Clutha

Voltage on return from run (after 30 mins cool down) 12.45 by Fluke straight onto battery posts. The thing that’s puzzled me most is door interior locking switches, courtesy lights, ignition lights all not coming on, plus this issue with gear shift sticking in ‘park’ Daylight was fading so I give up after establishing I could release gear stick with cunningly placed chopstick 😎

Out for a warm up run today after charging battery over 24 hours. Battery tested as ok at Halfords but suspected our weeks of <5 Deg had dragged it down. Tested at 12.25v before run, 12.45 a while after getting back but…… Parked up at house, operated drivers door lock switch to lock all doors, no clicks 😳 Tried ignoring key back in, no inst panel lights, tried moving gear shift out of P, locked! Got gizmo to poke down where missing manual lock button should be, got on to gear shift release, tried ignition with gear change in all positions, still no joy + it locked in P every time it was moved there. Nothing electrical is coming on including interior lights. I don’t have a remote key, only manual . Kinda stumped! Van ran perfectly earlier. HELP 🙏

Wire hiding can be a satisfying job😂 On our car I needed an extra 12v socket for dashcam, there was one available in the boot. I got a set of rubber seal release plastic tools and after 30 mins job done. 99% hidden.

And thanks from me!

Option 1 2 wires 😂

Hi Colin, after a lot of unsuccessful faff identifying our radio make & solutions to updating it I got a Carpuride unit. I connect my iPhone to it & get Apple play. It works fine. Downside is visible cable connections for phone & power. If you go for low cost unit the speaker isn’t great so I occasionally take a small Bluetooth one along. It’s windscreen mounted and the provided gear is good. I’m happy with it. Probably a fraction of the cost of total change of head unit

Great! Definitely something amiss with the one you described. I was out in ours today re checking settings, in D or R engine sits at 1000rpm and on the flat van moves at walking speed. In neutral engine is at 600rpm

Creep? It was like an F1 car 😂 I went round the (quiet) block in ‘D’ without touching the accelerator including slight inclines, not shuddering from engine, all very smooth. I'm retired so no rush hour driving, just clear roads where I’m going. I think there are settings to be looked at on yours.

It’s a bit like clutch & throttle balance on manual boxes. TBH as soon vans in D and I’m pressing accelerator we’re off. For the split second between releasing brake and moving of I’ve never had the van roll back if the slope is mild. I did go out practicing a lot on proper steep hill starts to get used to the ‘foot parking brake’ Spent a lot of time during HGV training doing this as instructor insisted we move off in 2nd gear 🤔

Probably I’ve never noticed creep due to changing to neutral when stopped & idling temporarily on the level. Drummed into us in my youth to save fuel in a fluid flywheel auto box. In our Alfie you can hear a slight change (drop) in idling revs going from N to D I was very surprised after getting van & researching do’s & don’ts on line re auto boxes to read advice to stay in D, I never do when idling.

I’ve got an AH10, I’ll get back to you tomorrow after a check on the flat. If I’m pulling away from stopped I usually have my (left) foot on the brake, select drive, accelerate away as I release brake.

Look what I found! Quell embarrassment 🫢🫢🫢

Picasso, reg SE52LDN, imported from Japan & converted by Direct Campers at Kilmarnock. Gamith, thanks. Might be onto something, head unit is displaying two separate grey sections, never seen this before, maybe camera display. On the right side switch panel behind steering wheel I have a few unmarked push switches, investigations under way 🤓

Thanks, I’m sure I don’t have a front camera 🤔 But I seem to have what look like parking sensors front and back, up to now I’ve never had any audible from them. Reversing camera works. Any idea where the front camera is?

Fiddling about with fog lamp switches (we’re having peasoupers up here) I now have a green lamp on instrument cluster that I’ve never seen before. Vehicle shape, two wee arrows at each front corner, translated handbook says they’re to do with ’hidden corners’ . Anyone able to expand on what brings on green light? No audible noted.

Well done!

Mine jammed & I found a small lever on the bottom mechanism had jammed, a bit of silicon lube spray sorted it. BTW WD40 is not a lubricant, it’s a water dispersant. Water Dispersant 40th formula

Buchanan on Cambuslang Rd Glasgow/Rutherglen were very professional when I used them for a car tow bar installation. (Some years ago) campervanco.com In Denny are Alphard converters although recent reports say they’re pricey.

So, here we are safely moved from the wilds of Argyle & Bute to chilled out East Dunbartonshire. 10 mins along the road a garage was found for van MOT, passed with minor comments. Advised a Velfire in the area also frequents said garage, maybe a group will be formed! New gaff a big improvement, excellent dry garaging for bikes & van fettling. Surrounding countryside a bikers joy. Life is good 😎

Great choice, enjoy!

Good luck, never been in an Elgrand, but our Alphard is streets ahead of our Mazda Bongo. (Apart from 4WD!)

Tape not a brilliant idea re amount of water deposited on rear door. Our 2002 ‘G’ model has camera above yours on horizontal ledge above number plate, original Toyota set up I believe. I’d try Halfords for new 3m double sided sticky pads in the meantime. The ones we had with our Viofo camera were very good although inside, but condensation never affected them (motorhome btw)

A real gem of place did ours & highly recommended getting welded seams coated with a different product. It is very thick and they’ve found the best application method is fingers 😂 Too thick to brush on. It hardens and needs dry warmish weather at application. I may have to wait a long time up here!