BobSurunkle

softscoop, you're a star - worked a treat, many thanks.

I do miss working on my Cortina, I distinctly remember removing the heater hoses and heater matrix from under the bonnet, giving it a good clean and flushing it through under the tap. Refitting and bleeding the system was a doddle and you didn't have to remove any plastic boxes, pipes or any of the weird and wonderful contraptions that hide modern engines. Then Ford moved the heater matrix to underneath the dash, behind the central console in the Sierra (even with the same Pinto engine as the Cortina) - making it awkward and impossible to remove without soaking the carpets. All companies have similarly made their cars increasingly difficult to work on but I guess they are more sophisticated and reliable......just frustrating for us tinkerers!

Hi folks, my mirrors have recently stopped folding with the 2 second press of the key fob lock button. I can fold them manually with the knob on the inside door handle. The windows close when I lock the car from outside with the fob but the mirrors just stay out. I've had a look in the manual but can only find instructions to press the button, nothing to say how to reset it if it stops functioning. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Have you managed to sort this yet? I have the same car and can confirm that you need HID D3S bulbs, the H7 halogens are for main beam. Removing the ballasts is easy enough but the plastic light covers are very tricky. One had a missing screw when I bought the car and I managed to break the equivalent screw mount on the other side - perhaps you're supposed to remove the front wheels and wheel arch covers and maybe the front bumper too, you know how it is with modern cars! It's doable but very, very fiddly. Then, you can get to the back of the bulb and it's secured with a circular clip (like traditional halogens) which is quite easy to remove. Refitting is another matter entirely, make a note of the bulb alignment as the tags are nowhere near as positive as normal halogens which are almost impossible to fit wrong, the HID bulbs by comparison feel sloppy and it's extremely tricky to get the clip to engage. If you're lucky, it might all go together first time but don't be surprised if the lights wobble on uneven road surfaces because what you thought was correct, isn't quite seated right. I swear these things are designed to be as awkward as possible in order to discourage DIY mechanics.........but after several attempts, I did manage it successfully. As with halogens, be very careful handling the bulbs a) they're fragile and b) are likely to blow if contaminated with grease from your fingers.