Ask The Guide

It sounds like the stability-control program is throwing up random fault codes that are telling the on-board computer that something’s wrong with this very important piece of safety technology. At that point, the protocol could be to send the car into limp-home mode to avoid having a faulty stability-control system create any problems that could cause a crash. But who knows, because there are literally hundreds of systems on a modern car that could cause this sort of malfunction.

Because the ESP light only comes on sometimes before the limp-home condition occurs, perhaps the two are related but not reliant on each other. While the engine limp-home mode is usually associated with a problem under the bonnet, the ESP light is more likely to be triggered by a problem with the braking or throttle-by-wire system. Certainly, the latter could also trigger a limp-home response from the engine.

Have the car scanned by a workshop and see what fault codes pop their heads up. That will save a lot of time and money compared with changing components until you find the one at fault.

It could be the either the turbocharger or the injector pump at fault here. But equally, it could be an intake system blocked with oil and soot residue, a clogged exhaust system, worn or blocked fuel-injectors, a dirty air-filter, poor fuel quality. It could even be a dud sensor somewhere on the engine or even an electronic fault within the on-board computer. It might even be an engine that has worn out internals.

The first thing I’d do is interrogate the on-board computer to see if it offers up any fault codes that could be used to diagnose the problem. From there, it’s down to checking the mechanical stuff like the condition of the turbocharger (particularly its bearing) and even performing a leak-down and compression test to get an idea of the condition of the engine.

The security system in your Territory is automatically armed when you lock the doors, Martin. As well as the door locks, the system should also immobilise the vehicle electronically, preventing it from being started without the computer-coded key, even if a window is smashed to gain access.

As for an actual alarm where the lights flash and sirens sound if there’s an attempt to steal it, I’m afraid that wasn’t included on the Territory. Perhaps your car has an aftermarket alarm system that offers those functions, but if it does, you’ll need to contact the alarm’s manufacturer/importer for the instructions on how to make it work.

All three of the engines used in the Holden Equinox (1.5 turbo-petrol, 2.0 turbo-petrol and 1.6 turbo-diesel) used a timing chain rather than a timing belt. While timing belts usually need periodic replacement, the timing chains fitted to the Holden engine should be good for the life of that engine.

An accurate comparison with contemporary competitors to the HiLux is very hard to find as these cars were built at a time when light commercial vehicles weren’t being officially tested for fuel economy as they are today. Suffice to say that fuel economy won’t be as good as a more modern vehicle with more modern engine technology and management electronics.

About the closest I can get you is a 2003 HiLux dual-cab with the 2.7-litre engine which has an official combined economy figure of 11.1 litres per 100km. But while there’s a handful of years between your car and the one I’ve just quoted, the comparison is actually relatively meaningful as the HiLux in either case is essentially the same vehicle with the same basic engine.

The thing to remember with all these official figures is that they really only stand up as a direct comparison to other vehicles of a similar type when tested against the same criteria. In the real world, you’ll really battle to get anything like the claimed fuel economy number and I’d expect a HiLux like the one you have to use at least 11 litres per 100km on the highway and closer to 14 litres or even more around the suburbs.

The problem sounds like a fairly major melt-down of some of the car’s computer systems which is leading it to think there’s a range of major issues that have all occurred at once. Modern cars use lots and lots of sensors that all feed information back to the computer that controls the driveline (the ECU) and everything else (the body computer) and if any of these sensors are kaput, the car can issue you with headlines like the one you’re seeing.

The good news is that it shouldn’t cost you anything to fix, a 2019 Honda is well and truly still within the factory warranty period, so it’s the dealer’s problem to fix, not yours. Even if you bought the car second-hand, the new-car warranty transfers to subsequent owners (you) so don’t be afraid to phone your nearest dealership and book the car in to be inspected, diagnosed and fixed.

The only catch in all of this is if the car hasn’t been serviced correctly. It doesn’t need a Honda-dealership service history, but it does need service-handbook proof that it has been maintained according to the manufacturer’s schedule by an accredited workshop. If it hasn’t, Honda (or any other manufacturer) can sometimes use that neglect as an out when it comes to fixing problems under warranty. If, for instance, you turned up with a three-year-old car that had covered 60,000km but had never had an oil change or service, you’d probably find the manufacturer would simply tear up the warranty on the spot, even if it was technically a five-year warranty.

These rules and regulations vary from State to State, but the bottom line in Victoria is that, yes, you do need to provide a roadworthy when selling the car privately. Aside from a very small trailer and a range of road-going commercial and industrial equipment, the only vehicle in Victoria that doesn’t need a roadworthy certificate (RWC) as part of the change to new ownership is a brand-new vehicle. The definition of that is a vehicle that has never been registered in Australia before and has covered only kilometres involved in its sale and delivery to its first owner.

The factory warranty has nothing to do with RWC law as different makes and models have differing warranty periods. If you want to sell the vehicle privately without a roadworthy, you need to remove the number plates and hand them in to VicRoads on completion of the sale. The exception to that is if you sell the car to a licensed motor car trader, as the responsibility of gaining a RWC then falls to that business.

You’ve layed out some challenging requirements here. You’d like a small SUV with a bit of ride comfort and clearly a bit of performance too, given your question about the i30 N.
I think you’ll find the ride harsh on the i30 N, especially since you found the ride on the Kona harsh already. Keep in mind the i30 N is a hot hatch and has the suspension to match.
I find the Subaru XV has very nice ride comfort for the small SUV segment, but I also feel that you will be disappointed with the performance from its 2.0-litre engine. You may also want to consider the new Hybrid Toyota C-HR. The Hybrid drive gives it a smidge of extra kick and it’s a fuel consumption hero, too.
For a better blend of performance and ride, really only the Volkswagen T-Roc and Skoda Karoq are going to excel in the small SUV crowd. In terms of ownership both now have five year warranties, and you can (and should) pre-package five years of servicing on top at a discount.

Disconnecting the battery to change it means that power to the stereo system was lost for the duration of that procedure. It’s not uncommon to have to re-code the stereo to make it all work again, so that sounds like what you need to do. The code for the stereo will be a multi-digit number and is often recorded in the owner’s manual or the handbook for the stereo itself.

The odd thing is that the codes are often stored in this manner, because ironically, the code system was originally used to combat stereo theft from parked cars. If the crooks couldn’t code the stereo to work after they’d pinched it, there was no point stealing it in the first place. Which kind of makes storing the code in the glovebox a bit of a joke. If you can’t find the code, a Toyota dealer should be able to take the vehicle’s VIN and tell you the code from that.

The Trophy version of the i30 used exclusively the two-litre petrol engine. As such, it actually has both a timing belt and a timing chain. The engine has twin overhead camshafts, but only the exhaust camshaft is driven by the timing belt from the crankshaft. A short timing chain then takes drive from the exhaust camshaft to the intake camshaft. The engine also features variable valve timing.

The good news is that you really only have to periodically replace the timing belt (the chain should be maintenance-free for the life of the engine). The recommended replacement interval is every 100,000km.