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• Skoda Fabia Comfort 16v Auto - starting problem - Skoda Fabia 2 Jun 2010 (Forum)
  /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} --> Hi, I have been having starting problems with my Skoda Fabia automatic car for the past two months and would appreciate any help from the members. Observed symptoms- 1.  I can start the car first time in the day (cold start) 2.  I can restart the car if I start just after minutes of stopping the car (say around five or ten minute stop after a short drive).
• The life and times of the humble glowplug... 27 Jan 2010 (Forum)
  In modern DI/CR units, the glowplugs only really come in to play to aid starting in sub zero temperatues. However, I suspect that even if no yellow light appears on the dashboard, they may be used automatically after a cold start, to reduce pollution and aid smooth running for a few seconds. Clearly, these devices have developed a lot in recent years and now heat up far quicker than they did a few years back.
• Ford S-MAX (2006 - ) - Auto v Manual - running costs etc. 14 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  I currently drive a 2000W Saab 9-5 2.3t automatic, and love the gearbox. It's happily done 102,000 miles now, but it is super comfortable for 4, but it's surprisingly difficult to get 3 car seats across the back. I am currently looking at a Ford S-Max for my growing family.
• Renault Scenic (2003 - 2009) - Repair and sell....or just sell? 15 Oct 2009 (Forum)
  Hi Looking for some honest judgement and advice from those in the know. I have a 2002 petrol automatic 1.8 Renault Scenic (5 door expression+ with 70000 miles). It has the well discussed problem where the brake servo hisses (needing a replacement of the sealed unit costing 200+ and 5 hours of labour to fix).
• Bad manners in the Motor Accessory Store 3 Jun 2009 (Forum)
  Whoomp - This bloke ( another customer) then almost burst his nose on the end of my shoulder. Automatically i said "sorry about that, I thought you were going to pass behind me" Silence from him. Then I realised that he had intended just to bustle straight in front of me (as they do in Smiths). Not only that - but that inadvertently I said something that could almost be considered `smart` and that it might be considered that i had given him a bit of a `put down` having purposefully impeded his right to walk straight in front of me.
• Toyota Celica (1994 - 2000) - 95 2.0 Auto - holding too high a gear 16 Apr 2009 (Forum)
  I have a 1995 grey-import Celica GT convertible (Gen6) it has 3SGE engine with 4speed automatic box. The gearbox is holding too high a gear in "normal" mode - reluctant to downshift on hills/underload or when I kick it down, making he car is feeling very sluggish When I switch it into "PWR" mode using the button next to the gear lever, it behaves much more normally - changes down much earlier, responds to throttle much more quickly and gives much more revs (as one would expect), although in some situatons does hold the gear more than would be expected.
• Honda CR-V III (2007 - ) - Michelin Tyres 13 Apr 2009 (Forum)
  In fact, I'm considering trying the pressures at 28psi all round to see if this makes any difference to the ride and drive, in general. Has anyone any experience of this problem with the Honda CRV (Sport) Petrol Automatic in particular, or the Michelin tyres fitted, as quoted above, please.
• Ensuring you receive your Fixed Penalty Points 18 Mar 2009 (Forum)
  So if you overpay the fixed penalty by sending a cheque for the full amount plus £1 the system will then automatically generate a refund cheque for the over-payment and send it to you. If you fail to present this payment the system will unfortunately remain 'open' and will be unable to generate the 'send your licence for endorsement' demand part of the program.
• Vauxhall Astra G Petrol (1998 - 2004) - 02 1.6 Car cutting out (recurrent fault) 10 Jan 2009 (Forum)
  Hi, I have an ongoing problem with my car. It's a 1.6 8 valve Vauxhall Astra Automatic (2002). Last year the car started to cut out when approaching a junction or roundabout, when the revs would drop to under 1 thousand then the revs would completely cut out and the car would stall.
• '01 Civic: what to expect to go wrong? 4 Jan 2009 (Forum)
  Or for a more mainstream choice a little homework has pointed me in the way of the Honda Civic. I'd like an automatic. My budget will probably fetch me a 2001 to 2003 example. It'll be used mostly for daily 50-mile m'way round-trips at 70: no speed-merchant, I. Which engine-size is likely to be the quietest (or is there little in it)?
• Citroen Xsara Picasso (2000 - 2010) - 02 2.0 HDi Engine Fault - knocking/jerking 23 Dec 2008 (Forum)
  Please can somebody help? Many thanks, Chris {edited subject header to remove repeated words that are automatically put in from your drop down menu choice and compulsory year and engine detail boxes}
• Nissan Primera (1990 - 1996) - 1994 2.0 Overheating, over revving, and no power 11 Dec 2008 (Forum)
  Also, the engine revs at idle have remained high (1500) for longer than usual. I put this down to the cold spell and the automatic choke remaining on for longer. On my way home last night, however, the temperature gauge didn't move at all for three miles, then rose to just below the red, and eventually into the red. At the same time, I noticed a loss of power steering and that the engine was reaching revs of 2500.
• Cars impractical for small people too 15 Aug 2008 (Forum)
  ., nor do they provide a range of adjustment that allows short people to avoid sitting 2 ins from the wheel! Its one of the reasons she has gone for automatics because she can sit further back on account of no clutch, which generally needs pushing down much further than either of the other two pedals. She reckons she gains 2-3 inches in legroom by going auto and it allows her to sit more comfortably too.
• Aircon failed. Fault finding suggestions 7 Aug 2008 (Forum)
  I had the system recharged a year ago ( after three years of ownership ). It was done at an independant on an automatic machine. I was told that it would not recharge unless a solid vacuum was retained for about 30 mins during the process. Since this recharge the effectiveness has slowly reduced. I am guessing I have a leak rather than a compressor or other fault.
• SEAT Cordoba (1994 - 2003) - Vario 98 1.9TDi central locking leak 3 Apr 2008 (Forum)
  When one locks the doors, they all still lock, but the vacuum pump continues to run for about half a minute, after which point the doors will not unlock automatically. It was more of an inconvenience when I couldn't easily open the fuel filler cap despite following the instructions in the manual! I have found the source of the leak to be the locking mechanism for the fuel filler cap; fiddling with the mechanism gets the locking working normally.
• Honda Accord UK (1998 - 2003) - Sell or store - which is best? 22 Mar 2008 (Forum)
  .), and when I get back it'll need new pads and discs all round, a new timing belt, and a fluids change. It's a Honda Accord (2000) SE Executive, with the 2.0 engine and automatic gearbox + plus all the various trimmings. No problem about going down on the comfort level provided I still have air-con. :-) Any advice? Oh, and one other thing - are all the 4 year old Peugeot 307s on eBay being advertised for about £4k with 1 mile on the clock con-jobs, 'cos there's a lot of them.
• Renault Laguna (1994 - 2001) - 1994 2.0rxe auto - System Malfunction 25 Feb 2008 (Forum)
  Hi, I have just purchased a Laguna 1994 2.0rxe automatic and have a few faults that i'd like to find out exactly what they are before i decide what to do with the car. Firstly the voice synthesizer tells me that there is a system malfunction, i have no idea what this means, could anyone shed some light on it?
• Mitsubishi Grandis MPV (2004 - ) - 05 2.4 auto, car tramlining and weaving around 9 Feb 2008 (Forum)
  Car Details: 2005 Mitsubishi Grandis Warrior, 2.4 Petrol Automatic - 7 seater MPV Running on Alloys and Low Profile tryes as supplied and set up by Mitsubishi UK Tyres are Continental Sport Contact 2, size and rating is 235/45/ZR18, 98W, "Extra Load" Car weaves around terribly, even at slow speeds (e.g. 20mph) often makes you feel you are not in control of steering, need to be frequently correcting it from a swerve, even when driving in straight lines.
• Suzuki - New AA Warranty Catastrophe Cover: is it worth it? 8 Feb 2008 (Forum)
  Costing £8.99, rather than the regular £25 a month, it is intended to provide major mechanical breakdown repairs, but carries a higher excess of £300. Costly problems flagged up by the AA include automatic transmission and cam belt failures. ?It?s the costly threat of a broken gearbox, failed engine or other catastrophic problems that most concerns people when they take out insurance,? said AA Warranty managing director Simon Tennyson.
• Common courtesy...does lack of it affect you? 5 Feb 2008 (Forum)
  - PU :-) spelling corrected from 'effect' to 'affect'. And thank you, Stephen, for the excellent new feature that automatically updates all the headers in the thread. HJ