Greenmamba

Tried swapping the AC relay over with a similar one?

Checked the switch on top of steering column?

Welcome Honey!

Have the lights been on since the transmission change? Could be something unplugged. Try reset and see what happens? Make sure the transmission fluid is at the correct level!

You shouldn't run a spacesaver on the front anyway. If you get a front puncture you should move a back tyre up to replace the burst one, deploying the SS to the rear. So there should be no need to put the SS on the front anyway.

Is the check engine light on? Any work done to the car recently? Do all brakelights work as they should?

There should be stored fault codes. You need to get those read.

Stupid question possibly but I have to ask - did you check the oil level before the drive home from Glasgow? Just trying to ascertain if it was full before the trip and burnt it off, or perhaps was low/empty before the trip.

OK I guess. Good for commuting when possible!

Hiya. Yeah, just round the corner from Madginford Close. Nice area.

Welcome. Exiga's are very rare. We used to live in Bearsted near Madginford shops - you?

Power steering fluid cooler. Should have fins attached to enhance cooling effect

Good job getting it sorted. Might help a bit too with fuel consumption now the engine gets up to optimum temps quicker.

When/if you open up to install the new thermostat make sure you burp as much air out of the system when refilling. The heater matrix sits quite high and can be a !Removed! to bleed.

Any idea what thermostat is in it? Petrol Subis prefer OEM tstats, not sure about diesels.

Should do.

I can't advise on the screws but these cars are known for the wires feeding the rear gate to break within the boots carrying the wiring loom between the body and the gate, near the rear hinges. The power for the wiper, and other services such as lights, are in the right hand side boot. Often break. If you are sure this isn't the problem, a new motor might solve the problem; however if the wires are broken, new motor wont work. Check if not already by "peeling" back the rubber boot and check for breaks.

What is wrong with the current wiper motor?

I've used Loughton Tyres before, seem competent if you are anywhere near?

Has this condition appeared suddenly? Did it work OK then fail without warning? Has anything about the car changed, such as new battery?

You will need to get the fault codes read. All dealers, some independent garages will be able to read the codes, as could you with Freessm program, laptop and suitable connecting cable. There is also a way to read the codes directly off the car by connecting connectors but I'm not sure of the process. Then, armed with the code well be better able to determine the problem.

Check the wires in the two rubber boots, one near each hinge? The wires in them tend to break.

Needn't be OEM, any good 9v lithium (maybe metal hydride, not too sure) will do. You are very likely to have struggles getting the alarm horn assembly apart. It's held on a U-shaped bracket by 2 nuts/bolts which will be rusty; when you've got it off, the case is held together by 2 screws which again will be rusty as hell. I had to drill one of mine out.

It shouldn't have happened. You should be able to disconnect the cat battery and later reconnect without this happening. Confirm you've checked fuses? Only other thing I can think of apart from getting an alarm specialist is if the alarm battery (mentioned above) - the 9v built into the alarm horn - went flat during the time the car was unused. This could I guess cause the system to alert whenever the car battery is connected (without it's own battery the alarm fails to recognise the signal from the fob/key). I replaced mine as a preventative - it'd been in since 2006 so I figured it needed changing.

Prior to the car battery losing voltage/charging issue, was everything OK? The problems only began after that? When you reconnected the car battery and the alarm failed to reset on the fob button, was the key in the ignition or in your hand? Have you only the one key? Any fuses blown?