Problems starting my Diesel Vectra!

Pete*G_4

InTheBrownStuff wrote: »

I'm a taxi driver so I know the importance of looking after my car. So much so it is reguarly serviced and well looked after, if it's off the road i aint making money.

That said for it a car to have so many problems, such as:
Top hose split
Bottom hose split
Bottom pulley sheared off twice (rubber flange in the middle)
Alternator
Battery (granted can happen on any)
Constantly going in and out of limp mode (most vectra owners will have experienced this)
Turbo siezed
Steering rack leaking

How could I have avoided all of the above given the fact my car is serviced every 3 months? This is all in the space of 14 months

I think enough is enough. I bought the car because I thought it would be reliable, maybe for everyday family use but certainly not for regular use as a taxi.

definately sounds like you have a Friday Afternoon car, I would be frustrated too. that said, i wouldn't write off an entire type ust because of one car. Hoses split when the car's not treated properly, due to constant cooling/heating up of the engine through stop-start driving (eg being a taxi!) and as said, batteries go. so do alternators, particularly with what I imagine is an energy-sapping radio and fare meter in the front.

If you've had it 14 months, then I'd suggest the car was at LEAST 4 years old when you bought it, as they changed the engines in the Vectras from the old 2.0DTi/2.2DTi range to the 1.9CDTi/3.0 V6 CDTi range for MY04 (i.e. 53 reg onwards). It could well be that the car had a hard life in the few years before you owned it, and it just wasn't picked up at the time.


There is an underlying reason the car goes in and out of limp mode - most usually gunged up throttle bodies, or air flow meter failure. less common is a lambda sensor fault. all of these can happen equally at 1 mile on the clock, or 500k, it's luck of the draw and depends on how the car has been looked after overall. As for your bottom pulley shearing off not once but twice, I'd suggest it may be as a result of something else not being aligned properly, or indeed perhaps the second one wasn't fitted correctly? (again I'm speculating).

on a different note, see if you can find a 1.9CDTi or 3.0 CDTI Vectra to try for size. You will be amazed at the difference between these newer range of engines, and the older one you've got. I'd wager it'd change your opinion entirely!

JPS29

Yes, mines a 53 plate. had 90k on when i bought it but FVSH.

Like I said I love the car when its running great, being the elite I'm used to the extra luxurries too.

I may give the 1.9 dti a look over when I'm changing.
Also are cars psychic? Mine always knows to break down on a friday so i lose the busy weekend trade, never a monday or tuesday:rolleyes:

And apologies to the op for taking this off topic

harveybobbles

Please give the 1.9 a bleedin wide berth...!

As for your starting probs, it'll be a duff glow plug or the leak off pipes. Both are cheap and simple to change.

pitkin2020

i know what your saying though brownstuff when it all goes wrong it gets on your wick and you start to loate it doesnt matter if its the TV or your car, when it breaks you want to hate the brand, but they all have great stuff and the odd bad thing slips through.
Its probably very hard for you to get a relevant view point any car as the average user and reviewer wouldnt be using a car to the extreme like your self. Another friend of mine who is also a taxi driver had a new passat and one of those hyaundi matrix 2 years old, the passat has been in and out of the garage on a weekly basis and the cheap hyaundi has gone on and on without anything other than a few simple problems costing a few pounds to fix, the passat has now been replaced for a new one and he hasn't had a problem with the new one

Pete*G_4

harveybobbles wrote: »

Please give the 1.9 a bleedin wide berth...!

As for your starting probs, it'll be a duff glow plug or the leak off pipes. Both are cheap and simple to change.

why would you avoid what has been recognised widely as being one of the better diesel units out there? Because (judging by your sig) you had a bad one in a Saab?

Kilty_2

pitkin2020 wrote: »

strange i have a DTI, (astra) but my glow plug light doesnt come on unless outside temp is very low, i was told as it was due to it being a direct injection it doesnt need the warm up time like a standard diesel

I'm driving a 1.3 CDTI Corsa at the moment and the glow plug light comes on every time I go to start it unless it's not been sitting very long. I guess the outside temperature has been quite low for the past week I've had it though. (onboard outside temperature display thinks it's -32... hmmm (:rotfl::rotfl:)

harveybobbles

Every one we have is a bad one! We have now given up buying them!

pitkin2020

Kilty wrote: »

I'm driving a 1.3 CDTI Corsa at the moment and the glow plug light comes on every time I go to start it unless it's not been sitting very long. I guess the outside temperature has been quite low for the past week I've had it though. (onboard outside temperature display thinks it's -32... hmmm (:rotfl::rotfl:)

different engine kilty, i beleive its only only on the 2.0, 2.2 and 3.0 DTi, i may be wrong but i think its also related to the timing chain, i think the 1.3 is cam belt not chain, although with it being newer im not fully sure lol

pitkin2020

harveybobbles wrote: »

Every one we have is a bad one! We have now given up buying them!

how many you had??