My Santro Xing: Now crossed 78000 kms

tanwaramit · 8th April 2010, 12:59

I had the same problem and got it sorted out last week. Had been complaining to HASS for the problem for a long time and guess what was the issue, wheel bearings !

Got them changed, now the car runs fine at those speeds, its very very comfortable at those speeds, earlier it used to cry at above 80kmph, while at lower speeds there was no issue at all, had been managing with this problem for more than a year now.

I would say, get your wheel bearings checked and replaced, they are a little costly to replace, but definitely worth it.

Shan2u had already mentioned the issue.

honeybee · 1st May 2010, 19:59

Mods: I don't know if this falls under technical stuff or DIY, but since the DIY has been listed under the ICE category and my question is about something else, I am posting it here.

Couple of days back I noticed the accelerator pedal of my Santro has developed a lot of play. I am guessing it to be as much as three inches. I checked the top of the pedal with my hand, where I guess the accelerator cable is connected to the pedal. When the pedal is depressed about three inches forward, it moves more or less freely. At the end of this travel it makes contact with the cable and then on, depressing the pedal pulls at the cable.

I think this amount of free play is abnormal and would like to see if I can correct it myself. Can someone help me with the details on how such a job is carried out?

honeybee · 1st May 2010, 22:32

My Santro cools, but not fast enough and not chilled enough. We recently drove from Pune to Mumbai in a hot afternoon (started after 12pm and reached at 3:30pm), with five people and luggage. The AC kept us comfortable but didn't chill. It has rarely chilled, in fact. The cooling is comfortable at best. I have noticed this in various scenarios, with just me inside, with two people, with a "fully loaded" car, at early mornings, late mornings, noons, afternoons, evenings.

How do I know the AC is performing upto its mark or not? Also how would I go about increasing its effectiveness? Any step by step instructions would also be great.

SPIKE ARRESTOR · 1st May 2010, 23:25

first step is to check if the filter in your AC circuit is clean, in most cases this is a culprit, then go on to check the mass of refrigerant as specified by the manufacturer, pressure in lines, is your compressor working properly (cut in cut off)? AC evaporator coils must be clean for better efficiency. If all these look fine get a open/closed door AC test done at the A.S.S, so as to be certain. Trust this helps.

Spike

honeybee · 1st May 2010, 23:30

Hi Spike, thanks for the reply.

The A.S.S. is far away and I would be visiting a local AC repair shop for checking this out. I shall keep the steps in mind and make sure they are checked.

SPIKE ARRESTOR · 1st May 2010, 23:53

please update here once you have identified the culprit in your AC system. All the best.

Spike

ghpk · 2nd May 2010, 02:44

This is certainly not Normal.
Either your cable has gotten loose from the adjustment holder, or it may be time to change, but before it you should check the adjustment screw from under bonnet.

Open the bonnet and look for it behind the Air-filter box.
Pull the cable and unscrew the holder so the cable becomes tighter and check the pedal, if the play is over, its fine, if the screw is maxed-out then you might need a new cable.

ghpk · 2nd May 2010, 02:51

Santro doesn't have any Filter which can be removed and cleaned.

This looks like lesser Gas than required. I had exactly the same issue and the Gas top-up cost Rs.350 to me, now even on 44°C weather I am getting the chill effect.

Also during nights I've to put it on minimum and let it cut off for few minutes once its too cold.

To Get best A.C. performance, use Running water, if though water pump with force to Spray it on A.C. Coil which is the first thing you'll see from front grill under bonnet, its infront of radiator, put lots of spray and dust would come off, spray more from bumper holes and then check, in summer this should be done every 7-14 days to maximize your A.C's Efficiency if you are using the car regularly.

honeybee · 6th May 2010, 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghpk

This is certainly not Normal.
Either your cable has gotten loose from the adjustment holder, or it may be time to change, but before it you should check the adjustment screw from under bonnet.

Open the bonnet and look for it behind the Air-filter box.
Pull the cable and unscrew the holder so the cable becomes tighter and check the pedal, if the play is over, its fine, if the screw is maxed-out then you might need a new cable.

Here are the photos of the accelerator cable and the play it currently has.

The accelerator cable/holder (circled in Red) and the screw that probably controls the cable tension (circled in Yellow): (AcceleratorCable.jpeg)

The existing play/slack in the cable (circled in Red). I am holding the cable in my fingers and have pulled it tight through the pipe that goes to the pedal, so this is the slack in the cable so far: (AcceleratorCablePlay.jpeg)

ghpk, can you now elaborate on the process of tightening the cable? My opinion is the adjustment screw is almost at the end of its adjustment (unscrewing it would allow the cable to remain tight, while screwing it in would introduce slack in the cable tension, am I correct?)

ghpk · 6th May 2010, 14:31

Quote:

ghpk, can you now elaborate on the process of tightening the cable? My opinion is the adjustment screw is almost at the end of its adjustment (unscrewing it would allow the cable to remain tight, while screwing it in would introduce slack in the cable tension, am I correct?)

yes you are right, your cable looks too loose now.
check if similar adjustment screw is available at the Pedal side(the accelerator pedal)
of the cable is off some hook near accelerator which holds this cable.

ghpk · 6th May 2010, 14:57

I think the cable is concealed at other end, as seen in pic2, there a metal part which is tightened using a nut from where it enters the cabin for the pedal.

My Santro Xing: Now crossed 78000 kms-cable2.jpg

and here's the adjustment screw on my car after 4 years.

My Santro Xing: Now crossed 78000 kms-cable1.jpg

ops the little rain has caused too much dust in engine compartment, i need to wash it again someday.

Bug: while editing post if you cross 20 mins Edit time limit, your entire post is GONE, this should be submitted as a bug to vbulletin as i think if a post is under editing the time limit should over-ride/freeze.

honeybee · 6th May 2010, 20:12

Hi ghpk,

I went to the clutch of auto repair and parts shops in the afternoon, before you replied. Got the play adjusted by a mechanic there, and found the adjustment screw as well. The mechanic said now if the pedal develops play, the cable will have to be replaced. So I guess I have got another few thousand kilometres to run on this cable yet.

Thanks a lot for the help!

Onto the AC cooling: I got the AC system checked at the same place, where the AC mechanic connected two pressure meters into the High and Low pipes that carry the refrigerant. He said the Low pipe showed a much higher pressure on idling (around 50), which ideally should be at 30. As the engine revvs higher than the idle speed, this pressure should drop further down. He demonstrated this, as the pressure fell slowly from 50 to around 35. Based on this he concluded that the AC compressor is weak. Before this test, he checked the flow of the refrigerant and the coil as well, and has declared them alright. No gas needs to be added or coil replaced.

Now, is the diagnosis correct? Secondly, if the diagnosis is correct, where can I source the Santro AC compressor cheap? As I understood from this mechanic and the Maruti A.S.S. guy I met up later on, compressors usually cost around 14K or so, and do not carry any guarantee or warranty. Trying to repair the compressor may result in the compressor just dying one fine day.

What are my options here? Spend 14K for a new compressor that has no warranty/guarantee? Source it from somewhere cheap? Are there any other brands that offer compressor warranty?

tanwaramit · 7th May 2010, 10:59

my guess is, show it to Hyundai ASC for the AC.

Is the AC not cooling at all ? OR it doesnt chill at summer afternoon temperatures !

honeybee · 19th May 2010, 12:27

Hi tanwaramit,

The AC is satisfactory, while I would love it to chill faster. I have been to Pune and Pandharpur from Sunday morning to Tuesday night. The car was parked in an open space under the blistering heat of the sun from noon Monday to noon Tuesday (more than 24 hours. The car was hot like an oven and I could feel the water vapours rising as I washed the rear windshield with a dripping kerchief. Switching on the AC was completely useless for the first few minutes as we got out of the town and onto the highway. The cooling effect, though late, was certainly noticeable throughout the noon drive. At night (11pm onwards) on the Pune - Mumbai expressway stretch I even switched off the AC a couple of times for a few minutes.

I also had a chance to ride a WagonR at Pandharpur. Though it was 5pm, the heat was still on. But sitting on the front passenger seat, I was chilled instantly by the WagonR AC. So once the temperatures have climbed down, the Santro cools too, but it would be great if the Santro chilled faster.

Another issue: Outside Pandharpur, till we reached about 10 km from Tembhurni on the Pune - Solapur road, the road was uneven and rough. I kept hearing a lot of low thuds as the car travelled on this patch (approximate speeds between 50-70kms). As we neared Tembhurni, the rough patch gave way to a beautiful tarmac and the thudding noise disappeared completely. Then it was only the tire noise and the AC noise. I suspect this thudding noise was from the suspension. Can someone confirm this?

honeybee · 19th May 2010, 21:03

Off topic: While there, had a chance to interact with a distant relative who is a Safari Dicor owner from Pune. He completed a visit from Pune to Belgaum and back (with a halt at Kolhapur) within a day. Took a little more than five hours from Pune to Belgaum. He calls his Safari a "raging bull".

I am once again inclined to look at the Safari for a vehicle that can smother the irregularities of the road and have a comfortable ride. Am planning to probe him more on his ownership experience.

Do the Fiat cars provide a similar ride in the hatchback segment?

8th April 2010, 12:59	#16
tanwaramit Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Dilwalon ki Dilli Posts: 1,930 Thanked: 497 Times	I had the same problem and got it sorted out last week. Had been complaining to HASS for the problem for a long time and guess what was the issue, wheel bearings ! Got them changed, now the car runs fine at those speeds, its very very comfortable at those speeds, earlier it used to cry at above 80kmph, while at lower speeds there was no issue at all, had been managing with this problem for more than a year now. I would say, get your wheel bearings checked and replaced, they are a little costly to replace, but definitely worth it. Shan2u had already mentioned the issue.
	() Thanks

1st May 2010, 19:59	#17
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	Santro Accelerator Pedal Play Mods: I don't know if this falls under technical stuff or DIY, but since the DIY has been listed under the ICE category and my question is about something else, I am posting it here. Couple of days back I noticed the accelerator pedal of my Santro has developed a lot of play. I am guessing it to be as much as three inches. I checked the top of the pedal with my hand, where I guess the accelerator cable is connected to the pedal. When the pedal is depressed about three inches forward, it moves more or less freely. At the end of this travel it makes contact with the cable and then on, depressing the pedal pulls at the cable. I think this amount of free play is abnormal and would like to see if I can correct it myself. Can someone help me with the details on how such a job is carried out?
	() Thanks

1st May 2010, 22:32	#18
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	Santro AC Cooling My Santro cools, but not fast enough and not chilled enough. We recently drove from Pune to Mumbai in a hot afternoon (started after 12pm and reached at 3:30pm), with five people and luggage. The AC kept us comfortable but didn't chill. It has rarely chilled, in fact. The cooling is comfortable at best. I have noticed this in various scenarios, with just me inside, with two people, with a "fully loaded" car, at early mornings, late mornings, noons, afternoons, evenings. How do I know the AC is performing upto its mark or not? Also how would I go about increasing its effectiveness? Any step by step instructions would also be great. Last edited by honeybee : 1st May 2010 at 22:35.
	() Thanks

1st May 2010, 23:25	#19
SPIKE ARRESTOR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 2,854 Thanked: 1,532 Times	first step is to check if the filter in your AC circuit is clean, in most cases this is a culprit, then go on to check the mass of refrigerant as specified by the manufacturer, pressure in lines, is your compressor working properly (cut in cut off)? AC evaporator coils must be clean for better efficiency. If all these look fine get a open/closed door AC test done at the A.S.S, so as to be certain. Trust this helps. Spike
	() Thanks

1st May 2010, 23:30	#20
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	Hi Spike, thanks for the reply. The A.S.S. is far away and I would be visiting a local AC repair shop for checking this out. I shall keep the steps in mind and make sure they are checked.
	() Thanks

1st May 2010, 23:53	#21
SPIKE ARRESTOR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 2,854 Thanked: 1,532 Times	please update here once you have identified the culprit in your AC system. All the best. Spike
	() Thanks

2nd May 2010, 02:44	#22
ghpk BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ghaziabad Posts: 870 Thanked: 211 Times	This is certainly not Normal. Either your cable has gotten loose from the adjustment holder, or it may be time to change, but before it you should check the adjustment screw from under bonnet. Open the bonnet and look for it behind the Air-filter box. Pull the cable and unscrew the holder so the cable becomes tighter and check the pedal, if the play is over, its fine, if the screw is maxed-out then you might need a new cable.
	() Thanks

2nd May 2010, 02:51	#23
ghpk BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ghaziabad Posts: 870 Thanked: 211 Times	Santro doesn't have any Filter which can be removed and cleaned. This looks like lesser Gas than required. I had exactly the same issue and the Gas top-up cost Rs.350 to me, now even on 44°C weather I am getting the chill effect. Also during nights I've to put it on minimum and let it cut off for few minutes once its too cold. To Get best A.C. performance, use Running water, if though water pump with force to Spray it on A.C. Coil which is the first thing you'll see from front grill under bonnet, its infront of radiator, put lots of spray and dust would come off, spray more from bumper holes and then check, in summer this should be done every 7-14 days to maximize your A.C's Efficiency if you are using the car regularly.
	() Thanks

6th May 2010, 14:57	#26
ghpk BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ghaziabad Posts: 870 Thanked: 211 Times	I think the cable is concealed at other end, as seen in pic2, there a metal part which is tightened using a nut from where it enters the cabin for the pedal. and here's the adjustment screw on my car after 4 years. ops the little rain has caused too much dust in engine compartment, i need to wash it again someday. Bug: while editing post if you cross 20 mins Edit time limit, your entire post is GONE, this should be submitted as a bug to vbulletin as i think if a post is under editing the time limit should over-ride/freeze.
	() Thanks

6th May 2010, 20:12	#27
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	Hi ghpk, I went to the clutch of auto repair and parts shops in the afternoon, before you replied. Got the play adjusted by a mechanic there, and found the adjustment screw as well. The mechanic said now if the pedal develops play, the cable will have to be replaced. So I guess I have got another few thousand kilometres to run on this cable yet. Thanks a lot for the help! Onto the AC cooling: I got the AC system checked at the same place, where the AC mechanic connected two pressure meters into the High and Low pipes that carry the refrigerant. He said the Low pipe showed a much higher pressure on idling (around 50), which ideally should be at 30. As the engine revvs higher than the idle speed, this pressure should drop further down. He demonstrated this, as the pressure fell slowly from 50 to around 35. Based on this he concluded that the AC compressor is weak. Before this test, he checked the flow of the refrigerant and the coil as well, and has declared them alright. No gas needs to be added or coil replaced. Now, is the diagnosis correct? Secondly, if the diagnosis is correct, where can I source the Santro AC compressor cheap? As I understood from this mechanic and the Maruti A.S.S. guy I met up later on, compressors usually cost around 14K or so, and do not carry any guarantee or warranty. Trying to repair the compressor may result in the compressor just dying one fine day. What are my options here? Spend 14K for a new compressor that has no warranty/guarantee? Source it from somewhere cheap? Are there any other brands that offer compressor warranty?
	() Thanks

7th May 2010, 10:59	#28
tanwaramit Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Dilwalon ki Dilli Posts: 1,930 Thanked: 497 Times	my guess is, show it to Hyundai ASC for the AC. Is the AC not cooling at all ? OR it doesnt chill at summer afternoon temperatures !
	() Thanks

19th May 2010, 12:27	#29
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	Hi tanwaramit, The AC is satisfactory, while I would love it to chill faster. I have been to Pune and Pandharpur from Sunday morning to Tuesday night. The car was parked in an open space under the blistering heat of the sun from noon Monday to noon Tuesday (more than 24 hours. The car was hot like an oven and I could feel the water vapours rising as I washed the rear windshield with a dripping kerchief. Switching on the AC was completely useless for the first few minutes as we got out of the town and onto the highway. The cooling effect, though late, was certainly noticeable throughout the noon drive. At night (11pm onwards) on the Pune - Mumbai expressway stretch I even switched off the AC a couple of times for a few minutes. I also had a chance to ride a WagonR at Pandharpur. Though it was 5pm, the heat was still on. But sitting on the front passenger seat, I was chilled instantly by the WagonR AC. So once the temperatures have climbed down, the Santro cools too, but it would be great if the Santro chilled faster. Another issue: Outside Pandharpur, till we reached about 10 km from Tembhurni on the Pune - Solapur road, the road was uneven and rough. I kept hearing a lot of low thuds as the car travelled on this patch (approximate speeds between 50-70kms). As we neared Tembhurni, the rough patch gave way to a beautiful tarmac and the thudding noise disappeared completely. Then it was only the tire noise and the AC noise. I suspect this thudding noise was from the suspension. Can someone confirm this?
	() Thanks

19th May 2010, 21:03	#30
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	Off topic: While there, had a chance to interact with a distant relative who is a Safari Dicor owner from Pune. He completed a visit from Pune to Belgaum and back (with a halt at Kolhapur) within a day. Took a little more than five hours from Pune to Belgaum. He calls his Safari a "raging bull". I am once again inclined to look at the Safari for a vehicle that can smother the irregularities of the road and have a comfortable ride. Am planning to probe him more on his ownership experience. Do the Fiat cars provide a similar ride in the hatchback segment?
	() Thanks