Stevey Y

Hi there is another switch activated when the pedal is pushed down it is a large blue coil with a black top that bends at an angle when the pedal is depressed and it is attached to its own separate casting on the pedal I am pretty sure that is the make/break switch for the engine start system, they are a curse inherited from automatics and in the good old days of overhead mounted plunger switches you could bridge the terminals on the switch and it would allow you to start, I have the same problem with my clutch master cylinder and suspect I will have to change the other switch when I renew the cylinder. Steve.

Hi good skills but I think you should get the car plugged in that will give you a definitive code for the part that is running to ground, possible broken cables where the door loom plugs meet the body or a control module failing, my guess is a plug connector somewhere is corroded as I doesn't seem to occur in drier weather which would suggest cold and damp getting in somewhere. Steve.

Hi I have used them on all my cabs and believe me the difference is like night and day as the output is genuinely breathtaking. Steve.

Hi LED bulbs will probably fail the MOT if its not a projector type head lamp as it distorts the reflector pattern, if the original bulbs are H7/H4 try Phillips diamond vision all version available on eBay . Steve.

Hi probably a knackered battery. Steve.

Hi no it won't be the aircon if its not being used, try to obtain the help of an assistant and a couple of buckets of rain water, no good using a hose or tapster as this has a higher surface tension and won't creep, sit in the car with the doors shut and let them gently pour the water that side and see what happens, my guess is a blocked drainage channel under the front scuttle cover where it hides the wiper motor etc. Steve.

Hi yes the German cars are better built but you are still altering the damping geometry if you use lowered springs and thus you will get a bone shaking ride it won't matter how good the bushes are on the rest of the suspension, also be careful to check that KYB units work with lowered springs as you won't be the first person to discover that the shocks start leaking in record time because the piston travel ratio was never designed to work with lowered springs, thats why Bilstein was recommended as they work with both types of spring standard/lowered especially the B6 as the bump stops are in the body of the shock rather than up by the top mount.

Hi retrofitting seats even if a straight swap will require wiring alterations and coding in afterwards, sit on a hot water bottle its easier and cheaper, as for the motor its probably gone as its a lousy design as the washer feed runs through the spindle for the arm and because the spindle only moves left and right the seal for the spindle out and water floods the gearbox and causes it to seize, I replaced mine a couple of years ago and took the motor apart out of curiosity it was like a rust festival in there. Steve

Hi go on eBay and try Mannol I have been using it in my cab and their 504/507 long life is about £25.00 for five litres and it has rave revues, they way I look at it if it will stand the pounding I give it with about 700-1000 miles a week with no downside it can't be bad. Steve.

Hi coilover suspension is a lot stiffer on the lowest setting so unless you want to spend a fortune on dental implants and suspension arms do as Steve suggested and go for Bilstein, B6 shocks with standard springs thats about as uprated as you need to go without murdering the ride/handling, coilovers are really for trackdays, you don't think the cars testing on the track at Wolfsburg was just for fun these cars have a really good set up which copes well with most road surfaces. Steve.

Hi the clutches are almost exclusively manufactured by LUK, Sachs is now one of their sub divisions, have a look at the LUK website where they will list your vehicle but no prices, alternatively try Car Parts in Motion they are very helpful and if you ring them they can normally flog you a clutch at a competitive price. Steve.

Yep the worlds a dangerous place, problem is one of the guys who is just up the road from me and is on this forum did not get most of the replies I sent through to him.

Hi there are a couple of posts on here with pictures but I replaced mine by getting in through the back by removing the boot trim so I could see the emergency release cable, chased the cable back to the unit which is held on by two 10mm bolts and slide the unit towards you, have a gander at youtube there are a couple of how to videos on the subject, if not Email one of the Moderators and they will point you in the right direction. Steve.

Hi yes it is, but worth the effort if it turns out thats the problem plus on the later models the heater is housed in the reductent circuit where the out flow pipe runs from the pump so you only have to replace the out flow pipe with the heater connection on it apparently its quite a common fault but you will have to test the wiring for continuity. The repair section is definitely cheaper than a whole tank, there are a couple of youtube vids on the subject and even if they are the Q5 I bet yours is not much different. Steve.

Hi the plunger mechanism is not working anymore, solenoid gone probably, loads on eBay fairly cheap and its easy to fit yourself two bolts and a wiring plug once you have removed the boot trim that side, in fact I would do that anyway to get the part number off of your old unit, check twice do once. Steve.

Hi try cleaning the connector to the heater element, unfortunately as far as I am aware you can't change the element as they don't do it as a separate part you have to buy the whole tank in which case try Nirrol in Barking they might have one. Steve.

Hi I think you will find that the first part of the number is the part number, the 079 is the size try Audi but if they are anything like VW they don't do it as a separate part and you have to buy that section of exhaust to get the clamp, my advice is ring Essex Turbos at Witham they are very helpful and if they don't have it they will know a man that does. Steve.

Hi probably corrosion in the pinned loom plug that connects with the headlight unit.

Hi its normally a fuse check the live voltage at the bulb connector, if its not that try the relays, What type of bulb do they use? Steve.

Hi another two years and they might work out what a LEAD BALLOON looks like. Steve.

Hi does the roof move back?, if so slide it back and clean the seals with white spirit on a rag, once dry give the seal that side a thin coating of Vaseline and close it, that should shut it up until you can get to the dealer. Steve.

Hi there is only one place for the item in the photo and thats in the bin, I run my A6 as a cab and service it every 9k about 4-5 times a year and the main summer services produce something similar to your filter, replace yearly with a service and you will be amazed by the results, better mpg and a more responsive engine, for what they cost its a no brainer. the new engines rely on good airflow. Steve.

Hi yes most definitely. Steve.

Hi just had a look at my daughters Q3 its a late 2013 but I am pretty sure its the same engine and the thermostat housing is at the front of the engine below/behind the throttle body, its doable as long as you have a decent 1/4 drive socket set and the special hose removal pliers both items cheap on eBay, you will have to remove the throttle body and turbo hose to get at it then its just a case of two bolts and the clips for the hoses to remove it its one of the sealed unit type so you can't take it apart, new unit required plenty about that are quite cheap. Steve.

Hi the airbag systems are a bit twitchy on most cars, glad you were able to sort it. Steve.