Step-by-step car repair guides for UK drivers, written by a professional mechanic. Most guides are completely free — plus a shop with premium PDF downloads.
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Front brake pad replacement covering Audi A3, A4, A5, Q3 and Q5 models. Full step-by-step guide.
D3S 35W bulb replacement without full headlight removal. High voltage safety info included.
Full cambelt and water pump change on the Audi A3 1.6 TDI CR engine. Requires timing tools. Water pump runs from the cambelt — always replace together.
Cabin / pollen filter swap on the Audi Q3. No tools needed, 10–15 minutes.
Fix a squealing belt on the BMW 116d. The integrated tensioner mounts on the alternator — pre-tensioned with a retaining pin.
Metal filings blocking the Vanos solenoid gauze causing hunting idle and poor running. Full strip, clean and test. Internal contact fault discovered.
Engine management light with Vanos exhaust adaption stop code. Solenoid location, diagnosis and replacement.
Cylinder misfire codes P0300/P0304. Scuttle panel and engine cover removal, coil swap diagnostic test, and full 6-plug replacement.
Sinking brake pedal under sustained pressure. Complete master cylinder swap including pressure bleeding all four corners.
Engine bay access behind a cover. Two-part filter system — a smaller section and a larger main filter. Both must be replaced.
Press-and-hold button method with ignition countdown. Same procedure works on most modern Citroen and Peugeot models.
Cracked wet belt causing blocked oil strainer and low oil pressure. Also applies to Peugeot, Vauxhall & DS 1.2 engines.
Broken exterior door handle — a known weak point on the Fiat 500. Full door card removal and handle replacement guide.
Leaking front shock absorber on the Fiat 500 2008. Covers anti-roll bar drop link removal, lower hub bolts, top mount nut and spring compressor work.
The Fiat 500 uses a pin-type caliper — different to most cars. Full guide covering the safety clip, caliper pin and wear sensor.
Ball joint rubber displaced causing subframe knock. Includes partial bumper and underbody brace removal.
Serpentine belt removal, alternator swap and refitting on the Ford Transit MK6 2.4 diesel.
Full timing belt service on the Duratorq engine including engine mount removal, locking pin procedure and water pump replacement.
Banging on idle and high clutch pedal from a disintegrating DMF. Full gearbox removal and clutch kit replacement.
Full procedure including scuttle removal, bulkhead pipe disconnection, steering column drop and pedal assembly removal. Includes clutch bleeding.
Coolant disappearing with no visible leak. Systematic diagnosis guide for Ford Focus petrol models.
Clicking on full lock on the Transit Connect 2017. Full driveshaft replacement covering lower arm release, hub nut, gearbox removal and refitting.
Engine management light with EGR stuck closed. Full replacement including the hidden bolt behind the inlet manifold.
Corroded lipped discs and worn pads. Includes full caliper carrier bench clean — the key step for long-lasting results.
Front brake pad replacement on the Ford Fiesta MK7 and MK8. Full step-by-step guide.
Headlight unit removal required on this model to access the bulb. Full step-by-step guide.
Complete guide to removing the front bumper and replacing both headlights on the 2021 Ranger Wildtrack. Covers all clips, bolts and connectors.
Coolant disappearing with no external leak. Borescope diagnosis and cracked water jacket identification.
OBD scanner not connecting on the Transit Connect? Check fuse 19 in the passenger fuse box. A blown 10 amp micro fuse is the most common cause.
Drop-down glove box method — no tools required. Covers filter orientation and refitting the glove box correctly.
Cabin / pollen filter replacement on the Ford Fiesta MK7 and MK8. No tools, 10 minutes.
Step-by-step pollen / cabin filter replacement on the Ford Kuga. T15 Torx required.
Rock-hard brake pedal caused by failed vacuum pump. Diagnosis, airbox removal, pump removal and replacement. Wet belt link explained.
Engine management light with code P2459. Find and repair the broken signal wire in the DPF pressure sensor loom — common and cheap to fix.
Air con blowing warm. Bumper removal, condenser slides out the bottom without touching the radiator. R-1234YF regas at 460g.
Quick multimeter test to identify a failed glow plug on any diesel engine. Takes 15 minutes.
Quick diagnostic method to identify which parking sensor has failed on any car. Takes 5 minutes.
Tracking down a parasitic battery drain on the Honda Civic. Step-by-step electrical diagnosis.
Cabin / pollen filter swap on the KIA Sportage. No tools needed, 15–20 minutes.
Cabin / pollen filter swap on the Range Rover Velar. No special tools needed, 15–30 minutes.
Limp mode with DPF and air intake fault codes. Split boost pipe preventing DPF regeneration — diagnosis and pipe replacement.
Drop-down glove box method on the MG ZS 2021. Two tabs release the glove box — no tools required. Takes under 10 minutes.
Hard brake pedal and fault code P258B. Live data diagnosis using brake booster pressure sensor, then full vacuum pump replacement.
Behind the glove box, accessed by dropping the box fully. No tools required. Commonly missed service item on this truck.
Cabin filter replacement behind the passenger dashboard. No tools required — takes under 10 minutes.
Step-by-step service warning light reset on the Nissan Qashqai J11 and J12. No tools needed.
How to reset the service warning light on Peugeot and Citroën models. No tools, 2 minutes.
Full starter motor replacement on the Peugeot Expert van. Advanced job with detailed step-by-step guide.
Full timing belt service including flywheel locking, alternator removal for water pump access and tensioner setup.
The Captur diesel fuel filter is hidden in the front wheel arch behind the liner. Full housing disassembly, filter element and O-ring replacement.
13mm slider bolt caliper system on the 2022 Trafic. Full disc and pad replacement including caliper carrier cleaning and correct pad fitting.
Quarter-drive 10mm socket method to replace all four glow plugs on the 2017 Trafic 1.6 dCi. Same as Vauxhall Vivaro and Nissan Primastar.
Two of four plugs failed. Full testing and replacement guide. Quarter-drive 10mm essential. Also applies to Vivaro and Primastar.
Footwell access with T20 Torx. No need to remove the clutch pedal despite what dealers claim. Saves a lot of money.
Reset the service interval using just the stalk buttons. Also works on Clio, Megane and Kadjar.
Front wipers dead, rear works fine. Scuttle panel removal, multimeter testing and internal contact corrosion diagnosis.
Major service item on the 2.0 TDI. Engine mount removal, timing lock procedure and water pump replacement.
Behind the glove box on the Skoda Superb. The glove box has a soft-close damper on the side that needs releasing before the box drops down.
Reset via the onboard instrument cluster menu using the right-hand dial. No tools, under one minute. Works across many Vitara years.
Boot won't open from the button or key fob. Emergency access via rear seats, then full latch and wiring loom replacement.
Tail light cluster accessed from inside the boot. Tyre inflator removal required on driver’s side. 382 and 581 bulbs replaced.
Grinding brakes with heavily lipped discs. Includes missing slider shim diagnosis and full caliper carrier strip and rebuild.
Leaking shock absorber replacement on the Vivaro. Same procedure for the Renault Trafic and Nissan Primastar. Includes spring compressor work.
Full glove box removal using four 7mm bolts to access the filter housing. Includes light connector and weather strip tips.
Driver’s side footwell access via air duct removal. Two-part filter system. Commonly asked question answered.
Cabin / pollen filter swap on the Vauxhall Zafira B. No tools needed, takes 10–15 minutes.
Cabin / pollen filter replacement on the Vauxhall Astra. 7mm socket required, 20–30 minutes.
Reset the oil service reminder on the Vauxhall Adam 2016 using the steering column stalk buttons. Takes 2 minutes with no tools required.
Reset the service interval on the new shape Vivaro using just the dashboard button. Also applies to Trafic and Primastar.
Step-by-step alternator removal on the XC90. Covers the boost pipe, wiring, air con pump bolts and power steering line clearance.
Full cambelt and water pump replacement on the Volvo XC90 D5 diesel. Covers auxiliary belt removal, bottom pulley, timing procedure and tensioning.
Full front disc and pad replacement on the Volvo XC90. Covers slider pin removal, piston wind-back and bedding in the new components.
Multiple EGR sensor fault codes returning after clearing. Full removal, bench clean and EGR adaptation reset.
Standard VW Group sliding-pin caliper setup with 7mm Allen key pins. Covers disc cleaning, pad fitting and the near-side wear sensor.
Under-dash access, slide-off cover. No tools needed on most versions. Quick 5-minute job.
Slide tabs inward, pull cover down, swap filter. No tools, under 5 minutes. Same concept across many VAG group cars.
Cabin / pollen filter replacement on the VW Tiguan MK2. No tools required, takes 10 minutes.
Rear brake pad replacement on VW MQB models with electronic parking brake. Requires EPB reset tool.
Aeroplane-like droning noise from the rear. Diagnosis of which side is faulty and complete bolt-on bearing unit replacement.
Full rear brake service on the Tiguan with EPB motor. Requires OBD tool to open and close the electric caliper piston.
I have been working as a professional mechanic for over 20 years. I am a qualified MOT tester and have worked on everything from everyday hatchbacks to heavy commercial vans — if it has got an engine, I have probably had it apart.
Garage prices in the UK keep going up, and too many people are paying for work they could do themselves with the right guidance. That is why I built Mr Auto Fixer — to give UK drivers straightforward, honest repair guides written by someone who has actually done the job.
Every guide on this site is backed by a real repair video on the Mr Auto Fixer YouTube channel. Real cars, real problems, real fixes.
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