The vehicle owner who does his or her own
maintenance according to the recommended
service schedules should not have to use this
section of the manual very often. Modern
component reliability is such that, provided
those items subject to wear or deterioration
are inspected or renewed at the specified
intervals, sudden failure is comparatively rare.
Faults do not usually just happen as a result of
sudden failure, but develop over a period of
time. Major mechanical failures in particular
are usually preceded by characteristic
symptoms over hundreds or even thousands
of miles. Those components which do
occasionally fail without warning are often
small and easily carried in the vehicle.
With any fault-finding, the first step is to
decide where to begin investigations.
Sometimes this is obvious, but on other
occasions, a little detective work will be
necessary. The owner who makes half a
dozen haphazard adjustments or
replacements may be successful in curing a
fault (or its symptoms), but will be none the
wiser if the fault recurs, and ultimately may
have spent more time and money than was
necessary. A calm and logical approach will
be found to be more satisfactory in the long
run. Always take into account any warning
signs or abnormalities that may have been
noticed in the period preceding the fault -
power loss, high or low gauge readings,
unusual smells, etc - and remember that
failure of components such as fuses or spark
plugs may only be pointers to some
underlying fault.
The pages which follow provide an easy-
reference guide to the more common
problems which may occur during the
operation of the vehicle. These problems and
their possible causes are grouped under
headings denoting various components or
systems, such as Engine, Cooling system,
etc. The Chapter and/or Section which deals
with the problem is also shown in brackets.
Whatever the fault, certain basic principles
apply. These are as follows:
Verify the fault. This is simply a matter of
being sure that you know what the symptoms
are before starting work. This is particularly
important if you are investigating a fault for
REF•10 Fault finding
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
mm Engine fails to rotate when attempting to start
mm Engine rotates, but will not start
mm Engine difficult to start when cold
mm Engine difficult to start when hot
mm Starter motor noisy or excessively-rough in engagement
mm Engine starts, but stops immediately
mm Engine idles erratically
mm Engine misfires at idle speed
mm Engine misfires throughout the driving speed range
mm Engine hesitates on acceleration
mm Engine stalls
mm Engine lacks power
mm Engine backfires
mm Oil pressure warning light illuminated with engine running
mm Engine runs-on after switching off
mm Engine noises
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
mm Overheating
mm Overcooling
mm External coolant leakage
mm Internal coolant leakage
mm Corrosion
Fuel and exhaust systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
mm Excessive fuel consumption
mm Fuel leakage and/or fuel odour
mm Excessive noise or fumes from exhaust system
Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
mm Pedal travels to floor (no pressure or very little resistance)
mm Clutch fails to disengage (unable to select gears)
mm Clutch slips (engine speed increases, with no increase in vehicle
speed)
mm Judder as clutch is engaged
mm Noise when depressing or releasing clutch pedal
Manual transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
mm Noisy in neutral with engine running
mm Noisy in one particular gear
mm Difficulty engaging gears
mm Jumps out of gear
mm Vibration
mm Lubricant leaks
Automatic transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
mm Fluid leakage
mm General gear selection problems
mm Transmission will not downshift (kickdown) with accelerator fully
depressed
mm Engine will not start in any gear, or starts in gears other than
Neutral
mm Transmission slips, shifts roughly, is noisy, or has no drive in
forward or reverse gears
Driveshafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
mm Clicking or knocking noise on turns (at slow speed on full-lock)
mm Vibration when accelerating or decelerating
Braking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
mm Vehicle pulls to one side under braking
mm Noise (grinding or high-pitched squeal) when brakes applied
mm Excessive brake pedal travel
mm Brake pedal feels spongy when depressed
mm Excessive brake pedal effort required to stop vehicle
mm Judder felt through brake pedal or steering wheel when braking
mm Brakes binding
mm Rear wheels locking under normal braking
Suspension and steering systems . . . . . . . .9
mm Vehicle pulls to one side
mm Wheel wobble and vibration
mm Excessive pitching and/or rolling around corners, or during
braking
mm Wandering or general instability
mm Excessively-stiff steering
mm Excessive play in steering
mm Tyre wear excessive
Electrical system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
mm Battery will not hold a charge for more than a few days
mm Ignition/no-charge warning light remains illuminated with engine
running
mm Ignition/no-charge warning light fails to come on
mm Lights inoperative
mm Instrument readings inaccurate or erratic
mm Horn inoperative, or unsatisfactory in operation
mm Windscreen wipers inoperative, or unsatisfactory in operation
mm Windscreen washers inoperative, or unsatisfactory in operation
Introduction
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