VXOC Astra-J/GTC

This write up has been taken from an insignia owners group does anyone know if there is a way to do something similar with the Astra, mine is an early j and as far as I'm aware it doesn't have anyway to tell you that a regen is taking place?


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i have seen this post but no idea how they would make i light come on when the car is doing a regain at all

I shall have a look into this.

Tucpal when the car does a regen it turns on the rear de-mist in the background so I'm guessing what they have done is tap into the live and ground wires for it this then powers the LED when a DPF regen is happening.

I will need to find exactly what plug they have used so I can check it on the J.


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there's a video out there also rusty
i think he has wired it to the small speaker plug in the door
i never really understood what the batteries were for on this video
or what he was doing to be honest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SFGJzfTxpU

but what a great idea if it works and i want it
just looking for a led tell you if it works in a few hours haha
and if it does work WTF were vauxhall thinking of
hey do we need to tell the driver the car is doing a dpf regen errrr durrrr no why durrrrrr
but let's turn the rear heated window on when it is doing one just for fun durrrrrrrr haha

Ok thanks mate that Video has helped my find the plug.

It's the mirror plug it's self.

yes just doing it now it is the mirror or power fold plug not the speaker plug

What I cannot fathom is why the designers, technicians and engineers at GM somehow all thought that putting a simple led light in a car which lets the driver know when the car is doing a regen was something not required.

To be honest, I don't think the tech guys at GM are up to much imho, afterall, having a start stop system that starts the car when you open the door to get out is something to this day I can't understand. I think its all part of a system that they couldn't figure out at development so just stuck a load of 'instances' on a list of instructions on their website as to why your start stop might not work... 'honestly it was designed that way'.

I've emailed Vauxhall in the past stating a software update is needed so the DPF light on dash lights up or a message is displayed when a DPF regen is happening.

The response was the light only comes on when the DPF is if I've never seen the light the car is being driven correctly and they is no need for a software update.

As for the s/s and door, I guess it's been done so the driver doesn't get out thinking they turned the car off.


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Surely they could have just put up an audible gong noise to notify you your keys are in the ignition when the door is open and ignition is turned to on. I think that clearly there is a need for a software update, maybe they should read up some of the literature that their customers have posted on the internet about the regen procedure and lack of information from the car. I see this as being no different to TPS, they decided that we all now need to know our tyre pressure, and we are told when the tyre is running low, but god forbid letting us know that the filter is trying to regenerate so that the car runs better... that would be just crazy. Afterall, it makes much better sense for everyone to get to their destination and then be told by the car 'where the hell do you thing you're going', I'm not finished cleaning myself, I know you didn't know I was having a quick wash but that's your tough luck.

Rusty you may as well add the how to too this thread mate lol

I've ordered an LED I'm just trying to think where to put it, there are a few place's I can hook into without touching the door.

I'm thinking it needs to be by the dash or maybe by the radio controls in next to the screen.

RUSTY sure you need the mirror heating wires positive and negative
on the mirror switch on the astra j

I've got the wiring diagram and it all links funny enough it's also linked into alarm system.


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Nice work tucpal, it's amazing how something so simple can be so effective... which makes it that much more annoying why it isn't done factory to begin with.

As soon as you've figured out where yours is going Rusty you need to get a 'how to' up lol, something like this could save a lot of dpf hassle to a lot of people out there (inc me). I'm no good at electronics (along with a number of other things lol) but I may give it a go if it's simple enough.

Couldn't the led be wired directly to the heater switch wiring to the plug and the led be placed somewhere around the radio control facia?

probably not as when the DPF LED came on to tell me the car was doing a regen
the LED light on the rear heated window switch did not come on at the same time as the DPF LED.

you will need to do this on the astra j first remove the door card
and then you will need to tap into the mirror switch
then run the wires into the door and through the rubber boot and then into the car interior
then run the wires to wherever you want it to go to
maybe the speedo display may be a good place but totaly up to you.

also i have put a sticky on this thread as it is very useful
until rusty adds a how to then he can move it there.

No you won't be able to go off the heater it's all controlled via 1 signal wire & as Tucpal said the Tell-tell Led doesn't light up on the rear Demist.

I like the idea of placing it tho.

I believe this can be done without the need for taking the door card off, the wires have to run through the car first to get to the door anyway.

Just waiting on the LED to turn up then I'll get it sorted.


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Where do you guys order your led's from ? Do they come with a little surround ?

Cheers james

i just got one from halfords they did a set of 4 blue LED,S for £4

Cheers tuc..... forgot about frauds :0)

Looks good is a how-to going to be done. Wonder if this can be done on my K as not noticed a regen in 14k

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It should work the same way baz for you also rusty may need to find a pin out for mirror connector for you.

Also i have just had the blue DPF LED light come on again tonight i was driving around town this time
i was able to see the car was doing a regen and i was able to alter my driving style to get it done successfully again
so instead of normally driving around town in 4th and with the revs well under 2.000 RPM
and not being in the correct rev range for a successful regen at the time on a low speed town run
and risking a failed regen as i would never had known it was doing it at all
but this time by me being able to see the LED come on i was able to drop down a gear and alter my driving style
i tried my best to keep the revs over 2.000RPM and not to go over 3.000RPM using a lower gear
to keep the rev,s in the correct rev range to complete a successful regen
and after about 10mins of driving like this the LED light went out signaling the DPF regen was done.

I totaly do not understand why this is not a standard function.

I've just ordered a led ..... I take it the wires will be the same in the mirror on a gtc ?

Cheers james

possibly but rusty is the pinout man

I've got my LED arrived today hopefully I'll have a chance over the weekend to get it fitted and a how-to knocked up.

I plan to wire from in the car rather than the behind the door card as there is no good place in the door to put the LED.


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Yea I'm wanting my led somewhere on the centre console so il hang on until rusty pins it up

Cheers james

here is a clip of how the GM holden vehicles do there DPF regens
they will work the same way on the vauxhall models or they should do but i think vauxhall forgot about this haha
the DPF LED works in the same way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPVFK9tSlPU

I think a good place for the led would be just by the light switch...

Yea good shout :0)

Tucpal that is how the Vauxhall system works, the DPF light will come up if the DPF gets full.

I was thinking between the fuel and temp gauge so it shines down.


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well thats the problem rusty i have never seen it in a year of driving
and most other members have never seen it either
and as my car went into limp mode with service vehicle soon
and i had to get a forced regen done a few months back as the fault code was dpf full 100%
where was the warning i never sure one and i take it to get in that condition it must have failed a fair few times so the idea of a DPF LED should be standard ever time the car does a regen then you will always complete one and never need a forsed regen

(17:th-Sep-2016, 13:51:51)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]I was thinking between the fuel and temp gauge so it shines down.


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You on about fitting it into the hood that covers the instrument cluster?

(17:th-Sep-2016, 20:25:54)stigeye Wrote: [ -> ]

(17:th-Sep-2016, 13:51:51)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]I was thinking between the fuel and temp gauge so it shines down.


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You on about fitting it into the hood that covers the instrument cluster?

Yes mate.

@Tucpal you deffo should of had DPF light and even a message on the IPC.


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no mate not at all
just limp mode service vehicle soon
lucky for me my friend has a top of the range scan tool
and did the fault code clear and DPF regen for £20
the car has been fine since that was done for the last 3 months
but just for precaution after reading about your problems with the DPF
i replaced the exhaust pressure sensor last week just incase that was faulty.

So if this is taken off the mirror heater feed does it come on when you put rear heated screen/ heated mirrors on?

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(18:th-Sep-2016, 18:15:46)cornishtaz Wrote: [ -> ]So if this is taken off the mirror heater feed does it come on when you put rear heated screen/ heated mirrors on?

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Yes mate that's the only downfall.

Will have to get you to look into the Astra K wiring for me

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cheers rusty i will also link this thread to the how to

Does it not say on the dash display Dpf active and then Dpf complete when regeneration finished? Then only thing mine is missing is a time or distance to when the regeneration will be complete so I don't know how much more driving is required before I can stop.
Also FYI the happy blue module has a Dpf section in the diagnostics menus that shows you % full, regeneration time, km since Dpf fitted, number of failed regens, etc.

No you get no message unless the DPF is full.

I did not really like the position of the DPF LED on the insignia in the door speaker
and with it being in the window it was very visible to passing cars and just looked a odd place to have a LED
so i have moved it to the speedo display so only i can see it Haha.





i will add a night pic later on.

Makes more sense to have it by the IPC.


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here is the night shot looks good i think
the way the steering wheel is positioned to where i sit
you can only see the glow and not the LED it is just out of sight
and you still can see the glow in the day and the night
so i will know it is doing a regen no problems
and it wont be that anyoing when the rear heater is actually on.

I bought the Happy Blue module from "Happy Light Show". It shows "DPF active" in the IPC when doing a regen and then "DPF ready" when regen is done.

(21:st-Oct-2016, 17:10:28)Hummelshøj Wrote: [ -> ]I bought the Happy Blue module from "Happy Light Show". It shows "DPF active" in the IPC when doing a regen and then "DPF ready" when regen is done.

I have that! Didn't realise it did that! Ha

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The M072 Android HU will show the Info screen (specifically the rear demister icon) when the DPF regeneratation kicks in. It goes off after a few seconds but you can monitor progress by pressing the INFO button. (See pic)
Top arrow = Icon, Bottom Arrow - No led lit on the switch itself.

Does the CD400 work like this as well ? I don't fancy reinstalling my CD400 to find out.

No it doesn't nor does the navi units

I never get a regen light come on. One way to no is put your cars trip computer into instantaneous fuel consumption.on tick over it should be 0.2 if you find when u come to a round about or junction it is displaying 0.4 you no your car is trying to regen,never turn off engine if 0.4 is displaying, last time I done that the next time I started my car it went into limp mode and had zero power.keep revs 2k or over until your revs drop.