Michael McAleer helps readers with their motoring problems
Please clarify the correct use of indicator signals when approaching the "Yield" sign at a roundabout and also whilst on the roundabout. My own observations suggest that nobody knows or nobody cares.
John Markham, Co Wicklow
The rules are quite simple really.
Motorists should just treat the roundabout as a normal junction and give way to traffic from the right.
The basic rules for using the roundabout are:
If taking the first left, indicate left and keep in the left lane
If taking the second turn off - usually straight ahead - take to the left lane but do not indicate until past the first turn off. Then indicate left to exit the roundabout
For turns later than this, take to the right lane, indicate right onto roundabout and then, after passing the last turn before yours, indicate left off the roundabout.
Overall, it would seem that indicators are an extra on some Irish cars and drivers fear that using them too often may run down the battery. We can assure them it does not.
I bought a new Nissan Primera in April and have suffered from what I believe to be a failure of the power steering system. The steering goes heavy and pulls to the left. I've had two near misses recently where this occurred at speed and it is frightening.
I contacted the dealer and he got his head mechanic to look at it. He took it for a short drive and said there was nothing wrong with it. However, after he drove it I went to check the tyre pressure on the car. I found the pressure was at 46 psi, and should have been 30-31psi. The dealer agreed to replace the tyres but I believe the high pressure may have damaged the power steering as well.
I have contacted Nissan Ireland who said it had no reports of problems with the power steering on Primeras. I also got an AA-approved engineer to inspect the car. He said the pulling could be due to the slope in the road. However, he said that while he did not experience the problem during his test, it did not mean that it did not exist.
I'm a long-time Nissan customer, and driving Sunnys and two previous Primeras. All ran without problem. Has anyone else has experienced this problem with the power steering in the Primera?
Kevin Farrell, Ballyback, Co Dublin
Nissan Ireland tells us it has had no similar issues with the new Primera. However, it has invited Mr Farrell to take his Primera to its customer service department, a back-up to the dealer network. We await the outcome. If anyone has experienced a similar problem with their Primera, please e-mail us.
Do you need four snowchains for a 4x4?
Peter Murphy, Co Galway
Winter is coming, but snow chains are a rare enough sight in Ireland. Obviously someone who is well organised and thinks ahead - unlike the rest of us.
In short, you need snow chains on all driving wheels, so if it's a permanent four-wheel drive system you need them on all wheels. However, if you are only engaging two-wheel drive (though why you would do this in such foul weather is a mystery) then only the two driving wheels need chains.