cliffcoggin

Forgive me if I disagree. That colour can never be rare enough <G>

If the contacts are rusted you may need something more aggressive than a spray. Can you get a an abrasive stick onto them?

I reckon you would be lucky to get even a secondhand gearbox from a breaker for £1000 let alone a recon box.

Like Gareth I don't believe there is normally any connection between engine cooling and air conditioning. The only common factor between the two systems I know of is the power supply, which leads me to suspect an electronic fault or an electrical fault. Beyond that I have no idea.

O well the cam belt was due for a change in a few thousand miles anyway, and it is normal to replace the pump at the same time. I know it was an expensive job, so console yourself with the thought that the consequences of belt failure would have cost you many times what you have just paid. Glad it is sorted and fit for years to come.

Morning Tom. If I am right in thinking my 2007 2.0 TDI is the same model as yours, then you have the wrong stalk. Cruise control is on its own stalk to the left of the steering column. There are no wheel buttons.

I'd first look at the CV (constant velocity) joints. Damaged or oily gaiters are a bad sign. Grip each drive shaft with Mole or similar self-locking grips and try to turn the shaft while the transmission is locked. There should be no movement at all if the joints are fine.

Have you checked: power supply, relay, switch, fuse, and earth?

Do please let us know the outcome.

Allan. I can't give any specific advice regarding your problem, but I have to say that the increasing complexity of modern cars is leading me to believe there are no cheap fixes anymore. The days of simple diagnosis and cheap repairs ended with simple engine designs. Forty years ago as an amateur self taught mechanic I could diagnose and repair any engine fault, but now even a manufacturer trained mechanic in a fully equipped garage can only plug it into a computer, and from what I read on this forum the resulting fault codes are open to wide interpretation. Sorry I can not be more optimistic. Perhaps others here can be more helpful.

I'll report on progress after my holiday.

If you have been quoted £500 for new bonnet and wing, fitted and finished, I would snap it up. That seems remarkably cheap for an Audi job.

That will be useful thanks Steve. Knowing what Audi alternatives are available is a start in finding possible replacement wheels. I suspect I shall have to contact Audi for advice on whether springing/damping/steering changes will also be required. I know a tiny bit about the theory of steering and suspension geometry, but have no practical knowledge of modifying original factory designs, hence I was asking for personal experiences of such changes to gauge their effect on handling.

After having the third tyre in ten months wrecked by unavoidable potholes, I am looking at alternative wheels and tyres as there is little prospect of Kent County Council compensating me or repairing the holes. I am considering changing the standard low profile tyres and alloy wheels for smaller wheels with higher profile tyres to maintain the current rolling diameter. Has anybody here have experience of this practice as all the queries I have seen involve fitting even lower profiles? I would even accept steel wheels if that was the only alternative, though naturally I would prefer the lower mass of alloys.

If the moped rider was blameless I wonder why he is not claiming from Praveen. Somehow I don't think we have the full story.

In that case I don't know what to suggest. Sorry.

I know you say the steering lock is releasing, but have you tried wriggling the wheel each way as you turn the key to ensure it is truly disengaging?

Thomas. Like Steve I can not hear anything unusual in your link. To pinpoint the noise you could try an old mechanic's trick with a screwdriver stethoscope. Place a large screwdriver tip firmly on various parts of the engine, then hold your ear against the handle. You'll be surprised just how noisy the bearings and pumps can be. I shan't insult your intelligence by warning you of the obvious dangers of this form of testing.

As Adam and Gareth have said, the creamy stuff is emulsion caused by water getting into the oil. How the water gets there has several causes: a faulty head gasket, condensation, fractured water gallery, faulty crankcase breather (if there is one,) are just some of them. I suggest you have the water system pressure tested as a first step.

I would think it more likely that the filter was not installed correctly rather than being faulty, but that's not really important. What is important is the possible damage to the engine, which can not be assessed without stripping it. As long as the garage will stand by their new car guarantee you should be covered for any problem that develops in the future. As for the lack of apology, that's discourteous and irritating but words are cheap. Actions are what count.

I suspect that cutting the plastic bumper might reduce the crash resistance of the car even if there is a steel beam behind it. Get some specialist advice before doing anything drastic enough to fail an MOT.

No computer in the car can detect every fault. If you have a knock you need to get it examined because it could be caused by innumerable problems: worn track rod ends, worn CV joints, worn steering joints, worn suspension mounts, loose steering rack, worn wheel bearings. The list is nearly endless.

Faulty or not, the garage that fitted the filter is responsible for rectifying the problem and any associated engine damage. Is the garage disputing that or somehow trying to shift the blame?

Thanks for the clarification.

That's good to know Ross. The attachment of the two lugs to the inside looks messy. The Ebay ad says the item is metal while you say it is plastic. Can you elaborate on the construction?