Marc's X7, C3 Aircross, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Tell us your ongoing tales and experiences with your French car here. Post pictures of your car here as well.
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GiveMeABreak
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by GiveMeABreak »

This is the swine spring clip. Looks huge here, but as tight as a crab's ar*e in reality to get half a hand in that won't allow you to reach the top of the spring clip.
C3 Spring.png
So once I've determined if this is a push down and to the side or other, I will attempt it again - trouble is, looking in a small LED mirror - everything you do is back to front and opposite - which of course really helps - not!

If I do manage this, getting the new one in will be just as bad I can see. So will try again in the morning.
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by MikeT »

I find using one finger to unlatch one side (push toward headlight then outward) first is the only method that works for my large hands as it's impossible for me to manipulate both sides of the spring at once. This unloads the spring tension so the other side comes away easy enough and you can then lever it out the way so the bulb can be removed. Whatever you do, don't allow the other captured/levered end to unclip itself and fall off! Ask me how I know!! :twisted:

Refitting is also a guessing game until you develop the muscle memory from repeated failures of refitting mis-orientations. At least, that's my experience of those spring clips.
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by GiveMeABreak »

I’ll advise the skin graft surgeon to be on standby, thanks Mike, that at least will save some time in determining how to get the *#%/@& off.
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by white exec »

Mike is right. Push down one of the curved 'ears' at a time (not both together), and swing outwards to unhook. Retaining clip then goes loose, and the bulb can be removed.
Chris
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by GiveMeABreak »

I also think the issue is that this was a new headlamp we had replaced last year, so the clip is really tight. I could just about touch the top with one finger and that's about it.

However, plans went on hold today as A) it's still chucking it down and B) my 'Smart' TV last night made a popping noise and switched off! It's only about 4 years old, but it has blown the mains plug fuse (3A) so replaced that and popped again.

Had it to pieces this morning and spent hours trawling the web for a replacement Power board as it is likely that is the culprit. No popped Capacitors, no scorch or burn marks anywhere and the internal board fuse is not removable - soldered to the board.

I don't have capacitor checking kit and the replacement boards are really hard to source now (what does that tell you about a 4 year old 3D LED Smart TV?). So the only few power boards I could find are all pre-owned which does not inspire me - one new from France at £100, so I have found a "90% New" :roll: one from our friends in the Far East at about half the price, from a smashed glass TV. I like the 90% new bit - whatever that is supposed to tell you!

So that's going to take up to a month to arrive and it says is revision 1.3, where mine is 1.1 - so hopefully they may have improved them a little.

I do know there is a class action suit against Samsung at about 2012 for the power supply boards in the USA - in that they were all sub-standard and giving out far too soon. So if you had one of those regardless of warranty, Samsung are obliged to replace it. Different model and year to me - but it does make me wonder why we can't have similar type things over here in the UK - they get away with far too much in my opinion once the 30 day / 12 months is up.
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white exec
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by white exec »

Under EU consumer law, mfr warranty on consumer electrical goods is 2 years, even though many mfrs state 12m for the UK. If you skim through some of the multi-language wty papers that come with new goods, you'll sometimes see UK as having a short warranty period. How did that happen, I wonder?
Won't unfortunately help in your case, Marc.
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by RichardW »

If it was a new light last year, then the bolts should come out easy enough - worth dropping it off, as then it will be easier next time it goes. Should be able to get away with just unhooking the end you need to get at.
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by GiveMeABreak »

Cheers Richard, I may have to consider that 👍
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by GiveMeABreak »

white exec wrote: 02 Dec 2018, 16:53 Under EU consumer law, mfr warranty on consumer electrical goods is 2 years, even though many mfrs state 12m for the UK. If you skim through some of the multi-language wty papers that come with new goods, you'll sometimes see UK as having a short warranty period. How did that happen, I wonder?
Won't unfortunately help in your case, Marc.
I’ll keep this faulty board though as I’ve emailed an eBay electronics tv spares place who seems to have all these boards and repair kits. He also offers a repair service himself as well as the kits. Although he doesn’t have my board in I’ll see what he charges to do the soldering of the diodes, capacitors and the other bits. As I have another Smart TV, another Samsung LED 3D model, it is a slightly different model, but it uses the same board, so that would be great if I could get this one repaired as a spare, whilst I’m waiting for that one to blow!
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by GiveMeABreak »

MikeT wrote: 02 Dec 2018, 01:21 I find using one finger to unlatch one side (push toward headlight then outward) :^o
white exec wrote: 02 Dec 2018, 09:43 Mike is right. Push down one of the curved 'ears' at a time (not both together), and swing outwards to unhook.:^o
Right, will Messrs Chris & Mike please go to the back of the class and stand on the naughty chair. :lol:

So after waiting for a break in the rain and after my trip back from town (see that fiasco below) to get a set of H7 bulbs, I decided to attack the job again following the advice of my learned colleagues above. After another hour of faffing, it turns out that it isn't a push toward, nor a push downward - it's a lift up and sidewards away! :-D

So likely a design change or just different on this MK II facelift version I can't say, but at least they are both done. The worst one was without question the right hand side. The rigid expansion tank pipe blocking everything across the entrance to the recess of the headlamp. The one I thought would be the hardest was the left side, being as the battery and the air intake pipes and fusebox were in the way, but this turned out to be a doddle and I had it done in 5 minutes!

As for the bulbs, I decided to go for some Philips Extreme Vision H7s. Idecided on these after a quick Google and comparison on specs and performance. It was going to be a choice of these or the Osram Nightbreaker unlimited. But looking closely as some of the hidden specs., it seems the Osrams only provide about 300-350 hours life whereas the Philips ones 450 ish, for very little light output difference. Both claim about a 40 Metre extra throw, so that will help around these country lanes.

Now as to their purchase: the only automotive places we have in town are Halfrauds and dare I say it ECP, who I have had bad dealings with on every single past purchase as have my friends. However as they are only 50 yards from each other and ECP is a relatively new store, I though - what can possibly go wrong?

First of all whoever designed their car park needs shooting. On turning in from the approaching road, they have a right angled corner instead of a rounded corner like every one else, so as the entrance is very small, as I turned in, my left hand wheel rode up over the concrete kerb and clunked down the other side. So that was the first thing that got me going. After checking for damage, I could see that it seems a common issue as the concrete kerb is breaking up into bits from where everyone seems to be doing the same thing!

Next, cursing away I went into the store. It's one of these where there is a small entrance filled with some common products, a counter and then glass barriers (I wonder why) to protect the staff where there were 2 individuals as desks gawping out at me. There was another bloke walking about in the warehouse part on his mobile.

So after being seen I expected one of these 3 to come out and serve me - nope - they all just carried on potching about. So the stress levels are now rising again. A young lady came in and then a lorry driver and we all stood there waiting like lemons. I thought, that's it I'm walking out and I'll go to Halfrauds. Then I spied a bell - so even though these divots were looking at us through the glass, they were not budging. So I grabbed the bell and rang it 6 times, cursing away and finally the bloke got off his mobile in the warehouse and came out.

I explained what I wanted - a twin pack of Philips Extreme Vision H7s, £21.99, to which he asked "Did you order them"?
"No, I wasn't aware I needed to" I replied. Off he went onto his computer, clanking away and mumbling - then off he went to the light bulb display on the counter (which I had already looked at), then off into the warehouse and disappeared for 5 minutes where he finally managed to find a pack.

"These the ones"?, he asked, to which I confirmed they were fine - then back to the computer and clacked away again - "£24 please" he said.

"£24? Why have these gone up again since an hour ago? It does get on my nerves when you state one price and charge another - I'll go next door and get them from Halfords who have them the same price as you are supposed to be selling them for". So I was about to walk out when he said, "Oh, not to worry, I'll just do them trade".

So another 2 minutes wait where he did a price adjustment and I paid cash - then he didn't have any £5 notes so got a handful of trolley coins back. I was just about to leave when he said "Do you want a receipt"? - so I thought I'd better have, so nothing as simple as norma - off he went into the back office and waited for an A4 sized page to be printed off!

As I was leaving and having a quick squiz at the cans of lube and cleaners on the way out - the first thing I heard from the young lady saying to the guy serving was "I bought these the other day and they don't fit....." :rofl2:

So ECP still retain their prized zero star rating from me for the fifth purchase in a row.
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white exec
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by white exec »

Hell's bells, Marc . . .
How many FCF folk does it take to change a lightbulb? #-o #-o #-o Answers on a postcard, please.

PS Still think it was push down on that clip (they lock in place in an upward direction, surely?), then swing outwards.
Chris
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by GiveMeABreak »

:rofl2: indeed Chris, it’s made me thinkI should of opted for the long life bulbs after all at!
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by EDC5 »

Well, after that ordeal (both on the car and at ECP) I'd have gone for something like this :rofl2:

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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

Unread post by GiveMeABreak »

Absolutely, and what an ordeal it was Elis. I could of done my DRLs, Angular, Xenons and Fogs in the time it took to do those!
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Re: Marc's X7, Rants, Raves & Everything Else

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white exec wrote: 03 Dec 2018, 21:29 Hell's bells, Marc . . .
How many FCF folk does it take to change a lightbulb? #-o #-o #-o Answers on a postcard, please.

PS Still think it was push down on that clip (they lock in place in an upward direction, surely?), then swing outwards.

Reminds me of a recently re-read quote:
How many drummers does it take to change a light bulb?

Six - one to fit the bulb and five to argue about how great Ian Paice was.