daddyfixit

just checked it, despite being -1 outside and yesterdays rain has frozen solid !! parked car on driveway (slightly sloped by the way) removed surfboard for access (filled strut tops with wd-40). got connector off to confirm feed/earth ok, so gave it a few knock with pliers as best as i could----it started making a noise and was vibrating !!!!!engine was running to warm the car up. starting to assemble it feeling pleased with myself, i dropped a washer off the bolt so turned around to get a magnet to retrieve it from along side oil filler cap were it was stuck. walked back to the car, thinking why did i not park nearer garage to do this job??? carried on putting in last 10mm bolt in centre of bulkhead ---realised i was leaning forward a lot??? so i stood up and watched as the car carried on sliding down the slope tp towards the pavement ................ quite funny if you where watching, not funny to think the wheels are locked and the car is creeping away from you !!! just been out and emptied a salt mine all over drive and pavement outside as our local council is crap at doing any grit spreading, even on a main road!! lesson learnt is to chock wheels whenever its icy so car doesnt end up stuck against the gates!

i had the opposite; in summer the dial was cold, engine hot and red-hot air out of the vents ! i removed the dash unit with the 3 dials, un-plugged it and put ignition on. then waited a couple of minutes to re-fit it and re-connect, this fixed the problem. i was told this fix by the parts manager of a ford dealership!!! it went stupid this morning as it wouldnt change air flow from screen to side vents, so i done the same trick and it worked again.

my 2000 tdi is also playing up; aux heater no longer works, electric waterpump on bulkhead has gone quiet (dont know when---i only see car at weekends) this morning the heated front screen would work, nor would any of the heater controls for fan/ac/ rear blower or flow direction !! i took it in work, connected to a bosch kts ( blue-toothed version) and it didnt even list the heating/ventilation system !! so. is vag-com the only diag system that sorts out the heater or will snap-on solus or vedis be able to access it?? after dis-connecting the centre dash control unit for 5 mins--it worked when tried after re-connecting, so not all is gloomy !!

mine went about 2 years ago (2000 x--138k); i found a piece of straight pipe with smaller diameter, shoved it in the back box where it had sheared off and migged it. last year the centre pipe broke at same joint!!! so larger diameter pipe was sleeved over/to repair so that the repaired back box fitted as it should.................

It was the shock in the end......new one's fitted, smooooooth now! Ford got an offer on at the mo for shocks, got 25% discount although that was a 'trade' price. Next up, Air Con! Compressors knackered,

hi i done my oil, and i used castrol edge for pD engine, makes the engine sound louder !! vw have opened "tps centres" around the country----trade parts for vw-audi-seat-skoda; i gave them my galaxy reg/engine code, i got 5l of quantum pd oil for

I have a manual control (knobs). The heat doesnt change weather I switch to air con or standard blower.Thanks i have had to do this twice in the 6 years i have owned my mk2 tdi; remove the unit from the dash that has the heater controls on it, takes 5-10 minutes. i made it easier by bringing radio out but left it connected (except for aerial lead). there is a wiring loom that goes to the heater control unit, take it out. at this poit i used some baby wipes!!!! to clean all around the 3 buttons that had ribena spilt on them----making air-con button stick in. then turn ignition on with unit disconnected/switch ignition off again. now re-connect the wiring loom to control unit and refit into the dash, refit aerial lead and refit radio. switch ignition back on; the car now sees the unit as "new" and resets it. this was the method given to me from a ford dealer, instead of him selling me a modified control unit!!!! yes, an honest parts guy---bless him.

Hi Chris No, pressures are ok. I check them regularly, but thanks for the suggestion anyway. A bit of a mystery as the caster angle was ok when checked end of March. I've not had time to look at it or get it into a garage since getting back but will try this week. Best Regards Alan. old fashioned remedy; swap the 2 front wheels with each other, if n/s tyre has worn conical it will carry on wearing conical, putting it onto opposite side of car will in effect, pull car to the offside, or in a straight line. once a tyre has started going conical it wont stop wearing conical (common sense) costs nothing except time taken for you to swop both front wheels.

check the panel in front of the screen that mounts the washer jets, mine was loose and rattling against bonnet on uneven roads/speed bumps???? i also thought of droplinks or top strut mounts as well..........

my car went into insurance approved bodyshop in skelmersdale, lancashire for new rear bumper and a mudflap only; 2 weeks later it was brought back and you could see the black plastic bumper clearly through the paint!!! they gave me some free paintruns for good measure as well. they didnt get the car off their transporter---it went back and they gave all sorts of reasons why it was crap. 2 days later they brought it to my works un-announced and dropped it off. couple of days later i decided i would refit the mudflap they had ballsed up!!! what a nice surprise to see both front sills caved in and nsf mudflap broken off its brackets. seems they put it on a 4 poster ramp to replace rear bumper, but used a k-nob head to actually do the job. complained to insurance, got nowhere so repaired sills myself as do not believe the bodyshop would have the competence/intelligence to do it properly. now swapped insurance to sainsburys and saved

how about the pollen filter being changed and the loom gettingtrapped when refitting?

i had this happen 2 summers ago !!!!!!!!! no cool air, no air con either ,nor re-circulate; keys out of ignition to avoid pyrotechics. remove the heater control panel (torx screws behind pull-off black fascia) and remove the wiring multi plug. put ignition on briefly, car is now looking for the disconnected component, switch ignition off. refit wiring loom,re-assemble and retry....................the unit will self test and reset itself . try that you now have cold and hot.

i had this with my 2000 tdi, there is a push fit connector next to the passenger seat, i lockwired the 2 pieces together after she who drives like no other, filled the nsf footwell up , then re-filled the washer bottle again to make double-sure!!! then told me the windows mist up and the washers dont work????????

done spring this afternoon; get both rear wheels off the ground or anti-roll bar will not let suspension drop down enough. i used axle stands on rear tubular beam and had a trolley jack under each sill as well. take off wheel for access. remove 21mm bolt/nut from bottom of shock absorber, arm will drop a bit, then get loooooooong bar (scaffolding), to push suspension arm down and wrestle spring out. replace new spring (different diameters at each end----watch this !!!) lift arm up with a jack or assistant with said bar, refit bottom nut/bolt, refit wheel time to change 1 spring about 25 minutes used a factors in liverpool called autobits, 0151-523-9103 only 39 quid inc vat, doing other side next week as a treat!!!

done a 4 wheel alignment on mine today, training people how to use new equipment........ rear readings were out of spec, found drivers rear spring snapped at the bottom. the narrow diameter bottom coil has gone so spring sits lower onto suspension arm. if car is on an axle stand under sill (or 2 post lift) it seems easy to undo bottom shocker mounting and lever arm down to R&r spring. car has done 122k for 2000 tdi pd. factors quoting 44---54 quid each, will do a pair as its getting on a bit.

after reading faults on here i done my switch this morning; part has been modified from black unit to a green one, cost about 8 quid from ford. removed fuse box cover, triangular panel by pedals..old switch was turd to undo but new part flew in !!! took about 20 minutes so repaired tailgate loom broken inside rubber gaiter as well to sort reverse lights faulty 2000 tdi lx manual

i worked for haflods for 9 years as a garage manager, comma used to make their oils just check the shape of haflods bottles to comma bottles from a factors?

i find its easier to whizz the wiper arms, black scuttle-panel trim off. 3 x 10mm bolts get the surfboard out from the bulkhead (p.s say hello to brake master cylinder as well) so easier access and wrestle the b******d out from behind the wiper motor. put new filter in plastic holder with duct tape at each end. as you go behind the motor, simply twist the plastic holder with filter taped in place. lads who work for liverpool vw/peoples ford sometimes drop the motor out also. while the surfboard is out, its a good time to consider the brake fluid change and check a small black neoprene hose that keeps falling off the boost control valve? i glued mine in place.