The motor vehicle questions and answers thread

[Drago]

Isn't that saying something about you though, I'm 6'2" and 15 stone and fit in either front seat easily.

I'm 6'4", a whisker under 19 stone, and have a 53" chest. Bigger than the average England Rugby player, bit still smaller than the likes of Hafthor Bjornsson.

I fit in my Smart Fortwo a treat, but any passengers bigger than my 8 year old daughter are an impossibility. Conversely, my XC90 swallows my muscled build with ease and gives a beautifully comfortable, languid driving experience.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Have any of you tried one of those car condensation bags you put on your dashboard? I sat in my car tonight and felt a damp backside when I got out. I don't want to buy one and find they don't work.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Have any of you tried one of those car condensation bags you put on your dashboard? I sat in my car tonight and felt a damp backside when I got out. I don't want to buy one and find they don't work.

It takes more than condensation to get the seat wet. I'd suggest you have water getting in somewhere.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Regarding your battery Accy, our Kia wouldn't start in the summer, it just clicked when you tried to start it.

A neighbour gave me a jump start and it fired immediately, so I knew it was the battery, gave it a decent run and all seemed fine.

I did call in Halfords and they did a battery test, said it was OK but could do with a full charge.

I don't have a battery charger so just tried to avoid short trips and all was well.

Then, first proper cold morning a few weeks ago and waddya know, wouldn't start. Mrs Smoo had used it the day before, (also a pretty cold day), started it at our house, took the dog to the vets, 3/4 mile, then started it again and came home, so that must have finally killed it.

I was at work so couldn't help but we have Green Flag breakdown so she rang them. They came within 45 minutes, started it with a boost pack, let it run for 10 mins, tested it and it was knackered.

He had a battery on his van, (063), fitted it, 3 years warranty, and all for about £80, I'd recommend Green Flag if anyone's after breakdown cover, but not the RAC but that's another story.

Could I have bought a battery cheaper? Yes. Was I happy with the price paid, the service received, and the fact I didn't have to fanny about when I got home from work? Completely.

The moral of the story is, if I'd changed the battery when it first played up then Mrs Smoo wouldn't have been stuck that morning, but I rode my luck and paid the penalty.

Also, don't go off the price on the Euro Car Parts website, I think they just make them up for a laugh sometimes, but be careful with ECP anyway, they sell a great deal of $hite quality parts IME.

Stick a battery on it and go from there, I'm sure it will be fine.

Also a quick question, does the Mini diesel have a Diesel Particulate Filter, (DPF)? If so then you need to be giving it a good run to clear it out regularly, Motorway driving for about 20 mins was always the rule of thumb with Peugeot/Citroens with DPF's, that allows the system to 'regenerate'. Otherwise the filter will get choked if your only pottering round in it and it will go into limp mode.
(FYI your Mini may very well have a PSA engine).

 

[Gunk]

If it’s an R56 Mini then it’s a 1.6 PSA engine. They’re a good robust unit but need oil changes much more frequently than BMW suggest as the engine oil also lubricates the turbo charger.

They do also have a particulate filter so a weekly warm thrash is a good idea.

 

[presta]

Wiper motors and window motors dont blow when frozen, the power is cut to the motor so they dont blow.

Manufacturers know this and build in fail safe electrics to protect the components.
Cleaver people these car builders.
So worry not Accy

Once when I switched the wipers on in my father's car I saw the arms flex and strain, but they didn't sweep because the blades were frozen to the screen, so I switched them off again. When I went out and pulled them off the screen, they snatched from my hands and then did a single sweep before stopping. The point is that the flex in the mechanism had allowed the motor to rotate just enough to disengage the parking switch, so had I not recognised what was happening and just assumed they were 'off', the motor would have burnt out.

 

[Accy cyclist]

It takes more than condensation to get the seat wet. I'd suggest you have water getting in somewhere.

Rain doesn't leak in,but it does get in when the doors are open due to the car being narrower at the top than the bottom. The roof isn't wide enough to keep rain from falling onto the seats. When it's peeing down you have to get in and out asap! I think BMW should've put pull out canopies on the roof to remedy this!

 

[Accy cyclist]

the motor would have burnt out.

I remember the old British Leyland Minis and their burn out wiper motors. I think everyone i had that'd been made in the 1970's had to have a motor from the scrapyard fitted after the original stopped working.

 

[johnnyb47]

Have any of you tried one of those car condensation bags you put on your dashboard? I sat in my car tonight and felt a damp backside when I got out. I don't want to buy one and find they don't work.

Hi Accy. If you're car is suffering from general dampness don't bother wasting your money on those condensation bags. Buy a big bag of cat litter instead and either fill an old sock up with it or fill an open flat container and place it in one of the footwells. Much cheaper and just as effective buddy

 

[screenman]

Unless the vehicle is airtight you will be trying to dry out the whole atmosphere, not a bad idea seeing the amount of flooding in theses parts.

 

[Drago]

...or try moving the lever from recirc...

 

[screenman]

...or try moving the lever from recirc...

Love that one, it is a very common sight in this area, I have often gone up to people in car parks and tell them why they cannot see out of any windows.

 

[johnnyb47]

I also switch the aircon on too during the colder months. Tuning the heater on full whilst the aircon is on will dry the air out and will clear steamed up window faster. It also helps in keeping the seals in the air con system from drying out which in turn prolongs regasing intervals.

 

[screenman]

I also switch the aircon on too during the colder months. Tuning the heater on full whilst the aircon is on will dry the air out and will clear steamed up window faster. It also helps in keeping the seals in the air con system from drying out which in turn prolongs regasing intervals.

When I push the demist button on mine it brings the aircon on, in a VW I owned the aircon was on by default, you had to turn it off.

 

[Andy_R]

Have any of you tried one of those car condensation bags you put on your dashboard? I sat in my car tonight and felt a damp backside when I got out. I don't want to buy one and find they don't work.

Have you tried