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• Passat 'Climatronic' fault 8 Apr 2003 (Forum)
  Having finally put SWMBO's 1.8 20V Passat back together following a cambelt failure (20 very bent valves, but thankfully no other damage!), I gave it a 30-mile 'test run' last night - and all seemed well :-) However, on starting the car this morning, the 'Climatronic' system just refused to operate - no display, no nothing. Resorting to technical diagnosis, I gave the surrounding area a couple of 'gentle thumps', whereupon the system sprang into life!
• Carina E Problems 6 Apr 2003 (Forum)
  Also it has a problem with 'Pinking'... it again seems to occur when accelerating but at low RPM around 1500 - 2500. I have checked the timing and bridged the terminals in the diag box and its running @ 10. Lastly the throttle seems to stick closed when cold... this only happens when the car has been left. Once you give the throttle a blip its fine. The car is a 97 model with a 1800cc 7AFE engine.
• Seat Leon Cupra & LPG 28 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  So, I have 3 options: 1) Covert to LPG and gamble that nothing major goes wrong with the engine. 2) Sell the Cupra and go for the Diesel Leon. 3) Stop drinking so much beer and carry on running on petrol. Any thoughts please? Paul.
• OMEGA 2.5 Coolant Leak 13 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  I have a coolant leak at the rear of the engine on my 1999 2.5 V6 Omega although it is only minor and doesn\'t necesitate frequently topping up the reservoir. The leak runs down the back of the block on the offside, adjacent to the gearbox leaving a very small drip on the garage floor but is only apparent once the engine has cooled down. My local Vauxhall dealer has had the car in three times now and charged me over £550 to replace the coolant bridge seals at the back of the engine, a thermostat housing and a heater valve.
• Astra fuel leak - urgent help for HF! 20 Feb 2003 (Forum)
  We've noticed what appears to be a diesel leak emanating from what we assume is one of the glow plugs of which there are 4 running left to right across the engine. It is the right hand plug as you look into the engine bay and the diesel is dripping out quite freely. We've only noticed the problem when her car is parked facing down the hill outside (as it was last week when we met Mark and is again today).
• New speed bump type? 14 Feb 2003 (Forum)
  They are perhaps a couple of metres long and a narrow width about the same or a little less than the track of many cars. Result is that your tyres hardly run over them to lift the car so the underbody etc is exposed to their full height. The way they are situated the only option to minimise potential damage it to straddle the white line to drive betwen them.
• Where to buy TFR 15 Jan 2003 (Forum)
  This was diluted, sprayed on and then left on the cars for a few minutes. After a short while you would see long streaks of grime running down the sides of the car. You could then lightly hose off the car, leaving it sparkling underneath. It's great for getting salt and other winter debris off without risking scratching with a sponge, although for best results I always used to use a bucket of hot water, autoglym and a sponge afterwards.
• Replacement for Peugeot 505 13 Jan 2003 (Forum)
  I'd also like something that won't cost me a fortune in repair bills and be as economical as possible to run. (I know not many people want a car like this...!) Any suggestions, based on all the collective wisdom and experience out there? And if you know anyone who wants a 505 that still has some life in it....Thank you!
• Oil only services 6 Jan 2003 (Forum)
  I've got a 1996 VW Polo 1.0 in good nick,76k, which is now used for very local/travel to BR stations trips, less than 6k a year. I'm going to run it into the ground. I can do the basic checks myself (brakes/other fluids/tyres etc and fill the washer bottle, which is something I've always been charged for whether it needs it or not)and if I spot something amiss that involves more than basic maintenance I take it to the garage.
• Intro to Diesels - what should I know? 23 Dec 2002 (Forum)
  I now know about the heating up time before you turn it over. I heard that you sould NEVER EVER let a diesel run out of gas or its an expensive Garage job (but I still don\'t know why). I now know you can\'t put any old oil in it, but thats about it. Oh and I know never to put petrol in it!!! What else should I know.
• Idling variation 22 Dec 2002 (Forum)
  My Yaris usually idles at 1500rpm or so when cold, but drops to what seems to be little over 600 when hot. It actually sounds rather rough when hot, but I assume this is because it's running as slow as practical. The only thing is, sometimes, but not often, it idles a bit faster when warm - up to about 1200. (This is taking a guess based on the tacho which has a very low resolution) I sometimes find this a bit of a problem, as it's much harder to catch it on the bite when the engine is warm - I either end up revving it too much, or practically stalling it as on a short journey you get used to it idling high at first, then forget it gets slower once the engine has warmed up...
• Let's have a heated debate 17 Dec 2002 (Forum)
  I suppose living in an area of West Sussex where the pavements can be as high as 4 inches does provide a reason for some of them ;-) but I am sure I would feel a lot less aggrieved if these monsters paid for the inconvenience they cause (taking up extra road space, causing obstructions, being difficult to see past, dazzling with high mounted headlights) if their drivers had to pay an extra road fund licence; I'm thinking of something like £500 for a Freelander up to £1,500 for a Land Cruiser. If the people who buy these monsters can afford to run the darn things, they can afford the extra. Comments?
• BMW tyre choice 15 Dec 2002 (Forum)
  My son sold his 1991 320Ci (170 b.h.p.)last year becuse he was unhappy with the tram lining and wayward handling above approx 85 m.p.h. He has been running a 530d SE for 12 months, which has handled brilliantly, but not enough poke. Recently he has been test driving 330Ci coupes, (all with different tyres) and discovered that they tram-lined on all tyres except Dunlop SP Sports, on which the handling was superb.
• Peugeot 306 TD Meridian - S Oct 98 7 Dec 2002 (Forum)
  When I stop and turn the key to switch off, the engine cuts but a 'ratchett' type noise sounds (as if something is 'running on'). I had a new alternator put on the car (about a year ago), as the other one gave up the ghost, but don't know if would be anything in that area. Being a bit light.....okay very light.....on knowledge of car problems, can any of you advise what you think it could be?
• Damp Starts 11 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  The car starts perfectly every time I start it, but on a cold, damp morning, it stutters along for the first 10 minutes or so of my journey to work. It really hits acceleration and makes the car shake a lot. But after 10 minutes or so the car runs perfectly again and is very responsive. Are there any checks or replacements I can perform to alleviate the problem? I recently replaced the spark plugs, but the HT leads are 5 years old now - could they be replaced?
• BMW 318Ti 7 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  What are the views on a) the price (seems about right to me, HJ has seen quite a few higher mileage ones at auction recently) b) more importantly the mechanics after 5-6 years of shortish runs, I'm normally a believer in high mileage low price and do not want to pay top dollar for a car that that's going to need brakes, tyres, battery etc, the moment I drive away. plus the fact I'd prefer a 5 speed manual.
• Petrol in Diesel URGENT answer reqd pse 2 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  Friend has just put a qty of petrol in his diesel car. Driven about 10 miles before realising. It is still running. Mix is about 80% petrol 20% diesel and tank is probably abot 75% full. My initial advice was not to use further, siphon out as much as possible and top up with clean diesel before further driving, (this is difficult because he is 10 miles from civilisation.
• Impending gasket problems 309? :( 21 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  I'm confused, but could these symtpoms indicate gasket problems? I've been wondering about the cold running for a while - its great once warm. Just posting this because I was concerned about the warning light.
• peugeot 405 idle 15 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  The problem is the idle. On startup the car seems to want to idle well below the 850rpm mark. I can't start the car and run it without keeping my foot on the accelerator to keep the revs up. I've fudged a workaround by changing the position of the clip on the accelerator cable where it joins the injector unit. Though this means that the car sometimes idles about the 1200-1400rpm mark, once it has warmed up.
• Diesel LPG Conversions 12 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  Performance was impressive, being able to switch between LPG and diesel on the move - the performance increase when running on LPG was immediatley apparrent. Noise was no different, if a little quieter. The diesel fuelling is apparently dialled back and LPG is fed in, resulting in a real dual-fuel vehicle with a terrific range.