1.6 cdti power loss

[ihastings]

Hi Folks, I've recently bought a 2014 astra 1.6cdti sports tourer techline which is giving me no end of trouble...

When I collected the car from Arnold Clark I didnt think anything of the "Service Vehicle soon" message when putting the key in the ignition as I'd mistakenly assumed that the service warning hadn't been reset following the pre-sale service. Turns out, as I found out the next day, that the DPF had issues as when turned on ignition to set up my phone with the headunit, the dispaly on the dash was displaying a "DPF full continue driving mandatory" message. Blasted car in 3rd for a few miles and message disappeared, only to reappear the next day. Follwed previous action and cleared again. Informed dealer of issue which they agreed to look at. 2 forced regens and a set of high pressure glow plugs later, car was returned seemingly fixed.

I now have an issue where the car (once engine up to temp) loses power when pushed, eg overtaking or accelerating up a steep gradient. By loss of power i mean car hesitates then refuses to rev past 200 rpm, no fault indicated on display, no power reduced message or service vehicle soon. pulling in and turning the car off and back on again cures the issue at least for 50 or so miles. Also don't seem to get much mileage between passive regens( assuming read demist active when not commanded is a passive regen..), 50 - 100 miles, I would have thought around 200+ would be the norm. I suspect DPF issue was a symptom of another fault?

[Hydrolock]

Problems with the DPF often start after the exhaust gas recirculation valve (EGR) starts failing. I would check if the valve is working properly. They like to get jammed with soot.

Just like you said, you should be getting 200+ miles between regens, even when driving mostly in the city.

[ihastings]

I've managed to get Arnold clark to agree to me taking the car to a vauxhall dealer for a diagnosis as I doubt their service center code reader will pick up and faults as I've said there is nothing on the driver display to indicate a fault. I'm liking the car but if I cant get fault fixed I will be rejecting the vehicle. Maybe I should have been concerned when I queried the MOT history with dealer as to why there were 2 MOTs within 6 months to be told the last buyer cancelled the sale so they re-MOT'd so can had min 11 months...

[ihastings]

Turns out car has an under boost issue with the turbo, though its cause has not yet been located..

[niteram]

At least your getting some answers

[superdan]

Hello mate, share your pain as I am having the exact same issue. P0299 underboost condition.

I think the EGR is jamming as my DPF regens have been getting more frequent.

Let us know your outcome :-)

Mines booked in for Monday so i'll let you know what mine is.

[Rusty2009]

It could be a sticking wastegate, a faulty SCV or a faulty pressure sensor of course it could be none of them things.

[everson38]

Hey guys I seem to be in the ball park area also but completely lost on what to do / look. My issues are


1) my rev needle is sitting at 500 revs (not sure if that is low and then at times it fluctuates up and.down.

2) when driving and trying to set off it just doesn't seem to have the same power. It's intermittent but at times the power just don't feel there

3) The automatic stop start doesn't work anymore, or shall I say majority.of the time it doesn't work and then here and there it comes back

4) My radiator fan seems to come on a lot. Once car is up to temp and I rev the car once it will kick in and then stop. I rev it.again once and off it goes again not sure if that is normal. The temperature gauge is in the middle though

Car doesn't have any warming lights but just wondering of anythings to check and any info on what could happen if left unattended as my car still drives but she just seems a little off? Worry or not to worry?

Thank you

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[ihastings]

Well just had full fault diagnosis from vauxhall after they removed the front end of the car...

• Crack in pipe from exhaust manifold
  
• damaged vain and play in spindle on turbo
  
• oil/filter change required due to multiple forced regens by Arnold Clark
  

So essentially I'm looking at a new exhaust manifold and a new turbo together with 8 hours labour, hopefully all covered by warranty..

[superdan]

Eeeek! I wonder what caused that damage!

If mine is that bad it will be going lol.

Shame really as its a nice car when its running right.

[ihastings]

Vauxhall recon either someone had been at the turbo or more likely a large piece of carbon impacted vanes. Not sure where the crack in the manifold is, but suppose it may have overheated due to the frequent regens?

I would say though that the issues with mine are probably worst case and not the usual cause of under boost issues.

[ihastings]

Oh joy... Arnold Clark are saying vauxhall quote is excessive and wont authorise repairs...

[everson38]

Oh joy... Arnold Clark are saying vauxhall quote is excessive and wont authorise repairs...

So where does that leave u? Since its under warranty they have to fix it surely

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[ihastings]

Apparently they are going to collect it from the vauxhall dealer who diagnosed the faults and take it to one of Arnold Clarks vauxhall dealerships for repairs..
Worried they wriggle out of replacing the turbo..

[everson38]

Apparently they are going to collect it from the vauxhall dealer who diagnosed the faults and take it to one of Arnold Clarks vauxhall dealerships for repairs..
Worried they wriggle out of replacing the turbo..

Yeah I see u r point the one way u maybe able to preemptive strike just in case they wriggle out of turbo repair is yourself take it to a vauxhall dealership and if they both come up with same issues it's 2 vs 1 in a sense. Only downside that diagnostic may have to come out of own pocket but better to be sage than sorry

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[ihastings]

They are already trying to wriggle out of the recommended oil change that vauxhall dealer says is required due to the 2 forced regens Arnold Clark carried out.
Oil is noticeably thin and smells of diesel, but AC say its fine as oil life indicator is at 68%..

[everson38]

They are already trying to wriggle out of the recommended oil change that vauxhall dealer says is required due to the 2 forced regens Arnold Clark carried out.
Oil is noticeably thin and smells of diesel, but AC say its fine as oil life indicator is at 68%..

It should be replaced the oil change I had to do it on a Nissan juke after it had dpf issues. The oil service light is nothing but a switch that trips when the car hits a certain amount of miles. So say now if u had oil changed and then they never reset the service light it would still show 68% regardless of any new oil and filter in there. I would put that to them with them saying 68% is fine.

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[ihastings]

Well despite AC saying they were putting the car into one of their Vauxhall dealerships, the put it into the motorstore service center I bought the car from, and surprise surprise, they cant find any fault with the car and play in the turbo spindle is normal.. 

Thinks i'm left with 2 options 
1. reject the car back as not fit for purpose, which is a shame as really good car to drive, when its working and a long drawn out process when it AC
2. buy a vauxhall warranty for £350 then claim from new turbo etc..

[everson38]

I would personally g8vr the car back. You've had vauxhall say it has problems but AC saying nah its fine. I believe u will regret it in long run. Buying a vauxhall warranty but again the check that vauxhall did maybe logged in the system so whether they will use that to get out of it. Annoying to give it back but believe u will regret it more if it goes horrible the other way.

Well despite AC saying they were putting the car into one of their Vauxhall dealerships, the put it into the motorstore service center I bought the car from, and surprise surprise, they cant find any fault with the car and play in the turbo spindle is normal.. 

Thinks i'm left with 2 options 
1. reject the car back as not fit for purpose, which is a shame as really good car to drive, when its working and a long drawn out process when it AC
2. buy a vauxhall warranty for £350 then claim from new turbo etc..

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[niteram]

I would agree with the post ^^^^
give it back to them
they won't fix it properly
the warranty sounds like a good idea, but I don't think it will cover pre-existing faults

[ihastings]

Looks like I will be rejecting the car, 4 days in and numerous calls to vauxhall dealer who diagnosed the faults, AC still cant find anything wrong. And are also adamant that as the car had a service and oil change on the 23 July and because the oil life indicator is only at 68% an oil change is not required (being thin and smelling of diesel is ok according to AC). Play in the turbo spindle is normal for a car of this age apparently, as is passive regens every 50 miles..

[everson38]

Sorry to hear matey. Really annoying but take the good out the bad. U saw the future b4 it happened. Look how they are going on already. All faith lost in that AC. Even if they did the work due to you cornering them, would u feel comfrtabke going in the future. The cars problems would on get worse and leave u with big bills to cover. You don't need them but they need u. Miltown other astras out there and now u have a sort of check list if u decide to get another.

Looks like I will be rejecting the car, 4 days in and numerous calls to vauxhall dealer who diagnosed the faults, AC still cant find anything wrong. And are also adamant that as the car had a service and oil change on the 23 July and because the oil life indicator is only at 68% an oil change is not required (being thin and smelling of diesel is ok according to AC). Play in the turbo spindle is normal for a car of this age apparently, as is passive regens every 50 miles..

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[ihastings]

Very true.. Well after a week of AC spanner monkeys being unable to find any fault, they are now taking it to one of their specialist vauxhall tech centers. Cant wait to hear what they say..
Anyway I cant reject the car back until I get it returned and can verify there is still a fault. I've already preped the solicitor and finance company as I believe AC like to be taken to court before they take a car back..

Really is a shame as it is a nice car to drive, may get another or possible a K??

[ihastings]

Well small update for anyone interested, Car arrived at one of AC's Vauxhall dealers, 30 minutes in the door and they confirmed all the faults found by my local vauxhall dealer, Turbo and exhaust manifold replacement authorized and currently on order... happy days as when the car was being diagnosed by my local dealer I took the liberty and asked them to check the car over for any other issues and they confirmed only these parts required.

[everson38]

Well small update for anyone interested, Car arrived at one of AC's Vauxhall dealers, 30 minutes in the door and they confirmed all the faults found by my local vauxhall dealer, Turbo and exhaust manifold replacement authorized and currently on order... happy days as when the car was being diagnosed by my local dealer I took the liberty and asked them to check the car over for any other issues and they confirmed only these parts required.

Happy days. Shows that AC mechanics are not upto the challenge of deeper vauxhall issues jlthen . Keep us posted after the work is done.

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[Rusty2009]

Well small update for anyone interested, Car arrived at one of AC's Vauxhall dealers, 30 minutes in the door and they confirmed all the faults found by my local vauxhall dealer, Turbo and exhaust manifold replacement authorized and currently on order... happy days as when the car was being diagnosed by my local dealer I took the liberty and asked them to check the car over for any other issues and they confirmed only these parts required.

That's good news. 

But from my dealings and many others Vauxhall dealers can only report on the faults if they can see the actual fault on the computer. If there is no fault they come back and say no fault found they are just fitters these days that do what the computer tell's them.