zafira stalling intermittently - husbands answer is to buy a new car?????

bluenose1

Hi,
I have a zafira that has started stalling intermittently. There are no lights coming on on the dash. It also started to make a loud rattling sound at one point but this seems to have stopped.
It is stalling as I reduce speed at lights etc. Someone (not a vauxhall mechanic) has looked at it but can't diagnse the problem.

Anyone any ideas. My husband has a trusty mazda and thinks we should just get shut, but I like my zafira. He is reluctant to go to Vauxhall garage as he thinks we will het ripped off, but what else can we do.

northern_munky

Bit of a long shot as it's very difficult diagnosing faults on the internet, you didn't say what year your car was. The 1998-2001 models have known fault which causes stalling, where the throttle valve doesn't close properly because of dirt. Needs to be cleaned thoroughly with carburettor cleaner. Does it run OK apart from this, not jerky or anything?

Also don't forget the basics, when was it last serviced, old spark plugs could cause this or maybe an air leak in one of the pipes.

If you do take it to a garage, forget Vauxhall and use a recommended independent, ask around. Good luck.

bluenose1

Thanks for that. It's a zafira club 16v 2000.
Makes sense what you are saying, will get the bloke who services it to check it out with your advise.

Wig

Why does a throttle valve not closing cause stall? If it's slightly open the engine would idle too high not stall.

Maybe you mean the small gap that is *supposed* to be there when the throttle valve is "fully cosed" is filled in with dirt so that the valve is closing off all air. i.e. it's closing too much.

But if this were the case the car wouldn't idle at all. Not just at traffic lights. Still worth cleaning it though.

Does the car idle normally when started? Does it idle when hot? This problem is limited to coming off higher revs quickly by releasing the accelerator pedal? So it does not happen if you slow down gently for lights and select neutral the car then idles normally?

bluenose1

Wig wrote:

Does the car idle normally when started? Does it idle when hot? This problem is limited to coming off higher revs quickly by releasing the accelerator pedal? So it does not happen if you slow down gently for lights and select neutral the car then idles normally?

Yes the car seems normal when started.
It seems to stall more when I am slowing down. To stop it stalling I was going into neutral and pressing on the accelerator to stop it stalling. It happens if I slowed down gently for lights etc. However it is a bit hit and miss as it has been ok for last few days. That may be because only using it for very short journey twice a day.

kitchpoo

Idle Control Valve as stated by Wig - A known and common problem to the 1.6 and 1.8 X series Ecotec engines. It cn be improved sometimes with carb cleaner, but often than not it does need a new ICV.

Hopefully this link will work - if not PM me and I'll explain how to get to the info on sorting this out yourself.

Cleaning ICV - Courtesy of www.astrasport.co.uk

Wig

bluenose1 wrote:

To stop it stalling I was going into neutral and pressing on the accelerator to stop it stalling.

And when you are finally stopped and you release the accelerator what happens?...

kitchpoo

if the link above didnt work... try this one....

www.AstraSport.co.uk technical guides

Jay-Jay_4

Very interesting as hubby's Vectra does this. I drove it yesterday and as Wig describes it's ok when you slow down slowly but if you take your foot off the acceleratora bit too quickly it stalls. I had to sit at the lights with my foot lightly on the gas.

Will watch this thread with interest

reduceditem

blunose1...I like the sound of your husband, he seems like a wise man.

northern_munky

Wig wrote:

Why does a throttle valve not closing cause stall? If it's slightly open the engine would idle too high not stall.

Maybe you mean the small gap that is *supposed* to be there when the throttle valve is "fully cosed" is filled in with dirt so that the valve is closing off all air. i.e. it's closing too much.

I was just quoting a technical service bulletin which Vauxhall sent to their dealers about these cars stalling as well as Astras and Vectras.

Also in the bulletin is the coolant temp sensor causing stalling, but that also causes driveability problems which you don't seem to have.