pitstop for car

[Phooey]

Anyone with decent car mechanic skills?

MY OH has a Vauxhall Astra MK5 and yesterday she went to drive it but an engine warning light was on and she had no accelleration. Zilch - revs wouldn't even rise when pedal was to the floor. A friend of hers suggested disconnecting the battery for a bit and see what happens. I disconnected the battery last night and reconnected it this morning and all is back to normal but ... something is obviously wrong.

Any suggestions?

[CGD217]

Try the pedal test as it may throw up what is wrong.

http://www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk/index.php?threads/vauxhall-fault-codes-pedal-trick-test.202018/.

[Phooey]

Try the pedal test as it may throw up what is wrong.

http://www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk/index.php?threads/vauxhall-fault-codes-pedal-trick-test.202018/.

 

Unfortunately mate I don't have any test equipment. Assuming I'll need it for this!

[JRH]

No test instruments required. The code is generated by counting the number of flashes.

Extract from VXON.

"yer corsa's and astra's and zafira's it works for up to now and for people who dont know how do the "pedal trick"

No need for Tech 2 or any sort of code readers and Most of Vauxhall dealers don’t know about this....

When you get into the car you know the key has 3 clicks first on for aftermarket cd player and whatever else and the second one the dash comes on third the starter kicks in

before you put the key into the ignition Make sure that you Press the Break and the Throttle to the Floor ( max )

Then turn the key on until The dash board come on and DONT START THE CAR

Wait 2 sec and keep the pedals Down to the floor

the service light under the management light should start flashing

it will flash 4 times leaving 2 second space representing each number

Zero gets 10 flashes

for exampleP0110

the light will flash ten times Break (2sec Or 1 not sure) then once, (2sec) once again, then ten

if you have more than one code it will stop for a break then gives the next code

however if you don’t have any code stored it will start Flashing and keeps on flashing until you release the paddles"

However as you disconnected the battery the codes may have been cleared.

[Phooey]

Thanks guys

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Disconnecting the battery on newer Vauxhalls (ie anything after the mid 90's 8v engines) doesn't clear the ECU. You need diagnostic kit to clear the codes. So the codes should be in there. I say 'should' because the system isn't foolproof.

The pedal trick works (as above.)

Personally for Vauxhalls I use OpCom - dirt cheap off ebay and a powerful bit of software that will run on a laptop. Just don't go messing with things you don't understand as it can alter fundamental engine management settings.

It is not unknown for them to throw a hissy fit and then clear up the problem themselves. Usually when the EML comes on they go into a default limp home mode. Driveable but not runnign 100%. If you had no acceleration at all then the usual fault is in the drive by wire throttle system. Basically two potentiometers, one on the throttle pedal and the other on the throttle body. A loose connection can cause the same issue but most of the time it's the throttle pedal that is first suspect.

[Six30]

Cam shaft sensor

[Grumpy Old Git]

Remove body exterior and two of the wheels - Fixed!

[fastbob]

This is a long shot but my dad had a problem with an Astra. What was happening was that he would come home from work and park in the drive. Later on he would go out and drive it into the garage. Apparently this very short journey was confusing the automatic choke so that next time the car was started the choke either wouldn't come on or was it off? Can't remember the cure I'm afraid, don't know if this helps. Good luck.

[bmwdave]

I have had a few vauxhalls over the years and this sounds similar to a problem I had that turned out to be the fuel injection relay. I put my OH car in for repair they charged me £50 (long time ago). When my car developed same problem I walked into spares dept and replace part myself - 2 minutes and £15. When the next one failed I went to buy a new one and they'd changed completly. I questioned the guy and they'd changed supplier due to reliability problems. I asked for my money back for the 2 units I'd replaced previously but got nowhere.

[Six30]

Egr valve

[Phooey]

Thanks for all of your suggestions guys.

Apparantly it's the accelerator pedal sensor.