454 - Common Faults/Quirks

[H Palmer]

As the most frequent forfour owner here...

Quirks first:

1) Self centering steering - Erm... no, on tight turns the steering won't right itself.

2) Bleeps - the forfour bleeps at you for almost anything!

3) HU - have a tendency to eat or spew CDs and cut out under excessive load with the softouch (ie kick down).

4) Softouch - Sports Start, from stationary foot flat to the floor in auto mode (please note, use a dry, straight and safe road to try this as the steering can pull and ASR/TC tries to hone the power).

Faults (for some reason around 44k miles):

1) Leaking shocks - easily dealt with.

2) TVA (Throttle Valve Actuator) - Either replace (costly) or clean (fiddly)

3) Softouch - crunchy nut gearbox easily solved by updating the software or cleaning the actuator.

4) Manual - Crunchy reverse, ensure car is fully arrested then select reverse.

Erm... more so check out FFO!

[H Palmer]

Thought I would add the model line up too:

Black Edition: Launch model, basic spec but has discs all round.

Pure: Base model, 14in steels on 1.1 and 1.3, 15in steels on CDi's and 1.5, discs and drums, plastic roof, Radio 5 with two speakers, black tridion and black plastic trim.

Pulse: Sporty one, as Pure but adds discs all and better interior trim.

Passion: The luxury one, as Pulse but adds alloys, air-con, panoramic roof and luggage cover.

Brabus: 177bhp nuff said!

Purestyle: replaces Pure.

Coolstyle: As Pure/Purestyle adds air con and alloys

Couple of details:

Pre 06 all models had faux grills, sill plates and glovebox light.

Luggage cover was only standard on Passion and Brabus.

Iso-Fix rear bench only standard on Brabus.

[lil.smartie]

Pre 05 grills & glovebox light
post 05 luggage cover
iso-fix option on all inc Brabus
passion also fogs and height adjustable drivers seat

not yet seen a grubby clutch actuator, the one from Gav's car was spotless after iirc 75000 miles.....

Kate

[H Palmer]

Pre 05 grills & glovebox light
post 05 luggage cover
iso-fix option on all inc Brabus
passion also fogs and height adjustable drivers seat

not yet seen a grubby clutch actuator, the one from Gav's car was spotless after iirc 75000 miles.....

Kate

Somebody dismantled and re-lubed their actuator, IIRC the original grease got fouled up.

[maggi200]

Biggest flaw: can't put decent smart alloys like the x-blade etc on the forfour

[H Palmer]

Biggest flaw: can't put decent smart alloys like the x-blade etc on the forfour

You were saying about alloys?



These are the rarest, most expensive alloys for the forfour!

[maggi200]

Nice, but not to my taste I'm afraid. 3 studs would make a cooler Out of interest, why are the other smarts 3 studs? Obviously the forfour for it's colt roots.

[H Palmer]

Nice, but not to my taste I'm afraid. 3 studs would make a cooler Out of interest, why are the other smarts 3 studs? Obviously the forfour for it's colt roots.

The PCD 4 stud of a forfour is a common fitment, even Volvo rims will fit. Anyways how can the number of studs make a car cooler? Granted I want roadster rear steels all round lol

[maggi200]

Lol, never said it makes it cooler, it's the wheels that fit the 3 studs. It just alienates the forfour IMO which is unfair, as it's a dam cool car. Would just look the muts with some roadster alloys.

[WILSOFAR]

Having spent 3+ years solving leaks and many other problems on City Coupe and Roadster Coupe I felt I would like a car without too many problems!

Am I stupid to want a For Four Brabus and will I still spend many hours fault finding.