JUST ABOUT TO START OUT ON A SHOPPING TRIP TO WOLVERHAMPTON AND THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT LIGHT CAME ON AND AT ANYTHING OVER 4000RPM AND MISSFIRE WAS FELT,I TOOK MY CAR TO A VAUXHALL AGENT IN WOLVERHAMPTON (CD BRAMALL) WHO SAID HE WOULD LOOK AT IT FOR ME,THE PRICE OF THIS CONSULTATION WAS A STAGGERING £168.43 FOR A NEW CAMSHAFT SENSOR,TECH 2 DIAGNOSIS,PARTS AND LABOUR ESTIMATED AT 1.5 HRS.
MY PROBLEM IS,THE CAR IS ONLY 2.5 YRS OLD 26000 MILES ON THE CLOCK IS REGULARLY SERVICED AT A VAUXHALL DEALER AND HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY OTHER PROBLEMS BEFORE.
WHY SHOULD WE PAY THESE EXTREMELY HIGH PRICES FOR UNEXPECTED WORK ON A VERY LOW MILAGE WELL LOOKED AFTER NEWISH CAR.
HAS ANYBODY ELSE HAD THIS VAUXHALL PROBLEM!
P.S VAUXHALL TECH CENTRE HAS REPORTED NO CURRENT PROBLEM WITH THIS SENSOR AND HAVE NO AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY ON IT.
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I have a Vectra 1.8 that is 18 months old now with 22,000 miles and usual Vauxhall dealer servicing. Although I have not had mis-firing as such, I have noticed occasional "tinkling" sounds - a bit like pinking, but not quite the same.
Anyway, I mentioned it to the dealer and they claim to have "adjusted" the management unit and could not find anything out of the ordinary...
It may be worth you writing to Vauxhall Customer Services because if you buy a new Vectra today, you get a three year warranty and, as far as I can see, the car you buy today is no different from the "facelifted" one which I presume is what yours is. And with all the negative press Vauxhall (unfairly I think) tend to get for their cars, they may be willing to assist?
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Dean
From my experience the Vectra camshaft sensor is not an uncommon failure, but usually at 50k+ miles. The parts are about £120 + VAT, so the figures you're quoted are about what you'd expect.
Regards
John
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Richard
I think the tinkling sound you hear may actually be pinking, or at least the beginning of it. According to Autodata your management system has a knock sensor which means that the engine is tending to run against the knock point most of the time and the management retards the ignition when the sensor, which is in reality a piezo microphone, "hears" the onset of knock. Obviously this means that you may hear it too. My Beemer has the same set up, and when I am say between two walls with a heavy throttle setting in a high gear I can hear the noise you describe. I think this is normal.
Regards
Don Cox.
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Don Cox wrote:
>
> time and the management retards the ignition when the sensor,
> which is in reality a piezo microphone, "hears" the onset of
> knock.
Is this really how it works? An audio sensor for pinking?
It's not a windup?
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Dave
Yup, it's a bit more sophistcated than a microphone, but knock equals vibration, equals bending of the crystal, equals voltage to the ecu (management) resulting in ignition retardation. Not all management systems have knock sensors though.
Regards
Don Cox.
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Had the same job done on my 97 2.0 Sri. Quote from the bill....
Sensor Crankshaft £34.90
3.20 units of labour (which included fitting 4xsuspension bushes was £121.60)
Service chap said it would take 45 miuntes to fit each bush (or pairs - defect in memory). Sensor blew at 51,000. Consultation was free !
Garage.
Caernarfon Vauxhall, (Former Dinas Garaage)
Caernarfon.
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And this is progress??????
Alvin
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Yep, I have heard of many camshaft sensor failures with GM ecotec engines. The price quoted doesn't seem too bad.
Yes, you should ask for some goodwill payment towards this repair, contact Vauxhall Customer Services - perhaps a factual letter will get things moving.
Rgds
David
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