Scorpiorefugee

Old money suggests that if overrun starts the smoking then it is sucking oil so as already suggested rings, valve stems or turbo. What happens if you let it hang on to the engine on a down hill. One other thought, I had an MG Montego a long while ago (22 years AAGGHH!) that did this and after a decent oil change the symptoms virtually disappeared.

A simple piece of advice. DONT BOTHER! I have owned a one year old Titanium for 2 months and now prefer driving my wife's 9 year old Picasso. If you want some good advice try searching for a good low mileage MKI or MKII and steal it because there is no other way that you will get them to part with it. Have you noticed that SH MKII prices have increased lately? It does seem that you like gadgets and in that what you are looking at may suit your tastes but most of the galaxy owners that I know have no intention of "upgrading" because the MKIII has omitted pretty well everything that made the others so good. Having re-examined my purchase decision I now wish that I had settled for a Zetec and enjoyed the cash saving and the fact that it came with 16" wheels that didn't make the ride almost unbearably uncomfortable. However, it is a matter of choice I just do hope that you do not regret your purchase as much as I do.

Yet another example of letting idiots make rules and design things. One has to wonder how bad things have to be before the long suffering public revolts.

The consensus does seem to be that the Ford team have lost the plot somewhat. The VW/Seat alternatives are few and far between and the motoring press seems to be of the opinion that the new Galaxy is the best of the bunch but then when have they ever said anything sensible. I have yet to find anyone who thinks that the MKIII is a net improvement. The sad thing is that all new cars seem to be designed with the same mindsets. The phrase "Lunatics taking over the asylum" comes to mind. Mine has now done 1000 miles from purchase and I still find it annoying to drive. I think it could have been and should have been a great car but it has been ruined by those with a total lack of understanding of what the MKII and MKI were about. However, I am now concentrating on what specifically annoys me about this one and am considering what could be done. Rough ride, it really is like a 1930s corporation bus. I have asked about 16" wheels with more friendly tyres and these are available for £230 ish each and valves at £60 plus tyres of choice. Does anyone out there fancy a swap? The throttle is programmed to be concentrated in the top 1/2" which could be reprogrammed. Does anyone know how? The seats may be improved with the addition of a suitable cushion and ties. One for SWMBO. I now drive with the arm rest come storage lid in the up position to allow uncluttered access to the gears and brake. It seems ridiculous that a car of this type and cost should be designed to suit the peculiar tastes of a minority group who are unlikely to want one in the first place but it does seem that the entire Ford range is targeted at the same group with no understanding of the real needs of those who drive responsibly and adhere to the laws of the land and that old rule book known as the Highway Code. Ah Well! That's progress

Thanks Chris, I was beginning to think is was just me being grouchy. A thought about you scooter - I used to have a similar problem with the old Galaxy which I used for work and it had to cope with van type use. I made a removable wooden tray which fitted tightly in the back with the back seats removed and pushing the 2nd row seats forward an inch or two gave me a rugged tray about 44 x 40" and sides about a foot high with a lid which could be popped on to give a clean look when the back was clear. I have managed to adapt it to fit the new Gal as I dread to think what it might be like to clean around the fold down seats. fixings are a bit of a problem as the new one has a sloping bit at the back and the side panels are angled giving a taper effect. I've also looked at getting a new set of 16" alloys with tyres which will possibly improve the ride and allow use of one of the others as a spare to be fitted in the well where the 3rd row of seats is as they are pretty useless anyway. A set of alloys with tyres works out cheaper than replacing the factory fitted boneshakers but the problem is the valves as they are now subject to the new loony regs.

Finally, for this topic anyway, a reply for Chrisb. MPG is at the moment nowhere as good as the old Gals. On a return trip of about 220 miles almost all dual carriageway and keeping strictly to the limits it reports 41.5. Doing the same trip in the MKII Ghia I get 48 - 50 regularly and this is verified by the almost 800 miles full to empty. The MKIII is almost down to 1/4 after 350 miles - not good. The suspension is very firm remarked by all passengers as is the comfort level of the seats reported as a bit hard to not very comfortable. In fact the general view is that the MKII is a much more pleasant ride. Drive wise, the clutch is a bit fierce and the throttle is all at the top making smooth take offs very edgy and the overall power again compared to the 115 on a long uphill (Birdlip in Gloucestershire) seems if anything a bit down. It's better looking than the earlier models and it certainly feels and looks like a new vehicle, if not a particularly well thought out interior, which is a shame because it feels as if it could have been brilliant. Little things like the arm rest between the front seats which I bang my elbow on every time I apply the handbrake or change gear are just plain annoying bad design. I've started to leave the lid up which solves the problem. What do you think of the upholstery? It seems to be a combination of velcro and nylon stockings. I got a few cat hairs on one seat (not my cat - hate the damned creatures) and the only way I could get them off was with a fine pair of tweezers. It's early days yet but I'm not particularly impressed.

The Mk1 and MK2 kept the same basic design/chassis for 10 years and I suspect that the MK3 will do the same. Variants and "Improvements" come from new (and usually expensively detrimental) regulations, tweaks to encourage owners to "Upgrade" and engine/gearbox choices. If you follow Gregers's advice and spend a lot of time making a nuisance of yourself because most of the supermarkets expect you to have done the research and buy virtually "Off plan." Don't be attracted by a load of fancy extras unless you are a gadget freak and take your time. It may be worth waiting for the new registrations later in the year because that does seem to have the effect of increasing choice while reducing prices. Also, do be aware that in the age range of vehicle that you are looking at many are for sale because the previous owner gave up trying to fix an annoying, expensive or elusive problem so look at the warranty terms.The "Honestjohn.co.uk " website is a good source of information. I can sympathise because I have just been through the same process, albeit with experience of earlier models and, while being faced with having to face a longish period of learning to love the new one, I am still reasonably happy that it was the only real option. I hope you end up with something you are happy with. Ron. P.S. Please keep posting on your progress as this site relies on the experience of others to be a good source of help.

Sorry if I missed the point but I think I should have done what you are doing and gone a bit older. I gave up trying to make sense of all of the different engines etc. and since there were so few about it made life very difficult. As I stand at the moment I am enjoying driving my wife's 04 Picasso more than the new Gal but it has to be a matter of what you want in a car. My original decision was to go for a Ghia 2L diesel as that seemed to be much the same throughout production until the arrival of the Zetecs etc. It is usually said that it was simply a name change but I am not convinced and new regulations seem to be creating a whole new load of potentially expensive problems on the most recent models. As far as I could determine the 2.0L diesel in the earlier range was based on the Mondeo engine and was well proven but I gave up trusting Ford dealer info years ago. I found a 59 Ghia about 6 months ago one owner and fully serviced from the local supplier and immaculate for £12K with 50k miles but SWMBO wanted a newer one which is why I have the one I have now and why I am trying to get my son to let me have my 52 Ghia back. More recent searches only produced older vehicles at higher prices and on the basis of "We can get this one in for you sir." I still very much regret not going for the 59 Ghia because it did not have heavily tinted windows, 17" wheels and run flat tyres which seem to be standard fitting on all of the new models. I did find that the earlier ones generally did not have the depressing all black interiors but cannot comment on much else other than to say that after an hour in my new one I felt as if I'd been sitting on a commode for an hour thanks to the severely hard bucket seating and SWMBO wasn't particularly impressed either but the depressive interior could have been partially responsible. Maybe some sunshine will help. :unsure: :unsure: One thing you always have to be aware of is the "Cost improved" models but the Ghia seemed to have survived that. Again, good luck.

Not knowing what you are looking for makes it difficult to answer. I've had a 98 MK1, a '52 Ghia and now own a '12 Titanium and offer the following personal and family viewpoints. If you want a genuine MPV, If you want a real 7 seater for adults, If you want a comfortable vehicle with a pleasant driving and passenger experience, If you want an economical and reliable true all purpose vehicle, Go for a '98 MK1 Ghia TDI if you can find a well cared for example, If you want an expensive and uncomfortable boneshaker, buy one like mine. Henry ford is really back as the interiors come in any shade of black and the suspension seems to be based on an F1 car with some of the most uncomfortable seats I've found in 50 years and 2,000,000 miles of motoring. But that is progress. We now have cars with wheels where the valves cost more than the tyres which in turn may as well be solid rubber for all the good they do. Having spent a great deal of time looking around and trying to avoid the MK3 I came to the conclusion that, in spite of everything, it is still the best all round option in it's class and I regretably chose to go for a nearly new for warranty security only to find that the one size and colour fits all policy had been adopted but for some reason it didn't fit any of us. If you really want a MK3 can I suggest a 2L TDI Ghia as the best option although, unless you can find a Ghia X or Titanium X with light coloured leather interiors you might be happier with one of the cheaper versions which tend to come with a bit of colour in the interior. That way you could avoid having the neighbours thinking the Mafia has come to tea. :43: :43: Good luck mate. You are going to need it together with a lot of patience because there are not many out there to choose from.

General advice with this sort of problem is to remove the whole thing from any power and wash all of the contaminant away with soapy water, rinse and dry well in the airing cupboard for a day or two. Once that is done have a good look around anywhere the contamination has been for components with wires or legs missing as the liquid acts to allow electrolytic action and copper gets removed from legs of chips etc. and deposited elsewhere. If all looks OK and the fuses are OK you may just get lucky. 'Ive repaired many items like this in the past, Coffee/tea is bad, Coke and other fizzy drinks come next, and then there's urine...... :38: Hope for the best.

I agree with Chris as over half of the low wattage bulbs I have had fail in recent years have failed in this way. Not easy to explain to the nice policeman when he stops you.

Gregers.... Thanks for the reply, but Yes...... right! When I bought the MKII form our local ford dealer with 69K on it I was told that it had a timing chain and needed no maintenance. Research proved them wrong and they reluctantly agreed to replace the belt since they had serviced it from new and could find no record of it having been changed. A short while afterwards the water pump went and I took it to my own friendly local garage and their comment was that they didn't know who did the cambelt but it wouldn't have lasted anything like until the next scheduled change. I think I'll try Bristol Street Motors 15 miles down the road, at least they talk like professionals.

More questions.... I've been trying to look into servicing and warranties etc. and, while I shall probably be a long way down from the 30K miles/ year of working life and nearer 8K the thought of an electronic fault or, as it is a Ford and requires the questionable skills of some Ford garages, anything beyond a blown fuse brings on serious nervous tremors, I fear for my wallet should anything go wrong. I don't have a code for the Sony radio - should there be one? The Service booklet may be a duplicate as it has no supplier stamp - any comments please? There is no mention of cam belt replacement in any documentation I can find but read somewhere that it is now 125,000 miles/10 years. Is that right? The supplier gave it an interim service and stamped the book but is that enough to maintain the manufacturers warranty or should I take it to Ford for a check/repeat service within the 13 month window? i'e before April 8th. P.S The tyre mentioned in the previous post is scrubbed not feathered so I am not concerned about tracking.

Gregers - If I'm going to cock it up I intend to do it according to the book :49: . Chrispb - "Pull away/hill assist" --- Is that what we used to call a handbrake? Strewth man! I haven't worked out how to use the radio yet. I thought I was doing well getting the damned thing started. :5: According to the data the 163 and 140 should be the same on fuel but time will tell I suppose. I have only put about 50 miles on a full tank so far and the projected mileage has gone from 475 to 513 if that means anything. As far as MPG generally goesI have 2 regular trips, 200 miles each way to Plymouth and 65 each way to Burton and it is very noticable that if there is any wind and driving to the speed limits I can get as much as 10MPG variation on return trips with the overall average remaining reasonably constant although any temperature below about 3 C can have as much as 10 MPG reduction but all of that is in the old MKII - which I intend to hang on to. One question - This has run flat tyres on one of which has a corner scrubbed and has only 25psi which I am assuming is the explanation. What are the rules on mixing run flats with others on the same car - presumably not on the same axle?

Busy chap Gregers 'cos you seem to pick up new posts very quickly. Oops!, I said "more" , should have said "less" It is a bit of a gamble. Bought from a car supermarket - no haggling but nearly new motors at lowish prices and a choice for inspection. Probably ex - executive taxis but very clean, non smoker and unmarked so hopefully worth a punt against a 3/4 year old with 40/50K for an extra £3k. Just picked up last post.... It is a manual (I hate anything auto and that includes a lot of the standard auto lights/wipers that I suppose I'll have to live with) and a 140 with £135 tax. I shall be reporting back on MPG and other bits 'cos as in my first post on this topic I expressed some doubts about the 'improvements' but for now it's in the garage until the snow has gone - and I've finished reading the 350 page handbook. I am hoping for good MPG as I typically get 48-50 out of my 115 bhp Ghia but that does depend on air temperature and wind direction.

Gregers - You're a busy chap. It was certainly the biggest debit card transaction I've ever done. It was largely down to SWMBO. We had a bit of a windfall about 15 years ago and it was a choice of a Merc SLK or ISAs and she decided ISAs as advised by that berk Brown and they nose dived. They eventually recovered so it was cash in time and try the other plan and since we are now Galaxy addicts and it is quite probably the last car we shall buy it seemed a good idea. The silly thing is that we were getting offered 3 and 4 year old ones on a basis of "We can get this one in for you.." from Ford Direct at only £2K to £3K more than we got this one so it seemed too good to miss with low mileage and 2 years Manufacturer's warranty and nearly £11k off list price. Time will tell.....

I didn't exactly rush but just closed my eyes and jumped and now have a 12 reg Hypnotic blue Titanium with 9K miles locked in the garage - just. I didn't even get to test drive one and, when I picked it up, I even had to ask the man how to start the thing. It was simply a case of accepting that there really isn't anything else on the market that remotely appeals so I just acted under the direction of SWMBO. I have to admit that the drive home was a genuine relief in that it is obviously much more refined mechanically than the old MKII Ghia but was a little worried when I discovered that it was considerably bigger. It just fits in the garage with a whole 8 cm total clearance so I am now creating a foam pad with pressure plate...

'Stupid boy!' 'Ere, I resemble that! Don't you have better things to do than respond to nonsense from poor old duffers like me? I said I was getting desperate - or did I? I've spent hours on the Internet and annoyed a lot of salesmen and lost the only one I liked 'cos SWMBO said she didn't want one as old as an 09 forgetting that the current gal had more miles and was noticeably more tatty when we bought it and now looks better than it did then, but then that's women for you. :5: It's a bit like the mobile 'phone thing. All I want is something that allows me to talk to folk a long way away to replace the one I have now. I don't want the pleasure of driving ruined by sitting in something designed by someone who thinks all of the dubious 'improvements' are some sort of fashion accessory or status symbol and having to cope with endless buttons and LCD displays because the same numpties like the new digital and have no concept of the simple beauty of analogue. Oh! and did I mention I HATE Black! :)

Hi, I've just been re reading this and another thought struck me and it relates to the comment about the glow plug light not coming on for long so probably doesn't apply in all cases. The old MKI and possibly the MKII had a 2 part coolant temperature sensor one part of which was used for controlling glow plug timing and probably lots of other things but did not affect the temperature display. If this part failed then the glow plugs were never activated. Fine in the summer but could cause a 10 second delay in firing up in the winter and possibly more sever starting problems depending on engine design etc. Obviously, no warning codes and no way of testing other than with a meter or replacement. Probably not related but possibly worth a mention.

This is getting seriously sad. I am just recovering from an act of sheer desperation. I actually got as far as considering a C4 Picasso. Thankfully, I am now fully recovered but still dispairing about the prospect of finding a MKIII I can live with. Having moved from considering a 3/4 year old one I am now considering anything up to £20K but they all are funereal black or silver with black upholstery and it just makes no sense at all to part with that amount of loot to end up wit a car with all of the features that I hate about my current MKII Ghia. I have seen an older Zetec with a lighter coloured interior but it now seems that even that only comes with black upholstery and dash. Has Henry Ford been revived? The salesmen only seem to spout on and on about all of the totally unnecessary and pointless electronic gadgets but all I want is a comfortable seat, a cruise control and a heater that I can control without having to fumble around with 20+ buttons while peering at something between a video mixing desk and a musical instrument only to have to wait until some bl00dy computer decides whether to do what I asked or not. Whatever happened to simple and safe designs which didn't make it necessary to take your eyes of the road to make simple adjustments? Actually, I could live with loads of useless gubbinry ( and no spare wheel AAAGGGHHH!) if I could find one with an interior which didn't make me feel suicidal but they seemed to stop doing that a few years ago. Sadly, every manufacturer seems to be going the same way and the Gal is still the only realistic option. The only ones I've found so far were a 59 Ghia in Midnight Sky (Sold before I could get the wife to look it over) an 18 month old TitaniumX with cream leather but petrol and Auto (No way!) and a 9 month old TitaniumX with a 1.6 diesel and Cream leather but that was 100 miles away and I'm not convinced with the reports of that 1.6. The rest were all either wannabe hearses or Silver with depressing interiors and I refuse to start wearing sun glasses just to look the part a mafia boss or other hoodlum. I've been back along the S-Max and B-Max route but they all seem to be following the same theme and I bang my head every time I get into an S-Max so, unless anyone has any helpful comments it's back to Citroen. At least they do have interior designs which are not depressive and somewhere to put a spare wheel. I'm just stepping outside. I may be some time.....

One problem which causes this symptom is the throttle sensor. If the system detects a small irregularity in the control voltage it shuts the engine down leaving at tickover slightly above normal. The slightly high tickover is the real clue as the fault code is not always reported. the throttle pedal can be removed with a small socket screwdriver and the cover for the control can also be removed once you have it out. Mine looked perfectly clean but I wiped the track with my thumb (A bit crude) and it's been fine since. I think the designers should be held to account for introducing a potentially fatal reaction to a minor fault but there we are. Remember that the clue is the slightly increased tickover until you switch off and reset the system. I have had this and similar problems and found that with care it is possible to switch the ignition off and on while still moving and in gear but there will no doubt be an outcry at this suggestion.

The solenoid has a coil which activates it. It will normally have 12V to one connection and the other is returned to the ECU which has a transistor or some other electronic device which pulls it down to 0V and activates the solenoid which makes a connection between two other points which are presumably the ones you have shorted. My reasoning is that the solenoid is not being activated by the ECU and that the ECU is choosing not to do so for reasons unknown or it has been damaged. Since the flow of fuel via the injectors is also controlled by the ECU and it now seems likely that it is withholding that also it seems likely that there there is a reason for this. Now, it is quite possible that there is something in the wiring that was part of the stuff that the garage removed that is the cause of your problem my guess is that you have some detective work to do. Everything is pointing to an immobiliser problem and if it has been ripped out there are probably some wires which need connecting to simulate "Active" in the same way that you shorted the relay. It is of course possible that it may be a wire that needs to be disconnected depending on the logic or way the circuit works. (Hence my reference to pipe and deerstalker) I have a TIS disc which should help but if you already have a diagram you have what you need apart from some experience with that particular motor. I hope that makes some sense and my next suggestion is that you start a new topic under a heading for help needed to sort out a butchered 2.3L immobiliser circuit. You certainly have a challenge and I hope you get there.

Something strange... If you have a new battery why is it not able to whip the engine over? Another thought.... If you had to bypass the solenoid it may be that the solenoid is not the problem. It could be that the control to the solenoid is missing and in that case there may be another problem further back in the control system. You seem to be doing pretty well so far but do you have a wiring diagram?

" have no idea what you mean by pipe or deerstalker? lol" Obviously not heard of Sherlock Holmes. If there's power to the starter and the starter solenoid is clicking then.... a-The solenoid is US b-The starter is US c-The link I described earlier has blown. - You may have to remove or get close and personal to the starter to see what I mean as it is underneath the starter and if there is very little of it left it may be difficult to see that it was there in the first place. In my case the garage removed it and were going to get a replacement until I took it home and had a good look at it. d- The engine to chassis connection is not effective. Not really likely but it is the other end of the circuit. If the solenoid is not clicking try a link from the battery to the solenoid control contact. Tedious but safer than feeding 12V to the starter which can take several hundred amps surge on a cold morning. It won't electrocute you but you could get a nasty burn. Note - as both are inductive you can get a nasty flyback kick when you disconnect the link so do it from the starter end not the battery.

Does the starter solenoid click? Is it possible that the chip has fallen out of the key? this can happen on one with the remote fob if it separates - mine did it several times but I always managed to find it. Is it auto and the system thinks it is in drive which may inhibit starting. If they've been disconnecting things there is no telling what they may have done. If you want to really have a go without just chucking money at it and hoping there is a cd available which gives virtually everything you need to know and it is widely available for nowt if you want it. It depends which you have most of, money or time. Have you thought of investing in a VAG com? For a tenner or less with a laptop you can read error codes yourself. It can take a while to work out how but I did it so it can't be that bad. Failing that another site member living locally may be able to help. From what you say initially it may be that the original fault has been fixed but you are left with a few extra faults thrown in free of charge by the Ford garage. They do that quite often. It sound like you need to get a pipe and deerstalker.