Urgent spoiler question

[Portent 0]

Apologies if this is not the right sub forum or if the information is available with a search... typing this on a phone... and need to make a decision tonight on a car. The spoiler has stopped working just prior to my viewing and I would like to understand the different causes and how difficult and expensive the fix might be.

 

The symptoms are no spoiler movement at all on either automatic or the manual override switch. Fuses 16 and 21 appear to be fine and all other electric are working. There is no noise or vibration from the spoiler.

 

Any thoughts?

[VR6 0]

Not as bad as a sunroof or head gasket but potentially trickier than a door handle.

[rsgntx 0]

Apologies if this is not the right sub forum or if the information is available with a search... typing this on a phone... and need to make a decision tonight on a car. The spoiler has stopped working just prior to my viewing and I would like to understand the different causes and how difficult and expensive the fix might be.

 

The symptoms are no spoiler movement at all on either automatic or the manual override switch. Fuses 16 and 21 appear to be fine and all other electric are working. There is no noise or vibration from the spoiler.

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

the spoiler could be the least of your problems! it really depends what the rest of the car is like? if the body is in good sound condition and there is lots of sevice history and mileage not too high then as i say the spoiler is the least of the problems! the motors come up on the forum as do the switches so unless someone has cut the wires somewhere i would have thought you will get it going. only advise i can give sorry if it is not what you were after.

 

by the way would be surprised if this came up just before viewing!!

[Portent 0]

Thanks. Yes the rest of the car was very good and I liked it. However it is slightly above my budget and if its an expensive fix then it pushes it just too far out of reach.

 

What are the possibles... motor obviously. But do they have control units that could have failed as I guess that would be expensive?

[davidwort 0]

second hand spoiler mech or control unit won't be much, if you are buying a VR6 then that's going to be the least of your running costs!

I'm totally serious, if the rest of the car is a good-un it's a good bargaining point but don't let it put you off the car.

[easypops 8]

Not as bad as a sunroof or head gasket but potentially trickier than a door handle.

 

:lol: Is it wrong that i find most of your posts really funny ? :lol:

 

 

 

 

As for the spoiler..........more info would be good.........did it just stop working? was it getting slower either up or down? was it moving in stages.......ie pausing a couple of times either up or down?

I would remove the plastic cover(4 plastic screws) and you'll see the mechanism.........there is a handle in the middle which should pull out(not too hard) fairly easily, this allows you to wind it up and down manually. Which will give you an idea if things are able to move at all. Dont force anything though.

After that your best trawling through the search :D

 

Good luck :salute:

[Portent 0]

Thanks for the input so far. I will trawl the search when I get home. It was a lovely car apart from this and its a pity for it to take the shine off an otherwise good car. If it were cheaper then I wouldn't worry but as its the top of my budget, plus a bit, i need to know the possible causes. Unfortunately I didn't think to ask those questions about it slowing etc.

 

Thanks again, will hit the search later...

[aide 0]

fixed my stuck spoiler on purchase, potential causes.

 

1. sleeved pipes siezed with 15+ years of gunk & rust

2. spoiler motor

3. failed microswitch in the init

4. failed speed control module behind dash

5. wiring failure *somewhere*!

 

mine was combination of 1 and 2, £.99p for a microswitch and 2/3hrs to strip, clean, lube and reassemble.

[Portent 0]

Thanks, appreciated.

 

Knowing my luck in life its bound to be something behind the dash :)

[aide 0]

6. i think there's a speed control wire that can work loose behind the dash too, think its blue :scratch:

[tandino 0]

Apologies if this is not the right sub forum or if the information is available with a search... typing this on a phone... and need to make a decision tonight on a car. The spoiler has stopped working just prior to my viewing and I would like to understand the different causes and how difficult and expensive the fix might be.

 

The symptoms are no spoiler movement at all on either automatic or the manual override switch. Fuses 16 and 21 appear to be fine and all other electric are working. There is no noise or vibration from the spoiler.

 

Any thoughts?

 

If thats as bad as it gets then why pass on a car that is otherwise A1??,these cars are 15+ years old now, s/hand parts are cheap and plentiful....

[VR6 0]

Not as bad as a sunroof or head gasket but potentially trickier than a door handle.

 

:lol: Is it wrong that i find most of your posts really funny ? :lol:

 

I'm sure some would say yes! :lol:

[Portent 0]

Are the "behind the dash" parts a dash-out job or can they be got at without removing it?

 

 

 

Apologies if this is not the right sub forum or if the information is available with a search... typing this on a phone... and need to make a decision tonight on a car. The spoiler has stopped working just prior to my viewing and I would like to understand the different causes and how difficult and expensive the fix might be.

 

The symptoms are no spoiler movement at all on either automatic or the manual override switch. Fuses 16 and 21 appear to be fine and all other electric are working. There is no noise or vibration from the spoiler.

 

Any thoughts?

 

If thats as bad as it gets then why pass on a car that is otherwise A1??,these cars are 15+ years old now, s/hand parts are cheap and plentiful....

 

Yes, very true. Although I have a viewing of another car in a few days which may be just as good but with all elements working.