One of this year’s most hotly contested categories, the winner of Large Factor of the Year award was GMF Motor Factors.
Started 20 years ago in Neath, the chain has grown as a member of the Parts Alliance and now thrives in South Wales, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire despite strong competition.
With a total workforce of 200 people spread over 14 branches and a head office, the factor prides itself on quality service and above-average staff retention.
Winning the Supplier of the Year award represents 18 months of hard work for the man who heads up Valeo Service Phillip Everitt and his team in Redditch. It hasn’t been an easy transition as a new management team and big changes have been made in such a short space of time, but now it is starting to pay dividends as Everitt explains.
“Our focus has always been on our customer base, all we have thought about is customer, customer, customer.
“We have really improved our position in the marketplace by doing so and adapting the way we deal with people and the offering with give them,” he adds.
US $727M deal expected to be completed in the autumn
Valeo says a common issue with the Vauxhall Vivaro 2.0dci, Nissan Primastar X83 2.0dci and Renault Traffic 2.0dci is the belief that the radiator fitted has failed resulting in the engine over heating. The radiators returned all affect the second generation vehicles made by the named manufacturers and all contain the Renault M9R engine. Analysis of the returned radiators show no fault with the units and further inspection of the vehicles concerned have revealed a common fault that causes the engine to overheat. The issue itself – and the reason why the engine overheats – is due to the failure of the fuel injector. The fuel injector has been found to be corroded and working intermittently.
These vehicles are commonly affected due to numerous faults which cause the starter motor to burn out. Vehicle faults such as water leaking through the scuttle panel onto the fuel injectors, wiring loom damaged and contaminated with water behind the N/S headlamp, fuel pressure issues and damaged and also worn ignition switch bases cause excessive cranking of the starter motor or to run on in mesh. This puts excessive load on the starter motor and results in it burning out. Further detailed information is available via our website.
Several of the 1.9-, 2.0- and 2.5-litre engines used across the Trafic/Vivaro/Primaster model range, in both petrol and diesel guise, are fitted with a Dayco High Tenacity (HT) or ‘white’ timing belt as their original equipment fitment. The HT belt is unique and patented to Dayco, which is why workshops undertaking a timing belt replacement need to realise that only by fitting a Dayco HT timing belt kit can they be assured of a genuine like-for-like replacement.
Reference number(s): 4523A
Fault symptoms: Noises or defect of turbo charger, low engine power, engine dies, engine warning light is on and black smoke formation.
Causes: Turbocharger defective.
Remedy: Replace turbo charger.
NOTE: Use only fibre-free cleaning cloths. Close opening(s). Note radio code.
Only remove new parts not until immediately before installation.
Required spare parts
Allocation by spare parts catalogue:
All models 2006-2010 ABS warning light illuminated fault code C0081 – ABS ECU water ingress.
All with F9Q engine Camshaft sprocket wears loose causing valve timing failure.
All models with the 2.5 DCi G9U engine suffers severe loss of power with numerous DF codes – due to a sticking/blocked EGR unit.
All models with 2.0D M9R engine bad to start with glow plug fault codes, still bad to start after replacing glow plugs – software update to ECU.
The clutch hydraulic system on these popular vans comprises a traditional master cylinder, which feeds a concentric slave cylinder (a slave cylinder and clutch thrust bearing combined, which is otherwise known as a CSC), located in the gearbox.
The CSC, particularly in the 1.9 dCi powered models, is known to fail early in its service life, even when the vehicle has covered a low mileage. The failure can start with just a small leak, but due to its location, it is often the case that the leak itself is not actually noticeable, just the symptoms within the clutch system when driving. The specific symptoms can include clutch judder, loss of pedal or slow pedal return, most of which are directly attributable to an issue with the CSC.