Car was being driven along and on slowing down the speedo and rev counter both stayed at the same reading. On stopping the indicators were not working but there was a ticking noise, the electric windows had failed and a warning bleeper was sounding all the time. The central locking would not work with the remote but would with the key. As the destination was only a short distance away the car was driven there and the AA called. Needless to say when the AA turned up everything was back working and they could not find any fault. The car performed perfectly well on the 50 mile journey back.
There is little point taking it into the garage as the faults have all gone and presumably will not have left any fault codes.
The only other problem we have had with this car is a very occasional no reaction when trying to start the car. The ignition key is turned but nothing happens except a click and the engine management light flashes. Try several times with similar result. Leave a minute and it starts perfectly. A mystery!! Anyone got any idea what the problem might be. Thanks.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 18/01/2008 at 01:05
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The only other problem we have had with this car is a very occasional no reaction when trying to start the car. The ignition key is turned but nothing happens except a click and the engine management light flashes.
Light flashing = immobiliser related problem.
Had this the other day with my Vectra-C. Hasn't done it since, and the one and only time it did it was when I had my mobile in the same pocket as the keys in an area with no network signal. I am assuming that the mobile phone temporarily corrupted the security transponder chip in the keyfob while it was fighting to connect to the network.
If your mobile hasn't been anywhere near your keys, then as per the handbook suggestion; try the spare key for a while. If you're still having the same problem, then it's visit the dealer time.
As for the other problem, I wouldn't worry about it for now. Time to worry is when it happens again.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 18/01/2008 at 01:11
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This fault sounds very much like the poor battery lead crimp connections on our 04 Corsa. Sorry I'm hopeless with links - DD can you put the link in please? (early Jan 08).
Good luck!
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Percy, this one?
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=47568
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 18/01/2008 at 13:39
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Thanks for the replies. Ref the no starting this could be a faulty immobiliser/transponder as suggested, but it certainly is not related to any mobile phone interference in this case as I know I was not carrying a phone at these times, as I was at home.
With regard to the other symptoms the battery leads could be a possibility, but why would only certain circuits go down and not others? Would any fault codes be stored or not?
Do Vauxhall charge for diagnostic checks if they cannot find a fault as the car is still under warranty?
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Do Vauxhall charge for diagnostic checks if they cannot find a fault
Generally yes. If no fault is found then they cannot claim the labour cost back on the warranty. Time is money and all that.
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>>There is little point taking it into the garage as the faults have all gone and presumably will not have left any fault codes.
Fault codes are stored for a number (maybe 20 or so? ) ignition on/off cycles after the fault has cleared, so there is some chance that the codes will still be there, if you can get them read quickly after the fault occurs.
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the remembering of codes for 20 cycles (ignition on off) are long gone the codes are stored untill the codes are erased , the faults you descibe will not put the light on but may well have recorded a code somewhere, assuming the technician has done his job correctly (you have to do a vehicle wide search as different things are controlled by different ecu's one for body one for engine one for g/box etc ) and they say no codes then not a lot more can be done untill it rears its head again
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Thanks for the replies. I have now got to decide whether to risk no faults codes being found and getting a bill, or leave it and see if the fault(s) reappear. As it is my wife's car I know she is not happy about having a potentially unreliable car to drive.
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Find a good independent garage - they can read fault codes and are cheaper £20-30 than a Vauxhall dealer £50-60.
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Might be worth considering, thanks.
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It sound like an inturuption in a power supply so worth getting fuses checked & security of battery cables. The needles don't return to zero if the power is cut off in mid flight! hence the fault. It may well be a CCU starting to fail but i would get the obvious checked & take a photo next time it does it so the dealer knows your having trouble.
The fault should be tracable knowing that its related to the feed for instuments/central locking/etc. Could even be an earthing fault.
Doc
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Thanks for the info. The fault was not obvious or presumably the AA would have picked it up when they checked the car over. I don't know if they check for fault codes or just check continuity and connections electrically and/or visually.
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I have a Zafira, 1.8 X reg. Tonight the car let my wife down. On parking the car for about 30mins the car was completerly dead, not even enough power for the interior light. I had to jump start it to get it running but if the revs dropped it stopped. I ran it home on high revs and now I can leave the lights on with no loss of illumination. I thought about buying a new battery tomorrow but cannot believe this is the real problem? Its happened a few times before and is driving me nuts! Any ideas?.. apart from gtting a new car.
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terry
That could be a dead cell in the battery, or something as simple as a bad battery terminal connexion or earth. A bad battery terminal will sometimes fizz and get hot when you try and crank it.
Remove and clean the battery terminals really thoroughly with rough abrasive paper. [No sparks!]
If that doesn't help it; checking the charge rate and the drive-belt tension might be worthwhile. Anything odd about the way the alternator [battery] light functions?
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i had similar problem, certain item such as headlight, power steering, speedometer, etc turn off when rev more than 2500. but signal light, central lock, heater still on, problem solved, change the alternator.
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