johnb80

I would involve the AA, RAC or Trading Standards. Paint can be a terrible job to match up, maybe near on impossible BUT they know the risks, they take your premium. If you can get an independent report that says it ain't right, give them one last chance to sort it (with them providing a loan vehicle), if that's unsuccesful, take it to a reputable paint shop, get it put right and sue them in the small claims court. Regards - John

Sorry I thought the 2.3 had a Ford petrol engine in it which was built in the UK ???? I still have to say the French are a law unto themselves, remeber the lamb and the beef situations, it always seems it's the EEC + France when it suits them. Thats it now I'll put my soap box away for another year, live and let live, enjoy your Espace and ignore all of us sniggering. Regards - John

That is the same for any new car, even a Ford. This is true BUT parts from Ford and labour rates are a) Much more reasonably priced, :o More readily available and c) Not accompanied by arrogance. My neighbour had a brand new Laguna in January this year, it was plagued with problems from the start, the engine would go to tickover at any time for no apparent reason. It kept going back to the garage and coming back with no fault found. Finally he refused to drive it, his company insisted on another car being supplied, another new Laguna arrived. The exact same thing happened, eventually after 4 months Renault admitted there was a problem and took his diesel away and loaned him a petrol one. Finally 2 weeks ago he got his diesel back only to have the gearbox fail this week. Now thats impressive ! Regards - John I also know of people who have had arrogant attitudes from the local Ford dealer, plus major problems with their Fiesta, including a new gearbox at six monbths old. As for service costs, 18,000 service is

That is the same for any new car, even a Ford. This is true BUT parts from Ford and labour rates are a) Much more reasonably priced, :o More readily available and c) Not accompanied by arrogance. My neighbour had a brand new Laguna in January this year, it was plagued with problems from the start, the engine would go to tickover at any time for no apparent reason. It kept going back to the garage and coming back with no fault found. Finally he refused to drive it, his company insisted on another car being supplied, another new Laguna arrived. The exact same thing happened, eventually after 4 months Renault admitted there was a problem and took his diesel away and loaned him a petrol one. Finally 2 weeks ago he got his diesel back only to have the gearbox fail this week. Now thats impressive ! Regards - John

Does it have global opening and closing installed (if you hold the key in the fully locked position for 3 seconds do all the windows close and open if in unlocked position for 3 seconds or more ?) Not sure if this was ever fitted to Gals but my Scorpio had it, when a switch on the door lock got dirty and poor connections this happened. Regards - John

No not pretend bitternes, bitter experience. Renault have their typically French arrogance, try to duck out of Warranty issues and finally after being disgraced via the web and threatened with court coughed up for the repairs. I had to battle for nearly 10 days without a car that I desperately needed for work. In all my years of motoring I have never been treated like this. It was my first Renault and my last. I do hope you have more sucess with your's than I did with mine, I don't wish to rain on your parade at all, I just feel people should know what they're getting into. Regards - John

No it doesnt allow fluid to pass back, it modulates the pressure. Effectively a piston moves up, reducing the pressure in the brake line and then it moves back down again restoring the pressure to create the cadence braking effect. If the system worked by allowing fluid back under a longer duration emergency braking eg high speed on ice the brake pedal would end up on the floor which I'm sure you would agree is what most of us don't want. Regards - JB

Hi, I have xenons on my Galaxy, they don't flash at all. I suspect that the C-Max may use a multiplexed system for lighting control (many devices controlled by a single cable) and the car starting causes the modules to respond to voltage drop. Regards - John

Ah so you're tied to dealer servicing and of course there always the parts not covered by the warranty get a stone through a headlamp glass for instance. Good luck, you'll need it - Been there, done that NEVER AGAIN. Regards - JB

You'll regret it the first time you ever have to buy any parts, you'll see. Regards - JB

Obviously yours is faulty too :P Maybe Ford will do a recall if there's more of us ! Regards - JB

In answer to some of your points:- 1) Yes I'm sure that mine doesn't go down to the floor under gentle pressure. 2) If it did I don't care who tells me thats ok, it's NOT ok as far as I'm concerned and I would not drive it. 3) You want to drive with 'dodgy' brakes thats up to you mate, just keep well clear of me and my family thats fine 4) How many times have you heard of 'expert' advice being given and being totally wrong. Could it be you choose to accept the 'expert' opinion because it's what you want to hear. 5) You say I'm citing old fashioned principles, really, please enlighten me how a modern system works - does it not have brake fluid in a pipe working pistons ? does it not have a master cylinder to create the pressure, come on tell me. Just think about it, if you were buying a car and the salesman said 'The brake pedal will go all the way down to the floor but it's ok, our expert says it is" would you really still buy that vehicle? I think not I challenge you to explain on here the reasoning behind the pedal hitting the floor. There's no way that pedal can go down UNLESS the fluid is leaking somewhere i.e. to the outside world (a leak) or past the master cylinder seals (no leak). The fluid has to go somewhere because it can't be compressed. Obviously you think it's a desireable thing, I wonder why Ford don't mention it in their sales brochure as a plus point. You are entitled to your opinion as I am to mine, I like my brake pedal the way it is and no way am I having it 'fixed' like yours :P Regards JB

Here's a translation....... Z u h of e i z e r My Ford- Galaxy, that VW- Scharan and the SEAT- Alhambra have the problem in the execution with the TDI-motor that these vehicles in the winter and in short-range business do not come simply on Betriebstemperatur and becomes not therewith also the inner rooms warm. Such things annoy me, therefore I spent something time therewith and came on a solution how the problem lets has remove itself for each of that something skilled-labor skill. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To the theory, so like it my considerations spriwas: It is well so, that the Turbodieselmotor through its verbrauchsoptimierte construction with a consumption of ca. 6 liters ever 100 of km simply too little Abw

Well I learn something new every day, it must be an age thing I suppose not expecting a brake pedal to hit the floor. Perhaps it's adopting older principles a la Flinstones ! Right off to give my Ford Dealer an ear bashing for supplying my Gal with faulty brakes. I can't wait to hear his comments when I say 'theyre faulty because the pedal wont reach the floor" !!! Regards - John P.S. How many others on here have pedals that DON'T reach the floor ?

Diesel engines use a small vacuum pump to provide the vacuum for servo assistance. Petrol engines use the inlet manifold to use the natural vacuum of the engine. Thats where the differences end, from there on in the braking systems are the same. Braking systems comprise in it's most basic form of a reservoir, a psiton attached to the pedal (master cylinder) and pistons on each wheel be it caliper or drum. When the brake pedal is pressed the piston moves down in the master cylinder, sealing the pipe to the reservoir and applies pressure to the fluid in the pipe. The pistons on the brake cylinders and calipers move out under this pressure and eventually are prevented from moving further due to the disc or drum. As pressure is then applied the braking action occurs. If the pedal continues to fall to the floor there are two posibilities, the first is that fluid is leaking in which case evidence will be left, the second possibility in the absence of evidence is that fluid is leaking past the piston in the master cylinder and gouing back to the reservoir. If air has got into the braking system it will be compressed, that will lead to greater pedal travel and reduced braking effect because the air gets compressed whereas brake fluid to all intents and purposes cannot be compressed. I accept that it may have happened on other cars, the fact it's the same engine is completely irrelevant, the engine provides vacuum only. I mentioned this situation to a mechanic mate yesterday and he hadn't heard of it, he asked the garage's MOT tester if they were aware of it and he said that he would fail the vehicle immediately if the above was noticed! Regards - JB

Well my Gal doesn't do it, I suspect that yours didn't do it before otherwise why would you be asking the question now. I'm amazed at the people that say yes this is normal IT'S NOT NORMAL FOR A BRAKE PEDAL TO HIT THE FLOOR. If I understand correctly with the engine running and you applying constant pressure to the pedal it continues to go down until it reaches the floor. Consider driving down a long steep hill, braking gently all the way surely your pedal is going to end up in the same place i.e. on the floor at which point you have no brakes? For my money, something's not right and you need to get it sorted PDQ. Regards - JB

Sounds like the phone mute is active, there was a thread earlier last week with a link to pinouts on Ford Radio's. HTH - John

Well my light does work 2003 TDi Ghia Auto. Regards JB (With a bright green cruise light, maybe I should get the features written on the back window like on the coaches:- Air Conditioning Reclining Seats 6 Stack CD Xenon Lights AND Working Cruise Control Light :blink: )

I'd go with an air leak OR a non return valve in the fuel system. One of my Transit vans did this and it was the fuel filter that had a faulty nonm return valve which allowed fuel to drain back to the tank overnight which in turn pulled air up the return pipe. The next morning enough fuel was fed into the engine to allow tickover but when more power was required the air had to go through the system first. Regards - JB

If the heater has been running on it's maximum output when you switch off it will continue to run in order to cool itself down. It's probably a coincidence that after cycling the ignition it did shut down, more likely at that point it was cool enough. The smell should be similar to that of a Jet aircraft because in effect the burning process is very similar. Regards - JB

I too like the TDCi Mondeo BUT I'm told there's been loads of grief with this engine :lol: Regards - JB

No it shouldn't have come on. Regards - JB

I'd be VERY careful about decoking in this way. Many people used to do this back in the 60's and there are dangers to this technique. The traditional way of decoking by removing the head allowed you to leave a ring of carbon around the edge of the piston so that you didn't reduce compression by decoking. The back of the inlet valves is another area where redex doesn't get to. What happens if a lump of carbon breaks off after the treatment, where does it go ? My advice would be to play it safe, if it's running reasonably well, leave it alone. If it needs a decoke, take the head off and do it properly. Regards - JB

Did you know male pensioners are to be given Viagra free of charge. Apparently it stops them rolling over and falling out of bed.