Car Servicing

I have been having problems with the transmission in my 2013 Holden Cruze. We highlighted the issue at our last major service, but they explained nothing was wrong and for us to monitor the problem. Three days after our service, we were driving and heard clunks and jumping in the gearbox and engine. Then we got onto the freeway going 100 km/h and it made major clunking noises and fell completely out of gear and we couldn't accelerate at all. RACQ told us we could no longer drive it, as the transmission was gone. We had the car towed to Holden and they are now trying to tell us it was just the battery being flat. Is there any chance the car can make clunks and bumps and completely loose/slip gears because of the battery life?

We have a Hyundai i30 CRD bought with five-year warranty but the radio, which stopped working, apparently only has three years of warranty. I went to Hyundai customer service after the dealer told me I had to pay for the radio and should have been told this. We weren't. Contacted again, the dealership agreed to replace the radio only after the used car sales manager got involved. I know consumables such as brakes and tyres are not covered under warranty but it makes you wonder what other parts are not covered and if saying there is a five-year warranty is a lie.

My 2012 Nissan Dualis has only done 100,000 km, but I have already had to replace the clutch, and now the gearbox needs a bearing replaced. Is this normal?

My 2002 Mitsubishi Verada starts — sometimes. Seems to be a problem starting in the early morning, always starts after about 9-10. It has a brand new battery. I have taken it to three auto electricians and the best they can do is scratch their heads. So something about it seems to be affected by temperature?

The auto transmission in my 2014 Ford Focus is shuddering in addition to other problems. The first time the dealer said they replaced the clutch, the second time they said they did a software upgrade, but the problem still exists. I have written to the dealer to request that the transmission be replaced, or a refund offered. I am still waiting for a response. There are obviously many more customers like me who are experiencing problems with this transmission, why isn't Ford doing something about it?

I may have a solution to the problem with CarsGuide reader Megan Turner's Hyundai i20. My wife and I have a i20 and i30 and they have a switch inside the glovebox attached to the airconditioning to cool bottles and cans for the summer. So maybe the water is coming from there and dripping on to the floor. It should definitely be looked at and I hope this may help.

I am getting conflicting information from service personnel about a Hyundai i20 I bought new. I have noticed when the aircon is running small water droplets drip on to the floor on the passenger side. I have been told it is condensation. If I put my hand up behind the glove box there is a small amount of water on my fingers. What is your advice on this?

Am I being taken for a ride by Mercedes-Benz on a replacement headlight? I was driving my near-new GLC 250 and a bird hit one of the headlights and broke the perspex cover but there is no other apparent damage. The real damage came later when my local Benz dealership quoted for the repair: $3634 for the part and $530 labour, making a cool $4580. Two more bird strikes and I'll have spent as much on repairs as the cost of a new city runabout.

What is the story with spare parts for the Kia Sportage? I had a 2010 model from new and just recently had a problem with the radio and was quoted over $2000 with a wait for the part to be sent from Korea. I got it fixed at a car radio store for $500. I have since bought a new Sportage, only to find the parking sensors aren't working and again the part has to come from Korea. So far I have been waiting a month and still don't know the arrival time of the part. Is this always the same or just the service centre?

What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Ford Transit, and does it have any engine issues?