vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running

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Sun 29 May 2011 15:05
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - sam87

hi im looking some advice! i own a 06 vauxhall vectra 3.0 v6 diesel (62000 miles). Over the past week i've noticed when accelerating (esp on inclines) the whole car will vibrate badly, seems worse when cold although no real loss of power is evidant.

Recently though even when stationary and at idle the revs will drop and rise and the engine will run rough for a few seconds then goes bck to normal, this has happened on three of four occasions with no other symptoms occuring. Last night the above happened again only maybe more severe and through on a light on the bashboard. (symbol for immodiliser, looks like a car with a spanner in the middle) and a reduction in power was noticable. I tried switching the engine off and back on and it fixed it only for it to happen again later that day.

I havent had the car that long so im sure of the exact maintenance record (no receipts) although the service book is fully stamped by independant gararges. The reason i say this is because i have feeling its a fuel problem and can find no evidance of the fuel filter ever being changed.

Am i going down the wrong road? maybe something more sinister! :(

Any help would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.

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Sun 29 May 2011 15:20
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - unthrottled

It really has to be a fuel problem, doesn't it?!

Fuel filter is a very good place to start. If the EMl came on, there should be a fault code somewhere. Might be worth paying an indy to read the codes. Give you a better starting point.

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Mon 30 May 2011 21:12
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - sam87

thanks for the reply, appreciate it alot, got the codes read.

"Misfiring in cylinder 1"

im pretty worried now, what would cause this? could lack of fuel cause a misfire? would this not cause a problem in all the cylinders?

its due to go bck in again, they found "a slightly loose injector" and tightened it today and told me to try it and see but after 20 minutes it reverted back to its old ways!!! should i be expecting a big bill?

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Mon 30 May 2011 21:37
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - unthrottled

I think lack of fuel would cause a random misfire in all cylinders. It looks like that injector is not working properly. It could be the injector itself that's failing or the wiring connection to that injector is fouled/not seated properly. Might be worth swapping #1 injector with another and seeing if the misfire moves to that cylinder.

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Tue 7 Jun 2011 19:54
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - sam87

Its turned out to be a bit of a nightmare to be fair, the bearing on the fuel pump has caused metal fillings to be dispursed through out the engine and some has been found with in the cylinders appearently (which has caused the misfire in cylinder 1). This has rendered the car un fixable which is a real shame because it was such a good going car :(

My question is what am i entitled too? Luckily the car is under warranty and they have said that either i choose another car out off there small selection or i get my own bck which luckily hasnt been sold on yet!

Understandably im dissapointed in the fact ive to revert bck to my old motor, but do you all feel im being treated right? after all the last month, the car has been in and out of the workshop four times with them telling me the vechicle was driving 100% and me arguing it wasnt, only for the situation to play out like this!

Maybe i am expecting to much but with the inconvenience of not only the car but the finance tax and insurance on top of this. I was hoping they would have offered me something better maybe for example a stright sale price on another vechicle to keep my finance package something the same? Maybe im living in dream land but never the less i get the feeling im going to wake up in my original vechicle :(

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 18:19
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - sam87
Please help, advice much needed! I feel like I'm being pushed into a corner here by the dealership. Please read previous post and give your opinion. Thank you in advance.
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Wed 8 Jun 2011 20:01
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - unthrottled

So they are basically offering you your money back?

If you bought the tax disc, you keep it and reclaim the unused months. The same goes for the insurance. The finance is a bit trickier-I assume there are early payment penalties. You could ask for the garage to pay the penalties...

All in all, the situation is frustrating and disappointing but I don't see what else you expect the garage to do. You are being put backin your original position.

I don't really understand how a knackered fuel pump renders the engine unfixable unless the bore of cylinder 1 is badly scored. Perhaps the mechanic has his eye on the car and thinks he can fix it cheaply. In any case, speculation is pointless-they've effectively written the car off.

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 20:13
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - track

A fuel injector wouldnt pass a piece of metal large enough to ruin the cylinders, I suspect they are explaining things incorrectly or they are making excuses to cover something else as susggested above. It does sound like a probelmatic fuel pump from what you described. But worst case would be clean injectors, replace pump and flush lines / tank I would of thought. Maybe have a independant look at it before making a decision.?

Failing that give it back and tell the finance company there is an issue with the vehicle and the garage took it back. That should absolve you of any responsibilty towards them without damaging your credit file. Its something they have to take up the dealer. You cant be charged for something you dont own. Car finance is not the same as a loan in that respect since it is secured on the vehicle.

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 20:31
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - elekie&a/c doctor

Unfortunately this particular v6 diesel engine had fuel injection problems from day one.Gm dealers were advised to fit revised h/pressure pump,pipework and injectors.Very time consuming and expensive job.As the dealer has taken the car back,I would think this has done you a great favour.Btw this engine is made by Isuzu and is fitted to several cars including the renault espace and Vel satis.hth

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 20:33
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - unthrottled

The explanation seems to be nonsense to me-but if the garage are unwilling to fix it and are offering the buyer his money back, I know which option I would choose!

If the fuel pump has destroyed its bearing why is only one cylinder misfiring??

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 22:25
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - sam87

thats what i think! why only 1 cylinder but it is cylinder 1 so maybe thats as far as the pieces of "metal" got to.

Its true what you say, that they are in thoery putting me bck into my own car which may i add have up at 8000 when i got only 6400 trade and that was after haggling but thats beside the point althought the word greedy does come to mind.

But as a customer who put there faith in the dealership to sell me a product fit for porpose then for that product to fail the way it did i think im owed something?

I know we all live a suing culture and sometimes it gets tiresome hearing about people chancing there luck, but when i consider the amount ive been put out

Half days at work

Refused overtime to either pick car up or drop off

Got lifts of others because a courtesy car was unavailable

Insurance payments of £25 each time a courtesy car was available for admin fees (crappy post office)

And just the general time wasted for hanging about the dealership to be told either lies about what they had supposedly done or else the car was driving 100 %

Bottom line is i would like to think im owed something

I traded my 308 in for a reason (3 doors) being the main reason among others, i dont want want it bck yet i dont want a more expensive car either.

I seen a civic at 8700 and asked since my car is up for 8000 why cant i pay the 700 difference and take the civic (5 doors) that way they would be losing very little yet they would have another satisfied customer but hey saaid no way and worked some mad figure out off over £2000 extra on top of what im pay'n now. Ive got the manager phoning me 2morrow to take it further as the salesteam just (in my opinion) dont care.

Sorry for how long winded this is but if im telling the situation i might as well say it right

i really do appreciatre the help from everyone so i thank you alot.

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 22:41
vauxhall vectra c - hesitation and rough running - sam87

also can i add after the salesman promised me he would stop the direct debit first thing this morning as its due to come out any day now, i phone up at 4 oclock to find hes done no such thing.

Between the bank the dealership and the finance company telling me to go to either one of themselves i eventually got it stopped just in time, although my name will be blackmarked if the dealership doesnt pay FOR THEIR CAR by the 11 of this month. Yet again more stress i wouldnt have had if the car had off been properly checked in the first place. ARGH

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