Email Tim with your questions

Hi Tim

I parked my S-Reg Ford Fiesta a little too close to a lamp column in my supermarket carpark. When I drove off, the lamp column scraped two broad tramlines across the n/side rear wheel arch of my car.

With the black (non-metallic) paint and the underlayers completely gone, the bare bodywork is now exposed to the elements and I'm concerned that rust will form and corrode my car. As an emergency measure, I immediately smeared vaseline from my shopping bag all over the area to waterproof it.

Do I just now need to buy a can of spray paint?

Kind Regards

Miss Emma Bow, Redditch, UK

Top marks for the Vaseline trick – that was excellent quick thinking, but now you’ll have to clean it off thoroughly. Then you will need to use a primer on the bare metal before spraying the colour coat. Although this will cover the scratch, you will still see the outline under your new paintwork because even if you didn’t dent the metal you have scraped some quite thick layers of paint off and the only way to get a smooth finish is to rub the whole area down with “wet and dry” sandpaper, use filler if necessary and so on. This is all going well beyond a simple DIY repair, so my best advice is to get a quote from the mobile repair guys such as Chipsaway, OOPSLTD, Fixfinish and the rest. Check your yellow pages, local papers or the internet for contact details. (The main requirement seems to be a humorous name). You get a decent job, normally at a lower cost than a body repair workshop (but shop around for a good price) and they come to you, so there’s no hassle about delivering the car and collecting it.

I own a Ford Focus C-max 54 plate. I recently noticed liquid underneath the car and on further investigation i found the power steering system was leaking. I took the car to a local garage who diagnosed the problem as a faulty power steering pump. They replaced the pump, connections etc and i was landed with a bill for £638, including £265 + vat charge for the new pump. I am pretty angry that such an expensive part has failed on a relatively new car. Should a part like this fail so early, the car has only covered approx 35000 miles and do i have any course of action available to claim compensation from Ford or the dealer Benfield Ford ?

Many Thanks,

Gary Stones, Leeds, UK

Ford gives a 3 year warranty, meaning that they will pay for faults to be fixed until the car’s 3 years old. Beyond that, they are under no obligation to pay for any repairs (unless there’s a safety related design fault, in which case there will be a recall). That’s how warranties work I’m afraid. You always have the option of taking out an extended warranty, either from the Ford dealer or from one of the many private warranty companies. If you choose not to, you save paying the premium, but you take the risk of paying if something goes wrong.

That said, you can always try asking Ford for a goodwill contribution. Be polite and remember that they have no obligation to offer anything. For future reference, if you think you have a problem on a car not long out of warranty, it’s worth considering going to the dealer. The manufacturer is more likely to be sympathetic if it’s a dealer that did the repair.

My Renault laguna 2001 reg feels like it's only firing on 3 plugs juddering a bit also the toxic fume filter system warning light comes on and off. The engine is a 1800 petrol

Paul Elson, Bristol, UK

This is almost certainly one of the ignition coils – there’s one for each spark plug. It’s a very common Renault problem. And don’t just replace the one that’s packed up; you need to replace all four because the others will fail quite soon as well. The warning light is coming on as a result of the misfire, because unburned fuel is getting through the engine into the exhaust system and being detected by the oxygen sensor. This means that you need to get the coils changed quickly, otherwise the unburned fuel will damage the catalytic converter – and they are not cheap!

07, Fiesta 1.4 Zetec. Petrol. When filling up, pumps keep cutting out. VERY slow filling. Have tried changing angle of pump nozzle. Cannot tell when tank is full, only when fuel gushes out.

Thank you.

Ken Williams, Chard, UK

Get the car back to dealer under warranty and ask them to check the filler pipe – it could be twisted or the vent might be blocked. Some models are just slow to fill up, but that’s rare nowadays so I suspect there’s a fault.

I have a 52 reg Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 TDi and am having starting problems. As a Marine diesel engineer I am certain that the problem lies with the glowplugs. How easy are these to access and replace? I can buy a set of 4 online for less than £20 against Vauxhalls £50+ plus VAT.

Roger Dann, Whitstable, UK

As this engine is direct injection, the glow plugs only come on when the outside temperature is below freezing. If it’s a general cold starting issue on the glow plugs may be fine. There is a problem with the injector seals failing on the Zafira. The result is that fuel siphons back to the tank, making starting difficult. I would get this checked out first.

If you do need to change the glow plugs, it’s pretty easy provided you have the right size deep socket. However, check with a voltage tester that they are getting power first – the fault could simply be the relay. You might also want to check compression before you replace them – you do it through the glow plug holes.

Diesels are increasingly common and generally very reliable – there’s very little to go wrong, especially on the older, pre-common rail engines. As a result, diagnosis can be quite simple if you’re logical and most of it can be done by the colour of the smoke. If you have an older diesel car or van that’s a problem starter and want my two minute diesel diagnosis, click here

My Ford Fusion tdci 1.4 diesel. The cab seems to filling up with fumes from the engine bay. It is definitely much worse if you use the heater. We have taken it to a garage who checked all pipes, clips etc. The problem is better, but still persists. Any ideas where we go from here? It could take days to find the problem in a garage and at £60 an hour it would be cheaper to sell the car?

Paul Thomas, Cardiff, UK

It’s worth thinking through how the heater gets air into the car to help figure out where things may be going wrong. The air supply is either from inside the car, when you have the control set to recirculation, or fresh air via a grill at the rear of the bonnet area. There should be no way the air can flow from the engine bay to the air inlet, so what could cause the problem? There are three main possibilities.

First, the air could be flowing from the engine bay to the heater intake. Raise the bonnet and look at the bit just below the windscreen. You should see a long rubber seal running along the top of the panel at the back of the engine bay. (The panel is often called the bulkhead, so I’ll call it that from here on). The heater air intake is behind that panel, under one of the plastic covers that sit between the bulkhead and the bottom of the windscreen. When the bonnet closes it should fit snugly on top of the seal and stop any air taking that route out of the engine bay. Have a good look at the rubber seal and make sure it’s fitted properly – it just pushes on, so use your clenched fist to tap it home throughout its entire length.

Second, the heater air inlet could be blocked or restricted so the fan is sucking air in from somewhere else. This is generally caused by an accumulation of leaves in that area between the bulkhead and the windscreen, or a blocked heater air filter. That’s not the engine air filter, (we’ll come to that in a minute). There is a separate air filter or pollen filter for the heater and it’s down in that section behind the bulkhead. First have a good clear out of any leaves and other soggy debris you see anywhere in that area. If there isn’t much, you need to get to the filter. A pollen filter (usually fitted if you have aircon or climate control) should be replaced every year or 20,000 miles or so. Have a look at your service receipts to see if you’ve been charged for one. Another clue that it needs changing can be windows misting up excessively. To get to it, you’ll need to remove that seal you’ve just carefully tapped into place and then figure out how the various covers come off, which could involve taking the windscreen wiper arms off, so don’t think you’ll have a quick look at this on your way out while the kids are getting their coats on. Give yourself plenty of time to figure it all out and DON’T FORCE ANYTHING – if it’s being stubborn there are probably some clips or screws you haven’t seen yet. These are long thin plastic panels that break easily. If the filter is full of dead bugs and dandelion seeds, get a new one and put everything back together as you found it.

Third, the engine could be emitting far more fumes than it should, so they’re overcoming all the things designed to stop them getting into the car.

The engine bay shouldn’t really have that much in the way of fumes, so that’s the best place to start. Run the engine with the bonnet open and look for any signs of smoke or any strong fumey smells. If you do see something, SWITCH THE ENGINE OFF before you put your head, or any other part of you, into the engine bay to have a better look. Has oil spilled on something that gets hot and burns? Is oil leaking from a gasket or seal onto anything hot? Try removing the dipstick then re-starting the engine (best to get someone to start it for you while you watch, and make sure they don’t rev it – only let it idle). If you get lots of oil sputtering out of the dipstick, there’s probably something wrong with the engine breather system – I know you’ve had them checked, but look for a blocked, perished or twisted pipe as the most likely cause.

My son purchased a Nissan Qashqai in August 2007 and it developed misfiring problems in November 2007, since which time it has been returned to the Nissan dealer on several occasions and has been in for testing/repair for a total of 18 days.

The dealers have used their computer diagnostic equipment which has shown "multiple misfires", but have been unable to remedy the defect and have put it down to faulty plugs, coil packs(twice)& crank sensor some of which have been changed but the car is still exhibiting a loss of power and the warning light is activated.

The dealer has recently spoken of a "buy back" arrangement but has so far not given any firm details.

Could you advise as to the best course of action and if you have had other readers notify you of this problem.

Thanks

Ron Lancaster, Chester-le-Street, UK

Persistent misfires seem to plague the Qashqai. With a car this new, if they can’t find the fault and fix it with a high level of confidence that it won’t happen again, give the car back. Don’t settle for some “buy back” where you fork out a substantial sum in return for another misfiring car they can’t fix. New car please and nothing to pay – and that should be your final answer.

I have a Toyota Carina E executive auto 2 litre which has done 120,000 miles the problem I have is the car seems to be quite noisy in the cabin, not to be expected from an executive car albeit an old one, is it because the car is front wheel drive or could it be the tyres, also I am wondering if I should change the transmittion fluid, most garages I have talked to say don't bother, if this has never been changed what effect would this have.

Ken Jones, Cardiff, UK

It could well be the tyres – it wouldn’t be surprising on a high mileage car like this to find cheap tyres fitted – they may be perfectly adequate from a roadholding point of view, but many of the budget brands can be very noisy. If the noise varies as the road surface changes, the tyres are definitely the cause.

As far as the transmission fluid is concerned, it should be changed periodically – check the owner’s handbook for details, but typically 30 to 40,000 miles. Typical symptoms of worn or dirty fluid are poor or intermittent gearchanges and starting with a lurch instead of a nice smooth take off.

Last week I bought a Sept 06 SAAB 95 Estate with 13k miles from a franchised dealer, they said it was a Manager's car. When I got the log book through the previous owner was Hertz. In addition the car had not been serviced for 15 months. SAAB serviced it and said now under warantee. Should I be concerned?

Rob Allen, Leeds, UK

My guess is that the first owner was Hertz Leasing rather than Hertz rental. That would make it a company car, and given the prestige make it probably was leased to a manager in the company. It’s a bit naughty of Saab not to make this clear to you – go back and ask them for clarification. Ex rental or lease cars, especially executive cars, can be very good buys because they will have been maintained properly. I wouldn’t worry too much about the 3 month delay in servicing, given the low mileage. It could simply be that the car was standing on a forecourt for that time, but double check the warranty small print just in case. Do make sure all future services are on time. This is especially important with a turbo and any more late services could affect the resale price.

Hello

Just want to know that is it fairly easy to do an oil change on an 1.7cdti Astra 2007 sport hatch. Is it just a matter of draining the old oil & filling up with the new, is their any priming of any pumps involved etc?

Mohamed Yacoobali, Dewsbury, UK

The car’s still under warranty so get a garage to do it and protect that warranty. It doesn’t have to be a dealer – an independent garage is fine as long as Vauxhall approved parts and oil are used and all everything listed on the Vauxhall service schedule is checked or replaced. Then make sure the service record is stamped.

Once out of warranty, the job is simple enough but change the filter as well and get a filter wrench to remove the old one. It’s also common practice these days to use flushing oil to clean the system out, particularly with a turbo. Bear in mind that if you take out an extended warranty, it will stipulate that a VAT registered garage must do the servicing.

Dear Times Online,

My wife’s wing mirror clipped the wing mirror of a small Japanese car and whilst her wing mirror was only scratched, the wing miror on the other car was broken.

Whilst we are prepared to pay for a new wing mirror to be fitted, the driver informs us that the car is hired and he has paid a £350 deposit, which our Insurance Company will have to pay, whereas I would have preferred to deal with the matter privately.

Therefore, is it our responsibility to pay the excess and is it necessary to claim through our Insurance.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Peter Cherrie, Virginia Water, UK

The repair bill will only be for the cost of the repair – you don’t automatically pay £350 if the damage is only £150. Get in touch with the hire company and explain you want to pay, ask for their insurance details and a claim number and take it up with the insurers. Nothing says you have to go through your insurance if you want to pay yourself, but you must still notify them of the accident.

Have Honda given up on quality and customer service? Not content with selling an Accord with multiple serious faults to be addressed under warranty, they have taken since 18 October 2006 to deliver a part required to fix the vehicle stability assist system (and it has still not come). I have spent a considerable time in Honda factories in the past, and was hugely impressed. What has gone wrong? Have they just decided to descend into the mire with everyone else?

Joseph Cullen, Crediton, UK

Honda cars have had a well earned reputation for reliability in the past, but sadly, the online forums do seem to tell a different story today. Problems no longer seem to be the rare occurrence they once were and the Accord seems to bear the brunt of them. Nevertheless, try writing to Honda Customer Service to express your concern – perhaps you’ll get a goodwill gesture.

I own a Mazda MX-5 - 2006 model.

I'm expecting our first child in July this year and already coming under some slight pressure from friends and family to give up my lovely car.

Surely in this day and age there is a car seat to fit an MX-5 (I'm pretty sure the dealer can disable the passenger air bag?) and pushchairs that will fold down and fit into the boot?

My fiancee has the practical larger car for family trips; whilst I am clinging to the image of myself and my baby whizzing along country lanes this summer, with the roof down and both of us wearing our shades and fashionable hats.

Please say 'yes of course and this is the make and model you need'!

Catherin Sibbit, Worcester, UK

Yes, of course this is the make and model you need – until you decide otherwise. My advice is to ignore all the sensible, well meaning advice, disable the passenger side airbag (you’re right, the dealer can do it) and fit a good quality rear facing baby seat in the passenger seat. Then go for a drive in the shades and fashionable hats.

That will take care of the brief time you have before you realise that the amount of STUFF you need to take with you for a baby will have no chance of fitting into a sexy little sports car. Then, either buy your fiancée a people carrier and make sure he follows on with all the parental bits and pieces, or put the MX5 into a garage until your baby is 18, then you can both go out in the shades and fashionable hats. By that time the MX5 will be an absolute classic and you’ll be so cool you’ll need de-icer for the shades!

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