Scorpiorefugee

Mumof4, Is that Gal as in Galaxy or as in "Fine buxom Texan gal" ?

I believe that tyre wear is usually proportional to fuel consumption. i.e driving style and traffic/road conditions etc. I fall into a similar category as Seatkid with 40-45K on fronts and everlasting on rears along with 45 - 50 mpg. That is over 100k in MKI and 70K in MKII. The MKII was heavier on both than the MKI which I put down to the lower profile wider tyres. This seems to carry through to the MKIII which seems to be heading for less than 20K all round struggling to better 40mpg with 17" run flats. I think it's called "Progress".

Still only Mum of 4. You must have found out what causes it then. :16: Ere, do these Kia things have comfortable seats then? I expect you'll be taking over the Kia owners site soon - unless they don't have a sense of humour. :27:

Gregers, I think one of the problems is that the specs on the Titanium have "evolved" and the 2 litre 140 engine is the latest "more efficient" version which may account for the possible discrepancies. I am a little longer in the body than the newer leggy generations but have never had problems with any previous cars - including an original Fiat Panda. I can get into the S-Max but then, as I said, the arm rest becomes a nuisance. It's not just me anyway, my passengers much prefer to travel in the old Gal and Picasso. There have been several comments about the roof boxes rattling. In fact, just about everything rattles on our typical country roads. I may be old fashioned but I cannot see the point of a sporty set up in a vehicle intended for 7 especially when we spend most of the time in slow moving traffic or cruising down motorways etc. Give me a MKI Ghia anyday. I could then travel more than a couple of miles without wondering why my backside is in a hole and the seat seems to be totally lacking in padding. The sad part is that all manufacturers seem to have the came mindset. Just for the record, I have managed 43mpg over the last 1400 miles (nearly 5 months!) wheras the old MKII was doing around 50 and on one recent trip it did 57 but there were a lot of 50mph speed restrictions.

I agree with everything that Gregers and Chris have said and you may like to have a look at the post I started in this section over six months ago. I hate the front seats - somewhere between a bucket and a commode and the back end does a jig if you hit even a small bump on a bend but that has improved somewhat after letting a bit of air out and with the effect of warm weather on those awful run flat tyres. Try to keep away from 17" wheels and run flats. The steering is actually great and it does stay nicely level on a smooth bendy road - just so long as there are no rough patches - then it can get nerve wracking. The interior is nowhere near as tolerant to rough use as the old ones and the third row seating is a waste of time for adults. I saw someone visiting a neighbour a couple of days ago with the same model as mine and he made exactly the same comments. In fact his actual words were "It's Bl00dy awful on corners." My biggest issue is the stalling problem and that seems to be to do with the throttle set up. The throttle movement seems to be about half that of the MKI/MKII and then most of the action is at the top half inch. Today (I rarely used the damned thing) I tried to increase the revs smoothly from tick-over to 2000rpm and it seems to jump from 1100 to 1500 being virtually impossible to get it in the middle and it also seems to have a bit of a delay in the process which I put down as the cause of the fact that I either stall it on take off or set off in a squeal of tyres. This also has the unfortunate side effect of suddenly taking off just after winding it up to 30 in a built up area and dropping it in 4th when after about a second or two without any movement of the throttle it surges and unless you ease up quickly ( and it's only a hairs breadth movement of the throttle) you can find the speed rapidly approaching 40. This was mentioned in a post by a 1.6L owner about a year ago so I have assumed that it is a standard 'feature' I am trying hard to get to like this thing and every time I get in I think "What am I complaining about?" but it is just these stupid "improvements" that the idiot designers seem to be putting on all new cars that are making life an absolute misery and I am just pleased that I still have my MKII - when I can get my son to let me have it back! If Gregers reads this, and I am sure he will, I should be interested in his thoughts on my comments about the throttle. Also, slightly off topic, I went into a Ford dealer to try a road test on an S-Max 2.0L Titanium Manual but they only had the Auto and unfortunately I couldn't get into it unless the seat was fully down and then I couldn't drive it until I put the seat back up because of the damned arm rest but then I have to drive the Galaxy with it up and open. I have come to the conclusion that, as a fit and healthy 6' 14 st fully grown adult male I am now considered to be severely deformed by most car designers. :( And finally, I did look at a lot of other options and I liked them even less. I guess it's progress.

BigDave has made a valid point. My experience in 200K+ in MKII and MKII is that the best policy is to ignore offers to do tracking and just make sure that everything else is OK. I must have done well over a million miles in a wide range of cars (Possibly 2) without having the tracking adjusted on any car because they have only ever made things worse. If I remember correctly, I eventually did it myself using the method suggested by bigdave and balancing the length of the track rod ends but that was getting on for 30 years ago. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: I think you should go back to the beginning. Did you replace the driveshaft before or after the problem and why did you get it tracked in the first place? Seatkid's point about it being a suspension problem is also a good one but, depending on when the problem started, it may be a good idea to get the work you did on the drive shaft checked because all of the bits which have to be disconnected to do the driveshaft may not have gone back right. Which side was it by the way?

You need to be aware that the under trays are engine specific.

I've got a statue of SeatKid from way back. It has a halo, albeit at something of a rakish angle.

I agree with SeatKid. I've had MKI, MKII and now (Unfortunately!) a MKIII Titanium and none of these engines need glowplugs in anything but the winter months. I've had the problem with the MKI Temperature sensor which effectively disables the glowplugs and it still started after 3-5 seconds cranking at 5 below so methinks there is something else. It maybe that the engine has been run for some time without some long runs so one of SK's famous Italian tuneups may be worth a try but mine were always used for regular 200 - 400 mile round trips and always started at first touch. The problem with the warm start is an undiagnosed common problem with the MKI and mine developed it somewhere around the 200K miles mark. It's annoying but doesn't seem to be more than that.

"However, this garage reckon they cant identify any symptoms. They claim it drives the same as any other gaalaxy theyve driven. I have to go in latet today to show them the noise and power loss etc." If that is their opinion I don't think I'd trust them to change a light bulb.

P1570 fault code tends to be interpreted as something to do with the immobiliser but I've had it a couple of times as a result of an intermittent throttle sensor. This has been reported several times in the past and it is quite common. The symptoms are sudden loss of power with the revs settling at just under 1200 or thereabouts. This does make it possible to continue at up to 30mph but simply switching off and on resets it. However, on mine the fault recurred within a few hundred yards and seemed to be when the throttle was increased slowly from minimum so, if stuck, a short jab might get past the problem until it can be fixed. in my case the assembly was removed - 3 hex screws, and the top plate removed to reveal the control tracks. a quick wipe with a clean cloth and reassembly gave 2 years use until today. Note, the cover is fitted and held in position presumably set in manufacture so it is important to make sure than the screw marks are used to check that it goes back in the same position. Also, inside there are 4 sets of sprung contacts which can be damaged so some care is necessary with the cleaning. As far as I can determine the clue is the revs settling at about 1150rpm.

I think that decision would have to be made on the basis of reliability and suitability for towing and that brings in 2 totally separate areas of experience as most vehicles will do far more miles solo than towing. My experience over similar mileages has been that the MKI was less trouble and cheaper to maintain than the MKII but there are so many factors which affect this and leave the final decision a 50/50 gamble. I have heard some excellent reports of towing with either of these with one driver claiming economy of 40mpg towing with a MKII tdi ghia. The MKIII is a different vehicle altogether and my only experience is with a virtually new 2.0 diesel Titanium and this just doesn't seem stable at the back end at all so I wouldn't fancy towing with it. If you want a true MPV then don't even consider the MKIII and that seems to be the opinion of anyone who has had MKIs and MKIIs. However, the earlier MKIIIs may have retained some of the qualities of the earlier models and probably do not suffer from the 'improvements' on more recent ones.

My old MKII ghia has them but it's a 6 seater. It is not possible to fit them in row 2 unless it is a 6 seater. Mine also has only lugs for 6 seats so it looks like a factory new fit only. My old MKI GLX had lugs for 6 and 7 seats. I guess it is a from new option only. It's a pity they can't be made to fit in the MKIII. I might feel like using the damned thing then. :angry2: :angry2: :angry2:

Well, I've made some pretty caustic remarks about the MKIII Titanium and not one reply to disagree. Is that an indication of general agreement? I had arrived at a point where I was beginning to think I was being a bit picky but I have just visited my son who now drives my old Ghia. He sat in the front seat and his very words were "How the bl00dy hell do you put up with these seats?" He sat in the back and his comment is unrepeatable. I then sat in the old Ghia and immediately realised that everything that I had written about the seating in the Titanium was an understatement. It is truly awful and I am really struggling justify keeping it, especially on the ride back when it was like taking a trip in a 1930 corporation bus. There were 2 occasions where there was a bit of rough road and an approaching lorry. The back end was jumping about all over the place and I just locked the wheel straight and prayed. I was only doing 45. I travel this road regularly in the Picasso and had hardly noticed the bumps before and, yes I have checked the tyre pressures - twice on different gauges 32psi. I have tried it with about 350Kg of paving slabs in the back and it is not much better. Is this normal or is there any possibility that some idiot has "improved" the suspension?

I had this problem with the wiring loom and it produced no fault codes. Once convinced It was the cause I removed each connector in turn and gave it a squeeze with a pair of pliers and pushed it back. They were all loose and it is possible to feel the effect of the squeeze when pushing them back. Getting the rocker cover was a bit daunting as some of the screws were a bit difficult to find but then I'm getting a bit nervous in my old age. :-) It was another case where I was grateful for all the helpful blokes on here.

I think Seatkid has covered pretty well everything. Just one more point, do try to find out about the last cam belt change and if in any doubt get it done ASAP along with a new water pump as their life is pretty much the same as the cam belt. Recommended period is 60K.

I've had a good look round and there doesn't seem to be one anywhere. I guess we have to wait for a friendly and helpful Ford bloke to come up with the goods. Actually, I'm reappraising my local Ford dealer as they seem to be well organised and very helpful but I doubt they'd help on this. The sad bit is that many of us seem to be able to interpret the information better than the average Ford people and that is a constant source of aggrevation.

Does this procedure work on the later versions with keyless ignition?

One more thought, with a limited budget it may be worth looking at the MKIs. You may well get a better MKI than a MKII for the same money and, in my opinion, the overall finish,comfort and durability was better. Go for the 1998 on with 110 bhp diesel. Much like the Mercs providing you are not gooey eyed about a bit of extra performance and plasticy trim. One observation based on experience, the TDI engine thrives on hard work, long runs etc. but the air intake system and vacuum pipes used to control the turbo can get blocked up. Not expensive but messy.

Silver beast - I can sympathise about the aircon pipe, It seems to be a common problem. I was running 2 Galaxys at the time and both suffered the same problem within less than a month. Total bill £800 but difficult to prove responsibility with an otherwise helpful garage. Re the original query, these motors can be excruciatingly expensive to fix if you get a wrongun and the problems aren't immediately obvious. Do enquire about service history and be very suspicious of anything that doesn't feel wholesome. All rear seats are removable but do need to be replaced in the correct positions. Removing the centre one would leave a pleasant open area with easier access to the back row or just folding it down does much the same.

I had the wheels off my MKII Ghia done 4 years ago through a tyre fitter in Bromsgrove. Cost was £40 per wheel inc vat and fitting as tyres were removed for the job which was sand blasting to strip back to metal and respray with several coats. The finish was fine and now after 4 years there is just a bit of a bubble round the valve on a couple of them but otherwise as good as when they were done. Mine were the clear lacquered diamond polished ones which usually last only until some uncouth fitter gets at them so the respray with metallic grey/silver will never fully restore them but there is no other real option with those wheels. The major problem is that the wheels have to be left for a couple of weeks and they were not exactly reliable with their delivery times but I did mine is pairs and had spare wheels. The problem was with the sprayers and not the tyre fitters who were brilliant. On these wheels another problem is the centre caps which also deteriorate rapidly but I removed the silvered aluminium cover and faound a perfectly acceptable grey plastic underneath so removing the round ford bit from the outer and sticking it back on did at least make the car look respectable again. It does actually look better now that it did when I bought it nearly 8 years ago. I did time it with tyre replacements which was convenient and kept everyone happy.

The simple air con (NOT climate control) was way better on the MKI than the climate contol on the MKII and MKIII. But then I hate climate control,. I just want it to do what I want it to do without frigging around with a multitude of silly buttons and then wait for a half baked computer to make up it's mind how it's going to annoy me this time. ;)

I've now worked my way through MKI, MKII and MKIII, all diesels and my favourite is the MKI 1.9TDI manual for all round driving pleasure and cost efficency. Not a lot of frills but well thought out and comfortable. The 1998 on with the 110 BHP engine has more than enough poke for sensible drivers and will cruise all day at 70 and 45 mpg +. You can go faster but what is the point these days. The problem is as always finding a good one and this will usually be one which has not seen too many Ford garages as most of the problems are down to poor fault diagnosis, botched repairs and irresponsible owners - usual story really. Good ones are hard to find but it would help to find an experienced owner to help eliminate rubbish. The old problem exists in that few people will part with one unless it has a problem. These generally fall into 2 categories. Not immediately obvious but expensive to fix and troublesome and difficult to diagnose but not always serious. Always insist on a good test drive and a good diesel MKI should take you from 50 to 70 on a level road in 5th smoothly and quietly in 10 seconds or less and be picking up all the way. (Std problem is the MAF which makes it feel as if the turbo is shot) Uneven tyre wear can be a huge problem, especially on the back and tyres should last 40K front and forever on the back. My MKI looked tatty when I got it at 140K but felt good. It had a couple of the silly annoying problems which cost me less than ton but I gave it a full service and cam belt to be sure and it gave me 100K of real pleasure in 4 years of mixed van type use and family use at minimal cost, more than I had from the MKII and I just don't want to talk about the MKIII. I've never had to put a single drop of oil in any of them between services. All standard stuff I'm afraid but it should feel a lot better than any Zaffy I've been in and if you have any doubts start digging or post here. I hope you get lucky.

Perhaps a little more constructive advice if you want to go ahead. The leather seat option may overcome the problem that the standard seats only come in black (Graphite) which show every bit of dust etc. and hangs onto it like velcro besides which they are extremely uncomfortable. I find that the second row seats are more like a park bench with little or no padding and the severe bucketing on the front seats leaves me constantly fidgeting to find a position where I am not leaning to one side or another. I had a close look at a Titanium X but couldn't reconcile my hatred for black cars and concerns about the 1.6 diesel engine. The throttle is annoyingly over sensitive but automatic may overcome this. The climate control is pretty useless as the extra vents in the back rows don't seem to do much at all. I haven't yet had the nerve to ask anyone to try the rear seats as I don't fancy them myself. Perhaps ok for pre school and junior children. Most annoying of all is the ride which is seriously hard and I find that on even slightly rough surfaces the rear end just seems to lose interest in the road surface and every bump is a major event. Ditching the run flat tyres and 17" wheels may improve matters but that leaves the problem of no spare. As far as the rest of your questions I have now lost all interest in anything but finding a way to stop my passengers complaining so perhaps you should do a serious road test before making any decision. It may well still appeal to you. If so all is well. As I mentioned above, the earlier versions were much better in all of these matters but all of this depends on why you want one in the first place.

Check to see if the fuel pump works. It relies on a relay controlled by the immobiliser and it is not unknown for either to fail. If it is not running, try hard wiring it from the ignition circuit. Sorry, can't help with locations etc. I could suggest that the chip in the key has dropped out but this only applies to keys with remote and the others are sealed in.