Frank & Suff (and anyone else that knows about cars)

[meriad]

Sigh, my car is playing up again.... Just got it back from the garage after they changed the coolant temperature sensor; and now it's coming up with error code 82 which apparently means top up oil / change oil. I topped up (not that it needed it I don't think but it was the quicker solution over the weekend) but the code is still coming up.

I'll be calling the garage to book it in again for said oil change, but wondering one of you car buffs could answer this... On Friday I needed to go to Leatherhead; satnav took my the back roads because the M25 / A3 roadworks were causing loads of tail backs etc and stupidly (knowing we'd had so much rain) I followed satnav and twice I ended up having to drive through flooded roads - definitely deeper than I was comfortable with but thankfully car made it through. But now I'm wondering if somehow or the other water might have gotten into the engine and is causing havoc with the engine / oil gauge or sensor or whatever it is???


thanks!

[meriad]

IGNORE THE ABOVE....
Just called the garage and they said all it is, is that the car needs an oil service - so car now booked in (again) for Friday and hopefully all will be sorted then

[Kaz]

Fingers crossed, Ria XX

[Workingman]

Ah, the all-knowing modern car.

I had mine MOTd in August and though it passed I was given an advisory that it needed servicing. The thing is that I had it serviced (not the main dealer) about three weeks before the MOT when I had two tyres replaced to make sure it passed. "Well, they didn't reset it then" said the MOT man.

So, I took it back to the garage and explained. He hooked it back up, tapped the screen and pressed a few buttons. "There you go, another 9,000 miles before it starts pestering you again. Sorry that we didn't reset at the time."

[cruiser2]

In my younger days i have de-coked an engine and ground in valves. Also put new pads in a clutch on a motoor bike. And put a new fan belt on a Mini.

But those days are gone with modern technology. Wouldn't even change a spark plug. I have changed oil and put a new filter on.
When I had it done at a garage I always said I wanted to see the old oil filter. This was to prove they had fitted a new one.

Hope it is not too expensive.

[Suff]

Hi Ria, missed this as I've been pretty ill since the 1st. Only really getting over it now after last weekend in bed mostly, again.

The key message was this " top up oil / change oil."

Your car doesn't have a defined service interval for oil, it has a quality sensor for the oil. When the viscosity of the oil exceeds the tolerances that the sensor will accept it warns you to change the oil.

It's a bit annoying though. It is supposed to reduce oil wastage where people replace oil which is still perfectly suitable. Oil change intervals are based on worst case scenario's and your oil quality does depend very much on how you abuse the engine and, therefore, the oil. The harder the drive it the more you vapourise the oil and the more you reduce the quality and viscosity.

So now instead of taking the car to the garage at X miles and get the oil changed, you wait till the light comes on. Of course at major services they change the oil so the light may never come on for some.

[cromwell]

I hope you are fully recovered soon Suff.

[meriad]

Hi Suff, hope you're feeling back fighting fit very soon - I prescribe lots of home made chicken soup.

Thanks for the reply - turns out that the car was due it's service anyway (which for some reason I thought was due July only); so it went it for MOT and minor service which included the oil change. So hopefully it's onwards and upwards and many more hassle and worry free driving miles for me

[Suff]

Thanks guys, getting there. At least I'm not having afternoon sickness and dizzy spells any more.

Ria, it should be fine. Just good to remember the bit about the oil quality sensor.