July 2004

Question Ford Ka 1.3 Oil Type

mc on 19 July 2004

Hi all,

My Y reg 1.3 Ford Ka is due an oil change and I've lost the vehicle handbook.
Can anyone tell me what type of oil is required ? I would have though 10w/40 would do, but Ford tell me it requires 5W/30, which i found unusal & expensive !!

Any help appreciated

Cheers
Read more

mc on 20 July 2004

Thanks Guys,

Think I'll make a trip to my local Ford garage. Might as well, better quality oil for less money.

Thanks for the feedback

Question Volkswagen Passat (2001 - 2005) - 2001 Service Reset

wonderwheels on 26 July 2004

How do you reset the service computer display on the car?. The manual says with Ignition off hold the trip reset button in and then turn the clock buttoon right (mins) and it should reset. All I have succeeded in doing is reseting my Trip computer and adjusting my clock. Read more

squidlips on 23 June 2015

Absolutely spot on! Tried it on my 2003, took 30 seconds, job done. I always do my own services so this makes it a lot easier for me. Thanks mate.

Question Windscreen Chip Repair - does it work ?

GP on 10 July 2004

Picked up a stone chip yesterday. The chip is about the size of a 5 pence piece and I suspect is an MOT failure. Rather annoying as it's an old Bentley and only does about 500 miles a year. Replacing the screen is not very attractive given the age of the vehicle. A number of companies claim they can repair the damage (the screen is laminated). They do warn however, that the process has a risk of cracking the windscreen. Autoglass claim the unique chip repair system will give an almost invisible repair (£70), while national windscreens (£45) don't make such a claim. Any comments on your experience would be most welcome. Read more

skidpan on 18 March 2013

Over the past 15 or so years we have had 5 repairs carried out. Originally they were free, the last one cost me a tenner. After repair only one has cracked and needed replacement but since the repair cost nothing no reason to complain, the repair is garanteed thus they deduct the tenner from your excess if replacement is needed later. The degree to how invisible the repair was has varied but all have been more than acceptable and we have never had an MOT issue. Never had an issue with resin being smeared on the screen, the repair people have always ensurred that any excess has been removed with a sharp blade and have then polished the screen.

Question Radweld - is it worth trying?

Cambridge on 30 July 2004

N reg VW Passat.
It has a minor coolant leak from somewhere.
The reservoir drops from max to min over about six months.

Is Radweld worth trying?
Will it work OK in a VW, as I understand they use a special coolant.

Thanks for your help.
Read more

Mapmaker on 3 August 2004

A new radiator cap may solve your problems. They too wear out. £2.50.

Question Renault - Timing Belt Failures

Hjwd on 25 July 2004

The fact is that Renault are using the 18k (ie, 18, 36, 54 & 72k) service interval and 72,000 timing belt replacement as a selling point in order to attract customers. And this is what swung me.

But my point here is that a car manufacturer should ensure that such a critical component as a timing belt should be replaced before the warranty mileage is achieved.

Which in Renaults case :-

Warranty : 60,000 miles or 3 years whichever is sooner.
Timing Belt Replacement:
72,000 or 5 years whichever is sooner.

This just doesn't stack up!

Surely, it is in Renaults own interest to ensure that the timing belt is replaced, so enhancing the reputation and reliability of their vehicles. Even replacing it during the 54k service if need be.

At least I know it's something I will take control of in the future and not rely on the manufacturers service recommendations. A lesson learnt!

If my experience can help make people aware and so avoid this problem then my post has been worth it.

PS : Japanese car-makers are moving over to using timing-chains instead. Aiming for 70% of new cars by the end of 2005! Say no more!
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Wigham on 26 December 2007

Thanks for the warnings everybody as I own 2 Meganes and my wife one. I enjoy driving the vehicles and as a mechanic specializing in heavy machinery I let the local Renault agent look after my cars. You may be interested to know that the heavy machinery I service, that service periods are based on fuel used, not engine hrs or mileage. The modern car computer is capable of recording fuel totals used and I cant understand why the car manufactures dont switch over to that system. A car used round town and city only will do high engine hours with low mileage against a vehicle that does high speed open road driving. This would perhaps prevent what some would term as early cam belt failures. Food for thought. Perhaps worth considering. I am of the opion regardless of warranty that if a manufacturer states a period of time that a belt should last then thats exactly what it is and the manufacturer should be lible for the full cost of repair for an early failure.

Question VW Passat central locking problem

Turbodog on 4 July 2004

Anybody out there know how to un-jam a locked door on my 1999 VW Passat? Whether I use the remote or the key in the door the rear nearside door refuses to unlock; it just stopped opening yesterday for some reason, and will mean the kids have to get out on the road side....
Thanks Read more

Stuartli on 15 July 2004

This just might be something to do with the automatic central locking security feature.

I have a 1999 (2000 year specification) Bora and found out, quite by chance shortly after geting it that, if you use the remote to unlock the car and then don't open one of the front doors within 30 seconds, it automatically locks itself again.

It does mention this in the handbook, but I found out whilst washing the Bora and unlocking it to enable me to clean inside the doors after doing the exterior; each time I did, it locked itself after half-a-minute or so....:-)

The handbook also pointed out that the first click of the remote opens the driver's door and a second press is required to open the other doors. It doesn't state how you can configure these settings, only to go to a franchised dealership.

Forum Follow me home headlamps

Harty on 22 July 2004

Please excuse my ignorance but what does this mean?

Cheers Read more

Stuartli on 25 July 2004

Follow me home headlamps all sounds a bit saucy to me...:-))

Question Stretch bolts - how are they different

mfarrow on 23 July 2004

... to normal bolts? I presume they stretch when you tighten them. Do they stay stetched, and this is why you can't use them again in case they break?

Also, why do car manufacturers use them? Surely 'normal' bolts work just as well, and had done for year!

Cheers

Mike Farrow Read more

Mapmaker on 6 August 2004

What alloy do they use with such a long plastic part of its curve?

Question Clio Starting Problem

Stuart25 on 22 July 2004

Hi,
I've got a 1997 1.2 Clio. I've had it since new and it's been regularly serviced. In the last couple of months it's developed an intermittent starting problem. The start motor turns all the time but sometimes it shows no signs of firing. It can take up to ten attempts to start but once it does it runs fine. Sometims though it starts first time.

I've searched the forum and someone had a similar problem when the engine was hot and fixed it by replacing the Coolant Temperature Sensor but my problem seems to occur mostly when the engine is cold.

Could it still be the sensor that needs replacing or something else?

It'd definitely getting fuel and I replaced the plugs and leads to try and fix the problem but it's no better.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Stu. Read more

Gingga on 7 November 2010

I have reached the end of my teather with my 51 plate clio clio dynamique 1.2 16v, once a week it point blank refuses to start have to push start it. I have replaced the crank shaft sensor with loom, also replaced the coolant temperature sensor to no avail. The most annoying thing is the rest of the time it starts and drives perfect just once a week it wont start when cold.

Question Dulpicate remote key for Toyota Yaris

milky on 13 July 2004

My wife has lost her remote operating master key to her Toyota Yaris.The spare set is a non-remote key which opens the car and starts the engine.
Our local Toyota dealer says they cannot supply us with a new remote master key and can only supply a key which opens the car doors but does NOT start the engine.
They want around £1500 to fit a new set of locks and a new electronic management control box. WE are devastated as we are OAP's and cannot afford it.
I contacted the Toyota factory in Sunderland and they appeared to confirm the dealers comments.
Anyone out there help.. as we are concerned about to use the car with only one set on keys.It's really worrying,
Any help or assistance or comments from others who have had similar experience welcome.
Cheers
Read more

Avant on 1 October 2010

Milky hasn't posted since 2004, so probably turned cheesy long ago.

If anyone sees this and knows of a currently-available way round the problem, please post here.