Taliska

The mirrors go all steamy when the rear demister is switched on for me...

Rather pertinent question as it's 1st December and the new law on mobile phones has come into effect... There's a little phone icon on the radio (standard one with CD changer in the rear on the Ghia) - so what does that mean the radio will do for me? B) Anyone have any car kits to recommend and any not to recommend? Cheers all, B) Taliska

The aux heater... @ 0.6 l/Hr that's not a huge amount of fuel each time it works - so not too much to worry about really in the mpg calcs. Had a bit of fun playing with the wipers in the rain seeing how they slowed down when I stopped - gosh this car's so exciting - so far there's been something new to discover every week with this beast! B) On that note - I wish I knew how the Climate Controlled heating thingy worked - I've read the manual but am no wiser. B) Taliska

Funny you should ask that question about the mpg Tigger - I was wondering that myself and guessed that the aux heater consumption was unlikely to be taken into account on the computer. Went to fill up a bit earlier than normal today - had done 540 miles and had used 66 litres (ouch) - so that's only 4 litres left (supposedly). This time I'd only done about 60 or so miles with the fuel light on (have done 100 before now). It had been cold the last few days so the aux heater has been on a bit. Hummm... Taliska P.S. anyone fancy coming and washing mine - it's covered in mud! It's started raining again, so with any luck it will be a bit cleaner by the morning! :D

Hi, If you put the heating controller to point to the screen, it will switch the front demister on for you. Leastwise it does on my Galaxy! Taliska

Blimey, I heard it this morning - and from reading this topic last night - I know what it is! Wow - it does sound like an aircraft jet engine - took me by surprise too. I thought I'd heard some wheezing before now, but with the cold weather this morning combined with a short trip - I heard this almightly roaring noise when I got out. I must say that I was really surprised too how quickly the car heated up - normally diesels take ages to warm up, but with the temperature on full volume, it was really quick. So, does this auxiliary heater thing burn fuel directly to warm the car? - looks like a small exhaust pipe under there. Wierd, but does seem to work! Taliska

This is wierd... Mine's a new 93 TDI Galaxy and it seems to mist up a lot too. When raining I seem to have to have the blower on the screen to keep it clear most of the time. Today (yes, the day that it seemed to rain like mad) the windscreen was completely soaked when I got in this evening to go home. I was really surprised when the windscreen wipers didn't clear it, as I thought it was on the outside at first! Funny though, it was only the windscreen that was affected and none of the others. I generally run with the a/c off as it's winter(ish) and I don't really need it... unless of course I should be using it because of the condensation! Hummm... Taliska

:angry: I've had my Galaxy for a month, done a couple of thousand miles... Just got to say... "I REALLY LIKE IT". It's a piece of cake to drive, has averaged 44mpg - thumbs up. Taliska :(

Hi all, Got a new 1.9 TDI 115 early October - computer says it wants a service @ 2800 miles. Okay, so it's an import and it could have been sitting around a bit waiting to be sold... Do I believe it - do I wait for 10k (need to check interval in the book)? Do I knacker the warranty if I ignore it until later? Thoughts please? Thanks, Taliska

So what's all this silliness about the change from BHP to PS. We all know and love BHP, so why bother with PS at all - after all it's just a metricated version of BHP where 1 PS = 0.986 BHP. Taliska

Hi Howard, Yes, had it a few weeks now and unfortunately the analogue clock hasn't grown on me yet! It's not the easiest clock to read in the world either. Somehow the oval nature of it doesn't seem to fit in too well with the round nature of the rest of the 'clocks' and indicators. Car's fine overall - just taken all the (removable) seats out this morning - they're quite heavy! Guess I won't need to do that too often! I think that it'll be a case of 'live and let live' with the analogue clock. Cheers, Taliska

If there's a pattern here, then it seemingly defies analysis! I must say that I sympathise with Ivor's thoughts entirely... Taliska

This is very odd... Carl, is yours petrol or diesel / UK or imported? Fordy, is yours a new 130 BHP UK model? Mine's a 2003 115 BHP diesel - imported. Taliska

I guess it's made stiff so that it can't be switched on accidentally. :D Having said that I leave it on the whole time (well all 60 hours of ownership so far). I think I'll train the wife to switch it off when she drives it - just in case the buttons on the wheel get knocked. :D Taliska

Definitely chuffed with it! :D It's quite a shift from driving an estate car that I really liked (had her for some 8.5 years!), it's all good so far. I was surprised that the fuel consumption is better than my old car despite being a bigger beast - however I haven't yet blasted along on the motorway yet. I think that I'm smitten. I really want to go on next summer holiday now with everything packed in... tent, kids and all. It's got these novel features like cruise control, electric windows, climate control, trip computer... all things that the old girl didn't have - things have come on a lot in the last 8 years! So thumbs up. I must say that everyone I've talked to that's got a Galaxy (or one of its relatives) really like them. It's nice too to have a forum on them with folk that help! Cheers all, Taliska

It's all very curious... Do all those that have Cruise Control but no indicator, have a multifunction steering wheel as well? My manual's got a picture in - that's how I 'know' it's 'missing' !?! The Cruise Control ON/OFF switch on the steering wheel is very stiff - is that normal too? Cheers, Taliska

< Brief Interlude > That's it!!! Popped the ignition on - waited a couple of seconds for all the other indicators to go out - tapped the brake peddle and bingo the warning light went out! Brilliant! { The neighbours must think I'm absolutely nuts going in and out of the car during the night and sitting there looking at the dials - it looks like a spaceship at night, especially with the steering wheel lighting up as well! } Thanks all, Taliska

I know it's dark, but I'm going outside now to look at this! Back in a mo! Taliska

Just read the manual closely... You're right, Ford dealers will carry out the warranty work 'free of charge'... the only conditions being "that the vehicle must be serviced as recommended in the Ford Service Plan and preferably by a Ford Dealer", plus a couple of other minor points. I guess I've got to settle on a Ford Dealer somewhen. Funny looking at the test in the book... Bulb failure warning light ---------------------------- Illuminates to indicate the failure of an exterior bulb when the exterior lights are switched on. But I hadn't got any switched on! Curious - I wonder if they've got a connector on back to front at the back of the dash? Taliska

Hummm... methinks you're right. Taliska

Yes, I know that I can take it anywhere, though I'd imagine that it would be slightly easier at a Ford dealer... The little bulb icon says on for a short while (maybe 30 seconds) when I switch it on... Aarrghh, am I being silly here... does it stay on for a short while when you start the engine while the computer is testing them? BTW, the guide book is does drop several hints that only Ford dealers can do paint inspections for the warranty. Taliska

Ah ha, thought that you would say that! It's true, it should be covered under the warranty... The car was bought some 150 miles away at a car supermarket, so I won't be going back there just to get that looked at. I suppose that I ought to run it in for a thousand miles or so and get all the niggles fixed in one go. Taliska

Brand new - it's the first brand new car I've ever had - so far so good! Taliska

Hi, Brand new car (34 hours old) - so no, I've not changed any, and all the obvious lights (including brake / rear light) work fine. Anyone know if the number plate light failures are detected? Didn't check them! Taliska

Hi all, My new Galaxy has a multifunction steering wheel and after a hundred miles or so, I eventually sussed out how to get the Cruise Control going. I realised that it wouldn't come on because... I had my foot resting on the clutch peddle! Aarrrggghhh! Old habits die hard. The manual says there's an indicator light on the dash to show that Cruise Control is engaged - but it doesn't light up - is that normal??? Doesn't sound like it to me! The Cruise Control ON/OFF switch is mighty stiff on the steering wheel - I wonder that's related to the problem? Thanks for any ideas. Taliska