Vauxhall Astra needs new gearbox- only 17,000 mileage

Marktheshark

Google Vauxhall field remedy 1650
They do not want you to know this, but they know all about it.

There is an after market mod using a power steering oil cooler and two brackets and by passing the oil cooler section on the radiator.

Once fixed they will run as good as all the other makers that use this box that knew combined oil coolers and radiators are a very bad idea indeed.

It can be fixed but fitting a new gearbox will just cause the issue to repeat until the radiator is sorted.
The problem will re-occur without the oil cooler mod within as little as 10,000 new gearbox or not.

With the mod fitted the old box will usually be fine with flushed out and new ATF and filters.

bigjl

Agree totally facade.

Not a fan of the automated manual.

Unless it is a DSG or Powershift, have used both and they are just like a normal Auto really. But without the economy disadvantage.

bigjl

So Mark the issue with the cooler could this cause ATF contamination of the coolant or would it cause coolant contamination of the ATF?

I still can't see a massive failure occurring at 17k. Have used Vauxhall Autos or should I say I have abused Vauxhall Autos for years and they are pretty robust.

Especially the old 1.8 petrol lump fitted with the old 4speed Autobox, the one that had the "S" button on the gearknob!

Marktheshark

It only effects this new six speed auto that they decided to use this utterly stupid combined radiator system.
It can and does fail and will continue to fail even if fixed, they carry on regardless knowing they were making cars that were failing.
This aside the mod can be done for a couple of hundred quid and it will run just like it does in the other cars with this box, which are many.

The old box had its own oil cooler not this utterly stupid partitioned system.
If you see a new style auto for sale chances are it has just been fixed and has a new radiator on and the seller knows its going to fail again, some have only made 5000 before the radiator fails.

The leaking thermostat will be the atf that attacked the o ring seal.

ayesha265

Thank you so much for the replies everyone. Wish I was as car-savvy as you all, but unfortunately as a new driver much of this doesn't make sense to me

Just wanted to set out what happened step by step to avoid confusion:
- car started showing 'Service Vehicle Soon' message around two months ago.
- got the car serviced at garage opposite our house for £130 one month ago. But still showing 'service vehicle soon' message. Took at back to garage but they said it shows as 98% serviced so they cannot see what the issue is.
- car started jerking and slowing down while driving two weeks ago. Found out about Vauxhall specialist mechanic that is near me. Drove car to him and he did a diagnostic which showed up thermostat and replaced this. It was £77+ VAT for the part, £50 for diagnostic and the rest for labour. Service vehicle soon message stopped immediately but car still jerky and slowing down while driving. Drove like this for about a week (to see if it improves eventually) but no luck and eventually stopped on the roundabout and needed to restart.
- Took back to Vauxhall specialist on Saturday but it broke down en-route and needed to be pushed to the side. Restarted eventually (not reversing) and managed to drive up to Vauxhall specialist. He confirmed it looks like gearbox has done. As this was Saturday and nearest garage was closed, left it with him till Tuesday (hubby had annual leave so earliest date we could get to garage.
- On Tuesday we called KwikFit breakdown to take to nearest garage (a different one to where we got car serviced as they didn't seem too clued up when I did the service and the one I took it to was recommended by family). The KwikFit breakdown guy managed to reverse and drive it onto his breakdown vehicle (car was whining a lot). En route to the garage, he said it is likely to just be low on fluid, as if gearbox had gone car wouldn't drive at all.

The garage were busy yesterday but checked this morning and confirmed the gear fluid is extremely low. So low, that it has burnt out the gearbox so I will need a reconditioned gearbox. They said I have a six-speed auto (whatever that means- I don't have a clue!) so will be around £2.5k plus VAT. Have phoned a few other place round and either they don't deal with auto or have quoted a little more. Garage said it is quite unusual that this has happened at 17k miles.

I have given Car Giant a call. They have said they do continue warranty at up to 1 year or 12K miles after taking car (useful to know) but only if it is something they have worked on. In this case they have only worked on replacing all four tires of my car so cannot help. They did, however, say the low gear fluid should have been picked up on service so I should go back there. In the bigger scheme of things, moaning at the garage where I got vehicle serviced and even if by some miracle they give me £130 back (which they won't) will not make a difference to the £2.5k I'm having to pay.

However, I am interested to have your thoughts on the following please:
- Should low gear fluid be picked up in a service?
- Is it unusual that gear fluid is so low at 17k miles or not really- I should have kept an eye on it?
- Is my best option now to just accept the learning and pay the money, or any other options?

Honestly this forum has been so helpful- thank you so much I hope I can return the favour, maybe in ten years or so when I'm more experienced!

bigjl

I can only report one fault with the six speed Autobox in my thousands of miles using diesel Zafiras with s similar box.

And that was slipping when going into second from cold when you hammered it from cold.

It would only do it once and only from cold.

I never heard of any of those boxes failing or slipping or indeed losing or leaking ATF.

Next stop could be an Autobox specialist. Preferably one that only does Autos as they should know exactly what is going on.

Failing that take it to Vauxhall as they can likely do a half decent diagnosis, if they advise it is the gearbox then they will likely know of a nearby specialist that they use as very few main dealer these days deal with Autoboxes and usually sub that kind of work out.

bigjl

Marktheshark wrote: »

It only effects this new six speed auto that they decided to use this utterly stupid combined radiator system.
It can and does fail and will continue to fail even if fixed, they carry on regardless knowing they were making cars that were failing.
This aside the mod can be done for a couple of hundred quid and it will run just like it does in the other cars with this box, which are many.

The old box had its own oil cooler not this utterly stupid partitioned system.
If you see a new style auto for sale chances are it has just been fixed and has a new radiator on and the seller knows its going to fail again, some have only made 5000 before the radiator fails.

The leaking thermostat will be the atf that attacked the o ring seal.

Sounds very similar to the issue that affects some automatic Nissan Pathfinders, though it is more common in the US on the 4.0 petrol version I can apparently still happen over here with the diesels.

Come to think of it I was told that my old Pathfinder Autobox failed about a year after I sold it, I wonder if that was the cause of the failure.

I agree totally that it is just a recipe for disaster in the long term.

And that Pathfinder must have had 150k on it went the gearbox failed.

ayesha265

Thank you- I have just spoken to Vauxhall Customer Care and they have advised that usually low gearbox fluid at such low mileage is due to a leak and that will be covered under a manufacturing fault. However, a Vauxhall dealer must diagnose it first.

So I'll have to pay c£50 to get the car to nearest Vauxhall dealer, hope they diagnose as leak and manufacturing fault, and see how much Vauxhall are prepared to cover to repair (bearing in mind main dealership will probably charge double £2.5k quote but will do the job right (one hopes!)) Vauxhall cannot confirm how much they will help cover- could be 30% could be 100% they don't want to say till diagnosed.

So. Go down this route or just get the job done for £2.5k- I'm so lost!

ayesha265

Vauxhall dealer have quoted £3.9k. I've decided to take the risk and go ahead with them. £40 to take car from one garage to another. Here's hoping it's worth it and Vauxhall stick to their word and pay at least 50%!

ffacoffipawb

ayesha265 wrote: »

Vauxhall dealer have quoted £3.9k. I've decided to take the risk and go ahead with them. £40 to take car from one garage to another. Here's hoping it's worth it and Vauxhall stick to their word and pay at least 50%!

Is the car, a 4 year old Astra, worth much more than £3.9k - is it worth spending on, would it not be better to scrap it or trade it in?