August 2008
I am the owner of a low mileage (40k) 2004 Vectra 1.8 estate. Nice enough car, comfy, reasonable economy and does what we ask of it.
However, it has yet to pass an MOT first time. Last year it needed all 4 suspension springs replacing due to cracking, fortunatley undertaken under warranty. This year it failed due to exhaust mounts rusting away to nothing.
This is on top of a load of other things such one of the back windows winder is broken (only the second time I used it) the handle that you are meant to close the boot with broke off in my hand one day and paint that seems to scratch incredibly easily.
Are all vectras this bad? I know there is nothing catastrophic here like engine failure, but it has really tainted my view of Vauxhall as a long term ownership prospect. These things just seem to me like very poor quality/design. I also await with interst what will drop off, break or otherwise next!
Anybody else have similar experiences with this rather disapointing car? Read more
Does anyone know the code for diagnostic machine to increase revs?
The problem i have is that the car revs drop to 450rpm then engine cuts out when i take my foot off the accelorator when driving.
This is becoming increasingly dangerous and now cuts out mid flow of traffic as well as when pulling out at junctions or at roundabouts. I've had a few near misses to being hit by other vehicles and now desparate to get this fixed.
I've taken my Zafira AUTO (W-Reg) to the vauxhaul garage many times to be tested on the diagnostic machine but no errors come up, so they say they can't fix it.
I've also written to vauxhall but no reply as yet. Can anyone help? Has anyone had similar probs?
Read more
The Cure to this problem . I had a Zafira 1.6 55 plate with the engine cutting out. Coil packs and ECU replacement does NOT cure this. The cure is to pull a plug out that goes into the engine then put it back in. This re sets the software problem and will allow the Zafira to travel for a further 70 miles. Although not a total cure it will allow the engine to re start and then do as I did Sell the Zafira.
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>>ps, I see you haven't found the edit key yet Adam. I can't be the only one knocking on a bit ;o)<<
Actually Gramps, I know full well there's an edit button. I'm not using it out of protest! You won't see me editing anything on here. Ohhhhh no!
EDIT: Other than to say, I'm very very hungry.
I have the chance to acquire a car from my employer's fleet, it is a 2004 Rover 75 CDTI with 114000 miles covered, It has been 100% reliable and cared for by a specialist garage.
They are asking £ 2850 -
I think it seems like a bargain, is it this cheap for a particular reason ?
Seems too good to be true - What do you think ? ? Read more
I have made enquiries Niallster.
The price I was given was from Interleasing, they will send it to auction now as nobody wants it.
I guess they got this price from the recent auction values for others they have sold. It would possibly be good value for somebody, but this one was in appaling condition, many of the accesories had fallen off or didn't work any more, the interior parts were falling off, the boot cover didn't retract, it was going rusty, the paint was coming off the steering wheel. it truly was atrocious when I got to have a close look.
Advice needed please, im going to be changing the cambelt and tensioner
at the weekend and wondering if i should change the water pump
while im at it, seeing as i will have that end of the engine stripped.
I have only owned the vehicle for 2 months its a 1.6 zetec has done
63k, full service history dont have any problems with leaks or cooling.
what is the average life of a water pump?
Read more
Thanks for all the replys you are correct in saying the pump is driven off the alt
belt.I need to take pully off pump to get covers off so while im doing that i will
put a new pump in only £28 from motor factors.I bet that if i dont change it come middle of winter pump will give up. prevention is better than cure.
I am trying to read any error codes that might be stored in the ECU. I have a 30 pin socket located behind the coded key pad, and I know I have to use C2 and C3 terminals with a LED and switch. But does anyone know if you can get a female socket to fit the terminal so I can extend the pins to make it easier to bridge C2 to C3.
Cheers Bob
Read more
hello, i have got the Autodata 2004 and it says the 406 1.8 16v 1995-02 engine code XU7JPE (LFY) does have the flash code facility, and the connector is the same as mine. I did do some research, and they say the Maxidiag FR704 is the reader I need, but looking at the connector its not the same. I have just bought the car, and I was just going to check if there was any error codes stored from previous faults. I did the same with a VW golf I had, and sorted a problem I had with that.
bob
for no apparent reason while driving along the oil light will flash on about 4 or 5 times then engine will cut out. sometimes when driving the revs will suddenly drop then return to normal. i put it in for a service thinking the fuel filter or something may be dodgy. also had the plugs, oil filter, oil and air and fuel filter done in the service. i bought it 2 weeks ago.
slt Read more
Spooky, fixed one of these today with exactly the described fault. Main relay (30) was the problem, soldered up the pcb in the relay and all smiles. New relay en-route from VW.
Andrew
I have just bought a 53reg Octavia TDi. It's my first non-Vauxhall car for twenty-five years. Can anyone please tell me if the MIL lamp is the picture of an engine symbol or the glow plug warning lamp, as it sometimes is on diesel models?
When I switch the ignition on the the engine symbol does not light up, but the glow plug symbol does. Is this normal for this model or is it a fault?
Many thanks in advance..... Read more
Thanks for that, I certainly will......
Does anyone Know how easy or difficult it would be to drop a 406 turbo lump into a 309 gti body?
Many Thanks. Read more
First post and it's going to come across really badly, but my goodness , what alot of mis-information in this thread....
2.0 8v Turbo from the 406 is an XU engine (same as the 8v 130BHP 1.9 engine fitted to the 309 GTi std. although steel blocked rather than alloy (122 BHP with a CAT)). As such it will fit straight in with the top engine mount from a 306 XSi. Engine has 150 BHP std. + 200 BHP is reasonably easy to fit. You obviously need wiring and intercooler, but not a big task.
1.9 Mi16 (typically 160 BHP std. alloy block as per 1.9 8v) and 2.0 Mi16 (155 BHP std. steel block) are also XU engines and will also fit with minimal effort....and easy weekend if you know what you are doing. The 1.9 Mi16 was found in the Citroen BX and Peugeot 405 while the 2.0 Mi16 was found in the Peugeot 405, 306 and Citroen ZX (known as the S16 in the latter 2). Peugeot did actually produce a Mi16 309 in LHD for Europe only and known as the GTi-16. It did have some detail suspension changes over the std. GTi. There was never a 'factory' 205 Mi16, but Gutmann did produce a kit which may have been dealer fitted (prob. '86/'87).
2.0 GTi-6 engine from the Peugeot 306 and Citroen Xsara is also a steel blocked XU engine and can be fitted with either the 306 6-speed gearbox or the Xsara 5-speed gearbox (RH lock is comically non-existant with the 6-speed). It is slightly taller and tilting the brake M/C is the order of the day.
3.0 V6 from the 406 Coupe CAN be fitted to a 309 with NO modifications to the metalwork of the car (heavily modified sub-frame). With 194 BHP std. (210 BHP for the later fly-by-wire engine) they are well over 220 with a good exhaust, the CAT removed and a free-flow filter. Torque is the name of the game and it will slay Scoobies/Evo's.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugNuNSaa0Kw
www.crombiecarversioncompany.com/projects.html
Hello,
A week or so ago I noticed my immobiliser was not blinking as usual and my digital readouts were faded when I got into the car but then went blank after first attempt to start the car. I figured the battery had died (I hadn't used the car for a few days and thought I'd left the lights/radio on or something) so quickly got my powerpack out and jump started the car and thought nothing of it - I took the long route to work to allow the alternator to build up enough charge for starting the car in the evening.
That turned out to be the case and the car started fine after work and drove home. However, the same thing happened the next day so I checked the fluids in the battery and they seemed ok. However, the battery was ancient and I'd had it since I bought the vehicle and I decided I'd buy a new battery.
I installed the new battery and everything was fine for about 6 days and then the same problem occurred - all electronics out on the car in the morning and it would only start with the powerpack connected.
I checked the battery charge level and it was very low (between 1 and 2) so charged it fully through the day - I installed the battery again and tried to start the car. It worked like a charm.
However, overnight the battery has drained somehow and the car will not start.
I'm at a loss - I've not changed any wiring and all the fuses appear to be fine. Read more
This could be a failed rectifier pack in the alternator. No only can this fault discharge the battery but it does not charge it very well. Disconnect and leave overnight. Reconnect and start, if all is well then that may be your problem Regards Peter
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That is actually a really good point.
If the government/EU get their way and cars are sent to the crusher at 6 years old, the market for quality cars in the mainstream will evaporate completely -- leaving the way wide open for cheap Chinese and Indian cars to flood the market and that'll be the end of it.