Ask Honest John

Most recently answered maintenance and servicing questions
I own a 2005 Ford Fusion 1.4 manual petrol. It keeps losing power in second gear, accompanied by a burning smell. I heard two loud bangs in the rear of car as well.
How often does the pollen filter in a Nissan Note N-Tec 1.4 need changing?
I have a 2011 Ford Mondeo 2.0 Titanium X with an automatic gearbox. It's done 70,000 miles and is a good car with no problems so far. I've heard that this type of box becomes unreliable after such mileage....
I've just acquired a 2004 Citroen C5 saloon that's done 100,000 miles. I've been driving it for a few weeks now and have an anti-pollution warning light on the dash. Is this serious? There is some service...
We have decided to purchase a year old Volvo V40. It's a second car that would have be mostly short journeys and twice weekly 40 mile commutes, doing about 10,000 miles per year. The debate we are currently...
I own a 2007 Nissan Navara D40 LE top spec model with 70,000 miles. Every extra and gadget is installed and it's in showroom condition as I've only used it as a Chelsea tractor. It's on sale for €8000,...
I have just acquired a K reg Volvo 850 GLT with just 25,000 fully-documented miles on the clock. Is it okay to use super-unleaded fuel in this car? Also, would it be wise to use a petrol additive such...
I use Castrol XL30 monograde oil in my Ford E93A engine and bulk buying is cheaper. What would be the shelf life of the oil?
I purchased a 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLK, in immaculate condition, last April from a main dealer for £20,250 with 8000 miles on the clock. The garage informed me in December that the vehicle needed a complete...
The headlights and dashboard of my Peugeot 206 come on when the car is switched off. When I open the driver's door they turn off. There's also high pitch screeching from behind the dash.