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VXR Snags Sorry a very long read.
Just thought id share my experience from owning a vxr vectra
Its a 56 plate with 38k on when i bought it. I bought the car in aug 09 from a dealer in Newbury. All was fine paid 10k for it with fvsh.
Within the first 2 months i had to have the brakes all changed discs and pads, expansion tank replaced, no bother all covered by warranty.
Come march this year i was picking my son up from his mates, no problem there, as i pull away my dash lights up with 4 different lights, ABS,TC, IDS, Service light and ECU light. The car seemed to have lost power, it didn't go into limp mode though, i could hear the engine dumping itself and the turbo was very loud. The car became very jerky and was having problems starting and was missing quite bad.
As it was easter weekend vx were shut and got the car booked in for repair on the 2nd of april. Car was dropped off, i wasn't allowed a courtesy car because the repair wouldn't take longer than 24 hours.
Im in the navy and i deployed for the Falklands on the 16th of April and still no vxr back on my drive. Lucky these days we can phone home from ships so i called vx Plymouth weekly and still the car hadn't been fixed.
The middle of may i got fed up so called the dealer i bought the car from, they asked if they could move the car from Plymouth to an Eden branch of Vauxhall in Exeter so they could have a look at it.
So i agreed to this and the car was transported to Exeter for me. I must admit Exeter vx have been MORE than helpful with me, i was in regular contact with the service manager via email. I was constantly updated and they admitted they were scratching their heads.
Finally the car was done and was returned to my home. Here is a list of what was done whist it was in.
NON START, CARRY OUT TECH 2 TO FIND 4 TROUBLE
CODES STORED - P0100 MASS AIR, U2139 DIS INVALID,
U2105 ABS INVALID, C0244 CDC INVALID, RUN THROUGH
CHECKS AS PER TIS USING MULTI METER CHECKING
REMOVE CIM, UEC, ABS AND ENGINE ECU'S TO CARRY
OUT CHECKS, REMAKE ALL EARTH CONNECTION TO TRACE
NON START FAULT TO POOR CONNECTION ON UEC, MAKE
GOOD AND START VEHCILE - ERASE T/C'S AND CARRY
OUT TEN MILE ROAD TEST TO FIND ABS, EML AND
SUSPENSION LIGHTS ON.
CHECK FOR TC'S TO FIND P0100 MASS AIR FLOW, CARRY
OUT CHECKS TO FIND METER AT FAULT - RENEW. CHECK
ABS AND SUSPENSION FOR NO COMS - TRACE FAULT TO
ENGINE ECU, RENEW ECU AND CARRY OUT SPS. CARRY
OUT ROAD TEST TO FIND CAR RUNNING OK ON PETROL
CHECK GAS SYSTEM WITH TECH 2 TO FIND TC P0170
FUEL SYSTEM TOO RICH BANK 1, CHECK FOR POSSIBLE
AIR LEAK AND VAC SYSTEM. - SEND TO GAS POWER UK
TO HAVE GAS FUEL TRIMS RESET AND ADJUSTMENTS.
RENEW SPARKS PLUGS FOR MINOR MISFIRE ON START UP
AND TEST OK.
Once the car was returned i called the wife and she asked me if i had a dent in the front bumper, no i said so she emailed me a picture of the damage. I then emailed these pictures through to Eden at Exeter and they said they will get it repaired when i return. I asked my wife to give it a turn over once a week just to get the oil around. The first time she turned it over she noticed that the ecu light was on, i emailed vx again and they said they will look at it again when i return. Bernie from home had a look with his opcom and the world of codes came up.
I returned back home on the 16th of November after leaving in April, i had booked the car in at Exeter for the bumper repair full service and to check the ecu light, the car went in on the thurs and i got a courtesy car until the following wed(meriva 1.6).
Vx called me to say my car is ready so i asked if the ecu light had been done " yes sir it was just a fuel trim that needed resetting now done sir", so off up to Exeter to collect the car sorted...........so i though, i got into it warmed it up then drove off. The car was like it had been filled up with kangaroo juice, i just thought it where it hadn't been driven for a few days. I gave the car a few miles then i was sat in traffic and noticed loads of smoke/steam coming from my bonnet.
So after cacking myself i turned round and straight back to vx. Very helpful straight on the ramps to find they had spilt coolant and it was just burning a puddle of it from the downpipes so panic over.
Right back off to Plymouth i go, all seems great car is flying nice and smooth happy days.
Now come to last night, little trip to Tesco, the car started to jerk and hold back, then the ecu light came on again. Got the car back home and Bernie came round with his comp. Plugged in and low and behold p0170 came up again it has had this code from the beginning, Bernie tried to reset it but it kept coming straight back on.
So called Exeter again this morning and they haven't got any courtesy cars available until next Friday, so next Friday they will drive down with a courtesy car and take mine back again. They have been very helpful i must admit im dealing with a guy called Steve Chant and he has been fantastic in helping me out.
I am now just sick of this car and am ready to torch the ****** thing. If it aint sorted i think i will chop it in for a focus st/rs
I thought it was just me having loads of problems but after reading a few threads on here i find im not on my own.
The car has now cover 42k so 4k in 15 months is shocking i love the car but im totally ****** sick of it now.
Sorry for the long thread but im now feeling a little better and fingers crossed they can actually sort it out once and for all.
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Originally Posted by parker1
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