Ivor_E_Tower

Yup,my first thought on reading this was low battery voltage as I've read of some strange things happening on other vehicles which turn out to be batteries on the way out. Do you have a proper auto electics place nearby who can do a test on the battery? They place a special bar across the terminals which has a load built in, and it measures the voltage drop that could be expected when trying to start (cranking). This will tell you instantly if the battery needs changing, and if it does, get it done straight away! Modern batteries seem to have a nasty habit of being perfectly alright one day then suddenly dying overnight.

Unless you can find out from Ford or the lamp manufacturers, I think it will be down to experimentation! I think there is also a legal limit for lamp power - do you want to keep within this? Haven't checked if dipped beams stay on when main beam selected - if they do, then higher wattage dipped beam will be OK so long as they go off wehn main beam used - in which case it may be better to stick with original lamps; don't you find the original lamps OK? They're better than on my previous 2 cars.

Get the dealer to re-programme the sensors; should be a very quick, simple job when you have the right equipment (WDS computer?).

If the noise occurs when stationary and truning the wheel, it is unlikely to be the suspension mounts. Running out of other things to consider, though...

Further to the saga of the aircon on my newly-purchased used Galaxy being repaired, I wrote again to Ford's Customer Relations Manager. Both my letters were addressed to the Director of Customer Service, Bob Lockington, in Glasgow. Both were passed to one of his minions to deal with as he is apparently "not able to reply personally to all customer correspondence addressed to him..." So do Ford care or not? Usually the only reason people like me find out such a person's name and write is because we are dissatisfied with the treatment wer have received. The minion states that "it is therefore with regret that we note the criticicm levelled at the Ford Customer Relationship Centre". Ah well, if they won't do anything to speed up poor parts deliveries to their dealers, or assist a disgruntled customer, what do they expect? - in fact what are they doing at all? The letter finishes with 2 standard paragraphs of blurb about assurance that concerns are maintained on the records, if you require further assistance etc etc - huh, further assistance when they didn't provide any the first time round! Anyone else got any experience of Ford's Customer Relationship Centre (good or bad)?

Depends on the labour charge amongst other things. If you're going to fit them yourself, it may be worth contacting a few scrappies, but I understand that you can get them tinted with the "proper" film form about

On diesels, is the turbo water-cooled? If it is, then maybe it's also to protect it. Strangely, the electric pump runs after the key is removed, even if the engine isn't started - eg my driveway slopes and I park the car against the garage door. If I roll it back without starting it, so I can open the garage door, then when I re-lock the Galaxy, the pump runs for 5-10 minutes anyway.

Think you'll find that ALL body panels are metal. Only the bumpers are plastic - on the later face-lifted models I think the little corner piece below the rear light clusters in the rear wing is also plastic but not sure if this counts as a proper panel as it's so small.

Agreed - it's definitely not normal and should be investigated/fixed. Good luck.

...err why aren't you getting cold air then?

When my system was recharged, the garage then found that the compressor had gone because it had been running with no lubricant. But the display stopped flashing although the system was charged and the compressor wasn't working (there was a near 2 week delay to get a compressor and fit it). So, whoever charged your system should have checked that the compressor was working. Sounds like a job for an air-con specialist unless you want to try to electrical fault-find first.

...or it could be, like on mine, that you have a leak in the aircon system and all the gas has gone, which also triggers the warning "flashing". Are you getting cold air from the vents?

From a scrappie - but you'll have to take the headlining down to fit them and re-fitting it can be a bit of a *#@&**

We've been through this one before. Any Ford dealer should be able to tell you, assuming that you still have the original unit fitted. As to whether or not they charge you for looking up the code on the system, well that's down to good old-fashioned customer service (so don't hold out too much hope that you'll get it for free...)

Cooled air to normal air temperature will be regulated by the heater valve. The clicks are probably the air dictribution flaps being moved - to direct air to screen, face vents or feet as required by the system.

Ah, but don't you find if you turn the front seats round that they are so close to the floor that it's very uncomfortable trying to sit on them, and your legs also interfere with the legs of those in the middle row?

If you have a Galaxy, the 2.0 engine is a Ford unit. The VW and SEAT have a VW 2.0 litre engine. Galaxy 2.3 petrol is a Ford unit, first developed for the Granada/Scorpio by Cosworth. 2.8 litre and all TDI engines are VW units.

If you don't have heated seats, is there enough spare wire in the loom so that you could swap it with one of the blanking panels on the rhs? the switches and blanks come out very easily from the front with gentle pressure from a small screwdriver - I bought a spare one for just over 2 quid and fixed my mobile phone holder to it using 2 screws and nuts. When I sell the car in a few years (hopefully to upgrade to a new one!) I simply stick the old blanking panel back, and no-one need ever know that a mobile was fitted!

See my response under the repeated posting "dealer servicing etc" - also contact Citizens Advice Bureau.

Definitely write and complain - auto gearboxes should last much longer than 56k miles. However, judging by the response I got from Ford's customer service centre in Glasgow, I wouldn't hold out too much hope as they seem so uninterested. I would suggest you write direct to Ford's HQ in Essex. ...and there was me questioning the auto box a few weeks ago, and SA Intruder replying that it was a Japanese Jatco unit that was very reliable.......

Only happens on cold start, and it was going on before the aircon fix (and has done it once since).

On a couple of occasions, once the engine (tdi 115) has started, it immediately stalls. It then re-starts OK. Any suggestions as to why? Also, the low-speed anti-stall in general does not seem very good, especially when compared to my Renault direct-injection diesel. On several occasions I've stalled the Galaxy when changing from first to second at low speed.

..."for a while" could mean just a few seconds. The ECU definitely needds to "re-learn" after its power feed is interrupted, and I used to have a Rover 820 that needed the ECU re-programming (so it said in the manual) after the power was interrupted (ie after you changed the battery). Most unsatisfactory.

Look under "technical" section, and topic "superchips" (currently on page 4, I think).