Summer season is here
With the weather getting warmer we are starting to see more cars with A/C issues. Here is a Peugeot RCZ […]
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This vehicle came in with management light on but running fine.
As well as these codes, fuse 17(engine control unit) was blowing as soon as the ignition was switched on.
On removal of the engine fusebox burnt wiring could be seen, the main culprit was an earth wirer. The engine loom was stripped out and the burnt wiring replaced. The earth wirer was traced back to the DPF pressure sensor on the exhaust. The sensor was tested and proved ok and once the wiring was replaced the current draw checked and found to be good.
The vehicle was test driven and all was good. On ringing customer with our findings and repairs that were necessary we told them that we couldn’t find a reason for the burnt earth wirer.
The customer then informed us that the problem only happened after trying to start the vehicle and it was dead and the main engine earth was broken. Mystery solved!
Obviously when Trying to start the van and the earth being open circuit it had found its way to earth through the earth wirer on the sensor and with the wirer being alot smaller the amount of current passing down it had melted it.
Ford Fiesta arrived at our workshop as a non runner. The customer said it spluttered a few times then cut out and not run since. A quick serial scan showed up fuel pressure issues.
We removed the fuel feed pipe from the fuel rail and found no fuel being delivered. Next we removed the back seat to gain access to the wiring to the fuel pump. The wiring was good.
So we then had to get to the fuel pump which is in the tank. The tank has to be removed to gain access
With the tank removed the problem became obvious, the wiring onto the pump had suffered water damage and one of the pins on the pump had rotted off. We manged to remove the rotted pin from the plug and clean the plug up as a new plug isn’t available. 
With a new genuine Ford pump fitted car started and ran great.
Into our workshop was this Citroen van which was towed in as a non runner.
Firstly we plugged in our diagnostic machine and retrieved all the fault codes.
The injector code we thought through experience would be the best to investigate first. The Easiest thing to do first is to disconnect each injector in turn in case one is shorting out dragging down the supply. This proved unsuccessful.
These injectors are Piezo so they are switched on and then the voltage swops round and they are switched off. All wiring was checked from the injectors to the ecu and found to be ok.
We then started checking the wiring to the ecu because although we could communicate with the ecu there are 3 feeds and 3 grounds that activate different parts of the ecu. It was here that we found 1 of the feeds was missing. This is where accurate wiring diagrams are essential for diagnosis
 
The ecu was accessed and the loom stripped and checked. After much stripping and head scratching the break was found, the tiniest nic in the wirer.
Only if your experts in electrical fault finding could you find a fault like this.
So if your car is suffering from electrical gremlins come see the experts
What does the Future look like for the Used Car Market?
If you are interested in the used car market and its future then read on. According to a fleet news article, the used car market is starting to reach the long-predicted tipping point into oversupply with values coming under pressure as a result, reports Glass’s.
Rupert Pontin, head of valuations at the pricing guide, said the volume of vehicles at auction had already increased 3.7% in 2016 and that a wide range of models were starting to fall in value as a result.
“We have been predicting this development for a long time and, if anything, the robustness of the used car market has meant that it has happened later than expected but we are now definitely moving into a period of general oversupply.
“This is something that we expect to continue throughout the rest of the year and into 2017 as increasing numbers of vehicles come to market. A large number of these are, of course, one-to-three-year-old returns from the ongoing boom in new car PCPs.
“We are certainly not going to see a sudden collapse in values, we believe, but there will be a slow decrease as volumes gradually increase.”
However, Pontin pointed out the decreases in value would not be uniform across the market, with the falls concentrated on vehicles that are available in volume.
“What new car PCPs have done is bring a range of models into affordability,” he said.
“For example, entry-level models from the prestige German manufacturers have been very popular on PCP and their values will certainly be under pressure over the coming months.
“However, there are other vehicles – niche models and those that are simply unavailable in high volumes – that we expect to see stay relatively firm.”
The unknown factor in terms of the rest of the year was the EU referendum vote in June, Pontin added.
“If the UK votes to leave the EU, all bets are off and it is very difficult to predict the potential effect it could have on the new and used car markets. However, our general view is that it would be negative simply because of the high degree of uncertainty.”
Well the UK has voted to leave so it will be interesting to see what happens next. How Will Brexit affect the Used Market Market. What does the future hold. Watch this space!
This C-class came in with air con issues. With our machine connected the pressures were noted and found to be around the normal 10bar on the high side but nearly 0bar on the low. The high side pressures proved the compressor was pumping. The low side pressures suggested that there was a blockage. Through experience we have found the usual place for blockages would be the receiver/dryer or the expansion valve. The valve was removed which was situated at the back of the engine
With the valve removed and examined you could see the valve was stuck closed
With the valve fitted and the system charged the pressures were perfect
And the temperature was perfect
This vehicle was with us for starting issues, it would crank over fine but not fire.
Unfortunately for this customer they had first been elsewhere with this vehicle and had alot of work done which had not cured the problem.
The garage had unbelievably taken £950 of him without curing the problem and had ran out of ideas of what to do next.
It turned up at our workshop after being of the road for 3 weeks.
Firstly we plugged in our diagnostic machine to scan for any fault codes, there were none relevant to our fault, so onto live data.
We measured rpm speed and fuel pressure both were low.The starter motor was removed and repaired, the bearings were all worn out due to the excessive cranking. When refitted the rpm was fine but the fuel pressure still low.
Looking at the previous garages bill one thing they hadn’t done was test the injectors.
A simple spill test which measures the amount of fuel passing through the injectors revealed that one injector was stuck open and so the fuel pressure couldn’t reach the desired level.
A second hand injector was sourced as money now was a real concern for the customer, fitted and coded.
Car started perfectly and ran great. Another customer wishing he’d come to us first!
Renault Trafic non runner. Been at previous garage for 2 weeks without success. The immobliser light was flashing normally with ignition off, when switched on the red light would illuminate permanently without flashing, signifying a communication error between modules.
In Renaults wisdom to gain access to the UCH the dashboard has to be removed. Once access was gained we can then check continuity between different components. With accurate wiring diagrams a diagnosis can be achieved.
In the engine bay the ECU was exposed and the wiring loom stripped so continuity could be checked, where it was found that the canbus line between the UCH and engine Ecu was open circuit.
Now it was a case of tracing the correct wiring back to the UCH to find the break.
A simple repair was made to the wiring and the van ran fine.
A very happy customer picked up his van within a couple of days and could get back to work.
Into our workshop was this KA which had the problem of the hazards going off randomly whilst driving and wouldn’t stop until ignition is switched off.
We first disconnected the hazard switch but fault remained.
We then removed glovebox to reveal the GEM unit. To gain access to the plugs you have to remove the security cover. 
Once access was gained and the plugs removed the trouble was obvious
The car had previous bodywork done on the front and more signs of water were found in the scuttle
The customer was lucky in that the water hadn’t got inside the GEM unit so with a good clean all was well.
This car had intermittent power steering issues. A quick diagnostic code read revealed ecu issues
Access to the module is good so it’s easy to check the wiring to the power steering unit. There is a big feed and earth and then 2 signal wires (canbus) all ok
A new power steering unit was sourced
Removing the unit is ok, but getting the unit out requires loosening the whole subframe to make enough room.
Rusty nuts and bolts can be an issue, but with perseverance and experience another successful job and a happy customer.
came into our workshop with intermittent mil light illuminated.
Honda cars are usually very reliable
A diagnostic code read found a fault stored on the VVT SYSTEM.
The VVT system is operated via a valve on the back of the engine that is oil pressure operated. The wiring to the valve was tested and found to be ok.
The customer when questioned further had said that the oil light had been flashing on occasionally. The oil was checked and found to be comtaminated. This in turn can block up the valve which has a fine gauze internally to filter the oil.
This is the valve with the gauze removed
With the valve removed and stripped the gauze was found to be blocked
With the valve cleaned and refitted, a engine flush and new oil and filter. The car ran fine and with no expensive parts required a happy customer picked up his car later in the day.