Living with faults that you should really fix
Discussion
I had a BMW330 which had a dodgy passenger door actuator. Mostly it was OK but occasionally it wouldn't open remotely and I had to climb in through the drivers side and manually release the door for the passenger. It got worse until I had to do this every time. Then the drivers door gave up as well so that every time I got into the car I had to open it with a key.
Eventually I gave in and spent an hour or so changing both actuators and the car was fine again - for about a week until I sold it
The temperature sender on my Land Rover is mismatched to the gauge and doesn't read correctly since I swapped the engine three or four years ago. I have the correct one in a box in the garage but haven't got around to fitting it. One day...
What car related faults do you live with that you really should get around to fixing?
Eventually I gave in and spent an hour or so changing both actuators and the car was fine again - for about a week until I sold it
The temperature sender on my Land Rover is mismatched to the gauge and doesn't read correctly since I swapped the engine three or four years ago. I have the correct one in a box in the garage but haven't got around to fitting it. One day...
What car related faults do you live with that you really should get around to fixing?
When I close the drivers side window on my ZS, the last 10th jumps over the top of the seal. To counteract this I have to guide it in with one hand whilst operating the window switch with the other. Obviously cant do this whilst driving!
More of a niggle really. If the window didnt work I would fix it but because it works 90% as well as it should sod it.
The clock in the MGF loses time in days rather than minutes...I just ignore it!
More of a niggle really. If the window didnt work I would fix it but because it works 90% as well as it should sod it.
The clock in the MGF loses time in days rather than minutes...I just ignore it!
More a shoulda than a fault. My Cooper S came with cloth seats. I soon swapped that over for a full leather interior with heated seats. Only to get them working, I need to install the loom & switches. It's a longish but straightforward unbolt lots of stuff job - seats, carpet, bits of the console, the bodykit side skirts & I just can't be bothered.
I'll be regretting this in January.
I'll be regretting this in January.
charltjr said:
ABS system disables itself in damp weather - I know it's just a crusty sensor or cable letting moisture in but never quite get round to hooking up the fault code reader to find out which one I need to swap.
My Corrados ABS disables itself in hot weather, but is fine in the winter - most likely a dry joint in the ECU. I've had a second hand ECU in a box all Summer but I WILL fit it this weekend...
The passenger window and AC are both broken on my 3-series. Likely to remain so too. It has a bit of a misfire at 3,500rpm that I drive around - it's not a problem when pootling or when driving properly.
I've had a bit of tape on my Elise engine cover for for 6 months despite having a bit of carbon to replace it. The trim around the switches is in my garage wait to be refitted when I change the broken dummy switch for a new one that is also in the garage.
I had no de-mister in my MX5 for the first year I had it, and cable ties for door handles for the last three years. The horn hasn't worked since 2011, except for a week or so around it's last MOT.
My 535 had no steering lock.
One of my RX7s had broken door locks so I didn't lock it for 4 months. Which says quite a bit about how nice my village is or how horrible my RX7 was.
Until this summer my bike had no number plate light for three years.
I've had a bit of tape on my Elise engine cover for for 6 months despite having a bit of carbon to replace it. The trim around the switches is in my garage wait to be refitted when I change the broken dummy switch for a new one that is also in the garage.
I had no de-mister in my MX5 for the first year I had it, and cable ties for door handles for the last three years. The horn hasn't worked since 2011, except for a week or so around it's last MOT.
My 535 had no steering lock.
One of my RX7s had broken door locks so I didn't lock it for 4 months. Which says quite a bit about how nice my village is or how horrible my RX7 was.
Until this summer my bike had no number plate light for three years.
I have 2 on the Mini.
1) the drivers door acctuator doesn't work when you use the remote, so you have to use the key. Could be a straight forward fix but havent looked into it.
2) The drivers side Xenon doesn't always come on, so you need to turn the lights on and off a few times till it lights up. Its a dodgy igniter but on the early cars its all wired into the unit so basically a new complete headunit. Had months to do it, but with the MOT next week im worried they will fail it on that.
1) the drivers door acctuator doesn't work when you use the remote, so you have to use the key. Could be a straight forward fix but havent looked into it.
2) The drivers side Xenon doesn't always come on, so you need to turn the lights on and off a few times till it lights up. Its a dodgy igniter but on the early cars its all wired into the unit so basically a new complete headunit. Had months to do it, but with the MOT next week im worried they will fail it on that.
Passenger door does not lock with the central locking from the driver's side, but locks all doors when you use the passenger door lock.
Blower motor only works on 4, occasionally, and is a bit asthmatic.
Dashboard lights are partially out on the speedometer
Temperature gauge does not work (is not connected due to a hot starting problem)
Brake warning light is on due to a faulty sensor
Radio barely works
Ignition barrel or ignition switch is faulty so turning the key does not always result in the starter motor engaging
Blower motor only works on 4, occasionally, and is a bit asthmatic.
Dashboard lights are partially out on the speedometer
Temperature gauge does not work (is not connected due to a hot starting problem)
Brake warning light is on due to a faulty sensor
Radio barely works
Ignition barrel or ignition switch is faulty so turning the key does not always result in the starter motor engaging
Currently living with:
- split rear door seal
- rear leccy window in desperate need of lubrication
- fuel sender not attached to anything in the tank after I installed a new fuel pump which is a slightly different design and doesn't have a clip in the right place, so fuel gauge makes no sense at all
But every weekend that I promise to spend a couple of hours getting it sorted, something important like a wheel bearing will play up and I end up sorting that instead.
- split rear door seal
- rear leccy window in desperate need of lubrication
- fuel sender not attached to anything in the tank after I installed a new fuel pump which is a slightly different design and doesn't have a clip in the right place, so fuel gauge makes no sense at all
But every weekend that I promise to spend a couple of hours getting it sorted, something important like a wheel bearing will play up and I end up sorting that instead.
1) The bonnet release cable has snapped so I have to open the bonnet with pliers (Circa 12 months)
2) The above gets very annoying when you have a coolant problem and you have to top up every week if taking it steady. Every other day if at 80+ on motorway. (Circa 20k miles). Suspect head gasket.
3) Interior door handle snapped, So I close the door by pulling on the door card (circa 12 months)
4) VNT on the turbo sticks and causes lack of boost - I reset the ignition whilst driving and power comes back (Circa 20k miles. Cant the the exhaust bolts off the turbo.
No matter what though it just keeps going so I just keep driving. Its not worth any money, so not worth fixing the problems. Would outweigh the car.
2) The above gets very annoying when you have a coolant problem and you have to top up every week if taking it steady. Every other day if at 80+ on motorway. (Circa 20k miles). Suspect head gasket.
3) Interior door handle snapped, So I close the door by pulling on the door card (circa 12 months)
4) VNT on the turbo sticks and causes lack of boost - I reset the ignition whilst driving and power comes back (Circa 20k miles. Cant the the exhaust bolts off the turbo.
No matter what though it just keeps going so I just keep driving. Its not worth any money, so not worth fixing the problems. Would outweigh the car.
Mercedes foot operated parking brake.
In the Vito van it has started sticking somewhere in the mechanism/cables so the pedal doesn't always come back up, and the warning lamp and buzzer stay on, even though the brake is off.
I've not parked with the brake on for a few weeks now.
Rear wiper motor in Impreza blows fuses, need to get that looked at one day.
In the Vito van it has started sticking somewhere in the mechanism/cables so the pedal doesn't always come back up, and the warning lamp and buzzer stay on, even though the brake is off.
I've not parked with the brake on for a few weeks now.
Rear wiper motor in Impreza blows fuses, need to get that looked at one day.
My engine warning light has been on for most of the time i have owned the car.
Currently the bank one lamda sensor, my neighbour has offered to fix it if i buy the sensor, i'm plannin on selling my car and yet i still never just go onto amazon and bu the sensor unit that is in my wishlist.
It has had the engine warning light on for so long that when i last had work done to the car and they reset it i was not comfortable driving it until the light came back on about 50miles later.
Currently the bank one lamda sensor, my neighbour has offered to fix it if i buy the sensor, i'm plannin on selling my car and yet i still never just go onto amazon and bu the sensor unit that is in my wishlist.
It has had the engine warning light on for so long that when i last had work done to the car and they reset it i was not comfortable driving it until the light came back on about 50miles later.
I drove around for about a month with a dodgy cam position sensor, which as some of you may know didn't really like to work when the engine was warm. It first gave up on me just as I was leaving Nottingham to come back down south, the problem didn't really get any worse on the way back so I thought I'd be alright to live with it while I tried to find out what was wrong.
Getting to and from work was fine as the car had a chance to cool down between journeys. But there were a few trips to the shops which meant me either, having to wait around for the engine temp to drop before it would start, asking random people for a bump start, or before it got too bad it would usually start on the 3rd to 10th try.
Getting to and from work was fine as the car had a chance to cool down between journeys. But there were a few trips to the shops which meant me either, having to wait around for the engine temp to drop before it would start, asking random people for a bump start, or before it got too bad it would usually start on the 3rd to 10th try.
Mrs car.. both windows dont work..
well they work, but if you were to risk operating them they would immediately fall down into the door never to be seen again.... in short, they stay shut lol
My car..
bulb out in instrument cluster.. by the fuel gauge ( a blessing really lol )
and a failed torque rod.. which has caused the flexi in the exhaust to now fail.. LOUD!!
well they work, but if you were to risk operating them they would immediately fall down into the door never to be seen again.... in short, they stay shut lol
My car..
bulb out in instrument cluster.. by the fuel gauge ( a blessing really lol )
and a failed torque rod.. which has caused the flexi in the exhaust to now fail.. LOUD!!
My boot struts have been dead for about 2yrs now. I bought replacements a couple of months ago and they are curently under my sofa...I will fit them one day!
I've also got a headlight bulb gone but it's a Pug 206, so it doesn't spend too much time with both working at the same time...
I've also got a headlight bulb gone but it's a Pug 206, so it doesn't spend too much time with both working at the same time...
Potential DMF failure - it rattles when you turn it off, but if you dip the clutch before turning the key, it's quiet.
VANOS/ICV/DISA fault - slight hunting on idle and misfiring in cold weather (when the temp gauge is in the first 1/4). "Solved" by driving off within 20 seconds of starting the car.
Both annoying, and potentially costly to fix, however none of the symptoms are present when actually moving, so I tend to ignore them.
VANOS/ICV/DISA fault - slight hunting on idle and misfiring in cold weather (when the temp gauge is in the first 1/4). "Solved" by driving off within 20 seconds of starting the car.
Both annoying, and potentially costly to fix, however none of the symptoms are present when actually moving, so I tend to ignore them.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff