MrT

1. read the manual 2. read this forum. 3. It's accessed through a slider in the wheel arch lining and you need small hands to reach inside to get to it.

If you talk about time accelerating on a journey, it sounds like you don't often drive in London (junction or lights every few hundred yards) or on the M25 (stop start traffic), never a constant speed there. Also overtaking on single carriageways, the more power the better there for a quick overtake As for 50-70, I bet when I floor my V6 at 50 it is going 70 long before a diesel would be, past the car in front and back in. It wouldn't happen in top gear, it would kick down to third, nicely up to 6000 plus rpm...... The economy does not worry me as I am a low mileage driver and I can see the advantage of a diesel if you do a lot of miles. Now if Ford brought out a 50mpg 200+bhp diesel, that would be interesting.

I actually quite like the Galaxy 6 spoke alloys. I am not convinced that the enhanced cornering properties of the lower profile tyres on the 17" wheels outweigh the comfort and ride benefits of the 16" wheels. Some insurance companies like to charge you more if you put different alloys on as they say it makes the car more desirable to to thieves. Changing from Ford 16 to Ford 17 alloys should not make a difference as they are a standard option on new vehicles.

I am becoming extremely fed up with Ford UK over their inability to sort out trivial issues over spare parts. I had the misfortune to have my windscreen broken earlier in the year and after it was replaced the black plastic trim around the bottom of it was tatty and loose so I decided to replace it with the one piece trim from the latest Galaxy as I prefer the appearance. I ordered this trim from a Fordpartsuk along with new washer jets and it promptly arrived. However there were no parts to fit the washer jets to the trim and Ford Microcat listed the wrong parts for the jets. Fordpartsuk chased Ford on the parts and was informed that the washer jet mounts come with the other part, ie if I had the trim, the mounts come with the washer jets, if I had the jets, the mounts come with the trim. This went backwards and forwards between Fordpartsuk and Ford and Fordpartsuk ordered several of both to try and get one with the mounts but to no avail. Eventually Ford decided that the mounts only come with the trim. Fordpartsuk ordered trim from the UK and Germany and again it all came with no mounts. I then raised complaints through Ford Customer Service and Ford Parts and Accessories. Ford Customer Service responded there was nothing they could do as my dealer was doing the right things. I pointed out that I knew it was not a dealer problem and could they do something about the Ford parts. The reply was they could help with dealer issues and as my dealer was doing the right things, there was nothing more they could do. Ford Parts and Accessories found the effort of replying too much, so they didn't bother. I saw a contact name of someone in Ford UK on some correspondence between my dealer and Ford and emailed him to ask what Ford were going to do and the reply was that it was a quality control issue and the reply was cc'ed to someone in Ford Quality Control asking them to sort it out. That was weeks ago and since then neither have replied to my weekly emails asking for updates. It's now been six months trying to get washer jet mounts and it is unbelievable that parts that are on a currently produced model cannot be provided. Has anyone any ideas how I can get these parts or prod Ford UK in to action? (The washer jet mounts are small plates that are mounted with two screws and the standard heated washer jets just clip into them.)

A cynic would say it is having to tell someone that something is funny is case they do not realise it is!

Why is it dangerous, you don't lock the car from outside with anyone inside it do you? There is little point in locking a car from the outside if it can be opened from the inside. It is so easy to reach inside with a piece of wire or a brick and open the door.

On the subject of HID and regulations concerning auto levelling, can anyone point me to the regulations that state this. I have heard this many times, but would like to see what the regulations actually say as in "must" or "should". As an example, I cannot see why HID main beams would require auto-levelling as they are going to dazzle whatever the adjustment.

A rear facing seat without a belt would be more dangerous if someone rear ended you on a motorway.

I believe that my V6 runs smoother on Super Unleaded as opposed to plain unleaded. However I still use the supermarket variety of Super Unleaded as it is only 1p a litre more.

The climate control will automatically turn the air con on to dehumidify and defrost/demist the screen in cold weather. No idea exaclty what conditions determine this, but it works. It also turns the heated screen on as appropriate. You can force the screen mode by pressing button with the picture of the screen on the climate control unit.

I am not sure about this getting not picked up on VAG-COM, the engine management has a misfire detector and counter built in. The engines do feel a bit "lumpy" when idling about 1200 rpm when cold but it does not seem like a misfire. You can feel it through the car, but not hear it. If you turn the climate control off the lumpiness seems to go. Also if you look at the engine or touch it when it is doing this, there is no movement or matching vibration. I have also wondered whether this is also due to the auto box, as in neutral as compared to park, it is also a lot less noticeable. Both my 2.8 galaxies (Mk1 & Mk2) have been auto and had this "lumpy fast idle" issue from new.

I have used Rain X and followed the instructions. Cleaned the window, applied it in circular motion. Let it dry and polished it off. It seems to work well with the rain rolling off. However as soon as I put the wipers on, it was af the rainX turned into a misty layer that was being rubbed across the screen by the wipers. What did I do wrong and how can I stop this smeary layer whilst still getting the benefits on rainX?

Problems fitting the mudflaps? It was only pushing a few U clips into existing slots, a bit of protective tape on the front wing and two screws. Are the Seat fittings different to the Ford?

What about the effect of the air-bag built into the seat and the side curtains on a baby in a rearward facing carrier?

Do the generic pads include things like wear sensors or are these part of the caliper?

Ford Parts UK quoted me the following last June (+VAT +P&P). Galaxy Front Mudflaps Part Number 1144807 Retail Price

This means you found 12 control modules which is probably about right. Each of these 12 modules will have many functions. For example the first module will cover virtually every engine function, such as timing, MAF, exhaust recirculation, temperature etc. Also remember not everything is electronic module controlled on the Galaxy.

I got the facelifted model Ford mudflaps and they do fit well on to the car. They are moulded to fit the body line and made out of the same dimpled ABS stuff as the inserts and "spoilers" on the bumpers. The rears are just held on by a few U clips and they look as if they are part of the car. The front use one of the existing wheel arch insert screws and some U clips. On the front you also have some clear stick on plastic strip to stop the mudflap from rubbing the paintwork. They make a fair but of difference to mud on the front door and sills, but it may be my imagination, but I seem to use the rear window washer jet a lot less since installing them. They also work as sacrificial curb scrapers so you hear them clip high kerbs when close parking which prevents you scuffing the alloy wheels. No idea on the cambelt as I have never got that many miles in a Galaxy yet.

Most Ford owners could also help prevent the theft of their radios by not leaving the removable key pad in it. Yes these are available on ebay, but its a lot more effort to have to get one of these after you have nicked a radio to make it saleable. If I remember correctly the early car radios that first had removable panels were also coded such that only the matching coded panel and main unit would work together, so if you needed a new panel, you had to have it and the radio recoded together at a dealer. With the Ford, any panel works in any radio.

Whilst many vehicles may use the same plug, they do not all use the same protocol and pin connections.

One thing to consider is that the cable and software will enable you to read off diagnostic codes and program them. However, apart from the standard list of fault codes which are translated into meaningful faults by VAG-COM, the rest of the codes are pretty meaningless. For example if you want to change the way a device works, which programmable unit and what code address do you go to, then what would you set the data bits to? Unless you are lucky and find out where someone has placed a similar procedure for a similar vehicle on the internet, there is a lot of meaningless data there. I would love to have a book that decribes every module and every setting.

I would say buy the interface and the software separately as you get more choice in what you buy. However many suppliers are now doing "dongle" versions of the interface where the software registration is in the hardware rather than software on the PC. This means you don't need to register the software and can use your interface on more than one computer. You may wish to consider getting an interface with more capabilities (such as Dual K Line support) than required in the Galaxy for use in future cars. Take a look at SK Pangs website. I have an older interface from him and have had good support with issues I have had.

If you have Air Con Climate Control, that should be left on Auto, on Econ it can easily mist up. Has your heated screen failed, as that should clear it as well? Do you have an internal flooding problem, look under the floor panel under the front seats?

On the original topic of the black interior, make sure you see the latest brochure for the colours and model (it varies with spec) you want. I went for the anthracite (black) interior, yet to be honest most of the interior appears flannel grey. I think the newer models come with the trim being more of the same colour, certainly the 54 reg TDI I was in was all black with the exception of the headlining.