Astra cutting out when idling

djordan

Hi guys,

Looking for some help with a 99 Opel Astra, a few months ago I had my coil pack replaced and last week when I was stoped at lights the engine cut out on my ( 7am on Gardener st ) and all the nice lights on the dash come on. Got it started again and again when the engine was at Idle it cut out. Taken it to a mate who has services the car for the last 3 years and he replaced the Coil pack again. Seemed to work for about 30 mins and then cut out. My mate said it would have to go back to Opel and may need a software upgrade error code on the ECG said low pri and secondary voltage. Spoke to Opel and they said it could need a new Ignition or a faulty wire or lose connection. Either way it will cost me. Any one ever hear of this... or do I add it to the long list of Opel faults..

Any info would be great.

tred

djordan wrote:

Hi guys,

Looking for some help with a 99 Opel Astra, a few months ago I had my coil pack replaced and last week when I was stoped at lights the engine cut out on my ( 7am on Gardener st ) and all the nice lights on the dash come on. Got it started again and again when the engine was at Idle it cut out. Taken it to a mate who has services the car for the last 3 years and he replaced the Coil pack again. Seemed to work for about 30 mins and then cut out. My mate said it would have to go back to Opel and may need a software upgrade error code on the ECG said low pri and secondary voltage. Spoke to Opel and they said it could need a new Ignition or a faulty wire or lose connection. Either way it will cost me. Any one ever hear of this... or do I add it to the long list of Opel faults..

Any info would be great.

did they change the plugs as well?. Coil packs are problems in lots of cars. I do know for e.g wiht renault, when u change the plugs and coil packs, you must use renault plugs, as others can apparently cause the coild to fail again. i heard this from an experienced mechanic at weekend.

dak

I had a similar problem with my opel omega. Turned out to be a crankshaft sensor thta need replacing ... you would have to check if your astra has one

djordan

Cheers for the feed back lads,

Think the plugs are ok as they have been replaced with the new coil, but will check it out.

Yeah the astra does have a crankshaft sensor, I would have no way of checking it out. Are they expensive to replace.

Getting nothing but issues now with the astra which is a shame as I love driving it but have has a number of things go wrong. Coils, head gasket..

patrickc

djordan wrote:

Cheers for the feed back lads,

Think the plugs are ok as they have been replaced with the new coil, but will check it out.

Yeah the astra does have a crankshaft sensor, I would have no way of checking it out. Are they expensive to replace.

Getting nothing but issues now with the astra which is a shame as I love driving it but have has a number of things go wrong. Coils, head gasket..

the head goes on very astra without fail about 90,000 miles, once it goes though and is replaced it's hassle free.

djordan

Mine went at 60K, and mates sister has a 00 astra as she liked mine and 5 mths later she got the same issue. Was not too bad cost me 850 to get the head, timing belt and water pump done. I was quoted €1200 in glasnevin.

invincibleirish

yep headgasket went on my astra a few months ago at around 94000 miles,clockwork indeed

djordan

Has any one thought about getting a car in from the UK, have been look into it. Working out that getting a 03 or 04 Honda Accord for 6K ( STG ) which is €8800 and €4500 VRT total Cost €13300 and one over here is about €17500 to 18k. Any one every used a UK address and not had to pay the VRT?

djordan

Well lads on update on the Astra, After it cutting out when Idle and replacing the coil ( again ) I took the car to Opel in Airside..... after a Diagnostic check I was told that the ECU had failed and this was the Issue.. and the cost would be €1132.75. Lads get rid of your astras.......

Darragh29

djordan wrote:

Well lads on update on the Astra, After it cutting out when Idle and replacing the coil ( again ) I took the car to Opel in Airside..... after a Diagnostic check I was told that the ECU had failed and this was the Issue.. and the cost would be €1132.75. Lads get rid of your astras.......

Be careful there Ted with that advice. I currently have a 2002 Opel Astra in here for a similar problem to your's above. The car won't start or if it will after about 10 attempts, the engine will start and run for 5 seconds and then cut out.

The car was brought to an Opel main dealer who insisted on immediately replacing the coil pack and EGR valve, costing I understand over 700 Euro.

The customer brought the car to me for a second opinion and asked us to just diagnose the problem and cost the repair. After 1 hour, we had worked out that the CAT was completely blocked and the problem was that the engine couldn't breath as the CAT was blocked, so exhaust gases could not flow from the engine. We removed the lambda sensor to see if the engine would start, the logic being that the exhaust gases would exit via the lambda sensor port/hole when the lambda sensor was removed and after trying this, the engine could be started and will run.

If the customer had have listened to the Opel main dealer, he would probably have ended up with a bill close to 2k.

crosstownk

djordan wrote:

I was told that the ECU had failed and this was the Issue.. and the cost would be €1132.75. Lads get rid of your astras.......

Darragh29 wrote:

Be careful there Ted with that advice.

I'd agree with Darragh. I've seen many a car diagnosed with a faulty ECU and when the new one was fitted - guess what? Same fault and a waste of money. Generally ECUs don't fail - it's usually the mechanic's ECU that has failed.

Get a second opinion - and a third if necessary. I've had plenty of Astras (+100) through my hands and never once have I forked out for an ECU.