mot testing and car servicing

Car Servicing under Warranty

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Car Servicing under Warranty

Car Servicing under Warranty
Car Servicing under Warranty

Car Servicing under Warranty

Your car service can be carried out when the car is  under the manufacturerwarranty

So, as a garage owner of long standing ! This is a question that I am always asked. Albeit too late to benefit my garage. Of course, when customers come to us for say a tyre fitting. Naturally, then they sometimes ask us what the price of a service would be for their car. Some customers then say that we can’t do the car  servicing ! Because the car is under the manufacturer’s warranty. Subsequently, they must take their cars to the main dealer (franchise garage).

This ruling was brought out in the European Union (EU) in 2010

As an update to previous legislation. Consequently, this is similar to the American version of “Right to repair act”. It was brought up to date to prevent car manufacturers from adopting protectionism. Including diverting the cars that they made to their franchise dealers. Thus not allowing any work to be passed onto the independent garage sector. While the vehicle was still under warranty. This also would have included Prestige Car Servicing. Giving the main dealer garages the monopoly for all the work. Whilst the car was still in the warranty period.

This was not acceptable to the EU. Car Servicing under Warranty

So, as car repair bills were then accounting for 40% of running and owning a family car,. Unfortunately, the costs were going to rise in future years. In my opinion, this legislation was not very well publicised. Because the general public do not know much about the fact that you can take your vehicle to a reputable independent garage,. Finally, even if the car is still under the manufacturer’s warranty scheme,.

More reading…European Union Auto legislation

Car owners are still told that they must return their cars

to the franchise dealers for servicing. Including out-of-warranty repair work. Including such things as brake pad replacements and other wear and tear items. Tragically, or else if they don’t, it will affect their car’s warranty. This is simply NOT TRUE?

A couple of my customers have told me recently that this is what the salesman told them when they bought their new vehicle. One was a guy with a BMW, who told him that the car

had to be serviced by the BMW garage to keep the cars warranty. Another woman customer had bought an Audi TT from the local Audi franchise and they told her the same. I am not sure if it is a lack of knowledge by the car salesman, but I suspect that they must be trained to say these things.

The EU legislation states that all car makers. Car Servicing under Warranty

So, they have to offer the least: a two-year unlimited mileage warranty on all their cars. This starts from the day the car is first registered. These car sales people should know the law and I am sure the same thing is applicable in the USA, as I stated under their “right to repair laws”. The two-year minimum warranty ruling also applies if the car changes ownership within the warranty period.

The 2010 EU ruling, along with previous legislation,

has been around for quite a while now and all franchise garages know that you cannot force a new car buyer to return the car for all its car servicing or brake work.  Enabling the car to retain its warranty. The only stipulation is that the independent garage that is carrying out the service should carry out the work according to the cars manufacturing service manual and also use service parts of the same quality as the original equipment fitted the vehicle.

If possible, look out for a garage that is one of the “good garage schemes.”. My garage is a member of one of these schemes and you may think that I am blowing my own trumpet.

But in my opinion ! Standards are high and customer care is a priority at most of these regulated garages. I must stress, though, that if a part is found to be faulty,. Then the franchise dealer has the right to repair the van under the terms of the car warranty. In my opinion, this is entirely fair and reasonable. Because it will be the manufacturer who will be paying for the faulty parts being repaired. Consequently, they need to have proper procedures in place and a correct paper chase

Third-party sold warranties are not the subject of this post. Including extended warranties offered by the garage that have sold the car. So, my advice is to be careful with that situation. You might need to have your car serviced at the dealership where you purchased the van in order to take advantage of some of these additional warranties that are not subject to the rules governing manufacturer’s warranties.

We recently had this type of problem with a car that had a worn-out clutch. Car Servicing under Warranty

The lady customer brought the car to us for a new clutch fitting. Unfortunately, she did not tell us that the car was still under warranty. She genuinely thought that she did not have to pay for the clutch fitting. Unknowingly, and that we could claim the money back from the car manufacturers. After a long argument and many phone calls to the main dealer, she finally paid us for her clutch fitting and went away a very confused and disgruntled lady, never to be seen again.

This was a perfect case of the car owners not knowing about their warranty procedures.

“Under EU law, you may invoke your guarantee at any dealer in the manufacturer’s network, regardless of the EU country in which you bought the car. So if you buy your car in Germany and take it back with you to France,. So, you go to a car dealership for that make of car close to your home to ask for a manufacturing fault to be remedied (within the guarantee period), rather than travelling back to Ermany.” http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/cars/faq/index_en.htm 

car brakes problem

Jaguar XF Brake Problems

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Jaguar XF Brake Problems

Jaguar XF Brake Problems
Jaguar XF Brake Problems

Jaguar XF Brake Problems

Jaguar XF Brake Problems – Past Lessons, Present Fixes

Here at Pellon Tyre and Autocentre in Halifax, we’re fortunate to have a loyal customer base, including a few proud owners of the stylish Jaguar XF. As someone who’s been in the garage game for a long time – going right back to my days as an apprentice mechanic – I’ve always had a soft spot for Jaguar cars.

They’ve come a long way over the decades, but some things haven’t changed – particularly the ongoing issue of brake vibrations.

🚗 A Bit of Jaguar History – From Fox’s Biscuits to Flared Arches

Back in the day, we had a number of wealthy customers who brought their Jags in for service – including one of the Fox family, the directors behind the Fox’s Biscuits empire. He was always rolling in with a fresh set of new Jaguars – typically keeping four or five on the go at once – which kept us busy with regular servicing and brake repairs.

I particularly remember the Jaguar XJ4 when it launched in the late 1960s – a real head-turner with flared arches and a brand-new tyre spec: the ER70VR15, specially made for Jaguar by Dunlop Tyres. These tyres were engineered in partnership with Jaguar to cope with the power and handling of the new cars.

🛞 The Original Brake Vibration Mystery Jaguar XF Brake Problems

But as great as the XJ4 looked, it wasn’t without its issues – particularly vibration through the brakes and steering wheel. I remember working for National Tyre Service at the time (owned by Dunlop), and we were constantly trying to balance Jaguar wheels as precisely as possible.

Back then, we didn’t have the fancy laser-guided balancers we use today – just basic machines and plenty of elbow grease. In fact, some of the worst cases were taken in secret to a Dunlop test facility in Leeds, where engineers would even skim the tread off tyres in an attempt to make them perfectly round. That’s how serious the vibration problem had become – and how committed Jaguar and Dunlop were to protecting their reputation.

🛠️ Back to the Modern Day – Jaguar XF Brake Issues Still Exist

Fast-forward to today, and we’re still seeing similar issues on the Jaguar XF, especially when it comes to brake judder and droning noises. We regularly carry out brake servicing on several local XF models, and a pattern has started to emerge.

🔍 Case 1 – Vibration at Low Speed Jaguar XF Brake Problems

One XF owner came in reporting a strange issue: the car ran perfectly at high speeds but vibrated when slowing down between 60 and 40 mph. We road-tested it, but – as is often the case – the problem wouldn’t show itself while we were behind the wheel.

The customer had also visited the main dealer, who confirmed this is now a recognised fault with the XF range. The likely cause? Disc brake or hub runout – a slight misalignment that causes vibration when the brakes are applied.

🔧 Case 2 – New Discs and Pads, But Still Vibrating

Another Jaguar XF came in for servicing and needed discs and pads all round. We replaced them, but a few months later the customer returned, complaining of a slight vibration through the brake pedal.

We took the car in for inspection and – while everything looked fine – we suspected a faulty disc. We replaced it under warranty with help from our supplier, but this time we took an extra step: we thoroughly cleaned the hub face before fitting the new discs.

Sure enough, a small amount of rust build-up on the outer part of the hub had caused a very slight misalignment. Cleaning it completely and re-seating the new discs fixed the issue.

🔧 Top Tip – Always Clean the Hub Face Jaguar XF Brake Problems

This experience has led us to a clear conclusion: if you’re fitting new brake discs to a Jaguar XF (or any precision car, really), it’s vital to clean the hub face thoroughly. Even a tiny bit of corrosion can throw off the alignment just enough to cause brake vibration.

It’s a simple fix that many overlook – and it could save a lot of head-scratching (and repeat visits) later on.

📍 Jaguar Brake Repairs and MOTs in Halifax

If you drive a Jaguar XF and you’ve noticed:

  • A pulsing brake pedal
  • Droning noises when slowing down
  • Juddering through the steering at low speeds

…bring it in to Pellon Tyre and Autocentre for a full brake inspection. We specialise in brake repairs, MOT testing, and servicing for prestige cars.

With decades of hands-on experience and a real passion for cars, we’ll keep your Jaguar running smoothly – without the mystery vibrations.

Eric Roberts

New Safety Investment

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New Safety Investment

New Safety Investment
New Safety Investment

New Safety Investment

This article highlights the new safety investment and the recent incident at Pellon Tyres in your style.

Investing in Safety:

Pellon Tyres’ New Spring Compression Cage

You can bet your last penny that working in the automotive trade will keep you on your toes, but you never know what the day may bring! At Halifax’s Pellon Tyres, we take great pride in the excellent quality of our work and—above all—the security of our employees. However, life occasionally throws us a curveball that forces us to think, adjust, and change.

During recent car coil spring replacement work, one of our reliable mechanics—who has been with us for a long time—had an event of this kind. Compressing an automobile spring can be a bit of a nerve-wracking experience for those who are not familiar with it. A lot of force is involved, and if things go wrong, it’s like trying to restrain a tangled beast. Unfortunately, the beast prevailed on this specific day. When the spring came loose, it exploded with a loud crack and almost hit our man in the face.

We were all shaken in the aftermath. He had two shiners at the end, and his dark eyes gave the impression that he had been through ten rounds with a heavyweight fighter. Fortunately, and above all, he is now recovering from a bit of shock. However, that experience served as a sobering reminder of how easily things may go wrong. At Pellon Tyres, we take safety very seriously, so we felt we had to act to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

New Safety Investment
New Safety Investment

Acting to Ensure Safety-New Safety Investment

We started investigating new methods to make working on springs safer once the dust cleared and our mechanic’s eyes started to heal. We’ve made an investment in a premium spring compression cage after doing some research and weighing our options. There is no chance for the spring to escape and cause damage because this piece of equipment is made to fully enclose it during the compression process. A simple concept that truly saved lives.

Making sure our crew returns home safely at the end of each day is more important than merely guarding against the occasional black eye. Our top priority has been and will continue to be that. Purchasing new equipment is undoubtedly an investment, but when it comes to our employees’ safety and wellbeing, no expense is too high. Pellon Tyres takes pride in caring for its own members of Halifax’s close-knit community.

The Significance of It-New Safety Investment

Since 1989 we have been a part of the Halifax community, and we have always tried our hardest to assist our team, our clients, and the community. Purchasing a new compression cage is a commitment that we will continue to step up when necessary, not just a business choice.

Please know that we take every safety precaution (thanks to Sykes Pickavant) when working on your car if you happen to drop by our garage. You can rely on us to provide work of the highest calibre thanks to the expertise of our staff and the new safety precautions. Our employees will work in a safer environment, and I will have one less concern at the end of the day.

Going Ahead-New Safety Investment

We now proceed with greater strength and safety than before as our mechanic recovers from shock. I’m happy to have this new cage in our garage; it’s a terrific investment for Pellon Tyres. It serves as a reminder that we have each other’s backs and eyes protected in our line of business.

Halifax, be careful. And don’t forget that we’re here to help you work safer and more intelligently if you ever need tyres, MOTs, or just some sound advice.

 

 

Nissan Navara Clutch replacement

Ford Focus Clutch: Diesel TDi 2004

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Ford Focus Clutch

Ford Focus Clutch
Ford Focus Clutch

Ford Focus Clutch

So, over recent years, I seem to have had a run of cars with clutch problems. Consequently, that has been brought into my garage, Pellon-Autocentre, here in Halifax, UK. I think that most garages will have these kinds of cars with different problems. Sometimes it may be brake problems or sometimes we have a run of exhaust pipes dropping off. This particular time, there have been clutch problems.

Yesterday was no exception? Sure enough, first thing in the morning, an AA transporter turned up on the forecourt. So, with a silver car strapped to the back,. Fortunately, an old customer of ours was in the car. When his Focus was unloaded. He came into the reception to explain what had happened.

He told us that he had recently been working away in the south of England. While he was away, he started to have problems with his clutch. He told us that one morning he was driving to work from his accommodation and called in for some diesel. When he arrived back at the car, the biting point of the clutch was very close to the car floor. Also, the rest of the pedal was very sloppy and loose.

He managed to drive the car to his job, Ford Focus Clutch

Subsequently, he is a builder for a housing association. Who own properties all over the UK, The head office is here in Halifax .He sometimes has to work away to help sort problems out. Although he was having great difficulty selecting his gears. When he first bought the  Focus about 18 months earlier, he was told that the car had recently been fitted with a new clutch ! Of course, this was one of the reasons that he had bought the car. Visibly, it appeared to be in good condition.

He called out a local garage that topped up the slave cylinder. I was also telling him that the clutch pedals on these Fords have a black plastic hinge-type thing attached to it. Importantly, this is what pushes the master cylinder in. A metal rod attaches this hinge to the pedal. A clip is what holds the hinge in place, and this clip is detachable. So causing the cars clutch problem. The garage resolved this, and for a few days, everything appeared to be fine with the Focus.

Ford Focus driver could smell clutch fluid? Ford Focus Clutch

He noticed a slight smell coming from the car’s cab, but he did not know what it was. It was apparently clutch fluid that had leaked from his previous problem. The guy told us that after the

garage reportedly had sorted the Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi problem out, but the car gear change was still a bit lumpy. After the job was complete, the guy decided to risk it and drive the car back home to the north via the M1.

He decided to call in at the services for something to eat and a rest. On his return to the car, he found that once again the clutch pedal was down to the floor pan of the car, but unlike before, there was no bite at all on the clutch. His company had provided their staff with AA breakdown cover for their employees who travelled away to work, and so the guy promptly called the AA out to the services.

Inspected by the AA

The AA man inspected the cars clutch cylinder to check the level but soon noticed that the cylinder was empty of fluid. He said that the Ford  was susceptible to these type of  problems and diagnosed a broken master cylinder. There was nothing that he could do as far as road side assistance, and so he proceeded to load the car onto the back of his transporter in order to take the car to the garage of his choice, which was our garage in Halifax.

When I proceeded to put the car on lift, I found that clutch fluid was seeping out at the bottom of the clutch housing through one of the vent holes that are there to collect dust and dirt to evacuate the housing. We diagnosed the problem as a master cylinder failure and reported back to the customer, who by this time had borrowed one of our courtesy cars and gone back to work somewhere here in Yorkshire.

We removed the Ford Focus gearbox and clutch housing to reveal yet more problems?

The engine was dropped, as was the gearbox. Removed, and then the Ford Focus clutch housing was separated. Revealing the clutch assembly. We found that the hydraulic cylinder bearing had, in fact, a broken seal and needed replacing. Then we found that although the Focus diesel should have been fitted with a duel mass flywheel,. Subsequently, this car had been converted to a solid single flywheel.

Including a normal-type clutch plate and to make matters worse! Incidentally, both were damaged. The flywheel was broken, and the clutch plate was worn out and also needed replacing.

We phoned the customer on his mobile! Of course, he was not very pleased, to say the least. Having expected the clutch to last him more than the 18 months that it had lasted since he bought the car. The old parts were saved for the customer to look at as we always do. Another small problem also occurred? We had some difficulty matching a new single clutch plate with a new solid flywheel, as the old one was a cheap clutch plate and had no part numbers on to match a new one.

With the help of the motor factors, we were able to find the correct parts and rebuild the whole assembly. The car works fine now, and the customer went away highly delighted after his initial shock.

The diesel Ford Focus can be converted to a solid single-clutch system, Ford Focus Clutch

When the customer had left, I looked at some Ford forums about the conversion to a single clutch assembly, and the general consensus is that it is fine to do it. In fact, Ford Transits can be converted by using genuine Ford parts. That is made especially for these conversions. Also, I have heard that many taxi companies convert their taxis to the single clutch system.

For more Ford Focus clutch problems,

Eric Roberts