Questions from August 2010
You are mention runflat tyres to avoid the danger of changing a wheel on a dangerous road or motorway hard shoulder. But I have not heard you mention the product "Puncturesafe" that instantly repairs all...
Eight years ago I contacted you on behalf of my wife. She wanted a small, new, 5-door hatchback with aircon for under £10k. Your reply consisted of two words, fortunately these were "Toyota Yaris". We...
I've just bought a 51-plate Citroen Xsara Picasso from auction. There have been some strange messages coming up on the dash, such as an 'overspeed inactive' warning as well as an 'electrical immobiliser...
Could you give me information on popular makes of estate diesels and hatchbacks which have cam chains please?
I have a 1999 Citroen Saxo. Which of the three relays above the fusebox is the one for the heated rear window?
I received a recall letter last Wednesday for a potential problem with my Audi A4's plenum chamber. Ironically my car broke down on Saturday and, according to the AA, it was caused by water corrosion in...
I am a trustee of a small UK charity working to improve primary education in Uganda. We are trying to find a suitable secondhand vehicle for use in our charity's work in a rural area of Uganda. One possibility...
The car is a 2007 Renault Laguna 150 DCI. The windscreen is developing spots, about 3mm in diameter, like semi-transparent watermarks which are inside the screen, perhaps between the laminate layers. They...
We are looking at a 1.4 Fiesta Titanium in Sea Grey. The dealer is offering it at £12,000 plus our Y-reg Puma valued at £1200. I'd like reversing sensors and mud flaps included but the dealer won't budge....
My sister-in-law purchased a Hyundai i10 under the Scappage Scheme 12 months ago and is highly delighted with the car. During the recent hot spell she has been using the air conditioning but insists on...
Back in January this year I year I e-mailed for advice on the Skoda 1.2 TSI 105 engine in the Yeti SE as I was concerned about the power for a large car, having driven nothing smaller than a 1.9 engine...
The central locking and alarm system of my 2002 BMW 318i Touring has started to malfunction. Sometimes the system will operate normally, other times not unlocking any doors and on occasion, only releasing...
I recently took part in a couple of community clean up days in villages in my area. Much of the litter along the verges appeared to come from cars. Cars have glove compartments, cigarette lighters and...
I have a Kuga 2.0 Titanium diesel and it’d brand new. However my pride and joy has been in the garage for the last month because of engine malfunction. The AA believe it is particulate fuel filter issues,...
I've taken your advice and won't deal with a Swedish buyer for my car who wants to pay be bank transfer and have his agent pick the car up. However I am curious to know how the money would be taken back...
In 1971 I was working as a car salesman. It was a Saturday and I had just filled the tank of my demonstration car. I was in the countryside and I had to stop for a cow on the road. However I was on the...
Could you advise on a used car for my daughter approx £2,000 - £2,500. Model and age info would be helpful and any advice as to professional check on vehicle before purchase,
You have occasionally commented on electric cars, but I guess you are unlikely to be fully aware of the future influence of such vehicles, specifically their impact within the context of global warming...
The rear fog light indicator on the dash of my Golf Mk IV can be seen pulsating faintly although it is not switched on. This occurs only when the right hand turn signal is being made. Could this be a bad...
An elderly friend bought within the last few months from a recognised retailer a Vauxhall Vectra for £1,400. The car has now had to be taken to the workshops for a reconditioned gearbox at a cost of about...
Your readers might be interested in my recent experience of renewing my membership of the AA (of which I am a long-term member). Their renewal letter quoted a premium of £194 (covering Relay and Family)....
Does the piston hit the valves if a cam belt snaps on a Lexus IS200 1999? If there is a small 6mm washer in the piston would it just rattle around or would it damage the engine?
My Ford Mondeo is a 2003 TDCi 130bhp Ghia. Since last week, as I apply acceleration to my car gently from 0 up till 85mph, it feels like it is losing power but it never cuts out fully. But, if I accelerate...
I am tempted to buy a '98 BMW 318i E46 manual from a dealer here in Singapore. I drove a E30 316i manual for few years about 15 years ago and like the 'BMW manual feel". How do you rate this car?
Help! can you please tell me where I can get a user manual for my 51-plate Citroen Xsara Picasso?
Can you tell me all about the 2001 Citroen Xsara Picasso 8v petrol?
My UK car insurer will insure me, while in Europe, for 90 days as standard plus another 90 for an extra premium. I wish to be in Europe (Spain, France & Portugal only) for 270 days. Can you suggest an...
Ford has given me an incredibly complicated template for dipped lights in Europe, but the accessory shop sells small (AA-approved, I think) plastic tear-shaped panels - nothing like the Ford offering....
I've just had a new steering rack installed, and then had to have the power steering sensor replaced. Now a warning light comes up on the dashboard and the steering is heavy at low speed and light at high...
I have a Vauxhall Meriva 1.7CDTi. When I depress the clutch slightly I hear a small noise. Is that normal?
The engine auto light is on in my Peugeot 307. The display shows 'Anti-Pollution Fault'. Can you help?
I have an almost new Alfa Romeo 159 TI. I have no complaints with the car other than a battery problem. There are occasions when I have to attend conferences abroad, leaving the car in the open air car...
My granddaughter has a 2007 Polo 1.4. Two days ago she started the car as usual and endeavoured to drive off. She released the handbrake and found that the car would not move (it seemed to be straining...
I have an eight-month-old Octavia hatchback 1.9TDI. At 68-70mph there is a noise that can only be described as like blowing across the top of a bottle, but quite loud. The dealer has said that it is 'wind...
I have recently taken delivery of a nearly-new, 4900-mile Fiesta 1.6TDCi Titanium. After only a few days, I noticed that two warning lights, the engine management and power steering lights, did not go...
My Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI is juddering. The ESP light is on, along with the emissions workshop light. What could be causing this?
After travelling about 300 miles, I parked my Renault Master 2.2 DCi for two days, went to start it and it won't start. I checked the fuel and it's coming through, but I have seen on the control panel...
My 60-year-old mother is going to buy a new car and is trying to decide between an automatic Volkswagen Golf 1.6 and an automatic Ford Focus 1.6. I drive a Volkswagen Polo, which is great for me as I'm...
I read recently about a chap who had inadvertently driven down a private road, turned around at a convenient spot and made an exit from the area. He noticed he was being filmed doing this. Later he received...
Can these accurately pick out one car in a line of cars? I was caught exceeding the speed limit when in a line of cars that had overtaken another vehicle on a straight stretch of road. The mobile unit...
My daughter is thinking of buying a 2004 Vauxhall Meriva 1.6 Life. Are they reliable?
I bought a 2005 Vauxhall Meriva in March this year. The car recently died on me, so I coasted off the road. The temperature looked ok. I saw steam or smoke coming from under the bonnet. I lifted it to...
I am looking to buy a new Mazda MX-5 Roadster Powershift. Some of the best deals I have found are through online car brokers. However, on checking these companies they register the car to a fleet to obtain...
My warranty company has now agreed to pay for a blown turbochrger but not the intercooler, which the garage says now has oil in it. My policy states that the intercooler is covered but the warranty company...
Our 1974 Volkswagen Beetle 1303S is struggling to pull away. When you accelerate it feels as though petrol is not getting through, as the car jerks and is very difficult to drive. Do you have any ideas...
I have read about problems with the "Teves ESP unit" on Volkswagen cars, in particular the Touran. How can I find out which model of unit I have on my 58-reg Touran?
I currently run a five-year-old Peugeot 206 SW which has been fine, but I would like to consider changing to something of a similar size that would provide a better (softer) ride, as my wife and I are...
I'm having a problem with my Nissan Primera 2-litre diesel estate. The engine management light came on, the car cut out and now won't start.
A high pitched whine from the lower front of the engine compartment of my 2005 Passat Highline 2.0 TDi (77,000 miles) was diagnosed by my Volkswagen dealer as a faulty air conditioning compressor, in which...
I've seen a P-reg BMW 320i Cabriolet E36 with 237,000 miles, which looks alright and has a full BMW service history and MoT. The seller says it drives fine. Can these easily do more miles, or is this a...
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