My Troubled Cars Pt1: The Wife's Corsa pulling to the left

Shawn_Dark

Okay so my wife's Vauxhall Corsa has had a few problems that we've been trying to sort out. Its a 1.2 petrol, 5dr, 2002.


Problem 1)
Every so often the car kept cutting out and we kept getting the service and EPS lights coming on. Later on we started getting a flashing oil light but very, very briefly. The other lights stayed on a lot longer.

There was also a metallic like noise (hard to describe) that would start after fifteen to twenty minutes on the motorway. It would only occur when turning slightly to the right.

Our local mechanic sorted it out on Thursday. It seemed that the crankshaft sensor needed replacing and the oil tank needed a switch replacing (as it was causing a leak).

Car has not cut off since and those lights haven't come on either. The metallic noise doesn't seem to have come back. But it was so windy/noisy on the motorway yesterday it was hard to detect. I feel confident that all of the above problems have been resolved.


Problem 2)
The car his pulling to the left. We took it to a place that does laser tracking/alignment and balancing, etc. They said that the tracking is fine and nothing is bent. But they said that the CV boot on the right side needs replacing. They said something about that area being all dried up

They want £100 to replace the CV boot and do the tracking. They said that once the CV boot is done it would mean the tracking would need doing again, hence the total cost/charge.

I'm a bit concerned about this because another friend and mechanic is saying that if the tracking is fine then even the work on the CV boot wouldn't cause it any problems.

I don't want to have to pay £100+ for the car to still be pulling to the left!

Does anyone have any advice or experience with Vauxhalls/this type of problem?

rxbren

did they say if the boot was split as if its not split no way to check that its "dried up" without cutting the boot off

if tracking is ok you wont have to re adjust it after replacing a cv boot you can replace the boot with the cv joint on the car with a cheap repair kit

why dont you trust the other mechanic

Norman_Castle

If the boot is split it needs replacing regardless of the tracking. I would ask your local mechanic to replace the boot and then consider checking the tracking afterwards, although if the tracking is fine why is the car pulling to the left?

The car his pulling to the left.

I don't want to have to pay £100 for the car to still pull to the right!

Make your mind up.:)

Shawn_Dark

rxbren wrote: »

did they say if the boot was split as if its not split no way to check that its "dried up" without cutting the boot off

if tracking is ok you wont have to re adjust it after replacing a cv boot you can replace the boot with the cv joint on the car with a cheap repair kit

why dont you trust the other mechanic

Just said there was a lot of dryness so the CV boot needs replacing.

He didn't know why it was pulling but the CV boot needs replacing. With this car, I don't want to spend any more money. I would rather sell it and say CV boot needs do and its pulling to the right, don't know why. Rather then spend the money and its still not sorted.

rxbren

there will be dryness as the boot retains the grease inside for the cv joint so unless its slit or knocking when turning more than likely no need to change it
take the car elsewhere for a second opinion as no one will be able to diagnose it over the internet

Shawn_Dark

Norman_Castle wrote: »

If the boot is split it needs replacing regardless of the tracking. I would ask your local mechanic to replace the boot and then consider checking the tracking afterwards, although if the tracking is fine why is the car pulling to the left?

Make your mind up.:)

It's pulling to the LEFT.

Norman_Castle

It's pulling to the LEFT.

Are you sure?

I would rather sell it and say CV boot needs do and its pulling to the right,

Shawn_Dark

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Are you sure?

Apologies Norman Castle, it is absolutely, definitely and for certain pulling to the left.

:rotfl:

rxbren

personally id get it sorted and sell it other wise its technically spares or repair

Shawn_Dark

rxbren wrote: »

personally id get it sorted and sell it other wise its technically spares or repair

I am going to sort it because its my wife's car. Just a shame no one can tell me what's wrong with it.

rxbren

take it to another garage for a second opinion no one on here with out phyiscally seeing the car will be able to 100% identify the problem