h2g2

The heated front screen on my 2007/mkIII/70k Galaxy has gradually been getting worse and worse... At first, a single strip failed, then this got wider and wider and other strips started failing so that there were many (>20) failing strips which varied in width between a single element and ~1 foot. Now there are only a few strips <2 inches wide that work at all. Ford claim that this is due to chips in the windscreen. A fine theory, except that when a started noticing this, there were none. (There are a couple now, but it has done 70k miles). They say I need a new windscreen. I don't see this. I'm not a mechanic, but I am an engineer. I have a general feeling for how things work and how they fail. The elements run vertically, but there must be something running horizontally that connects them. My guess is that it is that that is failing. Does anyone know how the mkIII heated windscreen is wired up? (I know there are 2, separately fused sides). Is the horizontal connection part of the windscreen or part of the car? Cheers, Matthew

Yes - it got me home ~60 miles in April. Then my car was off the road, of course, until I could get a new tyre. The first quote was over a week!! Eventually, I got one two days later.

Just normal, unfortunately.

I'm new to here, but have had a nose round and can't find an answer to my question... I have a new shape Galaxy (07 plate - is it a MK III?). It is currently off the road due to a puncture. Again. Surely it can't be too hard to fix a puncture? You'd think so. However, there is no spare and (because it is a company car), I am forced to use ATS and they never have any. I had the puncture 2 days ago and am currently waiting at home (instead of being at work) waiting for a tyre to be delivered. There seems to be a lot of discussion on these boards about tyres, but no one else seems to have my problem. Does any one else struggle to get hold of tyres? Should I try to pursuade my leasing company (ING) to let me use a different dealer?