Fixing advice from our garage proprietor Steve Rothwell
VOLKSWAGEN POLO
Getting into his 2019 VW Polo 1.0, the owner was perturbed to see the dash displaying the message “SAFE CP”. He was a regular and had only recently got the newer Polo after the previous model which I had looked after for several years had been passed onto his daughter.
He sent me a picture showing the dash and asked me if it was safe to drive with this message up.
I asked him if it would start and drive OK, and he confirmed that it would, so I then informed him that the message was indicating “Component Protection”, the vehicle is safe to drive and it can be that the message will simply disappear while driving. There are a number of reasons it can show and this can include a low powered 12V battery, or a problem with the car loading its virtual settings.
This has been an issue on some VAG vehicles, and a service bulletin was issued by Audi on a similar issue (Number 90 21 32 2065490).
As the vehicle had been obtained from a VW dealer in the last nine months, I informed him that the best option was to contact them and arrange for them to check this out.
PEUGEOT 208
The owner of this 2014 Peugeot 208 was one of those I call a menu servicing customer. He likes to choose which individual part of the service he would like carried out, and if he doesn’t ask for it, he doesn’t want it done. When he came in for the annual MOT and service, he once again had his list of items he would like checked. The oil and filter and the air filter were on there, and as I have been servicing his vehicles this way for a few years now, I am used to the way he likes to do things.
I am also aware that if prompted in the right direction he can be swayed to add to the menu of items he requires, and so with this in mind I broached the subject of the pollen filter, suggesting that this may also be worth renewing, as I was unaware of this being replaced at all in the last three years that I had been looking after the Peugeot for him.
He was actually quite shocked and was unaware that the Peugeot was fitted with such a thing, and after a little persuasion did agree to having it renewed. From the look of it, this was good timing, and the replacement was a good option.
SEAT ALHAMBRA
It is surprising how some approach the task of jacking up their vehicle. Some see a piece of metal and decide that’s OK. The problem is that it is not always suitable.
This 2016 SEAT Alhambra 1.4 had suffered a puncture a couple of months back and the owners nice neighbour came round with a trolley jack and fitted the spare. The puncture had
