Ask The Guide

There’s no simple answer to this. The computer program that controls when the hybrid system chimes in to help with the petrol engine is a very complex one and depends on a lot of inputs. For instance, the driving mode you’re using will vary this, so will the amount of charge in the battery at the time and even how aggressively you’re driving.

As time and kilometres go by, the condition of the battery would also probably make a difference, as can what accessories (air conditioning, for instance) you’re running at that moment in time.

Unfortunately, the odds are against this problem being a simple blown fuse. This series of cars is notorious for ABS faults and the cause is almost always the control module that has failed. A replacement module is the only real fix.

You can either source a brand new module, a reconditioned one or, for about $100 or so, a second-hand module from a parts recycler that specialises in this type of vehicle. The market for these is well served purely because failures of this component are so common.

There’s been no recall for this model regarding oil consumption. And although there have been a handful of recalls for the CX-5, your car is not within the build-date parameters to be one of the affected ones.

It’s important to remember that often, a problem with a car sold in another market, won’t affect the same make and model in another part of the world. This can be because of vastly different operating conditions, different driving and usage habits and even the two apparently identical vehicles being built in different factories with different suppliers producing the parts.

Don’t forget, either, that all engines consume some oil. A turbocharged engine with its higher combustion chamber pressures will often sip a little more, but some oil consumption is part of the normal process of engine operation. That’s particularly true of modern cars which often use low-tension piston rings to reduce internal friction and, therefore, fuel consumption, at the cost of a little more oil consumption.

It sounds odd, but sometimes you can overheat an engine and do lots of damage, but the engine will still run. The problem is that more and more damage can be accumulating during this process, to the point where it then won’t run at all. Perhaps that’s what’s happened here.

Overheating can cause mayhem under the bonnet and you really need to have the engine assessed to see if its fixable or junk. Damage associated with overheating can include a blown head gasket, warped cylinder head, damaged piston rings and even complete engine seizure (although that’s clearly not the case with yours).

If the engine is toast, perhaps a tested second-hand replacement engine from a wrecked Barina might be the most financially appealing solution.

Since you’ve replaced the turbocharger and the boost controller, we can rule those out. But could the problem be something much simpler?

It’s possible that the plastic trunking that takes the compressed air from the turbocharger to the engine’s intake has split. When that happens, boost pressure is lost, the boost sensor detects the low boost and winds up the turbocharger to compensate and you have an on-paper overboost situation.

Then, once you’re beyond idle, the leak becomes even worse and the computer simply runs out of turbocharger capacity, at which point boost drops away. That’s preventing the engine revving properly and since there’s no sensor to tell the computer that the trunking is split and leaking, there might not be a fault code issued. Lots of black smoke from the exhaust is often (but not always) another clue that this is what’s happening.

Depending on the amount of fumes visible (it’s not actually steam) this could be a small or large problem. Here’s how that works: A small amount of white fumes from the oil filler cap is not so bad, but what you don’t want to see are gales of the stuff blowing out when you remove the cap.

These fumes are caused by pressure from the combustion process in the cylinders finding their way into the crankcase. As an engine wears, more and more pressure can find its way into the crankcase, increasing the fumes. When the fumes increase, this is a clue that your piston rings (among other things) are becoming worn over time and kilometres.

But you could also be looking at a car with a faulty PCV valve. This valve has the job of removing the fumes and sending them back through the engine to be burnt a second time. But if the valve is faulty, the engine won’t be vented sufficiently and the fumes suddenly become visible again. So, have the car checked out at a workshop who will be able to perform a compression test to tell whether the engine is in good internal condition or not, as well as check the PCV valve for correct operation, If the problem is the latter, it’s an easy, cheap fix.

Before you commit to any costly course of action, go back to basics. A car that jumps out of gear might have a poorly adjusted shifter or linkage mechanism rather than something internal to the gearbox. Even a worn engine or transmission mount can allow enough movement for the car to jump out of gear. So check that stuff first.

In terms of rebuilding a gearbox like this one, you may find the cost is greater than the retained value of the vehicle. Not to mention, with that sort of mileage, that you’ll lie awake at night wondering what’s going to break next. At that point, you have to make a call. But don’t forget, you might be able to find a second-hand gearbox in good condition at a parts recycler, and have that fitted for a fraction of the cost of an overhaul. And then you’re on your way to your second half-million kilometres.

For a start, your vehicle at just over five years of age is only just out of its five-year warranty. So it would be worth contacting LDV Australia’s customer service department to see if there’s any help available for a fix, or to cover some of the costs of a fix.

Meanwhile, a lot of these plastic add-ons are attached via small plastic clips and it’s these that fail, allowing the part in question to fall off. In the old days, such a trim piece would probably have been made of metal and been secured by metal tabs or pins or even a nut and bolt. But there are some really good adhesives on the market now that would probably have the strength to effectively glue the trim piece back on. That will make getting it off again (if you ever have to) a bit messy and could damage the paint underneath, but it’s probably better than having to replace a strip of tape every few weeks.

ZX Auto was one of those early Chinese brands that came and went without making much of an impact here. Imported by a WA-based dealership mogul, the brand entered Australia in 2012 and was gone before the end of 2015 when the Chinese factory stopped producing right-hand-drive cars. Not to mention the fact that pretty much nobody here was interested in the product.

Which means finding spare parts now can be a bit problematic. However, I did find a couple of local suppliers online who had clutch kits for this make and model for sale, so they are out there. Don’t forget, too, that the Grand Tiger used either a Toyota-derived turbo-diesel engine or a Mitsubishi-designed four-cylinder petrol and five-speed transmission. The latter was also used in the Great Wall V240 range, so you might find that there’s interchangeability between the ZX and those 'donor' vehicles. It’s hard to imagine that ZX would have licensed a design from either Toyota or Mitsubishi and then changed the clutch design.

In your case, I’d say you need to find out which Toyotas used the engine design shared with the ZX and work from there. From what I can gather, the engine code was DK4B and it was also used in a variety of Toyota light commercial vehicles.

Start with the basics. How old is the battery and what condition is it in? Sometimes you can check a battery’s voltage is at 12 volts with a meter, and have lights on the dashboard, and be tricked into thinking the battery is okay. But if the battery is worn out, when you turn the key to engage the starter motor, the extra load on the battery sees it lose the plot and nothing happens. You might hear a clicking noise, or you might hear nothing.

Modern engines rely heavily on electricity to run and will cut out if they aren’t getting enough voltage from the electrical system and, again, a dud battery can be the cause even if the alternator is working properly. You need to have the battery tested when a load is applied to it. If the voltage plummets when you apply that load, the battery is definitely ready for replacement.

Don’t forget the other basic stuff like the tightness and cleanliness of the battery terminals. Dirty or loose terminals can provide enough power to light up the dashboard, but can fail you when you apply the load of the starter motor.