LenT

I don’t think there’s any reason why you can’t name the Insurers involved, Ian. it maybe that other Members dealing with this Company may have had a similar response with a detailed explanation. Or possibly a totally contradictory response! The idea that they don’t have to detail the ‘insurance criteria’ that supposedly are not being met is surely ridiculous.

I suspect that most mechanics simply tip the recommended volume of oil back in without waiting to see if it overfills. After all, why would it? Lab tests can confirm what noses suggest. And as you rightly say, any subsequent fuel contamination sufficient to noticeably raise the total level should be investigated. But whatever the cause - and unlike two-stroke engine oils and with all due deference to a Master Mechanic - four-stroke engines are not best served by oil that’s been diluted with fuel!

It may be normal in so far as it’s indicative of engine wear or even - apparently - excessive periods of idling, but it’s surely not to be ignored. And in a new car with presumably a low mileage - and sufficient to actually raise the oil level!- I would not have thought it something to casually dismiss! Introducing fuel into the oil reduces its viscosity, dilutes the effects of the additive package, increases metal-to-metal contact on start-up and generally accelerates wear rate. This article by a Castrol engineer gives more detail. It’s in response to a diesel related question, but the principle still applies. I believe that there is something called a flash test which labs use to check fuel contamination. And I note that some commercial diesels have cited a 4% level of contamination as ‘acceptable’. But I’d be inclined to get a second opinion! There may well be a cause of the contamination that isn’t going to get better by itself. https://www.castrol.com/en_us/united-states/home/heavy-commercial-vehicles-oil-and-fluids/hd-focus-newsletter/engineering-solutions/fuel-dilution-and-its-impact-on-engine-oil.html

If that’s consistently failing, then I would take it back to Halfords for a refund. It’s clearly not fit for purpose. I have two of these and they work perfectly. I keep them in a Faraday Box. Occasionally I test the security of the pouch by putting the keys in it when leaving the car - and then forgetting to take them out when trying to unlock the car! It doesn’t work every time…proving that they do work!

Absolutely right, Phil. In fact it didn’t take long for our lady to start to think she’d been scammed. Which is why she was using our phone to call her Bank. As you say, the scammer had given her the correct number to call, while hoping she would use the same phone. So despite making the call but minutes later, the sum involved had already been transferred. Why the Bank and account to which it was moved cannot be frozen and those who set it up cannot be traced, is another matter which Banks could be addressing rather than, say, trawling through social media to see what the likes of Nigel Farage have been up to!

A particularly convincing scam, Steve, as it involves a substantial investment on the part of the scammer and an apparent knowledge of your banking arrangements.. I see that there was a spate of these about a year ago. The clue should be that Banks DON’T send out unsolicited Readers. To get one out of my Bank, you have to first register for Online Banking and then go online to order one. So again beware of any unsolicited devices that arrive. At the very least, check with your Bank if it’s a genuine device as it probably isn’t! Much more concerning to me is the rise of the Contactless Card - and the battles I’ve had to refuse one. But that’s another story!

I’m pretty sure than any good tyre retailer who also fits TPMS valves can recode them to the car. That’s certainly what happened when I had an original valve snapped and then replaced by the nearest tyre retailer.

Probably for the best! On reflection, it occurred to me that the purpose of the fob IS to override the security system. For example, if you need to leave it with a Lexus Dealer. Or you need to entrust it to your son temporarily. Or make use of valet parking. In other words, when someone has a legitimate need to use the car, but you don’t want to reveal the Ghost code.

So it looks like we correctly diagnosed the problem! 👍 But of course five years is about the low point at which you might expect to have to replace a battery - although much depends on other factors. You might want to consider investing in a trickle charger to avoid future similar problems. I can recommend a CTEK…. And if you really want to be fully protected…a NOCO Power Pack.

Excellent, Vladimir. This can be a very entertaining way to handle calls of this nature. We have a friend for whom this is her regular ploy - and I’ve used it myself to great effect! Firstly, it demonstrates that the caller is unfamiliar with the activities and interests of our Police! Secondly, it confirms that they have convinced you that they are genuine and now merely have to explain why it’s better to pay up without going to Court. From now on, they’re on to a loser. Ultimately the victim can at any time simple hang up with a ‘See you in Court!’ leaving the scammer with the belief that this was the One That Got Away. As any salesperson knows, that can be very demoralising!

This was exactly what happened to MrsT. An email from a casual acquaintance tapping her for a loan for a transparently ludicrous reason. But as we knew this particular individual was unlikely to need our assistance to settle any financial embarrassment, a quick email to him from our contact list confirmed that his Address Book had been hacked - much to the amusement of his contacts who were calling to commiserate on his straitened circumstances! In this case, he was too financially secure to be a believable target. But it has proved effective - especially if purporting to come from family members stranded in isolated locations.

From what I gathered - and getting the full story was a little disjointed - they didn’t know! I think it started as a random call and I’m not even clear how much of her personal details (eg name) the caller knew. I think it was because of her recent exchange with HMRC that she in effect volunteered the information. So just a lucky hit playing the percentages. Often such scammers do some initial fishing at the start of a call and then replay that back as evidence of their authenticity. When she mentioned her previous dealings, the well rehearsed response was that it may be an admin error but she had to pay up and it would be refunded. Which brings us back to the fact that HMRC - or any Bank - will NEVER demand an immediate payment over the phone! I hope to get more - and hopefully better - news when she returns and can more calmly reflect on what happened.

A very pertinent question, Phil. The adage to “Follow the money” should surely apply to all these scams. I gather that it is made difficult by the rapid redistribution among false accounts which obscures the origin of the money. I’m not a Banker but I would have thought Police fraud squads would still be able to track the ultimate beneficiaries. But apparently not.

I would be referring to the ‘normal’ battery. I know nothing worth knowing about hybrid batteries! 🙁

Well, batteries have been known to fail at about five years. It might be worth having the condition of the battery checked to see if you have any bad cells. Maybe have the charging system checked at the same time? The battery condition could be a number of small problems all cropping up at the same time.

Precisely so, Bernard. If even this simple fact was universally known, the majority of these scams would be dead in the water. This particular caller claimed to represent HMRC, but the principle and process is exactly as you describe. I am particularly infuriated because had I heard even a scrap of the conversation, I would have intervened. Let’s hope that even this modest exchange makes someone just a little more suspicious in the future.

Rain-x has a range of products that it claims will do the job. https://www.rainx.com/products/plastic-headlights/

I posted this on another thread, but it is an excellent demonstration of fitting a ‘Kill Switch’ to the fuel pump and an ingenious location for it. I mentioned that many years ago I had fitted something similar to the low tension distributor lead which produced the same results. Namely, the engine would churn away encouragingly - but will never fire up!

I’m sure most of us are fairly scam savvy. If I can waste a scammer’s time and have them hang up on me in fury, then I feel my day has not been in vain. But this week I was reminded how easily anyone can fall prey. We have a lovely lady who gardens for us. I noticed that instead of working she was standing in our hall using our phone. I was informed by MrsT that she (our gardener) had just been called by HMRC on her mobile to demand payment of the £900 she owed. Apparently she had had recent correspondence with them over a similar claimed nonpayment, only to point out at that time that she had in fact paid it some weeks earlier - as indeed proved to be the case. This caller claimed there was no record of that payment, so she would have to settle it now and it would be refunded if she was correct. So she downloaded some software onto her cellphone so that she could be guided through the process! The caller suggested that she could use her phone now to check with her Bank (for some reason) and gave her a number she recognised as being her Bank’s. Having finally completed her call, she then reflected on what had happened and used our phone to call her Bank. They confirmed that the sum had left her account - and that it was a scam! They are looking into it to see if they are willing to refund her loss. I am furious because had I heard what was going on, I would have intervened immediately. Our lady is not especially gullible, but she was caught at a time when she had had (written) dealings with the HMRC over alleged nonpayment. It seems that it is not widely enough known that: a) HMRC will rarely call anyone direct. They invariably prefer to write. b) They will NEVER demand immediate settlement of anything over the phone. c). They will NEVER demand Bank Account details or passwords - or insist on the downloading of software. d) These rules also apply to all Banks and financial institutions that most people deal with. If you know anyone who you think might be vulnerable to this sort of pressured scam, make sure they’re clear about these simple facts. Because it seems that these kind of scams are on the increase.

Probably wise! I’ve had an MP3 Player plugged into one of my USB Sockets for the last five years without any problems.

Well, they’re not in mine! But it’s an older car, so yours may be different. In mine the ignition has to be ON or it’s in Accessory mode. I should think that’s a precaution against flattening the battery.

Possibly not…but it can be stolen! As Rayaan suggests….lose the fob! In fact, it’s rather worrying that such a thing can even be made. What is the point of developing a complex, multi-input security system which can then be completely bypassed in the presence of a fob? Or are we missing something?

When I had my Lexus professionally detailed, it was with Modesta ceramic products. They claim a finish with up to a ten year life. But I guess that depends on usage and aftercare. I’m certainly very happy with it. http://www.modesta.co/

I think that would disappoint me too. The Autowatch website certainly strongly suggests that a button combination chosen from three different locations is available. But it appears that maybe all the buttons have to come from one location, of which there could be a choice of three. Of course this may just be determined by the Installer. If it’s a frustration it may be worth checking back with the Installer to see if the steering wheel could have been selected. It maybe that accessibility to the wiring may have been the deciding factor. On the other hand, the steering wheel might be the most obvious location - and so the last one to choose! Nevertheless, the chances of any ambitious thief stumbling on the right combination of location and buttons must be extremely remote. So I hope it does the job! BTW: Have you checked to see if this additional layer of security has gained you a reduction in your Insurance? PS: What do you think of the Milenco steering lock?

I would agree. After all, presumably there was no problem with the valve before ATS changed the tyre? In fact I had the same problem when I had one tyre replaced. On returning to the tyre shop, the mechanic simply said I should drive around for an hour or so and it would reset. I pointed out that I’d already been doing that! In fact, I persevered with the reset button and eventually that worked. However, there are other points to consider. If ATS did indeed damage the valve and/or replace it, then the system has to be recalibrated to recognise it. But ATS should know that. Alternatively, these valves have between 5-10 years battery life, depending how frequently the system has been activated. So if one has now failed, then the others may not be far behind. In the first instance, ATS should be able to confirm your own Carista finding and should be able to supply an equivalent valve. When I replaced one it was £65 - rather less than one from Lexus. It may be just coincidence that it failed after a tyre change, but ATS should have spotted the warning light. At the very least, they should waive the fitting charge!