Vectra 1.8ls 16v (w) engine electrics

Nikkisun

colino wrote: »

Hi Nikkisun, yours unfortunately is an example of a garage with a machine and no brain practising at the customers expense. Changing parts willy nilly in the hope of finding the fault is all to common from half-trained amateurs. Skill and experience would have targetted the fault more quickly and knowledge of a common Vectra earthing fault might have saved you hundreds. Please ask your friends/family and find another local independent who knows what they are doing.

They didn't change parts 'willy-nilly', they changed the parts that the fault code said needed changing.

In all fairness to the garage they asked me if I wanted the old (still working) parts refitted and didn't charge me for anything in the end other than the replacement ECU.

benham3160

Nikkisun wrote: »

They didn't change parts 'willy-nilly', they changed the parts that the fault code said needed changing.

In all fairness to the garage they asked me if I wanted the old (still working) parts refitted and didn't charge me for anything in the end other than the replacement ECU.

This is the problem with diagnostics, the garage should have known that playing around with the old fashioned tool that is the multimeter (about £3 off your neartest market) would have confirmed the MAF fault, a wiring fault to the MAF, or something inbetween. I'm a firm believer if you use a code reader without the minimum of a multimeter also in the same "kit" you are asking for trouble.

However, kudos to the garage for what they did, plenty would have just billed you anyway. This is why when I see people buying DIY code readers (I'm a DIYer myself) I do panic slightly, as without the knowledge and experience of dealing with vehicle diagnostics it's all too easy to just "follow the screen."


Regards,
Andy

colino

Not to labour the point too much, but finally getting to the ecu, and replacing it, when there is a well known fault affecting the earth wire to the ecu that can be fixed in 5 minutes and no parts needed, doesn't highlight the garage as knowledgeable or skillful. The diagnostics machine or code reader is only of any use to someone with the competence to interpret the results.

benham3160

colino wrote: »

Not to labour the point too much, but finally getting to the ecu, and replacing it, when there is a well known fault affecting the earth wire to the ecu that can be fixed in 5 minutes and no parts needed, doesn't highlight the garage as knowledgeable or skillful. The diagnostics machine or code reader is only of any use to someone with the competence to interpret the results.

I, not long ago dealt with an old Rover 214 that "needed a new ECU" according to a garage, which I fixed by just briding a new earth to the ECU harness to an earth point after digging around with a multi-meter for a few minutes.

Worryingly, the "garage" who diagnosed it are set up as a "diagnostic specialist."

Needless to say, customer was glad I stuck my nose under the bonnet, turning a £500 job into a £15 one.

Regards,
Andy

johnnyroper

benham3160 wrote: »

It was a good suggestion, however this would trigger the SRS (airbag) lamp, not the engine management lamp

Regards,
Andy

plus vauxhall air bag lights remain illuminated until cleared with tech2 or alike after they have been triggered.

johnnyroper

rhodod wrote: »

People, you should buy your own diagnostic software/cable from ebay - £25

Would save you going to vauxhall and them charging you £40 a go

good to point in right direction but it then needs fault finding done on the particular code it pulls off.
too many garages change sensor just because diag equip says so,for example i have seen vauxhall techs i worked with change IAC valves because that was the code however the fault was actually manifold gasket leaking.

abacab

Cam sensor was the prob on my old 98 vectra.Not too expensive to fix and the old gal is still buzzing along ATM.

rhodod

johnnyroper wrote: »

good to point in right direction but it then needs fault finding done on the particular code it pulls off.
too many garages change sensor just because diag equip says so,for example i have seen vauxhall techs i worked with change IAC valves because that was the code however the fault was actually manifold gasket leaking.

Oh for sure,

I hooked my laguna up to my diagnostics, and it said my coil pack was faulty, however after changing my Pollen filter the error disappeared...

My diagnostic has come in very handy, saved mea fortune at times, but like its been said, i would'nt take it for granted however it does give me a idea as to where to start