Today I.....

If anyone interested how neglected fuel filter looked like after 7 years on my 2003 A3 1.9:

IMG_8660.JPG IMG_8666.JPG IMG_8665.JPG IMG_8669.JPG
 
I personally replace mine every other year along with the other filters (air and pollen) and oil and filter every year regardless of mileage but I don't do big mileage though.

All I will say is you can't over service but you can certainly under service which will cause premature wear and potential problems 👍
 
I had one of those positive surprises you sometimes get with a small maintenance job recently:

It started with my having to replace the dipped beam headlamp bulbs on our Touran recently - first one popped and then the other in the space of a week! As I only had one spare Philips Racing Vision +200 I had to buy a replacement pack of two when the second bulb gave out; hence I decided to fit the other to Audrey’s passenger side headlamp which as far as I knew still had an Osram Nightbreaker +150 fitted by @Dave M back in 2015 (the drivers I replaced last year when I fitted a mint replacement headlamp unit).

However, when I fished the old bulb out it was actually some generic +120 that must have been fitted during Hilary / @YorkshireHill ’s custodianship previous to my acquiring it - this explains the poor spread of light on that side - also I assume it’s why oncoming drivers sometimes flash me despite always being sure to keep my dipped beam low enough to avoid dazzle: It must seem like one headlamp is maladjusted and dazzling when compared to the other as it’s been noticeably brighter.

Result: nicely improved headlamp performance. These bulbs really are good enough to avoid any notion of illegal LED conversions etc.

Anyone else had a similar little bonus recently?
 
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Today I got on with clearing the garage floor of some more bigger items, wheels and seats.
My mate Graham and I made an electric winch powered lift (mainly Graham!) for putting spares up there. A spares box is fine up the ladder but wheels, seats and heavier stuff we’re much trickier. With the lift it’s easy, just need to get the spares organised now! I’ve got racking ordered to stow the spares in neatly as they’re in boxes all over the floor upstairs.
 
Ok not strictly "Today" but im happy to say Pootle passed his MOT just before Christmas with no advisories, not bad for a 21 year old car.

Now I had parked him up for a while to address last years advisories and some other niggles so he had.

New Drums and Shoes with a new pipe on one side (other side looks like its been done)
New Inner tie rod (advisory last year) and new toe Link because it looked shoddy too
CV boot (which was fairly easy, hub came off ok)
New gasket for EGR pipe to throttle body which was probably cause of a lean condition as it was missing.
Refitted Crank pulley due to misalignment when I did the cambelt a while back (look out for that dimple everyone)
Replaced aux belt idler wheel as possible "tick" on bearing.
Oil, oil filter, air filter (plugs are OK, Fuel filter is very recent)
Headlights refurbished

Running very well now, tappets need doing as it has that AUA rattle, but otherwise fine.
 
Strange thing happened today, when Martin went out to Frankie early this morning, both NS windows (passenger side) were down. Fortunately it didn't rain last night and we were tucked away on a driveway in rural Kent. No evidence of a break in and windows went up fine with the switches, any ideas what might have caused this, any advice welcome thank you
 
I've seen the windows go down on their own whilst I've been in close proximity to the car with the keys in my pocket Mandy. This happened whilst cleaning and thought it spooky at first but put it down to the transponder in the key fob.
 
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From initially reading your post I'd have said, a prolonged pocket-press on the unlock button on the remote - held down for long enough to activate the windows. After 30 seconds with no door being opened, the car would lock itself again. But that doesn't explain why it's only on one side. What generation is the CCCU in Frankie? If it's a P or a Q that would be my next suspicion.
 
RZX said:
Strange thing happened today, when Martin went out to Frankie early this morning, both NS windows (passenger side) were down. Fortunately it didn't rain last night and we were tucked away on a driveway in rural Kent. No evidence of a break in and windows went up fine with the switches, any ideas what might have caused this, any advice welcome thank you
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I have had something similar with both the 03 A2 & the 52 plate A4 in the past more of a one off so could well be a key fob press in a pocket. Never got to the bottom of it.
 
While the prolonged button press could well have been the culprit do not over look the possibility of water causing a temporary short. So remove the door cards and metal inner plate and check for water and wet electrics, check both A and B pillar connectors for water and corrosion and check the underfloor compartment and the CCCU and ECU are completely dry.

I would also replace all remote batteries with fresh CR2032 batteries and resync to the car. Do the buttons on the fobs show signs of over working i.e. being pressed unnecessarily while in a pocket or bag?

As for one side has the one touch been reset so all windows go down and up on the door switches and also when holding on the remote button?

Disconnect the car battery at both terminals and touch the LEADS together to clear down the car then reconnect the battery.
 
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Stan H said:
I have had something similar with both the 03 A2 & the 52 plate A4 in the past more of a one off so could well be a key fob press in a pocket. Never got to the bottom of it.
Click to expand...
I could understand pressing key in pocket if all windows went down but it was just the passenger side.
 
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