More Car Woes - Fed Up :(

[revjames]

Have had a Cmax 1.6 tdci for a few years now its on on 07 plate.

Last year just before the MOT I was aware of noise coming from the back. As its done 100K I decided to change both rear hubs. The noise persisted and I now also had an ABS light on. Noise turned out to be tyres.....

Before Christmas I had to go down south as a relative was very ill and lost power. I was told it was EGR valve. Car has been running badly since. I am told you can blank them off.

So anyway car now has ABS light, Brake warning light, Engine management light, runs awful, so I decided to get to the bottom of the worst and safety related problem the ABS, garage at work put diagnostics on and it came up with RR ABS sensor ring tooth missing. So I think it must be a dodgy hub bearing, since I changed it last year its still under warranty so I get the paperwork out and get a new one and send old one back. Great. ABS light comes back on so I get diagnostics plugged in again. - LR ABS sensor ring tooth missing!!!!!!!!

Not funny anymore. at least the red brake warning light has gone off but still got ABS light on all the time..... To cap it all I decided whilst I was at it I would blank off the EGR valve - so tackled it - very tricky and awkward to get to but I managed. car STILL running poor with no power on hills etc......

looking at possibly getting rid but who would buy it with all those problems,,,,,,,,

cars - what a pain. used to enjoy working on them but not any more

signing off

thoroughly fed up

peed off

and

the weathers doing my head in as well

 

[ProDave]

A lot of warning lights don't go off on their own, they need to be reset once the fault is fixed.

we have similar electronic issues with Mrs PD's VW touran (another POS car)

The engine management light comes on regularly.  It's a fuel issue. It doesn't like supermarket petrol,  We just ignore it now.  Bought a device for £20 from ebay that lets you read out fault codes and reset the lights.  I stop on the way for an MOT test and reset the engine management light and have no further trouble.

Last MOT if failed on exhaust emissions. That was a stuck EGR valve. Bypassing it is not an option on a petrol engine as it will fail on emissions, so it had to be replaced, but I understand you can blank it off on a diesel engine.

This is the first car we have had all this hassle of electronic diagnostics and the faults they throw up.  I firmly believe that any car made now will eventually end up in the scrap yard, not because it has rusted out or the engine has blown up, but because the electronics have packed up and the cost of fixing it is more than the car is worth.  What a disgraceful waste that will be imho.

I'm inclined to keep my 04 Subaru for as long as I can. That has never had any silly electronic issues, just normal stuff (needed one new shock absorber for last MOT)  I hope by the time that eventually gives up I will have retired, and I will seriously consider just using my 1972 Landrover as my normal car. No electronics. No emissions test on the MOT, most mechanics DIY repairable, Galvanised chassis so no rust, no road tax and £100 classic car insurance.

you need to find a friendly local cheap garage with the full diagnostic test kit who can look at why your engine is running so badly without charging you main dealer prices.  I just found there is a guy in our village working from his garage at home with all the test kit, so that's where I will go next time we have an issue with it.

 

[revjames]

Thanks Dave, garage at work put diagnostics on it on thursday after I fitted new hub and did the EGR and the ABS fault had now beentransferred to the other back wheel and there was an EGR fault logged but as it was now blanked it didnt matter so it was re set. engine management has since come back on. Seriously looking at getting shut of it but a bit strapped.

 

[NozSpark]

The engine management light on our old Vectra would come on occasionally... when that happened it would go into limp mode (no turbo)

No longer have the car now though

 

[Evans Electric]

Oh for the simplicity of the old Morris Minor.

Cranking handle included. :innocent

 

[Andy™]

well if it makes you feel any better i had to fix the rubber bush in the panhard rod on mine today... couldnt get one locally so made one form duct tape...

Oh for the simplicity of the old Morris Minor.

Cranking handle included. :innocent

& gas powered lights

 

[sprocketflup]

Oh for the simplicity of the old Morris Minor.

Cranking handle included. :innocent

I am thinking more and more along these lines as the days go by tbh

 

[revjames]

Just been out in the jalopy. Went up South Stack hill, parked up for a few mins. Started it up and it was normal (eng mgmt light still on) but proper power delivery until I stopped at a set of lights and then it was gutless again. Its definitely going to limp mode. ABS can only be a faulty hub or something as it was fine before I changed them last year.

 

[OnOff]

Get a classic!

Announced in the Budget............VED rolling exemption on classics 40 years old from Apr 1st

 

[ProDave]

Oh for the simplicity of the old Morris Minor.

Cranking handle included. :innocent

I am thinking more and more along these lines as the days go by tbh

I thoroughly recommend an old Landrover. Of all the "classic" cars it's probably the easiest to maintain or repair, and least likely to rust out on you.

Get one Pre 1974, preferably one that's been rebuilt on a new galvanised chassis and you have a long lasting, repairable, simple and cheap vehicle.  The MOT takes about half an hour as most things, like emissions are exempt. Brakes are tested on the road with a decelerometer as being 4WD it can't go on a rolling road. And it comes with a starting handle. Not the easiest lump to turn over on the handle but it is possible.

Don't worry if all you can find is a 1975 model, the free historic road tax is now on a rolling age of 40 years old, so when it reaches 40 it will get the free road tax.  Until the next government stops that again and freezes the qualifying age (it was only 25 years old when it was first introduced).  And preferably also one that has had hardened valve seats fitted to cope with unleaded petrol (like mine has) to save you having to bother with additives.

Only "problem" is most cheap classic car insurance policies won't cover business use so you might have to pay more for normal insurance.  Still it's only group 2 so whatever, it's cheap to insure.

 

[Apache]

The car manufacturers got wise to people blanking EGR valves and some will continue to display an engine management light with them blanked (Landrovers from 2007&gt. The only option is a new valve or some form of emulator.

Some faults read in order, so your RR may be tested first in the algorithm and put the light on. Only once the RR is ok does the system check the LR etc etc.

Try running a modern Landrover - you learn all about fault codes and CAN busses! I carry a diagnostic tool in the vehicle......

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Get a classic!

Announced in the Budget............VED rolling exemption on classics 40 years old from Apr 1st

Thats because they are going to ban/restrict them all soon anyhow

 

[revjames]

its definitely intermittent. If its to do with the EGR then I'm not sure how I can disable it. Might have to clean the egr valve which means all the faffing to get to it which means I'd rather trade it in and be rid....

 

[revjames]

hmmm. been looking on autotrader and I think I will be trading it in soon. Torn between

1   Another Cmax

2   Mondeo? but 1.8 diesel. 2.0 140bhp or 2.0 with 163BHP (which is more economical than the 1.8???)

3   Mondeo, newer type with the same 1.6 engine as my Cmax which is supposedly good for 76 mpg?

4   Peugeot 407 estate - again it has the same 1.6 engine as the fords.

The reason I am keener on the 1.6 engine is that the 2.0 models in most manufacturers have the stupid dual mass clutch assembly which can cost a grand to fix.

Would welcome any feedback on your experience of the above models or any recommendations.

I need a car for everyday use, practical and spacious (dont exactly travel light when holidaying and always humping musical gear around) But reasonably frugal for average 10k per annum use. I am the only driver in the family too so doesnt have to be easy to reverse

 

[ProDave]

I still say Subaru, but then I've been driving them for 20 years and they have always been reliable.  Up until recently the non turbo ones were a non interference engine, so a snapped cam belt was not a disaster.

I would avoid Peugeot, on the advice of my MOT tester. He firmly recommends a car must be German or Japanese.  When I was there last he had a 4 year old Peugeot that was failing on a broken spring, 4 perished tyres and the bearing at the top of both mc pherson struts failed.  Pretty dire for a 4 year old car.

 

[Sharpend]

Personally I'd look at either a Volkswagen or Volvo.

Both very solid reliable motors.

 

[ProDave]

Get a classic!

Announced in the Budget............VED rolling exemption on classics 40 years old from Apr 1st

Thats because they are going to ban/restrict them all soon anyhow

What are you on about?

Ban classic cars from the road? or scrap the free historic vehicle road tax?

As I understand it, my 42 year old Landrover is exempt from needing to comply with the requirements of low emission zones. Not that I am interested in going to those places anyway.  Anyway I douby ANPR systems will recognise my silver lettering on black background number plates anyway.

 

[OnOff]

I still say Subaru, but then I've been driving them for 20 years and they have always been reliable.  Up until recently the non turbo ones were a non interference engine, so a snapped cam belt was not a disaster.

I would avoid Peugeot, on the advice of my MOT tester. He firmly recommends a car must be German or Japanese.  When I was there last he had a 4 year old Peugeot that was failing on a broken spring, 4 perished tyres and the bearing at the top of both mc pherson struts failed.  Pretty dire for a 4 year old car.

+1 on Pugs. Spent the best part of yesterday on the n/s rear of our old school run 206 with a seized wheel bearing! New hub & wheel bearing in the end. Oxy torch, 2 different pullers, grinder, chisels and emery on the stub shaft etc etc. All to adjust the handbrake!

Down to Halfrauds (factors are closed today) in a mo for some bulbs for it as the n/s rear cluster ones look a bit ropey.

 

[NozSpark]

Ive found that bigger engines are more economical as you tend to drive around at much lower revs,, even more so with a more torquey engine

 

[Evans Electric]

well if it makes you feel any better i had to fix the rubber bush in the panhard rod on mine today... couldnt get one locally so made one form duct tape...

& gas powered lights

Did you mean on your Morris Minor Andy ?   And whats a panhard rod...... .new one on me