Firstly, apologies for the length of post. :-(

I have a 2001 1.8 Vauxhall Vectra LS, 85K on the clock, regularly serviced.

Around 8 weeks ago I noticed it was running quite cool and took an age to warm up, so I figured I'd replace the cheapest thing first, the temperature sender. Done this and no difference so I now figured the thermostat was stuck open.

Whilst waiting for stat to arrive, I had the cam-belt, water pump and rollers changed as it was due on the service schedule. Got car back and replaced stat (just stat and not the full stat housing, using QTH600K kit) and everything seemed fine for a couple of weeks, but then noticed car was getting very hot, up over 100 and into the red. The fan would come on eventually to cool it back down to around 95 (normally stays around 90, fan cuts in at around 92 and goes off at around 89). Took out replacement stat because now thought it was stuck closed and ran it for around 4 weeks with no stat. Car ran ok but still noticed it got rather hot sometimes. Installed another new stat again, ran ok for a day or so, but then went back to nearly overheating again. Even when the car was in motion, temp always seemed slightly higher than norm. So then suspected a partially blocked radiator. Replaced radiator for new, tested that everything was ok and that the fan cut in at the right temperature again, car ran ok for a couple of journeys, but went back to spurious temperature readings.

Went out on a 40 mile or so journey the day after replacing radiator, going out was perfect (temp always around 90) left car parked for about an hour, drove home and within 5 mins temp was sitting around 95 even when car was in motion! Got stuck in traffic later on in journey, then within a minute or so the temp went up to 100 then kept on going well into red, and came back down again just as quick! In all this time the car has never overheated to the point whereby it has cut out. As we arrived home the missus pulled on to the drive and temp was at 100. She switched off engine but I told her to re-start it straight away so I could check something, and when she did the temp reading went to 90!? Left car running for 5 mins or so and it behaved perfect, fan came on, cooled down, and fan switched off!

I'm now starting to think something electrical??!!

Again, sorry for length of post, but some help would be very much appreciated indeed!!

Cheers Read more

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I haven't had a car for 20 years that has used oil between services. However my recently aquired Signum 2.2 petrol has done a short 3k in my hands and the oil level has dropped to half way between the max and min marks on the dipstick. I want to top it up and I know it is 10/40 in there. Two questions.

1/ Do I need a specific type of oil, EG syth or semi syth ?

2/ Roughly how much should I pour in or is it just a case of trial and error until it reaches max ?

Thanks !

H Read more

I have been getting intermittent ABS warnings for the last couple of weeks while on holiday driving through France. It was making the wife very nervous despite my reassurances...... I haven't had a chance to plug in VAG-COM yet because my laptop is not working.

I get 3 beeps followed by "Brake Fault", "See Service Manual" and then "Stop"!! Accompanied by a yellow ABS light and a flashing brake warning light. It happens intermittently and usually clears itself - sometimes immediately, sometimes up to 40 miles later. It then might recur a couple of hours later.

There's plenty of brake fluid. I've tried unplugging the ABS wiring from its socket and refitting in case it's a loose connection. The fluid is bled every 3 years so should be OK. Help. Read more

Hello guys and girls,

This is my first time posting on this forum, so apologies if I've got anything wrong.

I'm having a nightmare of a time with this Fiesta and I've lost faith in my mechanic (family friend so I can?t be too harsh on him).

Symptoms the car is showing:
1) The car idles at a higher rpm. About 960rpm according to the pcm reader. And this doesn?t problem doesn't disappear once the engine has heated up.
2) There is a small stutter when pulling away in first or second gear.
3) The throttle is sticking in-between gear changes i.e. coming out of gear at 3000rpm, the revs will stay there even if the car is put into neutral. The only way I've been able to get it down is using the clutch in a higher gear or waiting until it drops - but you look like an idiot if you wait for the latter.
4) This one is intermittent. Whilst travelling at any speed, the engine will stutter intermittent. The stutter causes the car to lose acceleration and power, such like if the turbo was broken on a diesel. Increasing the throttle only causes the stutter to get worse; eventually the power does come back. Or I have to put the car into neutral and use full throttle until full revs come back. It?s almost as if the engine was seizing or fuel mixture running way too rich; the latter of which explains why increasing the throttle worsens the problem!
5) On disconnecting the throttle position sensor, the idle drops 100 rpm to about 860 rpm, but symptom 2) becomes a lot more noticeable and if you come off the accelerator fast enough, the engine cuts out.

Solutions that have been tried:
1) Sprayed the intake with carb cleaner with little change
2) Fitted a new Idle Control Value with no change
3) Fitted a new Throttle Position Sensor with no change

Any ideas on what it could be?? Thanks in advance :)

Regards,
Dil Read more