29th Mar 2015, 13:29

I have recently bought a 2010 Myvi, and concur with much of what you have found.

Some ideas to look at, to cure some of the problems:

Door switches - Remove from door pillar and take off rubber boot, and then file off approx 2 mm from the length of the nylon plunger post. This allows for the inflexibility of the rubber boot, but still works the switch. No more self locking at inconvenient moments!

Front end rattling - Found to be the brake caliper guide pins loose in their bores. Some more grease under the boot helps dampen it out, but will only confirm the diagnosis and lose its effectiveness after a month or so. The cure is to get the 4th generation guide kit, with oversize pins and three O ring seals, probably from Malaysia, unless something crops up on eBay. Another alternative, is to wrap the existing (and cleaned) pin with PTFE tape (approx 2 to 3 turns) to do the same thing.

Rear end rattling - Found to be the tie rod from the hatch exterior handle to latch. This has an enormous amount of free play. The hatch trim panel comes off by pushing the central pin of the plastic scrivets in, which releases the scrivet and it can then drop out. There are about ten of them, and the trim comes away. You can then see the tie rod, and preload it with foam or pipe insulation, to stop it rattling.

Hatch struts - Mine were shot as bought. The replacements (SGS engineering) I got were rated at 400N, but although they are smooth, and nearly work properly, they could do with an extra 50N or so to do the job better. There are adjustable ones that come with 700N as standard, and you can then let them down until they work properly. Wish I'd done that route!

I've had to do something to sort out any second hand car I've ever had, so this list is OK, and leaves me with a nice not-so-little motor!