes? main light switch etc. But running like a clock, & I love her to bits ( & too mean to splash out on a new motor) I have booked her in for a "prelim" next Tue to get some idea of likely cost just with the Vat increase next year But the 2.5% extra on say £15,000 is only £375.00
• Renault Scenic (1999 - 2003) - 03 1.9 Vibration 15 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  Since putting it in my local garage have now had new turbo, new clutch, new ?? valve which feeds the turbo, front brakes and discs. Now the car is actually running there is a very bad vibrating through out the car between 2 and 3 thousand revs. The car has only meant to have done 48,000 miles. It is not the engine mounts any advise please before I put a hammer to it.
• SAAB 9-3 (1998 - 2002) - 00 2.0 Differences between standard front discs 3 Jul 2009 (Forum)
  Now I can understand that the pads would/could have different compounds and be made from different materials, offer different braking characteristics and resistance to fade, hence differnet prices for the pads but surely steel discs are steel discs? I?m not looking to upgrade to drilled or grooved discs, just regular ventilated front discs.
• Ford Fiesta (1995 - 1999) - 97 Hub nut removal 11 Jun 2009 (Forum)
  I want to remove the brake drums from my '97 Fiesta to examine the linings. In order to remove the drums, it would appear that the drums and hub including bearing must be removed as an assembly. I have never seen the type of hub nut fitted.
• Cheapskate parts. 27 Mar 2009 (Forum)
  Any experiences of real pennypinching engineering by manufacturers ? My own refers to my Honda, a make noted for quality. I have two brake master cylinders on the handlebars. Both have the normal rectangular covers and seal as used by Honda on many models. I needed to change the fluid after fitting new pads and found the screws holding the lid on were rusted.. they are small crosshead screws and , when tight, are slightly recessed in the cover making a little reservoir for rainwater.
• What does the law and used car warranties mean? 4 Mar 2009 (Forum)
  I understand that a buyer cannot expect a compreshensive warranty on a £500 car or even £1000 one but the law seems a little vague on this. Can anybody else explain this to me in more simple terms? Are the traders braking the law by not offering a warranty?