The new news 24 thread

[Matt]

Something odd is happening. 300 miles from home I hit a pothole, punctured a tyre and Google Maps led us down a dead end road in a tiny village shortly afterwards. Lady in the house we stopped outside let us in and has now gone off for a walk with my mother. So I am now sat in a total strangers living room while she wanders off down the road.

 

Home safe and the clogged Volvo gave no problems after ~600 miles in two and half days, other than a "park assist service required" message.

[RichardK]

Today:

 

[dollywobbler]

Caravelle sale cancelled. Sodding headlamps aren't working! That made for a fun drive...

[ruffgeezer]

Can i have it for a discounted rate now then Ian?

[17-Coffees]

I've been looking into the airbag light on the Cadillac as this is the obvious turd in the swimming pool for any potential mot.

The seat has a sensor in it, which detects occupancy and apparently detects if a little person is in the seat and automatically de-activates the passenger airbag. There's an indicator that shows if the airbag is de-activated in the rear view mirror but even with me sitting in the seat with the seatbelt on the light doesn't go off, which makes me thing its the pad in the seat.

My basic obdII reader flags up an issue with the passenger side airbag system and recons it's the seat sensor or the airbag ecu.

I've checked all the wires and wiggled them all but nothing happens.

 

A bit of googling says there's a recall on this as the sensor was going faulty and either activating or re-activating the air bag when it shouldn't.

Google also says Cadillac are still selling in the UK. Result, I'll just call my local dealer and dial it in for a 0 price recall fix.

 

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 20.07.09.png

 

Or not.

 

My options are

 

The ecu's are available from the states for about 60 dollars.

I've no idea how I go about fixing it if it's the seat matt.

I try to find some kind of cheat device that will trick the system into thinking the matt is working okay. I see these around for BMW's but even on eBay USA I can't see any for the CTS.

 

dunno

 

I honestly never knew they bothered with the UK after 2008 or so! The fact they still bother with the market here says something. It's only the CTS-V & Esclade they sell but why the bother is beyond me! Gray imports cover the market and will even convert them to RHD which I doubt Cadillac themselves will do. 

 

I salute them for this. 

[cort16]

I've never seen a cts v here so they can't be selling many

[Guest Hooli]

I've been looking into the airbag light on the Cadillac as this is the obvious turd in the swimming pool for any potential mot.

The seat has a sensor in it, which detects occupancy and apparently detects if a little person is in the seat and automatically de-activates the passenger airbag. There's an indicator that shows if the airbag is de-activated in the rear view mirror but even with me sitting in the seat with the seatbelt on the light doesn't go off, which makes me thing its the pad in the seat.

My basic obdII reader flags up an issue with the passenger side airbag system and recons it's the seat sensor or the airbag ecu.

I've checked all the wires and wiggled them all but nothing happens.

 

A bit of googling says there's a recall on this as the sensor was going faulty and either activating or re-activating the air bag when it shouldn't.

Google also says Cadillac are still selling in the UK. Result, I'll just call my local dealer and dial it in for a 0 price recall fix.

 

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 20.07.09.png

 

Or not.

 

My options are

 

The ecu's are available from the states for about 60 dollars.

I've no idea how I go about fixing it if it's the seat matt.

I try to find some kind of cheat device that will trick the system into thinking the matt is working okay. I see these around for BMW's but even on eBay USA I can't see any for the CTS.

 

dunno

 

 

I think the seat pads are just a case of getting the covering off the seat & swapping the pad. I won't swear to it but I was lead to believe by something years ago that it's the case.

[cort16]

I think you're right but finding a pad could be problem. I might try to see what other GM shite used the same setup and see if I can get a pad that way.

During googling all I found was loads of people taking it to the dealer and getting it fixed under the recall or paying $600 for the repair. There doesn't seem to be any detail on what they replaced or how they fixed it.

Of course that's not saying it won't fail on other stuff so there's a bit of shite roulette going on. Should I fix the airbag then mot or mot, see what it fails on then fix the airbag.I think I might do the later.

[Guest Hooli]

I'd make sure you can get the bits to fix the airbag if you do it that way, or you'll miss out on the free retest while sourcing the parts.

[cort16]

There's two CTS's on eBay breaking  and one is reasonably close by. I was thinking I could just swap the seats out. Both have cream leather mine is black.

[RichardK]

 

Took this out for a spin after resetting the fuel trim and fitting a new proper battery (damn broken plastics).

 

[Guest Hooli]

There's two CTS's on eBay breaking  and one is reasonably close by. I was thinking I could just swap the seats out. Both have cream leather mine is black.

 

I doubt it's that hard to swap the seat covers? aren't they normally just clips around the base & slide it off carefully - then replacement is a reversal of removal...

[cort16]

I wish it was that easy but previous experience tells me otherwise.

[Jazoli]

I've been looking into the airbag light on the Cadillac as this is the obvious turd in the swimming pool for any potential mot.

The seat has a sensor in it, which detects occupancy and apparently detects if a little person is in the seat and automatically de-activates the passenger airbag. There's an indicator that shows if the airbag is de-activated in the rear view mirror but even with me sitting in the seat with the seatbelt on the light doesn't go off, which makes me thing its the pad in the seat.

My basic obdII reader flags up an issue with the passenger side airbag system and recons it's the seat sensor or the airbag ecu.

I've checked all the wires and wiggled them all but nothing happens.

 

A bit of googling says there's a recall on this as the sensor was going faulty and either activating or re-activating the air bag when it shouldn't.

Google also says Cadillac are still selling in the UK. Result, I'll just call my local dealer and dial it in for a 0 price recall fix.

 

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 20.07.09.png

 

Or not.

 

My options are

 

The ecu's are available from the states for about 60 dollars.

I've no idea how I go about fixing it if it's the seat matt.

I try to find some kind of cheat device that will trick the system into thinking the matt is working okay. I see these around for BMW's but even on eBay USA I can't see any for the CTS.

 

dunno

 

If the light does not illuminate its not a fail, just an advisory, therefore a bit of tape over the offending light or bulb removal or disconnection will see an mot granted.

[RobT]

As it was a nice day here on Dartmoor I shunted the cars around, and part way through did a quick fleet pic....

 

IMG_0491.JPG

Been a while since you've done a Travis Perkins fleet shot. Definitely one for the 2018 calendar!

[Six-cylinder]

As it was a nice day here on Dartmoor I shunted the cars around, and part way through did a quick fleet pic....

 

IMG_0491.JPG

That makes a fantastic picture, almost good enough to make me give up Citroens!

[RichardK]

Visited the Volvo styling studios.

 

 

(This is what the farm is like now )

[dave21478]

The threads were a bit shit on the Metros header tank, so the cap never sealed 100%, which didnt help its incontinence. Turns out most pez Rovers from the 90s use similar header tanks, with the same diameter inlets and outlets, so I bagged one from a bubble shape Rover 214. Obviously it doesnt fit the original bracket, but it sits nicely on top of the screenwash tank.

 

 

So now the cap seals well, but there is an alarming amount of pressure in the hoses - they feel rock solid. I will need to get a sniff tester of some kind, but reckon the head gasket might have failed and its pressurising the system.

 

An A-series HG isnt the end of the world, but its a hassle I could do without. I took it for a razz around today and its driving really well, so I better sort something out before it inevitably bursts or pops off a hose miles from home.

 

[cort1977]

If the light does not illuminate its not a fail, just an advisory, therefore a bit of tape over the offending light or bulb removal or disconnection will see an mot granted.

Was going to say you could substitute switch for appropriate resistor to fool the computer? Once did that on e36 when fitting a different steering wheel because race car.

[Eddie Honda]

Airbag lights have come up a load of times on here. As Jazoli has said.

 

Therefore it is not a turd in any swimming pool, it's just a case of RTFM instead of imagining items being testable when they aren't or imagining that things fitted have to work (some do, some don't)

[RichardK]

Run of luck continues...

 

[twosmoke300]

K seal escaped ?

[cort16]

Airbag lights have come up a load of times on here. As Jazoli has said.

 

Therefore it is not a turd in any swimming pool, it's just a case of RTFM instead of imagining items being testable when they aren't or imagining that things fitted have to work (some do, some don't)

 

 

Not sure what you mean with read the fucking manual and imaging items not being testable. I'm not an mot tester.

I'm trying to fix the problem within the limits of my knowledge and there fore like here look for the higher wisdom of autoshite if there's a better answer.

[cort16]

Was going to say you could substitute switch for appropriate resistor to fool the computer? Once did that on e36 when fitting a different steering wheel because race car.

 

 

I was just readying about this. If you can figure out the required resistance it can be done. There's a video on you tube of a guy building one for his 3 series for about 8p.

[garbaldy]

As it was dark by the time i got home last night I couldn't take any pics so today would have to do,

Welcome old friend who not only kicked me in the nuts but when i was down kicked me yet again square in the face.

 

So to recap Friday 925 miles Saturday​ 1st one 52 miles

2nd 21 miles

3rd 115 miles

And i suppose i better not forget the 145 to collect the truck either.

[trigger]

Hmm... Seems to be a busy week coming up, it turns out the Rover 620Ti is still available so I've agreed to go and view it this week, it needs a mot and has been of the road for 2 years but previous mot history doesn't look to worrying other than a advisory on a corroded rear brake pipe, at the price offered including delivery it should leave enough meat on the bone to get it though the mot, use it for a month or two and still make a nice profit.

Then i got a call this morning asking if i was about next Sunday to get the Morris Ital Van out of the barn, get it running and moved so that i can buy it at last, the only trouble here is i can't really afford all these cars and i don't have the space so something will have to go, probably the Rover P6 as as lovely as it is I'm finding it a bit "old man" for me...

I also took the Dolomite for a good drive today in the sun, it's driving perfect at the moment, especially now that I've fitted a new more powerful 015 battery to it. Have another photo of it, this time at a nature reserve in Essex next to a Mini i saw there.

[RichardK]

K seal escaped ?

 

 

Silted radiator and airlock plus knackered waterpump I think.

[Guest Hooli]

Not sure what you mean with read the fucking manual and imaging items not being testable. I'm not an mot tester.

 

 

This manual probably https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/m4i00000101.htm

[scaryoldcortina]

Not sure what you mean with read the fucking manual and imaging items not being testable. I'm not an mot tester.

I'm trying to fix the problem within the limits of my knowledge and there fore like here look for the higher wisdom of autoshite if there's a better answer.

I try not to listen to or read any consumer level "advice" about MoT testing because it's always at least partially wrong. If you want to know exactly what happens on a MoT test then RTFM

[wuvvum]

An auto t25 - that's gonna be slower than a week on remand !

According to the Autocar & Motor data pages an auto T25 with the 2.1 injection would hit 60 in 16.9 seconds - not bad going for an old van.  If you want a really slow one you need one of the 1.6 NA diesels.  54bhp IIRC.