The Motoring Expert

The experts over in MicksGarage.com have been answering your motoring questions for the past few weeks and this week they're back to do the very same.

You’ve been sending in your motoring queries to JOE’s Facebook page thick and fast, but thankfully we have the lads from MicksGarage.com here to do their best to answer them. This week we’re taking a look at windscreen wipers, regulators and where exactly the horn in a Peugeot 207 is located.

My windscreen wipers don't work at a low speed setting, only at the fastest, which is quite hypnotizing. There seems to be a lack of power going to them. Is it a big job to get it fixed?

It sounds like having no power is the issue here alright. The settings on the wiper stalk are only an electrical switch, which control the wiper motor. If you have a voltmeter, check if there is power going to the wiper motor when the stalk is set to the low speed setting. If not it is probably the switch on the wiper stalk that has failed and a new stalk is needed. Best place to get one of these is through your local scrapyard.

My ‘08 Astra diesel will start cold but not after it's been driven for a while. The engine is turning but not catching. It eventually does start when it cools down! Strange or what? It’s had a full service last week and on 3 different computers. A generic computer showed up an EGR valve fault initially but the Opel computer & another showed up nothing. Any helpful advice?
Well if the ERG did show a fault on one diagnostic machine then that is what I would suspect as the culprit. Components that are failing aren’t always recognised as faulty by the ECU (Engine Control Unit). A component will have a tolerance that it operates within, however, once the component goes outside this tolerance it will be picked up by the ECU as a fault. Sometimes the component can be on its last legs and not functioning correctly but still within this electrical tolerance recognised by the ECU and therefore will not always register a fault.

On the other hand, I had the exact same problem on one of my own cars not too long ago and it was a faulty electrical relay.

Where is the horn located on a Peugeot 207? I have to replace it…

Look behind the front bumper and just in front of the front wheel. You can find it here.

I have a ‘00 Fiesta and every time I go over 50kmph there's a smell of burning plastic coming from the bonnet. Why would this be?

This should fix the problem. Alternatively don’t drive over 50kph or sell it quick... On a more serious note however, it is possible there are some loose plastics around the engine bay or in front of the radiator that move inward with the force of wind when you drive at 50kph. Have a look around the engine bay and around the radiator to see if there are any loose plastics hanging off that may be causing the smell to drift into the air vents of the car.

The window regulator went in my friends Renault Clio, so the window went to the side instead of up and down. Any notion, idea, help or a good decent affordable place to get it fixed?

Is the motor itself still working? If it is then the regulator mechanism has collapsed or the cable has snapped. You can buy repair kits but for they’re not worth the hassle. A new regulator would be the easiest and probably most cost effective solution in the long run. Check out your options here.

Replacing it is a DIY job if you're handy with a spanner (or screwdrivers since the interior door card has to come off) and once you’re careful enough not to smash the glass, you should be fine.

For all your car part queries, visit www.micksgarage.com. We’ll find the solution to more of your motoring issues next week!