Vectra 1.8LS £955 power steering fault?? or not

[slyneely]

First of all hello to everyone here good job on the site! Now, where do I start.... I own a Vectra C 1.8LS 2002, problem free motoring until last sunday, tried to start the car after a quick stop on a short trip and the engine management light came on and a horrible lumpy sound as the engine tried to start but wouldn't. Got the car taken to a garage and they reckoned after 2 hours of diagnostics and £197 that I needed a new poweer steering pump, now the bill goes up to £955. Picked up the car on the 7th, drove 20 miles tried to start it again and whammo, same problem I just paid best part of a grand having repaired is back. Garage say they fixed the problem and now want to charge more for further diagnostics and different parts if the power steering pump is not the problem. Obviously I am a little bit upset about this and wonder what advice you lot could give me on the possible fault and what to do about the garage?? Thanks in advance for any replies or advice!! Sorry i posted this in the wrong place first!

[Gsi3.2]

the power steering pump won't in anyway effect the engine.. it's an electric pump, not driven off the engine..and horrid lumpy sound from the engine will not be related to the pump at all....What you need is a full TECH2 diagnosis on the car to see what is REALLY the problem.. it will be the best £40 you could ever spend

[slyneely]

Thanks gsi 3, so how do I go about getting a TECH2 diagnosis? You reckon the vauxhall garage is pulling a fast one about the pump, in no way would it affect the engine management?

[Gsi3.2]

the engine management and the pump are run by two different computers...take it to another VX dealers and report back with the tech2 codes.....

[slyneely]

cheers again, can't get the codes till monday now, they have already done diagnosis for 2 hours with the computer, is that the TECH2 diagnosis? It is a vauxhall dealership I used! £197 for 2 hours worth, ripped off there as well? Not happy at all

[benny]

the power steering pumps on vec c play a role in the engine man system if the pump has a can bus failure they will put out the wrong can bus mesages and this can stop the car from starting .if this has hapened this may have been your original fult and now you have a different failure i would ask for the original codes and there checking procedure that led them to think it was the pump... i would think your fault lies with the abs plug or the cim ...but this will need to be checked ....if they cant suply the codes or the diag procedure then you can get them to look at it again for free i would think..but one thing i will add with the older vec c's it can be a little hard to find the faults due to the complex nature of the systems i myself have been led up the garden path many a time looking for faults on these cars.....hope this helps benny

[slyneely]

From a customer service point of view, what do you think they should do about the money I have already paid which didn't fix the problem?

[glynn]

as its a electrical item it wont be able to be returned so you should ony pay for the item and not any labour money imo

[slyneely]

Having done some more research on other sites it sounds to me like the camshaft sensor, rough idling then cutting out with engine management light illuminating. Anyone think this may be more along the right lines or had any experience of this?

[Gsi3.2]

1 of the 3 popular 1.8 faults, yes..

they have an 'appetite' for camshaft sensors, crankshaft sensors and idle valves..

the only way to ever find out 100% is to get it plugged in somewhere else other than that first garage