MicksGarage.com answers your motoring questions

Last week the lads over at MicksGarage.com answered the first batch of our readers motoring related queries and this week they're back to answer the second batch.

Everyone is tightening the purse strings these days and sometimes that means you end up neglecting your car when it’s in dire need of repair. That’s why the guys over at MicksGarage.com want to help out by doing their best to answer your motoring related questions which you guys submitted to JOE’s Facebook page. Have a gander below to see if your question has been answered.

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Q: I have a red brake fluid warning light that looks like this: (!) in my Nissan Almera but I'm not low on brake fluid.

MicksGarage.com: Depending on the generation of Almera, it could be a few things. Some cars will trigger a warning light to service the brake fluid when it is due. Some cars will trigger the brake fluid light when the pads need changing. It could be a problem with the sensor itself on the brake fluid reservoir. If you pull off the cap, check if there are any parts missing, or does the light go off if it is unplugged completely? Check this out first before you bring it in for a look.

Q: My 01 Seat Ibiza battery goes dead but only when the radio fuse is plugged in, I have to take it out so it doesn’t wear the battery down when I'm not driving it. Why is this?

MicksGarage.com: At least in this case you know the radio or the wiring is the culprit! Is it an aftermarket or original radio? The radio could be faulty, or if it's an aftermarket unit there will generally be two recognisable wires behind the radio. A yellow and a red wire, one being a constant power and one ignition power. Try switching them around and see if that stops it from draining the power.

Q: My 04 Fiat Stilo seems to be just draining the battery. Unless it’s driven everyday it will die after 2 days. A new battery was fitted in January this year and it’s still happening.

MicksGarage.com: The drain could be caused by any number of electrical components so it’s going to be a process of elimination. Does the car have an alarm? If so, lock the car with the key overnight and see if it still dies. Alternatively, remove the radio fuse in case the radio is causing the drain.  The next step would be to get the ‘On Board Diagnostics’ checked to see if any other components are giving a fault code.

Q: My 99 Golf makes a rattle near the front left side, it only gives a good rattle when I’m on a tight right turn going downhill.

MicksGarage.com: As you turn right, the car is leaning to the left so it could be a heat shield that is rattling. A good place to start is checking the dust shield around the front left brake disc, or sometimes engine mounts have guards around them.  Another component that commonly makes a noise when you have a lot of steering lock applied is the CV joint, although generally they make a clunking or clicking noise as opposed to a rattle. It's always worth a check though to eliminate that as well.

Q: My windscreen is plagued by a shimmer/blur when it rains and when the wipers are on. I have replaced the wiper blades, used all types of washers, vinegar, toothpaste etc., but nothing works! It's been there on my Golf for a few years. It makes travelling in the rain difficult and sometimes dangerous. What can I do?

MicksGarage.com: That's quite a tricky one to answer without seeing it. You’ve used all these treatments on the glass and not the blades, right? Basically you need to remove all of the treatments, oil, tar etc. and get it back to the bare glass. You could also try polishing the glass. We have a video here of some of the best products to use, both for windscreen cleaning and for better visibility while driving in the rain:

If you’ve still got the same problem after all that then there is something wrong with the glass itself, and you’ll just have to replace the whole thing. It’s either that or your eyes are a bit off…

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