Problems with Zafira diesel

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Simon - 20 Feb 2007 15:07 GMT

Hi there,
We are just starting to get some problems with our Zafira 2.0DTi and
wondered if anyone had any clues...

Had the car from new 3 years ago and covered 10,000 miles each year.
Serviced by a Vauxhall dealer every year and never had a problem with
the car. Last Wednesday it went in for a 3 year (30,000 miles)
service. My wife drove the car home, then drove to work the next
morning. Tried to start the car at lunchtime - no go. First time ever
the car has failed to start. Called out the RAC. They couldn't start
it either and thought the problem might be the fuel pump.

So Friday morning, RAC tow the car to the Vauxhall garage. The garage
put a jump pack on and it starts first time. They try again every
couple of hours and it starts first time, each time.

Drove the car about 50 miles on Saturday, 10 miles Sunday & 10 miles
Monday - no problems.

Today, my wife drove the car a couple of miles to drop the kids off
somewhere. Got back in - car wouldn't start - lots of black smoke from
the exhaust. RAC called out again. The RAC found that there was "no
oil" in the engine (about 1mm on the bottom of the dipstick). He put a
litre of oil in and it started ok. He said that the low oil would make
it difficult to start when cold, although on both occasions, it has
started from cold, but then failed to start a little later.

I phoned the garage that performed the service. They couldn't believe
that there was no oil - said that the warning lights would have come
on and there would have been all sorts of noises from the engine while
we were driving.
There hasn't been any strange noises, black smoke, warning lights or
oil spills on our driveway.

I'm a bit suspicious that the car has been problem-free for 3 years,
then fails twice immediately after the garage have "serviced" it. I've
been reading on the newsgroups this morning that this engine is really
heavy on oil, but I've checked the oil level periodically and haven't
noticed any great loss. Anyway, this shouldn't be relevant a few days
after the garage changed the oil...

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Simon

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MrCheerful - 20 Feb 2007 17:04 GMT

> Hi there,
> We are just starting to get some problems with our Zafira 2.0DTi and
[quoted text clipped - 42 lines]
>
> Simon

the non starting is typical of the vectra problem with the spill pipes.
The oil, I don't know, but I do know they hold a lot, so did it get filled
properly when serviced? Even when off the stick there can still be enough
to keep it lubed, so I wouldn't panic about that, and slightly low oil (1
litre) will not effect starting. Cold weather and an old battery will
though.

Mrcheerful

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Simon - 20 Feb 2007 19:47 GMT

> > Hi there,
> > We are just starting to get some problems with our Zafira 2.0DTi and
[quoted text clipped - 51 lines]
>
> Mrcheerful

My wife took the car into the Vauxhall garage this afternoon. They
checked the oil and said there was about 1 litre too much in there and
had to drain it. Who knows what the RAC man was thinking...
They checked over the car for about 90 minutes, but couldn't find
anything wrong. However, I got the impression that checking the car
just means plugging their diagnostic kit into our engine management
system. They said to bring the car back in a couple of days, so I'll
see if they can check the spill pipes and injector seals then.

Reply to this Message

Tim.. - 20 Feb 2007 20:33 GMT

>> > Hi there,
>> > We are just starting to get some problems with our Zafira 2.0DTi and
[quoted text clipped - 62 lines]
> system. They said to bring the car back in a couple of days, so I'll
> see if they can check the spill pipes and injector seals then.

The DTI engines are very tricky to oil-dip properly as it takes *ages* for
all the oil to return to the sump- typically 40 or more mins.

Over-filling is very common.

Low oil on the DTI also causes problems with the vacuum pump and engine
controls, reuslting in limp home mode and strange drivability problems.

Tim..

Reply to this Message

moray - 21 Feb 2007 10:30 GMT

>> Hi there,
>> We are just starting to get some problems with our Zafira 2.0DTi and
[quoted text clipped - 49 lines]
> litre) will not effect starting. Cold weather and an old battery will
> though.

It does sound like a spill pipe issue, but I would of expected it not to
start from cold either.
But I'd certainly be checking the spill pipes, as at 3 year old, they're
probably starting to perish anyway. It could be that they were disturbed
enough during the service for them to now fail.

Reply to this Message

Tim.. - 21 Feb 2007 10:51 GMT

>>> Hi there,
>>> We are just starting to get some problems with our Zafira 2.0DTi and
[quoted text clipped - 55 lines]
> probably starting to perish anyway. It could be that they were disturbed
> enough during the service for them to now fail.

Definately replace the spill pipes anyhow to rule them out, less than £10,
but I wouldnt blame perished spill pipes for a no-warm start.

Tim..

Reply to this Message

moray - 21 Feb 2007 12:31 GMT

>>>> Hi there,
>>>> We are just starting to get some problems with our Zafira 2.0DTi and
[quoted text clipped - 58 lines]
> Definately replace the spill pipes anyhow to rule them out, less than £10,
> but I wouldnt blame perished spill pipes for a no-warm start.

Having just read through it again, the black smoke is strange.
If it was the spill pipes, the engine would just spin over before starting
in a cloud of white smoke.

Could be a failed EGR valve, which would give those symptoms, but I've never
personally seen one fail on that engine, and I would also expect some
driveability issues. Unless it's the later engine with the electric
watercooled EGR valve, but they normally register numerous fault codes
should they fail (and I don't think the later engine was fitted to zafiras).

Reply to this Message

Simon - 25 Feb 2007 15:35 GMT

> >>>> Hi there,
> >>>> We are just starting to get some problems with our Zafira 2.0DTi and
[quoted text clipped - 68 lines]
> watercooled EGR valve, but they normally register numerous fault codes
> should they fail (and I don't think the later engine was fitted to zafiras).

Well, a different failure today. It's been ok since the last trip to
the garage. Today, it started ok. Drove to the shops. Started ok
again, pulled onto a dual carriageway, a bit juddery, then the revs
just died. I managed to pull in safely luckily. The engine didn't ever
cut out and still no dashboard lights, but now the car starts fine and
idles, but when you put your foot on the accelerator, nothing happens
- no revs.

RAC towed me back to the Vauxhall garage. No service people there on
Sunday, but there was the sales guy who has been trying to flog us a
new car for a few weeks! At least this time there is an obvious
failure somewhere, so even Vauxhall should be able to find it.

Does the recent history of poor starting and today's loss of revs
point to an obvious solution?

Reply to this Message

Tim.. - 25 Feb 2007 16:11 GMT

On 21 Feb, 12:31, "moray" <mtb_hyphen_ru...@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:

> "Tim.." <the.farm...@spam.btinternet.com> wrote in message
>
[quoted text clipped - 87 lines]
> should they fail (and I don't think the later engine was fitted to
> zafiras).

Reply to this Message

Simon - 26 Feb 2007 14:50 GMT

> On 21 Feb, 12:31, "moray" <mtb_hyphen_ru...@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 112 lines]
>
> Tim..

OK Tim, my ignorance of cars has now been exposed :-) I don't
understand any of these terms: PPS, linkage, multiplug.
Would any of these things have a partial failure mechanism that would
cause the car to occasionally fail to start?

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