The Car thread

[FoyleFox]

53 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

 

yea have done that, from what i can see there isn;t loads that are compatible? tesla fine, BYD no, Hyundai no and some others i have tried are no. I am with British gas ev tariff currently as thats who the new build were with when i moved in. 7.9p KWH between 12-5, ideally be good to switch to Octopus though 

It's definitely easier if you can select a compatible charger instead. Have you already got your charger or are you getting a new one with the company car? 

[JonnyBoy]

8 minutes ago, FoyleFox said:

It's definitely easier if you can select a compatible charger instead. Have you already got your charger or are you getting a new one with the company car? 

already have the charger as it is a new build i have moved into. Bit annoying but i will just either have to chose next car based on octopus tariff or stuck with car i want and stay with British gas, splitting hairs with money saved really as probably only charge fully twice a week. 

[Grebfromgrebland]

1 hour ago, JonnyBoy said:

already have the charger as it is a new build i have moved into. Bit annoying but i will just either have to chose next car based on octopus tariff or stuck with car i want and stay with British gas, splitting hairs with money saved really as probably only charge fully twice a week. 

If your car can't be controlled by octopus it's not with getting. It'll be crap.

[Greg2607]

4 hours ago, JonnyBoy said:

already have the charger as it is a new build i have moved into. Bit annoying but i will just either have to chose next car based on octopus tariff or stuck with car i want and stay with British gas, splitting hairs with money saved really as probably only charge fully twice a week. 

you never know mate, the charger might be compatible... what is it? 

[The Bear]

Worst case scenario you can ask an electrician to unhook the old charger when fitting a new one, then sell the old one. 

[Parafox]

The blocked DPF warning light came on when I was on the motorway earlier. I knew the best way to clear it is to drive at above 50mph and that worked (lots of smoke though).

 

Shortly after that the engine management light came on. Is this a simple matter of clearing the fault code for the DPF or is something else going on?

 

Is there simple way of clearing a fault code? I have read that disconnecting the neg side of the battery for 15 mins can clear it.

Edited 1 October 2025 by Parafox

[Robo61]

10 hours ago, JonnyBoy said:

already have the charger as it is a new build i have moved into. Bit annoying but i will just either have to chose next car based on octopus tariff or stuck with car i want and stay with British gas, splitting hairs with money saved really as probably only charge fully twice a week. 

I certainly would not choose a car based on its capatability with IOG as it could be bumped off at anytime as my was car was (I didn't choose it based on that).  Fortunately soon after they on boarded my charger (Zappi) and have had no problems in the 2 years since.  What charger do you have,  if are are so desperate to go onto IOG then you would prbably be better to have that taken out and a compatable charger put in its place.  Once you've sold the one taken out on,  the cost should not be that great as it should be a relatively simple task for an electrician. 

Edited 1 October 2025 by Robo61

[Footballwipe]

Car battery advice required if possible... Came out this morning to see my battery is flat.

 

I left the door ajar on Thursday evening and didn't realise until Sunday. Closed the door not even thinking about the internal light draining anything.

 

Reckon if I get it jump started later when the wife comes home and let it the engine run it'll be okay? The battery is not that old tbh, maybe two or three yrs? I'm just not sure if it being empty since Friday is too long to damage it?

[The Bear]

2 minutes ago, Footballwipe said:

Car battery advice required if possible... Came out this morning to see my battery is flat.

 

I left the door ajar on Thursday evening and didn't realise until Sunday. Closed the door not even thinking about the internal light draining anything.

 

Reckon if I get it jump started later when the wife comes home and let it the engine run it'll be okay? The battery is not that old tbh, maybe two or three yrs? I'm just not sure if it being empty since Friday is too long to damage it?

It should be fine as long as you run it for a while or take it for a drive once the car is started. The alternator will need time to put some charge back into the battery for the next time you start it. 

 

The only way it won't be fine is if it has been run so flat it won't take a charge any more but I doubt modern batteries have that issue. 

[suffolk fox]

On 29/09/2025 at 16:25, Greg2607 said:

I'm with octoput on Intelligent Octopus Go.... only some chargers are compatible with the "intelligent" element of it mate.... essentially, for me, I plug the car in, tell it when I need it charging by, and octopus decide when they will then flow electric to the charger....  it doesn't JUST happen between an 11pm and 05:00 window... 

 

They do it at 7.5p per KWH...... but when they choose to  charge the car... the whole house is on 7.5p   sometimes octopus choose to charge at 14:00 onm a Saturday afternoon if there is a surplus of electricity. 

We have just left Octopus energy.  We were on their Octopus Intelligent go supply and having an electric vehicle was on their ev tariff.  Numerous problems with their so called systems not picking up my charger or vehicle for that matter.  Numerous threats by them to me as they didn't believe I had an electric vehicle.  I even sent them a copy of my V5 with vehicle details on.  Never charged us for gas when we had a dual tariff, owed us £60 when we left them never got it back.  Have complained about them through the Ombudsman.   Be very wary of Octopus energy they are not as good as they make out.  I cringe when that bloody advert comes on on the radio.  Octopus energy my ass!

[Footballwipe]

1 hour ago, The Bear said:

It should be fine as long as you run it for a while or take it for a drive once the car is started. The alternator will need time to put some charge back into the battery for the next time you start it. 

 

The only way it won't be fine is if it has been run so flat it won't take a charge any more but I doubt modern batteries have that issue. 

Was hoping that'd be the case, thanks!

[Robo61]

3 hours ago, suffolk fox said:

We have just left Octopus energy.  We were on their Octopus Intelligent go supply and having an electric vehicle was on their ev tariff.  Numerous problems with their so called systems not picking up my charger or vehicle for that matter.  Numerous threats by them to me as they didn't believe I had an electric vehicle.  I even sent them a copy of my V5 with vehicle details on.  Never charged us for gas when we had a dual tariff, owed us £60 when we left them never got it back.  Have complained about them through the Ombudsman.   Be very wary of Octopus energy they are not as good as they make out.  I cringe when that bloody advert comes on on the radio.  Octopus energy my ass!

I am with Octopus on the IOG tariff and all has gone fine for me.  From your post I am not sure you understood how the tariff works.  IOG talks to your Car or to your Charger,  never both. So it should pick up one or the other depending which one you have on boarded to.  Did you successfully go through the on boarding process and did you ever get a schedule that worked.  

 

I am on a few IOG/Octopus forums and so many people come on complaining but on further investigation it is apparent that they have no clue how it is designed to work.  That is not to say though that it is pefect,  it definately is not,  and their customer service can be hit and miss just like nearly every supplier these days.  That is the risk you take though when dealing with what is essentially new tech.  

 

 

[suffolk fox]

1 hour ago, Robo61 said:

I am with Octopus on the IOG tariff and all has gone fine for me.  From your post I am not sure you understood how the tariff works.  IOG talks to your Car or to your Charger,  never both. So it should pick up one or the other depending which one you have on boarded to.  Did you successfully go through the on boarding process and did you ever get a schedule that worked.  

 

I am on a few IOG/Octopus forums and so many people come on complaining but on further investigation it is apparent that they have no clue how it is designed to work.  That is not to say though that it is pefect,  it definately is not,  and their customer service can be hit and miss just like nearly every supplier these days.  That is the risk you take though when dealing with what is essentially new tech.  

 

 

Fair enough.  I have a wallbox charger Octopus stated it was compatible.  An electric vehicle (Tesla)  neither were at anytime picked up according to Octopus.  We also had a duel fuel tariff with them and we have smart meters.  They only ever charged us for electricity.  Never Gas?  I had to constantly ring them up giving them Gas readings and sking for them to charge us for Gas as we were duel fuel.  Either they are incompetent or clueless.  As far as I am concerned Octopus energy can take a running jump..  

Edited 4 November 2025 by suffolk fox

[Robo61]

16 minutes ago, suffolk fox said:

Fair enough.  I have a wallbox charger Octopus stated it was compatible.  An electric vehicle (Tesla)  neither were at anytime picked up according to Octopus.  We also had a duel fuel tariff with them and we have smart meters.  They only ever charged us for electricity.  Never Gas?  I had to constantly ring them up giving them Gas readings and sking for them to charge us for Gas as we were duel fuel.  Either they are incompetent or clueless.  As far as I am concerned Octopus energy can take a running jump..  

So you were never actually on IOG if you were never able to go through the onboarding process.   All fair comment though as far as CS is concerned,  they should have, at the very least,  been able to explain very clearly to you why things were going wrong,  whether that be at your end or their's.  I know other customers have had the same problem and it can be very frustrating when you haven't got the time to do your own research as I have (Retired). 

EDIT,  Checked and the Wallbox is not compatable with IOG though the Tesla of course is.  

Edited 4 November 2025 by Robo61

[suffolk fox]

8 minutes ago, Robo61 said:

So you were never actually on IOG if you were never able to go through the onboarding process.   All fair comment though as far as CS is concerned,  they should have, at the very least,  been able to explain very clearly to you why things were going wrong,  whether that be at your end or their's.  I know other customers have had the same problem and it can be very frustrating when you haven't got the time to do your own research as I have (Retired). 

EDIT,  Checked and the Wallbox is not compatable with IOG though the Tesla of course is.  

Problem was  Octopus get telling me Wallbox was compatible.

[Robo61]

Just now, suffolk fox said:

Problem was  Octopus get telling me Wallbox was compatible.

As I said fair comment re CS,  though it shouldn't have made a difference as the on boarding process would have simply bi-passed the charger and would attempt to contact the vehicle.  

[JonnyBoy]

finding British gas OK, 7.9pkw overnight EV cgarging and half price electricity on Sunday 11am-4pm which is when we do most our washing

[Zear0]

30 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

finding British gas OK, 7.9pkw overnight EV cgarging and half price electricity on Sunday 11am-4pm which is when we do most our washing

Same tariff I'm on.  It's quite handy you can use the EV overnight stuff for domestic use as that saves a few bob.

[JonnyBoy]

6 minutes ago, Zear0 said:

Same tariff I'm on.  It's quite handy you can use the EV overnight stuff for domestic use as that saves a few bob.

they are all a much of a muchness as they all have to be competitive. Can't switch to octopus as new EV is Hyundai and they aren't compatible at the moment. 

[cambridgefox]

30 minutes ago, JonnyBoy said:

they are all a much of a muchness as they all have to be competitive. Can't switch to octopus as new EV is Hyundai and they aren't compatible at the moment. 

Eon next 12-7am 6.2p then 28.53p

my wife has a full electric Audi e tron

ive got a BMW 330e M sport hybrid 

We use a pod point which is compatible with both.No problems at all,and saved us quite a bit when we schedule overnight.

worth a look.

 

[Zear0]

4 hours ago, JonnyBoy said:

they are all a much of a muchness as they all have to be competitive. Can't switch to octopus as new EV is Hyundai and they aren't compatible at the moment. 

Yeah neither my car or charger was so had to go elsewhere too. 

[Parafox]

Has anyone had an issue with Adblue crystallizing causing emissions fault messages and codes to appear?

 

I have a diesel Peugeot and the engine management light and "emission fault, starting impossible in 700 miles" has come up.

 

I have done a bit of Googling and the most likely cause seems to be inefficient Adblue injectors due to crystallization.

 

The first thing I am going to try is adding Wynne's Adblue cleaner.

 

Has anyone here tried this and is it effective? 

[Izzy]

Just now, Parafox said:

Has anyone had an issue with Adblue crystallizing causing emissions fault messages and codes to appear?

 

I have a diesel Peugeot and the engine management light and "emission fault, starting impossible in 700 miles" has come up.

 

I have done a bit of Googling and the most likely cause seems to be inefficient Adblue injectors due to crystallization.

 

The first thing I am going to try is adding Wynne's Adblue cleaner.

 

Has anyone here tried this and is it effective? 

Can't say I've tried Wynne's but worth a go.

 

My car takes Adblue and I didn't realise initially that each container is stamped with the date it was made. Apparently the older it is, the more likely it is to crystalize.

 

No surprise that most places that sells Adblue tend to put the oldest date at the front of the display, so I now always go to the back of the shelf and check the date to get the newest one.

 

I also only top up 5l at a time now. I used to buy 10l but it could be six months before using the rest by which time it's probably past it's best.

 

*and I guess most people already know all this 

 

 

[Parafox]

2 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Can't say I've tried Wynne's but worth a go.

 

My car takes Adblue and I didn't realise initially that each container is stamped with the date it was made. Apparently the older it is, the more likely it is to crystalize.

 

No surprise that most places that sells Adblue tend to put the oldest date at the front of the display, so I now always go to the back of the shelf and check the date to get the newest one.

 

I also only top up 5l at a time now. I used to buy 10l but it could be six months before using the rest by which time it's probably past it's best.

 

*and I guess most people already know all this 

 

 

 I didn't. Nothing in the vehicle handbook to advise either.

 

The last 10l I bought was Carplan from Costco about 4 months ago. I never gave a thought about expiry dates.

 

Could be a costly mistake. When I bought the car I read the handbook, as I always do, just to find out what clever little things the car could do and for info on replacing consumables but surely the vehicle handbook should provide the information the owner needs regarding Adblue to avoid my situation.

[Izzy]

10 minutes ago, Parafox said:

 I didn't. Nothing in the vehicle handbook to advise either.

 

The last 10l I bought was Carplan from Costco about 4 months ago. I never gave a thought about expiry dates.

 

Could be a costly mistake. When I bought the car I read the handbook, as I always do, just to find out what clever little things the car could do and for info on replacing consumables but surely the vehicle handbook should provide the information the owner needs regarding Adblue to avoid my situation.

Yeah, nothing in my handbook either, I only found out about expiry dates through an online owners forum.

 

I guess the manufacturer hopes you'll get the Adblue topped up by their mechanics at every service rather than DIY so they don't mention it.

 

If I were you, I'd join an online/Facebook forum for owners of your particular car and search to see if anyone has had the same issue and what the resolution is.

 

I hope it's not too costly for you