28 minutes ago, iantt said:

We recover 12v battery's from 6volts. 🤣🤣

It can be done with a SmartCharger - here's how...

 

1 hour ago, iantt said:

We recover 12v battery's from 6volts. 🤣🤣

That's fine if it's fairly new and you're handing it to a customer who's going to use it regularly, but I still won't be using the car.

Just want to start running it once a month for now.  Had planned to do that in previous years but other things always seemed to get in the way.  Looked at it today and it's a right mess under the bonnet, damp and mouldy, things are going to start breaking if they haven't already!

Don't want to go through all the hassle of charging it then getting someone with upper body strength to swap it if the new battery will be just dead in a months time and I'll be in the same position anyway.

I probably will end up trying to charge it as I hate waste too much.

 

Also concerned about the cambelt stiffening and oil draining after not being run for so long.  Not sure if I can turn it over by hand from the top end (alternator pulley probably a bad idea due to the clutch), or whether I can try to flick the starter a few times before giving it a full crank. 🤔

Results are in...  I left the Maypole for around 6 hours and it was totally dead time I got back to it.  No idea how long it lasted.  It's 400wh I think.  Wasn't expecting it to be even half used considering the voltage started above 12v.

The battery is now holding steady at 12.45v so looks like it probably is still good to use.

Is there an issue with Halfords website today?  Won't let me log-in.  First sent me a login code.  Then told me I needed to update personal info.  But every time I confirm the info it just loops back to 'need to update personal info'.

Still the same problem with the Halfords website today.  Can anyone else confirm they can log in?

I only had a normal account (with Trade Card), not sure if I need to make a 'Motoring Club' account or something?  Tried live chat but there's no option for website/account issues unless you log in first.  The other options are just for retailers or garages.

43 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Still the same problem with the Halfords website today.  Can anyone else confirm they can log in?

The things I do for you LOL Just signed in, no problems at all. Have you tried clearing your cookies? 🤣

7 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

The things I do for you LOL Just signed in, no problems at all. Have you tried clearing your cookies? 🤣

Lol, still haven't dared clearing cookies!  

Thanks though, that does make it appear like an issue with my account rather than the website.

I have tried it in a private browser window and I think that works without any previous cookies?  (Could be wrong, this is definitely not my area!)

On 3/3/2025 at 5:10 PM, TomsFocus said:

Think this might be my most useless piece of Chinese tat ever...  Does anyone else have one exactly the same?  I assumed it would show the actual voltage reading when plugged in...but it just shows 12.5v all the time! 🤦‍♂️

got one coming lol

I bought one for my bike, still have it, never used it lol.

2 minutes ago, Delboy777 said:

I bought one for my bike, still have it, never used it lol.

You have a cigarette lighter socket on a bike !!!!! 🤣

4 minutes ago, unofix said:

You have a cigarette lighter socket on a bike !!!!! 🤣

No it wasnt a ***** lighter, it was just a 12v socket fitted by myself to power various cameras and stuff.

Meanwhile...I still can't login to the Halfords website.  Managed to get through to their CS via webchat & email.  They just reset my password (which I'd already done and hadn't made a difference) then suggested clearing cookies or trying another device.  Will have to try it on my phone later, but if it doesn't work on there either then I'll just have to leave it.  I use Edge on the laptop and that doesn't give a choice of cookies to delete, can only delete all of them which I'm definitely not doing just for this.

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

... I use Edge on the laptop and that doesn't give a choice of cookies to delete, can only delete all of them which I'm definitely not doing just for this.

For exact reasons like this, on my laptop I have numerous backup browsers to try should I ever get an errant web site. I mainly use FireFox, but have Edge, Chrome, Brave, Pale Moon and a few others. If I can't get it to work on one of those, I just give up and like you, the thought of having to delete all cookies fulls me with dread! The 'delete cookies' instructions for IT purposes seems to have replaced the traditional, 'turn off & re-boot' 🤣

12 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

For exact reasons like this, on my laptop I have numerous backup browsers to try should I ever get an errant web site. I mainly use FireFox, but have Edge, Chrome, Brave, Pale Moon and a few others.

I don't like clutter.  This is my desktop.  

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I don't like clutter.  This is my desktop. 

Yep, very clutter free LOL But you can delete the browser shortcuts from your desktop, and just call upon them from your 'programs'. 😁

Definitely not a browser issue!

Has anyone else seen this message at all?

TBH i get a message saying i have to sign into my U-tube account every time i click on a video on this forum, its a PITA.

My advice would be to run a MalWare scan. That looks like a bit of rogue scam code?

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

My advice would be to run a MalWare scan. That looks like a bit of rogue scam code?

On two different devices with two different browsers?  Surely it can only be an issue at their end?

 

 

If anyone on here has an online account and a Trade Card, can you price check something for me please?  Just to satisfy my curiosity.

What do you want price on? 

When is an MOT not an MOT ?

Early this evening I got a phone call from my daughter who was hysterical and extremely distraught. After a few minutes I was able to find out that she had completely lost control of the car and had basically crashed.

I jumped in my car and drove as fast as possible to get there and see what had happened. It took about 15 minutes, and when I arrived she was clearly very much in a state of shock. The rear offside wheel of the car was pushed back in to the wheel arch and at an angle like a front wheel would be if you had full right lock on.

She had been driving at about 55 MPH when suddenly the car "went crazy" and shot over to the other side of the road just missing on coming traffic, it continued to mount a high kerb and across a grass verge just missing a tree before changing direction and heading back on to the on coming side of the road, and then veered back across to the other side of the road, and then crossing the kerb and grass verge before coming to a stop.

She kept telling me she tried to brake but little was happening and no matter how she tried to steer the car had a mind of its own. I've now had chance to do a quick inspection to try and work out what happened. The subframe has completely rusted through and snapped which has caused the rear offside wheel to be come free to move in any direction. Had it not been for the AWD drive shaft then the whole wheel would have come off. The brake line has been ripped off, hence the problem with trying to stop.

The 2010 Kuga has been in the family since new and has always been well maintained and looked after, so this has been quite a shock. The car was only MOT'd the end of January (5 weeks ago). I would have expected given the apparent state of the subframe for at least an advisory, if not an outright fail, but nothing was said and the car was given a clean bill of health !!

The situation could have been much worse, she and indeed others could have been seriously injured. This happened just before 5 O'clock while she was on the way to collect her daughter from the child minder. It does make you question just how useful an MOT test is, if a serious defect like this can be completely missed.

4 hours ago, unofix said:

... It does make you question just how useful an MOT test is, if a serious defect like this can be completely missed.

That's great your daughter is OK, though naturally very shocked over the incident. I hope she recovers from it soon. You may remember a few years back the rear sub frame on my old Focus rusted through, and a recently passed MOT never picked it up either. Maybe it should be part of the MOT!

 

8 hours ago, unofix said:

 serious defect like this can be completely missed.

The more I think about this the more concerned I get. You are prolific in car maintenance and exceptionally knowledgeable. If this can escape even you, what chance do ordinary folk like me stand ..

Importantly, at least (and miraculously it seems), no injuries. Considering some of the trivial "fails" we see reported on here, though, that is indeed shocking.

Hope your daughter soon gets over what must have been a very traumatic incident.

Glad your daughter is ok, apart from the shock of what happened. Just goes to show, your never sure about MOTs unless you know the tester. 5 weeks since tested ? Think id be reporting the test station for this, think about what might have happened. If they are as incompetant as miss this fault what else are they missing. Peoples lives are at risk and it shouldnt be allowed to continue. A subframe does not go from ok to falling apart in 5 weeks. Everyone said ( not on here ) that i was crazy for changing my Focus subframe and tbh it looked bad while in place although it was solid when doing the "Aberdeen spanner test " on it. But it became obvious it was in worse condition than appeared to be the case after it was removed. Im glad now that ive done it having heard this shocking story. Hope your daughter recovers soon and can put it behind her. 🫣