Antenna/Mirrors/Central Locking issues

[Hadi]

Hey guys,
just picked up my FTO - so far, couldn't ask for a better first car!


Everything seems great, for the most part, but there are a few things which are not functioning correctly that I would like to attempt to fix myself, simply because I feel like I will be charged a ton to get it done for me.

First thing is the antenna/ariel.
I can hear the motor chugging away trying to get it up/down but it just isn't working. Does anyone have any ideas?
I have tried forcing it down manually in an attempt to get it to hook on to something and hopefully fix itself up, but there was a little resistance and I am hesitant.

Second is the driver side mirror. Is it supposed to fold?
When presseing the button the passenger side mirror folds great but the driver side mirror just isn't moving.

the last minor issue is the central locking. When locking the driver side I can see the pasenger side switch/handle for locking/unlocking moving (trying to lock) and I can hear the motor working but failing and then just going back to unlock.
When it is locked and I unlock from the driver side it works fine. so again I am a little confused.

These next 2 problems have me a little worried.
When I first turn on the car I can hear a very loud clicking/ticking sound coming from near or behind the glovebox, it lasts about 15-20 seconds and then stops. I would love to troubleshoot more but haven't had the chance yet since I have had it for a day. I was wondering if it something common/known so there may just be a soloution for it.

Lastly when driving, under the car on the passenger side I can hear a rattle, I was sitting in the passenger seat when I first heard it, felt like it was under me.

Any suggestions/solutions would be much appreciated, thanks!

[goz_83]

BEAUTIFUL...and well done on bagging yourself a Limited Edition fto. They're rare.

The aerial may need replacing, but most FTO's dont have aerials. The Aero models have them, so you could search online for a replacement, but before you do that, try removing the aerial (this may be difficult/impossible in the extended position) and having a look to see what's not catching. I would prefer the aerial down. I would prefer no aerial but you do have the LE model (from what I can see), so don't mess with it.

Yes, the drivers mirror should fold. It may be a faulty motor, of it may be a loose wire. Worst case scenario is the mirror has been replaced with the mirror from a GS or GPvR, which don't have electric folding mirrors. Try this: press the switch to fold the mirrors in. Manually fold the drivers mirror. You will expose 2 bolts to remove the mirrors from the doors. Remove them and then connect the passenger side mirror to the drivers side door and the drivers side mirror to the passenger side door. turn the key in the ignition to "ON" and press the mirror switch. If the mirror on the drivers side works, but the mirror now on the passenger side does not, you will need a new motor/mirror. If the mirrow now on the driver side is not working, it is then faulty wiring, but this is less likely than a broken motor. I probably have a spare one, but you'll find one locally for less postage. It's very easy to take the mirror apart. You only need to take the base of it apart.

The central locking is a common problem. Search the forum here and you'll find the answers you need. It's nothing major, but is a bit of a pain in the back side.

The ticking sound: does it happen when the aircon is switched off. My aircon used to make a ticking sound, but it wasn't loud at all. Infact it could barely be heard. What you might be describing is Tappet Noise. This would be a loud ticking coming from the engine when you turn it on. It usually only lasts a few seconds and then it's gone. Lift the hood and start her up and listen....is that your noise? If it is, a thicker oil will help, but if you want to go down the fix route, all you need to do is search the forum here. Plenty of threads on noisy tappets. In the GR, they cannot be adjusted as they can be in the GPX+. There is a Tapped Cleaning thread here. OEM Tappets will set you back a few hundred quid. It does not impact the engine at all...just your ears.

The rattle could be anything. It could be bushings, suspension, or just something loose. Get it checked out by someone who knows what they are doing.

Hope that's useful.

[Hadi]

Thanks! Really, really helpful!
Will give everything a shot tomorrow morning.
Everything seems very straight forward, I will probably take it to a mechanic though to get the last two issues checked out. Do you think getting the tappets adjusted solve the problem completely or just reduce how long the sound lasts?

As for the ariel, where can I access it? From beneath the car or would it be accessible through the boot?

and again, thanks very much for the extremely detailed response!

[goz_83]

think you access th aerial via the boot. The internal aerials are accessed on the opposite side of the car from inside the cabin, but as yours is external, i'm sure its in the boot, but have never needed to access an aeriel. Adjusting tappets should solve the problem, but this is a bit tricky and a tappet adjustment tool is needed for the job. A mechanic should be able to do this, but try find one who works on FTOs for best results, as they are not that common, even where you are

[Hadi]

unfortunately that driver side mirror just isn't moving, I can about a 2cm movement, not enough to see the bolts holding it in place though. I had a listen and couldn't hear a motor (I was thinking maybe it was physically jammed and the motor might not have been able to move it, but that doesn't seem to be the case) how much pressure should I be applying when trying to get it to fold?

Also in the boot there are the little fabric clips (little round black plastic pieces) are these okay to just pry away with a screw driver (ie will the fit back together) or is there a certain way to remove them if any?

[goz_83]

The clips come out easy enough. They pull straight out. Just take it slow, so you dont bend them so much that you break them. After one or two, you'll be flying along.

The mirror should fold easy enough. It sounds like it may have been broken and glued into place. My advice is to source another driver mirror. Any colour will do, as you can swap the casing over once you take them apart. You might have to give the mirror a bit more force to get at the bolts. Just don't go banging at it, as you might break the casing. Remember, it kinda folds at an angle, so follow that angle when twisting. Have the switch in the fold position for good luck