Car Servicing

The dual-clutch transmission in my 2012 Ford Focus has been rattling since day dot. The Ford dealership has tried a number of times to rectify the problem by updating the software and performing the so-called relearns. This saga has been going on for nine months now and I have had a gutful. To add salt to wound, representatives from Ford have test driven my car and acknowledged the rattling noise emanating from the transmission, but maintain it is a characteristic of the DCT. The dealership has now informed me Ford has released another software patch, but I feel I am going around in circles. I have lost all confidence in the vehicle and Ford and strongly believe a consumer should not be subjected to the ongoing stress and anguish I am currently subjected to. Ford has had more than enough chances to make good their product and have failed to deliver. Your feedback and advice would be very much appreciated.

A few weeks after purchasing a TJ Magna Station Wagon Advance in 2004 we were at a shopping centre car park and after briefly starting the engine would die and not turn over again. After it happened a few times I realised that if I unlocked the steering column and violently moved the steering wheel up and down that the engine would finally start. The dealer denied any knowledge of any inherent issue with the model and could only recommend changing the battery to solve the problem. The intermittent nature of the fault has made it very difficult to identify the cause. I am concerned that the trick of bumping the steering wheel up and down will one day fail to help the car start and my wife or I will be stuck somewhere with the children in a car that won't start. Have you ever heard of this problem? Does Mitsubishi have any responsibility for this obvious generic fault?

I bought a 2004 Subaru Forester XT three years ago and from day one it's had a surging/hesitation issue. It's mainly when it's cold, but its still there when warmed up. I had the MAF sensor and in-tank filter changed; I've run it on premium and regular fuel with no change, and the timing belt was done 18 months ago. I was told that remapping the ECU might help, but I have never heard of this before, nor has my mechanic. What do you think?

Is the 2006 Mk 1 BF Falcon still at risk of coolant entering the transmission and visa versa, or has the problem been fixed by Ford? I recently had the transmission in my car serviced and the mechanic recommended I have the cooling system modified at a cost of about $400 to prevent this problem happening. Your advice would be most welcome.

There's a grinding, rattling noise coming from diff area on my 2008 FG Falcon one-tonner that's done about 161,000 km. I've changed the diff oil twice now, but the noises are still there. How regular would you service the auto?

We have a 2011 Calais V Series II, and like a lot of others, ours uses oil even though it's only 40,000 km. Has Holden admitted that there is a fault or not, as when we have complained to our dealer they have just said to just monitor it. Also wondering if the VF is having similar problems.

I bought a 2006 Holden VZ Crewman in 2010 and had LPG installed. For the past year my powertrain light keeps coming on and my mechanic said it's to do with the gas. The gas installer said it was the injectors and I had them done, they then said it must be the oxygen sensors but never got back to me. I then took it to another mechanic who said it was running lean and adjusted it. But the light still comes on. My mechanic says his machine says it's the LPG ECU, but the light comes on when running on gas or petrol. Neither my mechanic, or the gas man are able to confirm what it is, so I'm paying for their guesswork. Do you have any suggestions to what it could be, or whom I could take it to?

I wrote to you earlier this year about the excessive oil consumption of the VE Series 2 SV6 Commodore's engine. I took your advice and constantly watched the levels in my 2011 model and found that indeed it was using more oil than it should be. I contacted my dealer and booked it in for a test, which showed that the consumption was indeed outside Holden's specs. So far my dealer has been very helpful in assisting me with this problem, and has sent the results to Holden and I am waiting for advice as to what action will take place to rectify this problem. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your readers for bringing this to the attention of other owners of these cars.

With reference to your reader's comments in Carsguide on November 30 I can say that from my own experience with a 2008 Kia Sorento diesel these cars could all suffer with the same problems. The fuel injector retaining bolts were over tightened in production and there is a rectification kit available. Kia has been replacing the rear differential because they whine. The red warning light on the dash is illuminated signalling water is in the fuel and the engine immediately goes into limp mode. The dealer mucked me about with talk of dirty fuel, but never found water. I pushed the Service Manager to replace the switch/sensor; something he didn't think would help, as he "hadn't heard of this being a problem". Replacing it immediately fixed the problem and 10,000 km later it has never re-surfaced. I hope this will help other Sorento owners.

My 2010 Toyota Aurion park brake will not hold on an incline. It is so weak that it feels as though it hasn't even been applied. But it will hold on a decline. Is there a recall? I haven't talked to Toyota yet because I feel that it is possible that they are aware of this, but avoiding the issue.