Fixing advice from our garage proprietor Steve Rothwell
BMW 2-SERIES
► I am not really a fan of electric parking brakes. I know it frees up space on the centre console, and there is no need for cables running the length of the vehicle, but electric can be just as troublesome and certainly isn’t without its problems.
The parking brake on this 2015 BMW 2-series Active Tourer had been playing up for a while, and the saving grace for the owner was that the parking brake automatically released as the vehicle was driven off. But with no emergency release on the parking brake system, the owner was concerned if the problem wasn’t resolved, they could end up stuck.
The parking brakes on these BMW’s are known to have software problems but in this case the fault could be firmly connected to the switch which had a little wobble when operated.
Removing the centre console to access and replace the switch was quite straightforward, but it is always a concern levering up interior trim panels. This one went OK, and the new switch was soon in place and working well.
PEUGEOT 208
► Even though the temperature outside was not high, the owner of this 2016 Peugeot 208 1.2 VTi was concerned because the A/C was not operating. His main concern was not that the interior of his Peugeot was getting too hot, but without the assistance of the A/C he was having trouble de-misting the screen in the cold dark evenings.
The system had been gassed up only six months earlier, and now it had failed again. Connecting up to the A/C machine I discovered that the gas pressure was down, and so the next step was to discover the area of the leak.
Using Nitrogen in the system and a gas Leak Detector Spray, the union connecting to the A/C compressor was found to be the problem area. This was easily solved using a new O-ring, and once back together the leak test was repeated to confirm that there would not be a reoccurrence.
With the system all gassed up the A/C was once again operating, and the screen could be demisted.
LAND ROVER 110
► Even the most solid of chassis can be subject to the effects of corrosion, but one of the benefits of having a solid chassis is that when it does begin to rust, there is a better chance of being able to cut the rust out and weld into place a nice new piece of metal. The number of vehicles I need to weld up now is certainly far less than I did twenty years or so ago, and hopefully this is a sign that the vehicles are being made with more thought to the corrosion resistance now.
Land Rovers are by their very nature subject to more corrosion problems when used as they were designed to be u
