Holden Vectra Problems.

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michaelmurfy

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#67069 27-Aug-2010 15:19

I have this huge problem, it's with my car.
I just took it in today for a service, since it likes cutting out randomly, then developed a problem with overheating. I really don't know much about cars so took it in. They replaced the oil and gave it a general service, but said that the airflow sensor has issues + most of the spark plugs are old. It still has this wicked issue with overheating and cutting out, only just got it home where it will sit unless if I drive it to work (half way) then drive it about 2 hours later when it's cool again to the repairs only to be robbed of more money.

I have had this car for 8mo, I bought it from a caryard and have looked after it. It has ended up just causing more problems than it's worth. I really don't know what to do anymore, I fix one problem and another one happens. The Caryard doesn't want anything to do with it and since I bought this from Nelson and now live in Christchurch it's not viable to travel back to Nelson only to hear "it's not our problem now, it's your problem lulz"

Does the Consumer Guarantees act cover anything like this? or am I left on my own?

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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johnr

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#373631 27-Aug-2010 15:34

You are on your own

michaelmurfy

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#373632 27-Aug-2010 15:37

johnr: You are on your own

Awesome to hear, churs John :P

BrentR

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#373649 27-Aug-2010 16:16

Welcome to the nightmare of owning a Holden Vectra :P

I know it's no help whatsoever, but just saying ;)

wellygary

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#373665 27-Aug-2010 16:42

I'd rather push my Ford than drive your Holden!

Sorry couldn't resist.....

Oblivian

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#373682 27-Aug-2010 17:37

I have a can of airflow sensor cleaner on my desk here, in an attempt to fix similar on my SP20. Ended up being a duffed coil :)

Anyways, if infact it has detected an issue with the flow sensor, it will likely be in 'retarded mode'

Dumbified ECU mode to let you drive, but not at any sort of nominal condition. Often chewing gas as the mixture won't be varying as it normally would. Meant to get you to a mechanics to fix it.

Plugs, can be cheap. Depending on how high up the branding chain you want to go. ~$7 a pop from memory.

Air flow meter sensor.. not so much. Add a bunch more 0's

That wee sucker samples the incoming air volume, then tells your engine how much fuel to add to said volume at time of compression for good burning. You will likely find it right behind your air filter box. And then another one on the incoming just short of the injector head. (works by heating a piece of wire up to a set temp usually around 200deg, then based on how much voltage is required to keep it there it can work out the density of the cooler air around it :) )

They are cleanable, but you have to be super carefull not to touch said wire/sensor. Or ca-ching.

AS for the overheating.. water/coolant ratio right? If not.. thermostat working? Theres a couple of ways to test if they are. Might get more mileage out with the heater on full and windows open :D

robbyp

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#373686 27-Aug-2010 17:44

michaelmurfy: I have this huge problem, it's with my car.
I just took it in today for a service, since it likes cutting out randomly, then developed a problem with overheating. I really don't know much about cars so took it in. They replaced the oil and gave it a general service, but said that the airflow sensor has issues + most of the spark plugs are old. It still has this wicked issue with overheating and cutting out, only just got it home where it will sit unless if I drive it to work (half way) then drive it about 2 hours later when it's cool again to the repairs only to be robbed of more money.

I have had this car for 8mo, I bought it from a caryard and have looked after it. It has ended up just causing more problems than it's worth. I really don't know what to do anymore, I fix one problem and another one happens. The Caryard doesn't want anything to do with it and since I bought this from Nelson and now live in Christchurch it's not viable to travel back to Nelson only to hear "it's not our problem now, it's your problem lulz"

Does the Consumer Guarantees act cover anything like this? or am I left on my own?

You should have read the Dog and lemon guide before buying it. I suspect they would call it a lemon if you check it. It is actually a rebadged Opel, and made in europe somewhere. I would never buy a second hand europeon car that is outside it's warrenty. Best with Japanese, such as toyota.

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robbyp

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#373687 27-Aug-2010 17:45

wellygary: I'd rather push my Ford than drive your Holden!

Sorry couldn't resist.....

However it is not a 'real' holden, just an Opel. Real holdens are those that are made in Oz, however they aren't much more reliable.

michaelmurfy

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#373704 27-Aug-2010 18:42

Oblivian: I have a can of airflow sensor cleaner on my desk here, in an attempt to fix similar on my SP20. Ended up being a duffed coil :)

Anyways, if infact it has detected an issue with the flow sensor, it will likely be in 'retarded mode'

Dumbified ECU mode to let you drive, but not at any sort of nominal condition. Often chewing gas as the mixture won't be varying as it normally would. Meant to get you to a mechanics to fix it.

Plugs, can be cheap. Depending on how high up the branding chain you want to go. ~$7 a pop from memory.

Air flow meter sensor.. not so much. Add a bunch more 0's

That wee sucker samples the incoming air volume, then tells your engine how much fuel to add to said volume at time of compression for good burning. You will likely find it right behind your air filter box. And then another one on the incoming just short of the injector head. (works by heating a piece of wire up to a set temp usually around 200deg, then based on how much voltage is required to keep it there it can work out the density of the cooler air around it :) )

They are cleanable, but you have to be super carefull not to touch said wire/sensor. Or ca-ching.

AS for the overheating.. water/coolant ratio right? If not.. thermostat working? Theres a couple of ways to test if they are. Might get more mileage out with the heater on full and windows open :D

Ah cheers for that, yeah it still drives except the ECU keeps logging faults about one of the sensors, so it's def in dumb mode. Fuel consumption is through the roof so I just tend to run to work each morning.

I don't think it's the air flow sensor, might well be the fuel sensor. I am gonna take it back next week and get them to have a proper look at it and do me up a quote.

Yeah I wish I never bought it, it was at the start a really nice car to drive, I am not interested in a "boy racer" kind of car like a Skyline (of which, my mum owns a R34 GT) - I just wanted something that was nice to drive.

That nice part about driving it went in a month, and the ECU decided there was a problem with the cat convertor, got that fixed up (they chopped it out and replaced it with a Muffler) and it worked better from there, for 2 weeks.

Since that, I have had to get it repaired about 4 times before moving down to chch. I do enjoy driving, as long as it's not my car that I am driving.

I should have done more research before I bought it, not to worry. My next car won't have these issues >.<

corksta

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#377733 8-Sep-2010 06:01

It sure is a lemon.

I used to own a 2000 Holden Vectra, here's how much it cost me over the four years I owned it:

Purchase Price: $17,000
Interest: $8,000 approx.
Repairs/Service: $8,000 approx. (kept all my service reports)

Total: $33,000!!!

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!

They are an absolute lemon. I always had it serviced at Holden and they loved me. Final straw was the head gasket blowing amongst other things which cost $2,900 in one hit. A joke.

Decent looking cars, decent specs, but when they go wrong man do they go wrong.

The best part was when it used to get low on gas it would lose power changing from first to second (was a manual) and would lurch forward when it suddenly gained power again. They never could fix that one, said they could replace the whole fuel tank for a cool few thousand which MIGHT fix the problem.