Which one've you got? As always the only FCR worth buying for them is the VAG-COM. Which will quite happily talk to any Audi with that connection (there's one under the desk here, it's yet to fail, a cars wiring loom has)
Everybody always guesses at the ECU though, they hardly ever fail unless they've got wet.
1996, ABC engine (V6). Some water had collected around the fuse/relay box in the engine bay some 6 weeks ago due to the drainhole being blocked...perhaps that's what's done it.
I've actually had the cranshaft sensor fail twice in the past 6 months
- symptoms were no fuel delivery and no spark. Now there is a spark.
snipped-for-privacy@charter.net (Dermit Goldstein) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
Makes sense. If the ECU doesn't know whether the crank's turning, it won't send fuel or a spark. The quickest and easiest diagnostic for that is if the tacho doesn't move when you try to start it.
snipped-for-privacy@charter.net (Dermit Goldstein) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
In that case, yes, I'd certainly be pulling the fusebox apart to look for corrosion and poor contacts.
The difference between the battery booster the AA man had and the one you have is probably around £400+. The AA ones can start cars all day long. The crap things sold by Maplin and Halfords are nothing more than a sealed 3A 12v battery with a claim of "700A output"! I bought one from Halfords for exactly the same reason and got a refund after demonstrating it would never start a car. Staff agreed and I notice the price had gone down to about £29 now. So I doubt your battery booster will work unless it is a decent one. You can get some chargers with a boost start function, they plug in to the mains and will start a car. It's cheaper to get a car battery and charge it now and again to use in emergencies, providing you are at home of course.
"IanT" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
I'm on my second jump box. This one's a Wickes cheapie. The last one was a no-name £20 impulse purchase from a stand at the Ally Pally classic car show. It lasted about six or seven years of semi-regular use, before getting physically buggered up after I left it kicking about in the boot of the car.
Both have done sterling service, and start cars without any problem whatsoever.
Are you serious? Do you watch BBC Watchdog - they filmed AA people trying to con drivers in to buying batteries. The managers enforce a monthly sales target and if they do not meet it, they face disciplinary action. So a printout means nothing and is never used as proof of anything. You also don't relaise who inputs and changes the figures!
That is why they lie so much and try to con people as shown on BBC Watchdog. What you should do is go with a company such as Green flag. They send out a garage local to the area you are in. They are faster than the AA, do not con people and do not operate an illegal sex discrimination policy like the AA - they will go to a woman on her own in preference to a man on his own, which is currently illegal in the UK. Green flag will send someone out and not base it on whether you are male or female or even by your age, they treat everyone as equal which is how it should be. They are also a lot cheaper than the AA for a far better service.
You obviously don't have much if any experience then. You certainly don't know the inner workings of the AA. Why join in a conversation when you appear to have nothing to add. How many times have you called the AA out at different times of day and night and asked for a new battery? Which cars, what times, what dates, what was the result of each? I think we all know you will be thinking hard to lie your way out of that one.
Hmm, so so far you've not actually answered any questions anyone's ever answered, & then there's Mr Cheerfull. Anyone would think it was the school holidays.
No they didn't.
They filmed *RAC* patrols trying to sell unneeded batteries, which was the reason why the AA introduced the equipment to give customers a print out of the state of the battery and the alternator.
No, they don't.
They have a bonus scheme in place that is partly based on some complex performance targets, and partly based on selling or upgrading membership.
I'm wondering why I'm bothering to reply, but the equipment is connected to the vehicle, and the test procedure takes place automatically. There are no figures that can be *input*, only data that is *output*.
No, it wasn't.
Green Flag send a semi-skilled guy in a tow truck.
That's fine if that's what you want. They would not be able to carry out any significant levels of fault finding.
In your not so humble opinion, of course.
FWIW, I would rather have my recovery delayed than have someone attending to me at the expense of someone more vulnerable. YMMV.
They provide a significantly different service, so it is impossible to compare on the basis of cost.
Apart from the face that they use agents to attend to you, they cover the car, not the person.
Break down whilst using a car you have borrowed - tough. Break down whilst a passenger in someone else's car - tough.
There services may well suit some drivers better than the AA/RAC, but they can't be considered as a direct comparison.
Chris
No, they didn't. It was the RAC they filmed doing that.
Bollocks. I've called the AA out plenty, and they've never, ever tried to sell me anything. The only time I ever gave them money was for some petrol when the gauge failed in one of my cars and I ran out.
Is it f*ck. Anyway, I can look after myself. I'd prefer the rescue service to get to my wife and small baby quickly. The AA don't operate such a policy anyway, they ask if there are any vunerable people - old, small kids or babies with you.
Green flag will send someone out and
No, they're not. I just did a quote on both. For Roadside/relay cover with the AA, it's £91 for the missus and I. The same cover is £100.30 with Green flag, and it only covers the car that's registered with them.
Mike P
You obviously have no clue, but then again you wouldn't, being the tiscali troll Ian. Roger. Clive. etc..
Mike P
You put it so much more politely than I did Chris. Well done! I don't know how you have the patience dealing with the morphing troll Ian/Clive/ Roger..
Mike P
It could well be.
No surprise there. Always prepare the customer for the worst - then charge them for it.
Idle control not working properly *could* be the cause of it not starting.
Yup. Remember one repairer saying 75% of all the ones they took in exchange had no fault found.
If it's Bosch injection, the cam sensor provides a limp home facility when the crank position one fails. And vice versa.
They will provide the stated current - but not obviously for long. I've got a Lidl one several years old which has jump started cars about 20 times. The battery is knackered now. But it only cost 20 quid and the compressor part still works ok. And is also useful as a 12 volt battery pack for testing things off the car.
Dave Plowman (News) laid this down on his screen :
Which means 25% were actually faulty and the only way to be certain for the mechanic, is substitution.
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