kester

Hi there I've got a 2006 Alhambra (same as galaxy MkII) with 2.0tdi and climatronic. Driving to south of France tomorrow, so thought i'd have a play with the aircon, leaving it rather late but at least having replaced the broken coil spring first! Have a Halfords aircon gas bottle, which i used to try and fill the system, it only seemed to take part of the gas (and i assumed it to be empty initially, although not certain), but surprisingly the compressor did run, however there is no cool air coming out. I dont see any fault codes, which i assume would be there if it were a pressure sensor, and i'd assume would stop the compressor running? Has anyone got any idea what to try next? Could it be the radiator/evaporator? or could it be anything else? thanks

Thank you, as always Brian. I replaced the 5A central locking fuse and unlocked it with key and that worked so alarm is disarmed :) I probably should have attempted this before bothering you all, but nowhere nearby to get fuses, so i had to wait for ebay post. Alarm siren and indicators were on different fuses (51 & 53 i think), but indicators were flashing with alarm when engine running, so had to disable them too! At least i know how to shut alarm up when it goes again. Just looked in rear door and many wires broken, cant believe anything works! i'll have to fix them and see what transpires, whether we still get locking clicking indicating faulty motor. When say check current across fuse, how do you do this, just tiny probes if i can get them onto fuse blades while its fitted, or some special technique? And when you say unplugging the doors, you mean by removing the door card and unplugging the connector on the locking motor? Cheers

Looked at the tailgate wires this morning, and at least visually it all looks perfect. However you are quite right, the 5A fuse (think fuse 31) that I think controls central locking is burnt again, so there is a slim chance that once I get a replacement for this, I MAY be able to properly unlock the central locking and disarm the alarm (not quite sure how they both work together). Also good news is that removing 2 of the mini fuses in vertical column on left stopped the siren and hazards, so I can at least work on it now in peace (and potentially drive it i think, minus indicators)! I assume door wires probably problem, so I'll investigate further. Brian, I forgot to confirm I did solder in a new piece of wire in door gaiter (albeit incorrect colour!), but there are at least 2 or 3 joins by previous owner that could be a culprit (albeit the heatshrink looks to be good/tight), but there are still two near side doors I've not yet investigated, so it could be one of them. cheers

thanks. Yeah i'd already tried removing the fuse, but no joy. Suspect wiring or locks, will check the boot gaiter in the morning,fortunately it's quiet when left, only sounds when doors open or engine running! cheers

cheers mate. So no instant way to disable the alarm, just got to do a wiring fix?

I have an mk2 03 Galaxy tdi (272k miles) , but this thread it about my almost identical mk2 2004 Alhambra tdi (178k miles), bought from ebay with no MOT and history, and windows don't open and doors didn't lock, although it seems to be going OK otherwise after some minor suspension fixing. I fixed the windows (except for one) by soldering the earth wire in the drivers door gaiter, and seemed to have fixed central locking by replacing a fuse (5A, think fuse 31 in bottom row above diagnostic connector). Central locking then worked using key in drivers door lock, and alarm was armed, but after removing key from ignition there seemed to be a clicking coming from drivers door (and possibly a rear one) that possibly could be a locking mechanism repeatedly trying to lock, and when locked red light in driver door flashed repeatedly every second or so [possibly implying there was some problem?]? Next day my wife unlocked it and alarm continually goes off, ignition starts but cant stop alarm, and central locking doesn't lock all doors any more. Any ideas, in particular is there a way of disabling the alarm so we can drive it temporarily until I get a chance to investigate further? I assume it is either more broken wires in door or possibly failed locking mechanism? Appreciate any suggestions, too cold and wet to spend too long on it this evening in the dark ;( !

apologies for the late update: it was me being stupid. It was the rear shocks that were gone, even when they were out they didnt seem too soft, but new ones cured the problem - i should have tried that before going for spring assisters. Tyres went bald awful quick, i think the front shock also needs doing, and potentially rear bushes - which might be a job beyond my skills. The Galaxy then got nicked over Christmas (hid keys while surfing, i have no clue who'd want to nick this!), then turned up again a day after i bought an Alhambra off ebay, so now i have too many cars to fix and no time to do any of it - roll on summer! cheers

Thanks for advice, sorry for delayed reply, been in sunny (?!) cornwall. I think it is purely due to overloading, possibly combined with cheap springs, and was def bottoming out rear springs due to overloading; bikes on back probably contribute as they are quite far back and act as a lever. I spoke to Graystone who were really helpful. Aux springs were probably best solution, around £100 but weren't in stock, so went for spring Assistors, £39 delivered next day, which seemed to improve matters. Big rubber bush that fits into spring. Only bottomed out occasionally in major dips or speed bumps, no noticeable negative effects. Will speak to my mechanic in autumn MOT time to check there ain't anything else wrong with suspension. Cheers

The other possibility is shocks, but they felt fairly stiff, and smooth, albeit are at least 4 years old, 50,000 miles, probably more.

I doubt the swinging arm bushes have ever been changed, but can't see that would affect this, and that doesn't look like an easy job!

Thanks for your reply Brian. Sorry, I wasn't clear: it is not bottoming out on the road, I'm pretty sure it is the rear swinging arm top stops hitting the bottom stops. I think they're both metal and designed to cope with occasional contact when springs fully compress, but sure it ain't supposed to happen often. When loaded, I could cause it to happen just by pressing my foot on rear bumper, i.e. It was already very compressed. And I don't think this didn't use to be the case, even when I had 8 people plus luggage in the galaxy to Gatwick, which is the most I've ever carried (well, sometimes a few tonnes of chopped oak etc for the log burner). Ive never towed anything and it doesn't have a tow hitch, although as I say it did have 3 bikes on rear rack. It's a mk2, it has cheap 17'' alloys on, but I don't think they're causing any problems, been on there at least 3 years. It had 18'' alloys when I bought it, but they cracked (it's pretty rough where we live on the Gower, and my wife don't like slowing down, so the near side does take a beating!) Can the springs be installed wrong? Possibly one of them needs to be turned 180 degrees as the pig tails on one side look like they may be facing opposite way currently, if you get me. But think it was bottoming out on the old original springs too. While I think if it, they had a blob of blue paint on each - does that signify the stiffness?

Or http://www.graystonengineering.com/spring%20assisters%20page.htm

Anyone have any experience of coils spring assistors? http://www.carparts-direct.co.uk/side-menu/coil-spring-assistors

Ps I've not bothers with the spring isolators, as I'm sceptical that they make much difference, or last long, and we're at least £25 from frauds.

Thanks both. The new rear springs did not cure the problem. We were bottoming out frequently on any unevenness on the French motorways :( It was not massively overloaded, only 1 child in rear most seats, although roof box and 3 lightish bikes on rear. . But I can't see anything other than springs that can stop it bottoming out?! Is there anything else I need to check? Or is it just a case of trying to find some heavy duty springs? Although loathe to spend this money after already buying new ones, particularly with no idea how much better heavy duty would be ...

Sorry to resurrect an old thread (again) but this is one of the few i found on google that is relevant. I've had a bit of unevenness from the rear and it seems to bottom out occasionally with people in the read. So I decided to change my rear coil springs (and we're driving to france on monday), i cant see much wrong with the old springs and the shocks seem good (have to press hard the whole length of travel to compress them). i wonder whether the lower spring isolators/caps could be anything to do with it? But not too sure where to get them from (particularly as dont have time to oder online), any suggestions on whether people think the lower rubbers are critical/necessary?

Apologies for delayed reply. Problem was a loose nut on back of handbrake lever on the calliper. The splines were not engaging, hence why it had originally worked, and then failed as the nut worked loose. I'd not thought to check this on fitting, assumed it'd be tight when supplied. It seems to be holding for now, and if it works loose again I'll return it, or more likely try thread lock. (Now all that's left is play in driveshaft and steering rack, clutch slave cylinder, cambelt, and minor oil leak spraying oil everywhere around the turbo area! Any ideals on the last one? Assume unlikely to be turbo seals themselves, but possibly loose/worn pipe from intercooler - I've had to bodge the pipe at the intercooler connection with a screw as the metal locking clip was weak)? Cheers

The piston definitely moves when the brake pedal is pressed. If the hose was duff (or I have squashed it too much when using mole grips on the rubber when replacing the caliper!) then presume it wouldn't operate properly at all? Equally, the lever on back of caliper is independent of the hose/upstream fluid, I presume, so as the lever doesn't operate the piston, then it must either be faulty or stuck internal adjustment. It worked for the first few hours/days, so either it broke during bleeding (cant see why it should) or is just stuck. The caliper I purchased is new but unbranded: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161092135293?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT with only 30 days warranty, so I need to try and have a go this weekend (if I can find any time between ferrying multiple kids about when it is not raining here in Wales!) cheers

Thank you for your reply. Yes I have the retracting tool and have been working on these for many years, and have successfully replaced rear calipers before. However good point about the rear flexi hose potentially being duff. But the main concern is that even when I operate the lever on back of calliper by hand, the piston does not move. Therefore I'm sure it must have either broken or the internal adjuster got stuck. I'll try winding in and out sgain and see if that helps. And see if the slight travel in pedal is due to requiring bleeding yet again. Cheers

thanks for your advice, sorry for delayed reply. 1. it seems unlikely that the new caliper is faulty, and when I first installed it the handbrake was working. It was only after multiple bleedings, drivings & screwing the piston back in, and that it stopped operating. 2. there is not excessive travel, BUT there is a little travel, and on very light braking that side is squealing slightly (which I think in this case is a sign of the pads not properly gripping the disc, as squealing stops when you press brake a little harder). 3. I thought the self adjusting mechanism worked if you stomped on brake even with the handbrake connected? But i shall try disconnecting the cable and adjusting once again. 4. i think the most likely is that the internal adjusting is jammed, I'm just not sure how to solve that. When you say winding the piston out, you mean i have to do it manually, I cant just push it out by operating the footbrake? I may resort to taking the old caliper apart to get my head around how it operates/self adjusts, as that might give me more of an idea, and see if i could replace the seal that was leaking the fluid originally. thanks again for your helpful advice!

Only about £15 on eBay I recall. Will probably need drilling out. Be careful not to damage the abs ring on the hub which may have rusted. Good luck.

Old rear calliper seemed to be retracting piston after releasing brake pedal, and then seemed to leak fluid. Bought new £48 calliper from eBay and whilst footbreak eventually improved after numerous bleeding, handbrake lever on back of calliper doesn't operate the pads at all, even with cable disconnected. Does this sound like a faulty calliper, or is there a way of making the handbrake lever work again? Cheers

Nothing left to solder onto, but your advice was spot on, there was a spare pin that I drilled thro, leaving long enough wire that connectors can still be removed in future ???? we'll see how long it lasts. The connector can be a right pain to reconnect, be aware that the pink centre lug can be slid along, either allowing, or in my case initially preventing, the connector properly mating. THANKS

It's the door boot one mentioned above, which is summat like 24 pin, so seems a bit excessive for 1 crimp! Was hoping someone's come across this one before and managed to get the crimp out of connector ...

Any suggestions what to do when the main wires break out of connector crimp? Has anyone had success removing crimp from connector?