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• Ford Focus III (2008 - ) - 2008 1.6 Gear box problem 23 Nov 2008 (Forum)
  Hi, I have a ford III focus 2008 1.6 L petrol with automatic gearbox, I have bought the car one month ago it have made 1700 KM, I?ve start hearing a strange noise from the gear box as follows: 1)When slowly accelerating almost at 40 km/h the shifting to the 3rd gear make a law scratch noise, the odd thing is when really pushing the pedal (accelerating) I hear nothing & the shifting goes smooth. 2)When slowing done (almost stopping 10 km/h) the shifting down to the 1st gear makes a very slight noise like a click.
• Nissan Micra (2003 - 2010) - 2003 1.2 - starting problems 3 Apr 2008 (Forum)
  hi im new to this site so bear with me ive just bought my wife a micra year 03 1200cc automatic the engine has only done 27000 miles. when i try to start car from cold its a pig to start it will start in the end but if i put my foot on the throttal pedal right to the floor it will start strait away ive had the car put on the big mashine as the engine light came on and it was reading codes ( PO340 ) which saying cam/crank sensers ive changed them both but still have the light on the light stayed out for a little while then came back on someone said it could be the timing chain but theres no nocks or bangs when car is started it is great and runs like a dream when warm or once started has anyone got any cluse i dont no much about cars please help kind regards jason {year & engine details added to subject line - as per 3 ignored requests.
• Switching off when stationary - is it worth it? 7 Mar 2008 (Forum)
  One recommendation was to switch off your engine when stationary eg traffic lights. Now I know VW and Citroen have previously sold stop/start cars that did this automatically but is there really a saving to be made? I understand it will put more pressure on a starter motor but I have never had a starter motor break down since my Talbot Samba so maybe they are up to it nowadays?
• Vauxhall Astra G Petrol (1998 - 2004) - Battery and lights dimming at idle 23 Oct 2007 (Forum)
  At the weekend I changed the timing belt, water pump and thermostat and refitted original alternator belt, it has one of those automatic tensioner wheels so I assume it's at the right tension. I am considering fitting a new alternator drive belt, then cleaning up battery terminals before looking at the battery. If you have a voltmeter can you test battery and alternator function by putting it across the terminals and it should be 12 volts or more as the engine increases?
• Chrysler Cherokee (2008 - ) - I have one as a hire car 8 Oct 2007 (Forum)
  It does about 350 miles to 14 US gallons of petrol, this costs about US $43. Its the 3.7 litre engine with an automatic gearbox. No idea what spec it is. Make your own minds up about the look. As a footnote, saw a few of the cars taking part in the 'Fireball Run' from Florida to California. Got a few snaps of the vehicles including a Bentley, an Aston Martin and a Bat Mobile.
• What's a good car for a bad back? 23 Feb 2006 (Forum)
  Aside from the high seat/ head room priority, other considerations are generous (but not mammoth) luggage space, automatic gearbox, and a budget of up to £15,000 in the used market. Any general or specific advice would be much appreciated.
• Bah! - rear wheel drive 10 Feb 2006 (Forum)
  The drive of my house is steep and surfaced in tarmc with a general smattering of loose stones which have come loose from the tarmac. I have had two diesel automatic Mercedes' on the drive this week, both RWD. Neither would slowly reverse up the drive without lots and lots of wheel spin and smoke from the tyres. Both flashed the traction control light, but the TC did not kick in (because in reverse)?
• Volvo 850 performance 13 Feb 2005 (Forum)
  To be more specific, I live in quite a hilly area and when the car starts to labour a bit and I respond by increasing the throttle, I feel and hear the auto box drop down a gear (or gears) but instead of an immediate pick up in speed the engine just seems to howl for quite a while and then slowly picks up speed. Is this normal for an automatic? (my first one). Kick down is better....but the effect on the rev counter is alarming enough for me to immediately ease off! The car seems to have been well cared for (bought it two weeks ago) and has been regularly serviced.
• Merc 320 CDI - It's a diesel??? 28 Sep 2004 (Forum)
  Hi all, Dad came home in a E320 CDI yesterday and I can honestly say, I've never been in anything like it. I'm easily impressed and the automatic folding down headrests did nothing to contradict that but gadgets aside (and there were a lot), the engine impressed me most. Apart from not sounding like a diesel, the power was amazing. We took it back today down quite a quick road and were behind someone slow.
• 5 year old Lexus vs 1 yr old Mondeo. 4 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  My dilemma: a 1997 Lexus GS 300 with 80,000 miles against a 18 month old Ford Mondeo LX hatchback with 12000 miles. Both are automatic, both are from main dealers and both are a whisker under £10K (prior to some good,hard negotiation, of course). Strange bed-fellows, I know, but they are a result of an exhaustive search looking for a vehicle with excellent front leg room and comfortable seats.
• USA Driving Standards 4 Sep 2002 (Forum)
  I drive regularly in the States and I am amazed at how many vehicles veer from their lanes and sometimes simply run off the road. It seems that the combination of large, easy to drive automatics with cruise control encourage inattentive driving. The use of the dreaded mobile phone, which is now endemic, doesn't help.
• MR2 Mk1 Supercharged. 20 Aug 2002 (Forum)
  Has done about 8,000 (yes 8K) miles in the UK which is about the last 5/6 years. and did about 30K miles in Japan previous to its IMPORT. (Of course not proveable but does it matter on a car this old?) It is a right hand drive AUTOMATIC. I understand these cars are rare as only a limited number of MR2 SCs were made hence l would expect a higher than normal price but...£3K? I therefore humbly request your advice. I can't see how we can already be discussing the asking price when l haven't even sat in it!
• Unhappy Accord gearbox 7 May 2002 (Forum)
  . <<<< What's Bad Reports of problems with manual gearboxes. Serious problem with the printed circuit boards that control the automatic load compensating headlamp beam adjusters of Type Rs which may become the subject of a safety recall. >>>> Can anyone elaborate on what the "problems with manual gearboxes" actually are? I've got a 2001 Accord, got it at 12 months old with 10000 miles and right from day one going into first hasn't always been perfect - but not a problem.
• My first points! 21 Apr 2002 (Forum)
  thing is, l can only get 6 points in my first 2 years of driving and l get an automatic ban. If its 6, its off to court l go and 3 means l spend the next 18 months crawling around as one slip and l'm ! For this reason l can't risk the court route and it was a fair cop guv'.
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  2016 Asta K SRI Sports Tourer: Manual Hanbrake roll away? 18 Nov 2016 (Ask HJ)
  I looked at other Astra chat-rooms before placing my Astra K order. One issue I researched were the cases where Astras with an electronic parking brake...
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  auto gearbox choice 23 Jun 2016 (Ask HJ)
  I briefly owned a 2009 VW Passat Estate – the 2.0L (138 bhp? TDi Highline version), with the DSG gearbox. Pulling out of a side road or entering a traffic...
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  Unintended incrimination syndrome 26 Jun 2010 (Ask HJ)
  On 11 February 2010 I was driving my nine-month-old automatic Yaris on the A65 between Skipton and Ilkley in Yorkshire. As I approached some temporary...
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  Will a used hybrid still drive if the hybrid battery is dead? 24 Nov 2025 (Ask HJ)
  I am thinking of buying an older Toyota Auris hybrid, to benefit from cheap road tax. My question is what if the hybrid battery was not holding its charge,...
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  What small SUV do you recommend for me? 20 Jun 2025 (Ask HJ)
  When I retired from full time employment 12 years ago I gave up company cars (always petrol) and bought an 18 month old BMW X1. It is now at 95000 miles...
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  Does the B+E category on my licence change when I reach 70 years old? 11 Aug 2024 (Ask HJ)
  I am 71 years of age and have renewed my driving license. I have category B+E on my license dating from 1975, which the DVLA says means I can drive a...