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 […]
READ MORE -The answer is quite simple. Never leave your dog in a hot car. After just a few minutes your dog is at risk. What’s amazing is that I was over in Widnes the other day near the Costa Coffee and an owner of a Ford Focus had left his dogs locked in the car with the windows barely open. This is just cruel in this weather.
According to the RSPC temperatures can rise very quickly and in whether like this, your car can reach temperatures very close to 50C in your car. In this situation it can result in death for your dog.
Is also wise to know that if you do leave your dog in the car you could expect a fine between £2,000 and £5,000 depending on the situation. If you do see a dog, or any animal locked in a car in this heat, and cant see the owner, you should contact emergency services or even your local rspca – they can advise you on what to do.
This situation should never come about, but I guarantee that some silly idiot will do this over this summer.!
Female racing driver Aseel Al Hamad celebrated the end of the ban on women drivers with a lap of honour in a Jaguar F-TYPE.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 24 June 2018: Female racing driver Aseel Al Hamad celebrated the end of the ban on women drivers with a lap of honour in a Jaguar F-TYPE.
Aseel, the first female board member of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation, had never driven on a track in her home country before.
Aseel joined Jaguar in a call for June 24th to be known as World Driving Day – a day when finally, the whole world can enjoy the thrill of being behind the wheel of a car. On World Driving Day Jaguar invites people to share a memory of their best driving moment (image or anecdote) using the #worlddrivingday.
Having loved cars since I was a child, today is highly emotional for me. This is the best driving moment of my life. What better way to kick off World Driving Day than a lap of honour in my home country in a Jaguar F-TYPE – the ultimate car to roar around the track. I hope people around the world will share in our joy today by sharing their most memorable driving story using #worlddrivingday.
ASEEL AL HAMAD
By creating World Driving Day, Jaguar urges people to remember this historic day and what it means to women, to Saudi Arabia and to world progress in general. As part of its ongoing work with over 40 Universities and Academic institutions globally on future mobility solutions, the company will also be partnering with University in Saudi Arabia to join this global network. The partnership, to be announced later this year, will be a unique exchange to tap into the brightest young minds in Saudi Arabia to shape the company’s future innovations as it moves to ACES (an Autonomous, Connected, Electrified and Shared future).
It’s easy to forget and take for granted the enjoyment of driving and just what a privilege it is to get behind the wheel of a car. World Driving Day is a commitment from Jaguar to celebrate this key moment annually for both men and women. This year, we’re really excited to collaborate with the brilliant students from Saudi Arabia to shape the future of mobility for people around the world.
FIONA PARGETER
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DIRECTOR
Who is Aseel Al Hamed
Aseel Al Hamad is a true pioneer with a huge passion for motorsports as the first female board member of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation. She also serves as the Saudi Arabian representative at Women in Motorsport Commission for Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
Aseel has driven all over the world. She loves fast cars and the thrill of the race track. She holds a degree in interior design engineering from Prince Sultan University and followed additional courses at the University of the Arts in London.
Modern vehicles come with all sorts of top end interior gadgets from the latest Bose surround sound to high end car electrics and sat-navs etc.
One feature that we all tend to make use of while we’re on the road is a vehicle’s air conditioning system. While winding the windows down may allow air to run through your vehicle, it also lets everything else in the atmosphere outside of the car in too!
Instead of letting in all those road bugs, flies, insects and air pollution, Air conditioning allows cooled air to circulate your car or vehicle without these interfering nasties.
Here’s everything that you could possibly need to know about your car air conditioning / vehicle air-conditioning unit!
So what does your Car Air Conditioning / vehicle air-conditioning do?
Now, when we think of car air conditioning / vehicle air conditioning systems, we naturally think of how they cool the air in the vehicle. Why this is one of the main reasons for having it they are much more.
In short they quite literally “condition” the air, reducing moisture in the air and consequently too. The unit’s four main principles are evaporation, condensation, compression, and expansion.
So How Does it Work?
Most air conditioning systems work in the same way, whether they’re installed in a home, an office, supermarket of your car or motor vehicle. Your air conditioning system is connected by a series of flexible hoses and hard tubes
There are five main components that this system connects – the evaporator, condenser, the compressor, receiver-dryer, and expansion valve,
A refrigerant then flows around the whole system once the engine is on, evaporating at a low temperature, and then condensing again at a high pressure.
When it condenses, it takes heat away from the vehicle and the blower fans pass cold air throughout the vehicle, cooling the air inside.
Downsides of car air conditioning
One of the main downsides to having air con is that the system takes quite a lot of energy to work. This means that you will burn more petrol or diesel when your air con is switched on. Having said that, in this hot and sticky summer I would definitely prefer to have it on rather than not!
Mercedes have been ordered by the German government to immediately recall 700,000 Vito vans, C class and GLC SUV’ due to prohibited shutoff devices . Mercedes are said to have designed software solely to manipulate the CO2 emission in order to pass diesel emission regulations for their vehicles. As a result they are putting there customers at risk from harmful poisonous diesel fumes.
This is not the first time Mercedes have had to issue recalls. In 2016 Mercedes suffered from 2 major issues of defective airbag control units along with suspected power steering failure on the C class.
In 2015 recalls were also issued for concerns around a rubber seal that could have potentially caused a fire in the CLS and E class affecting almost 150,000 vehicles on this occasion.
The one positive to take from this is that Mercedes did put there hands up to these issues whereas most manufactures have often left it till last minute in the hope the issues would never be reported on.
So, on this recent occasion, why did Mercedes take so long to come forward on this required recall?
Put simply, the costs of issuing a recall are immense. Particularly in the current client where profit margins in the motor industry are under extreme competitive pressures. That’s why Mercedes had been in intense negotiations with the German government to prevent a recall because of the outlay involved in fixing the defeat devices, which involves a major software update.
Issuing a recall is seen as taking responsibility but Mercedes did not want to take initial responsibility in an era where people are now concerned with the state of the environment and air quality. One other worry is that this issue could also affect future resale values, consequently causing problems in the used car sales and consumer finance market.
So what’s the cost to Mercedes in all of this?
Basically, one might say that Mercedes knew what they were doing. Ultimately, they have risked poisoning there customers with dangerous diesel fumes and thought they could conceal the issue in the pursuit of profits. To put some numbers to it, this has cost them a figure in the region of almost £100 million. The knock on affect will ultimately be to there reputation. Would you trust Mercedes with a Diesel, or any of there motors for that matter?
The only saving grace for Mercedes in all of this, is that the Diesel-gate scandal that still rumbles on even know has proven that other leading car manufactures having also been up to know good!
Into our workshop came this connect that after being left for a couple of weeks wouldn’t start. A new battery had already been tried but problem remained. A code read revealed ecu processor internal faults so the ecu was accessed and removed
The ecu was opened to check the pcb
Once apart the fault was obvious
This is unrepairable and a new one expensive. So a 2nd hand unit was sourced and fitted. With the correct equipment this was done quickly.
The Ford immobliser system known as PATS has to be matched in the ecu and instrument cluster. To do this you need to access security in the cluster for which you need a code.
The vehicle gives you an outcode and this equipment gives you the incode response. When entered diagnostic equipment then matches ecu to cluster and vehicle started straight away.
We suspected damage was done due to jump starting and putting the leads on the wrong way. Luckily for the customer no other damage was done.
Most people think they need to check their car or motor vehicle in the winter or when its MOT or service is due. However, throughout the year, its important that you take care of your motor vehicle to ensure it remains in good working. This way your motor will remain safe, reliable and at is most fuel efficient on the road
Having said that, many car owners neglect their vehicle, and this can result in poor running performance and accidents. Fortunately, there are basic checks and maintenance tasks you can carry out to keep your motor vehicle at is best.
Tyres
It is important that your car is running on a good set of tyres and this will make sure that the car is driving safely.
Every 2 to 4 weeks it’s a good idea to check tyre pressure and your tread. This will ensure you stay safe and inside the legal limits for driving.
Engine Oil
Every month or so, you should check your engine oil as vehicles its not uncommon for cars to use up to a litre of oil every 1,000 miles. Do not wait until the warning light comes on as damage may have already occurred by then so check that you are always in between the minimum and maximum amount (overfilling can also cause damage).
Water & Coolant
Experts recommend that you check your water and coolant every couple of weeks ensuring your coolant is between the minimum and maximum amount. You should always do this when the engine is cool. If you think its unusually low this could be a sign of a leak. Take it to your nearest garage
Lights
It’s worth checking your lights are in good working order at least every week or 2. You will usually find if you are driving a modern vehicle then you will just need to check your onboard computer. A warning light will normally appear. If not, check manually by cleaning any dirt of and make sure they are bright and clear on the road.
Windscreen
This is one of the simplest things to do. Simply keep an eye out for any damage such as cracks or chips. There have been numerous occasions in the past were people have simply not bothered to repair them and the chip has led to the windscreen smashing and causing accidents. Often your insurance will fix these for you without you losing any no claims either!
Windscreen Wipers
The wipers should always be cleaned whenever you clean your car to prevent smearing. Many motorists like to replace their wipers once a year and this is a good practice as they are cheap and easy to replace.
Screen wash
With the warm summer weather on the way, it becomes breeding season for the bugs and flies that love to hit your windscreen on those country roads. Before you know you will run out of screen wash from constantly clearing away the bugs.
As such, check and top up your screenwash on a weekly basis as it is required by law to work properly. It is particularly important to check on a regular basis if you drive in muddy conditions or if you are about to set off for a long drive.
Emergency Kit
Once a year you should take a look at the toolkit/emergency kit that you have to make sure that you have everything you need. Ideally this should include a spare wheel, locking wheel nut, a jack, water, food, warm clothing, a blanket etc.
Car Electrics or Auto Electrics
Check that all of the electric work in the car on a weekly basis. This can be easy enough to do whilst you are driving or simply when you are parked – any problems should be fixed as soon as possible. Bring it in to Widnes Auto Electrical if you have any concerns
Light Faults Widnes
Here at Widnes Auto Electrical we’re fully aware of all of the problems/issues that can be encountered whilst dealing with the various different types of lighting on the inside and outside of your auto-mobiles. From headlights, to tail-lights to inside car lighting. We’re the best in the Widnes area at dealing with all of the kinds of Lighting Faults that you may encounter just by being a regular day-to-day driver. We however do offer an initial go-to piece of advice on how to deal with the menial lighting problems, as long as you’re fairly savvy when it comes to electrical equipment.
However, we understand that not all people are, and not all people have the time to spare to deal with issues like this. That’s why we do offer a service, and you can come in and we’ll help solve your problem through pure mettle, rather than the sweat off your back. So, if you are having any problems with the lighting with your car, then contact us, as soon as you possibly can, we don’t want to keep you off the road, and if you’re living in the Widnes area, then you should know that we’re the best around. Or if you would like to see what other Car Electrical services we provide then please click here
Below are a list of the most common car light faults according to the RAC
Here are the most important warning lights you should watch out for:
Brake system / brake fluid warning light
Your vehicle’s brakes are arguably the most important feature on your car, so if there’s a warning light flashing on your dash highlighting there’s something wrong with the braking system, it’s best to get it checked out right away.
ECU / engine warning light
If your engine warning light is illuminated, often it’ll be accompanied by some unusual symptoms – these could include a lack of power, as the car has gone into ‘safe’ mode to protect itself; an intermittent stuttering as you press the accelerator, caused by a misfire; or another fault which could alter the normal response from the engine.
Sometimes this can be down to something as small as a faulty electrical sensor, although sometimes it can be a larger mechanical issue. If your car’s engine warning light is showing, get a professional mechanic to look over it straight away, as driving around any longer could cause further, and potentially irreparable damage.
Airbag warning light
The invention of the airbag was a major step forward in vehicle occupant safety, so if your car’s isn’t working properly, get it seen to.
A faulty airbag potentially won’t go off in a crash, meaning you and your passengers won’t be as well protected from any potential injuries. The other possibility is that your vehicle’s airbag could deploy when you least expect it, giving you a nasty shock – or even actually causing an injury – and an expensive fix to put right.
Power steering / EPAS warning light
If your car’s power steering warning light – often known as the EPAS light – is illuminated, it means there could be something wrong with the steering system.
If the system fails, the steering could go heavy, meaning more effort will be needed to make the car change direction. This can be an annoyance at low speed when you’re trying to manoeuvre, but a real risk at higher motorway speeds if you need to make a sudden lane change to avoid an obstacle.
DPF / Diesel particulate filter warning light
Most modern diesel vehicles are fitted with a diesel particulate filter, which removes harmful soot from the exhaust gases to reduce emissions.
If this is faulty it’ll trigger a warning light and could not only mean you’re releasing a toxic cloud of black smoke every time you press the accelerator, but that you could be causing damage to your engine. Get this checked out straight away as DPFs can become blocked and can be expensive to replace.
Coolant warning light
Without any coolant, your car’s engine would get so hot it’d effectively ‘weld’ itself together. If you see the coolant light show up on your dashboard, it could mean coolant levels are running low, so check the gauge on the side of the coolant tank under the bonnet and top up if necessary.
In conjunction with a temperature gauge reading well into the red, it could mean your engine is overheating. This is either the sign of a larger problem – like a head gasket failure – or symptomatic of something less major, like a leak in the system somewhere, meaning you’re engine has run low on coolant and got too hot. Get it seen to as soon as possible to avoid a potentially expensive repair bill.
Oil warning light
Just like your car’s water or coolant warning light, you might see an oil warning light flash up if oil temperature gets too high, the level is low or oil pressure too low. It’s the latter two you want to avoid at all costs.
Oil is what lubricates your engine, with the oil pump used to spray the fluid to all corners of your engine. If temperatures get too high, or even worse, level is low or oil pressure drops, the effectiveness of the lubrication can be reduced or lost all together.
The result? Expensive engine damage, so if you see this warning sign, stop and phone a professional right away.
Tyre pressure monitor warning light
Once the preserve of high-end, super-expensive luxury saloons, many more cars are fitted with tyre pressure monitoring systems today.
These systems can sense a deviation away from normal tyre pressures, signifying a puncture. Generally, the device will flash a warning light on the dashboard, highlighting you should take a look at your car’s rubber.
Battery charge warning light
You should see your battery charge warning light when you first turn your car on, but if it doesn’t go out a few seconds after the engine starts, there could be a problem with your car’s electrical system.
This could be to do with a faulty alternator, faulty battery, a bad connection or damaged cabling somewhere in the engine bay. If your car isn’t charging its battery when moving (the job of the alternator), then you could eventually run out of electrical power and grind to a halt.
At worst, the light could be on due to an alternator drive belt braking. Other systems also use this belt – such as the engine coolant pump, or power steering – so the affects of a failure here could be compounded.
Warning light woes
It’s not a game of connect four or warning light bingo – if your car’s dashboard is lit up like a Christmas tree, or even if there’s one, small blinking light on there, it’s important to get it checked out.
It could be something as minor as a faulty sensor or a broken wire, but it could be something more serious that, if left unchecked, will cause lasting and expensive damage to your vehicle.
Regular servicing and maintenance can help protect your vehicle from firing off a fault, so keep a close eye on your car and its warning lights to save you money and avoid those expensive garage bills.
Have you got a warning light illuminated, or have you previously had a problem with your car signified by a telltale sign on the dashboard? How did you go about fixing it and what advice would you give to other motorists with a dash full of LED warnings?
Plugin Diagnostics Widnes
Plugin Diagnostics Widnes – What we do
When you bring your vehicle to us at Widnes Auto Electrical, to check electrical faults we will inspect your cars on-board computer by plugging in our diagnostics tool. This will allow us to check the vehicles electronic control unit. This will enable us to identify any electrical faults that your car or vehicle has so that we can carry out the necessary repairs, our Plugin Diagnostics Widnes service is second to none and if you need us to carry out a Plugin Diagnostics Widnes, you can be sure that your vehicle is in the best hands, as our engineers have the experience, training and the know-how to get any electrical issue in a vehicle functioning properly again, as if it was brand new again!
Typical types of work that we carry out for Electrical Plugin Diagnostics Widnes checking for your vehicle
- Battery, starter motor and associated wiring
- Battery charging rate, current draw and alternator
- Distributor assembly, cap, rotor arm and ignition timing variation
- Ignition module operation & coil dwell function
- Coil output together with spark duration
- Spark plug and plug lead performance
- Carburettor / injection duration
- Exhaust gas measurements
- Cylinder condition & relative compression testing
- Fuel injection variation
- Diesel engine Diagnostics
- Battery, starter motor and associated wiring
- Battery charge rate, current draw and alternator
- Heater glow plug current draw, pre-glow timer check
- Heater glow plug, post-glow timer check
- Fuel injection pump operation
- Fuel injection pump timing (where marks are available)
For your electrical Diagnostics, all of this is compiled to form a comprehensive A4 printout for you. This records the entire test, as carried out on your vehicle. If you are interested in our Plugin Diagnostics Widnes service, or if you need some more information on the other services that we provide, then please don’t hesitate to get into contact with us and a member of our friendly team will be in touch with you shortly.
Volvo came in for the tow electrics to be wired up. We may not be the cheapest but our work is 2nd to none. Not a butt connector in sight all connections soldered and water proofed. Do it right do it once
There is always a general basic safety procedure to follow if you want to make sure your car problems are kept to a minimum. Not only will it help you hold the long term value of your vehicle but it will also help you stay safe whilst on any long or short journeys
Here’s some of the things you should do to stay safe on the roads.
Check your tyres
The minimum legal limit on your tyres is 1.5mm. This is the point at which your tyres become illegal. That said, it’s really important that you check them sooner. The last thing you want it is to find you are over this point. It could prove costly getting your car to the garage since it is illegal to drive at this point. If there is rain, ice, snow etc. then below 2.0mm could see your tyres losing grip and become dangerous to drive.
The pressure in your tyre is equally as important. Tyre manufactures typically have different pressure guidelines. It’s important to check your manual to ensure you keep them to the optimum given. If your tyre pressure is not right, you could lose grip or worse still have a blowout whilst driving. This is both costly and dangerous. Make sure you always check your tyre pressure and your tread depth.
Window wipers and mirrors – Check they work for you when you get in!
If you share a car with someone else, it’s likely that your mirrors, will have been adjusted. The last thing you want whilst driving along is to fiddle around trying to adjust them. This could lead to a crash. Same with the window wipers. If you are driving in heavy rain and they are not working, or the blades are broken you may struggle to see where you are going. The last thing you want is an accident that could have been avoided
Check your car electrics.
Don’t take the car electrics for granted. With modern cars becoming more and more controlled by sophisticated on board computers, it’s becoming more important to watch out for electrical faults. From your windows, to your starter motor, there are now very few parts of your car unaffected by this move towards the electric first approach to driving a car. If you see any warning lights on, it’s important that you head to your local auto mechanic to ensure there is nothing seriously wrong with your car. The last thing you want is for you to be stranded in the middle of nowhere because your car will not start.
These are just a few safety tips that we have highlighted. If you are concerned about how to ensure you stay safe on the roads, feel free to give us a call. The team at Widnes Auto Electrical are always happy to help.
Top 10 Road Safety Tips to take away:
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Don’t use your mobile phone whilst driving
Making or receiving a call, even using a ‘hands free’ phone, is illegal. The fixed penalty for being caught using a handheld phone in the car is a £200 fine and six points on your licence since 1 March.28 Feb 2017. Moeverover it can distract your attention from driving and could lead to an accident.
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Belt up in the back
In a collision, an un-belted rear passenger can kill or seriously injure the driver or a front seat passenger. Make sure everyone is wearing their seatbelt
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Don’t drink and drive
Being in charge of a vehicle while above the legal limit or unfit through drink
You may get:
- 3 months’ imprisonment
- up to £2,500 fine
- a possible driving ban
- Any alcohol, even a small amount, can impair your driving so be a safe driver don’t drink and drive.
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Slow down
At 35mph you are twice as likely to kill a pedestrian as at 30mph. The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points added to your licence. You could be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of 3 years.
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Children
Children often act impulsively, take extra care outside schools, near buses and ice cream vans when they might be around. Make sure you guide them safely into and out of your vehicle at all times.
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Take a break
Tiredness is thought to be a major factor in more than 10% of road accidents. Plan to stop often and for long enough to help you feel more alert
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Walk safely
Be aware of the roads around you. Vehicles may not always see you in built up areas. Don’t just step out onto the road. Check and use safe crossings at at all times
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Anticipate
Observe and anticipate other road users and use your mirrors regularly.
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Use car seats
Child and baby seats should be fitted properly and checked every trip.
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Keep your distance
Keep the right distance. If you don’t know what this is then revisit your highway code and checking your stopping distance.