chromedome

Did the garage you bought from do a "service" as part of the deal? If so I bet they didn't use the correct oil either. The oil should be to VW505.01 spec or you will get early camshaft wear. Edit: Another important thing to check, is the engine undertray fitted?

Are you aware of anyone clipping a kerb with the rear wheels? It has been known that the rear suspension arms can get bent.

Try getting a four wheel alignment done. I've just had mine done just for the heck of it and the car does feel a lot stedier on the road. I can't think of the name of the equipment that was used off hand. Well known but mine brains dead at the moment :wacko: Edit: Pretty sure it was Pro-Align. Lasers, mirrors and stuff. Takes about 45 minutes but well worth it.

From what I've read on the forum it's easier and cheaper to change the car :)

My neighbour has a brand new Kia 4 x 4 and it has Kumho tyres on it.

Thanks for the replies. I'll go for the Kumhos as I only do about 6,000 miles a year, car has now done 39,000. My local Ford dealer keeps ringing me asking if I want to trade it!! The tyre guy was telling me that reinforced/extra load tyres start at 89 rating. I thought that was doubtful though.

Are KUHMO ECSTA SPT KU31 tyres any good. Seem to have good reviews and are availabe in 215/55 W16 97 XL. My local tyre fitter inadvertantly fitted 93 rated tyres and has agreed to replace them foc. The Goodyear 93's were £105 each and the Kuhmo £79 each so I will get a refund as well. I know there are many discussions about tyre loadings on the forum but any information you may have would be most welcome. Edit: I understand that the new MK3 Galaxy is coming with these tyres fitted from new.

I has a company car and had the wiggle, you almost wobble in time with the car which I had never come across. After months of replacing and checking different things it did indeed turn out to be dry CV joints. Not packed properly from new apparently.

T%his wiggle can sometimes be caused by dry CV joints. Peel back the rubber boot and see if there is enough grease in there. If not pack with the appropriate grease and the problem should go away.

Is it a diesel? If so check if aux heater is working. You'll find pages and pages of info about this beast!!

I managed to find a normal fit blade but similar to the Bosch Aero blades. Works well. Even Ford could not supply one that worked properly.

Does the Zetec model have air bags in the side of the seats? If so you may have to disconnect the battery so they don't activate, make sure you have the radio code as well. Don't get water in them if fitted.

It could be worth getting the ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) changed as it "burns" with age. You would need a garage to do this as the ATF level has to be checked when it's at a particular temperature.

It's almost impossible to do due to electronically operated flaps and sensors. You would need a donor vehicle to get all the parts from.

The petrol versions use a mechanical system using vacuum pipes to control the cruise control. The most common failure is breaks in the pipes somewhere. I believe there is a canister with pipes attached to it behind the offside headlight, this seems to be the most common point of failure so check for damaged/corroded pipess. No doubt someone with far more knowledge than me on this forum will steer you in the right direction.

I think this has been covered before. It's almost impossible due to wiring of sensors and electronic flaps etc.

The radio is fed via two fuses, one permanent live and one switched live. Perhaps someone can tell you the fuses to check because my TIS disc no longer works with Windows 7.

As far as I know it's a modular item connected via a plug and held on with two screws. Remove the glove box and there it is, ten minute job. Makes a change for something to be easy on a Galaxy.

Sounds like another dead hedgehog. Seriously there is a resistor pack, called the hedgehog, located on the left hand side of the heater box behind the glovebox, normally coloured red or green. It is a common fault not just with the Galaxy but on most cars. Easy job to replace.

I'm pretty sure you just check each sensor for an open circuit. If it is it's duff.

Have you driven the car over 20mph. Doing so should clear the ABS if everything is ok.

The A/C may be caused by the resister pack (hedgehog)which is located on the left side of the heater behind the glove box, I think green or red in colour. Normally this affects the lower fan speeds but may be worth a look. There has been a post on here recently about a thermal fuse blowing on the hedgehog and how to replace it.

The Galaxy has an expensive Dual Mass Flywheel. Get the garage to change everything.

You need a tool to rotate the pistons back into the calipers and yes to should expel the fluid through the bleed nipple. Pushing the fluid back through the system can mess up the ABS and flip the seals in the master cylinder.

I think these "magic" chips have been mentioned many times on the forum and they appear to be a complete waste of time. Please remember the Galaxy is a people carrier not a sports car :lol: I have a 130 and it's got plenty of get up and go.