Masseyboy89 Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Sorry, I know this is quite a step from MV's! but have any of you had or heard of the same or similar problem? It would seem like it's not uncommon hence the ask. The car in question is my other-halves Vauxhall astra, it's a 55plate with 1.7ctdi engine its done nearly 100k if that makes any odds. The problem: in the past week it has been doing subtle things to play up, ie, lights not wanting to dip and it wouldnt lock one night. However, yesterday, started it, it sounded well rough and was tick over was 300rpm higher than normal, turned it off, and on, drove it to town, no issuses. That night, took the car to our friends house, idle was high, drove it, mile down the road battery warning light came on, turned it off, then on, it was ok, carried on, the wipers didnt work and the light got stuck on main beam, another couple of miles and the battery light was on again and it felt down on power, then we started to loose the power steering pulled up at his house, there was no power steering at all and idle was really high. Turned the car off, then it wouldn't start, instead, you turn the key and it was making a ticking sound and flashing the reverse lights and interior lights. left it for a couple of hours, and it started, it was running fast again and none of the lights worked, turned it off and it ticked and flashed the lights! We got a lift home and will trailer the car home later today, any ideas? I think ECU and my mate reckons don't rule out bad earth? The battery is good and the aux belt is fine either way I'm sick of the sight of it!! bring back the days of mechanical diesels! :nut: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Big favourite would be water penetration of the electrics, either the wiring to the ECU or the ECU connections themselves, given the range of problems it is showing. Find out where in the car they have hidden it, and check for saturated carpets, wiring, and connections in the immediate vicinity. It will be a five minute fix, but will need the man with the machine, dealer, and / or £££ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Some of those faults described are identical to my old (petrol) Cavalier.....chased the fault for a week....found it in the end ....loose earth strap from the engine to body. I'm with your mate on this one.....although I confess can't tie in the lack of power steering thing. If the engine was running then so was the power steering pump. Odd. I'd check all earth straps for a kick off anyway. Not just the one from battery to body...there are others I think you'll find. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masseyboy89 Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 Thanks guys, I will hope that an earth is the problem. I think there is an electrical involvement with the steering, despite having a pump? possibly for some sort of stability management, I seem to remember when we bought it seeing a list of abbreviated c@#p it has on it to make it 'drive better' - Or to make it so hideously over complicated you need to re-mortgage the house ever time it develops a fault! However, now you mention water penetration, I remember a very similar problem on my mum's diesel passat about 6years ago, that was water in an ecu but she forgot to close the sunroof and left in in the drive during a thunderstorm! It wrote the car off as the quotes coming in for a fix were serious ££££ I'm glad it's happened now though, it was going in for a cambelt next week!! I would be very un-impressed if it started this game after i'd picked up the tab for that! I think I'll stick with my landrover! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Id go for water in one of the control units, probably under the dashboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 I've seen similar on a LDV van, guess where the water went? The EMU unit was removed and packed in silca gel bags overnight. Solved the problem. The Dart busues do it for a pass time. The enginners have invested in a couple of hair dryers. Question is though, whwere is the water coming from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 I'd go for the earth fault - I don't see how the ECU could affect the lights! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 I'd go with the earth idea, especially the one from the alternator. If the power steering shares the same belt as the alternator this would account for the problem there. The batteries will be suffering from the lack of charge, so that when the alternator "is" charging it will be under a much heavier load, this will drag the belt speed down, thereby slowing the steering pump down as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisg Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Something in the back of my mind is telling me the the power steering has an electric pump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Something in the back of my mind is telling me the the power steering has an electric pump Chris, Just found this, looks like you are on to something here; http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=78387 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 The power steering on Astra is electric hydraulic pump. I would check earths, alternator and battery condition. If alternator is not charging it will run off battery. A battery should recover some charge when left. Clicking noise sounds like mine when battery failed. My 2000 model has a habit of misbehaving when battery charge is low. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berna2vm Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I'd go for the earth fault - I don't see how the ECU could affect the lights! Andy Modern cars have a 'BSI' ecu which is pretty much like the brain in our human heads. It controls almost every function of the electrical components on the vehicle eg, windows, door locking, interior lights,exterior lights etc... It could be damp.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny loot Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 alternator problem it`s not regulating correctly it`s a fault with astras,power sterring is electrical and is one of the first things to pack in as it take the most load from the alternator, the warning light on the dash`s of vauxhalls don`t always work ,while your under the engine near the alternator check for oil leaks from behind the cam belt cover another fault with the h model diesel is the oil pump leaking and the pulley comes off wreaking the engine , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana and Jackie Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Corsa's have a similar type of fault which makes no sense at all with extremely wierd symptoms, Its simply the instrument conector behind the dash, remove the instrument pod and pack out the connector with double sided tape forcing it towards the instrument pod. The idiot designer attached the connector to the dash fascia so it moves as the plastic expands/contracts and generally moves about. People have paid hundreds to dubious garages to have this fault fixed - worth checking out. Also belive Vauxhall Meriva's have the problem too. D&J Sorry, I know this is quite a step from MV's! but have any of you had or heard of the same or similar problem? It would seem like it's not uncommon hence the ask. The car in question is my other-halves Vauxhall astra, it's a 55plate with 1.7ctdi engine its done nearly 100k if that makes any odds. The problem: in the past week it has been doing subtle things to play up, ie, lights not wanting to dip and it wouldnt lock one night. However, yesterday, started it, it sounded well rough and was tick over was 300rpm higher than normal, turned it off, and on, drove it to town, no issuses. That night, took the car to our friends house, idle was high, drove it, mile down the road battery warning light came on, turned it off, then on, it was ok, carried on, the wipers didnt work and the light got stuck on main beam, another couple of miles and the battery light was on again and it felt down on power, then we started to loose the power steering pulled up at his house, there was no power steering at all and idle was really high. Turned the car off, then it wouldn't start, instead, you turn the key and it was making a ticking sound and flashing the reverse lights and interior lights. left it for a couple of hours, and it started, it was running fast again and none of the lights worked, turned it off and it ticked and flashed the lights! We got a lift home and will trailer the car home later today, any ideas? I think ECU and my mate reckons don't rule out bad earth? The battery is good and the aux belt is fine either way I'm sick of the sight of it!! bring back the days of mechanical diesels! :nut: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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