Astra 1.6 Turbo - misfire/hesitation
Discussion
I have an Astra 1.6 T SRI and it has had a misfire or hesitation since I bought it. It seems worse when it the engine is cold and the weather wet but it does do it in all conditions with a cold engine. It feels like a "damp stutter". It happens when I am driving, at normal acceleration up from 1st to 2nd and 3rd but never 5th or 6th whilst cruising. Once i change gear and start accelerating it speeds up but then it jumps, as if it is flicked off for a moment. If I floor it it doesnt do it, though this is not a good idea in a town! As it is less than a year old I have had it to VX 3 times and although they can feel the fault they will not do anything as it doesnt show a fault code. They say to let it develop. Anyone any ideas?
Had something similar on mine (astra vxr), turned out to be the coil pack. However, this did throw up the engine management light every time and it went into 'limp home' mode. Also it could be the ecu retarding some of the settings due to a cold engine, if my engine isn't warm and i hoon it through the gears its guaranteed to throw up engine management. Other than that are you sure its not the traction control? Try taking it off and see if it happens, i say because i know on mine the traction control light doesnt always flash up even when it kicks in.
Edited by meloe on Thursday 23 October 21:32
I think that may be a good idea, thanks rsstman. You hit one thing on the head - they do seem a little useless! When it was in last they said that they had called VX Technical who told them just to let it develop as they cannot do any thing without a fault code.....I remember when garages were able to fault diagnose by trying things - rather than having a laptop tell them the fault and what to change! I will find another dealer and write to VX. Cheers mate.
Doesn't sound like exactly the same problem but I had a stutter with my 2.0 T on idle when it was warm. It would stutter every 10 seconds or so.
Did a bit of reserach on the Vauxhall forums and its quite common. Theres an earthing mod that can be done (did this but made no difference to mine) but the plugs quite often get mentioned. Changed mine to some irridium plugs and bingo - problem gone.
Could be a similar thing ??
Did a bit of reserach on the Vauxhall forums and its quite common. Theres an earthing mod that can be done (did this but made no difference to mine) but the plugs quite often get mentioned. Changed mine to some irridium plugs and bingo - problem gone.
Could be a similar thing ??
Thanks for this advice SimonV8ster, as it happens it is in with another VX Dealer today and tomorrow to see if they can solve it. It has also developed a gremlin where the steering wheel controls don't function if the lights are on!
I will let them know of your advice should they fail to identify the cause this time and will get them to fit the plugs. Thanks again mate.
I will let them know of your advice should they fail to identify the cause this time and will get them to fit the plugs. Thanks again mate.
Hi Dave,
I have had my 1.6T about 4 weeks and I have noticed something similar to this, I keep wondering if its my imagination that I feel this "hesitation" or if its me, its like you say as though the acceleration "slips" for a second. Its usually in second gear for me but seems pretty random as to when it strikes.
A mate of mine wondered if it was something to do with the traction control and told me ESP/TC can be disabled in "sport mode" by pressing the sport switch for 4-5 seconds, the car/skid icon illuminates and ESPoff flashes on the dash. I have actually yet to try this in practice though.
How did you get on at the stealer?
I also notice first gear on my 1.6T seems to be a wet lettuce, which I didn't notice on the demo car I tried but cant say I gave it some welly in 1st gear. My car has only done 500 miles so I have been treating it a bit gently so far.
I have had my 1.6T about 4 weeks and I have noticed something similar to this, I keep wondering if its my imagination that I feel this "hesitation" or if its me, its like you say as though the acceleration "slips" for a second. Its usually in second gear for me but seems pretty random as to when it strikes.
A mate of mine wondered if it was something to do with the traction control and told me ESP/TC can be disabled in "sport mode" by pressing the sport switch for 4-5 seconds, the car/skid icon illuminates and ESPoff flashes on the dash. I have actually yet to try this in practice though.
How did you get on at the stealer?
I also notice first gear on my 1.6T seems to be a wet lettuce, which I didn't notice on the demo car I tried but cant say I gave it some welly in 1st gear. My car has only done 500 miles so I have been treating it a bit gently so far.
Edited by stormyuk on Saturday 1st November 22:48
Stormyuk
Thanks for the reply mate. The VX dealer had my car all last week and all they did was to re programme the ECU as they had to change a control unit on the steering controls. They told me they could not get the car to "stutter".
Before it went in I did switch the TC off and it made no difference. On Friday I went to a local dealer that had a couple of 1.6T's and I tried them both and to my surprise they both did the same thing as mine and yours appear to do! Similarly when the VX dealer tried a Corsa VXR, which has the same engine & Turbo that did it as well.
It does seem to be at trait of the car and VX will not do anything until a fault code is thrown up. I must say though that since it was re programmed it has not been anywhere near as prominent. I think we may just have to live with it until VX get enough complaints they do something with the software.
They are good cars though, other than that, don't you think?
I haven't really noticed first gear but now you mention it I will watch for it next time I am out in the car (later today). I have noticed that the gearbox is a bit notchy and can be difficult to get into 1st and reverse - is yours the same?
Cheers mate, Dave
Thanks for the reply mate. The VX dealer had my car all last week and all they did was to re programme the ECU as they had to change a control unit on the steering controls. They told me they could not get the car to "stutter".
Before it went in I did switch the TC off and it made no difference. On Friday I went to a local dealer that had a couple of 1.6T's and I tried them both and to my surprise they both did the same thing as mine and yours appear to do! Similarly when the VX dealer tried a Corsa VXR, which has the same engine & Turbo that did it as well.
It does seem to be at trait of the car and VX will not do anything until a fault code is thrown up. I must say though that since it was re programmed it has not been anywhere near as prominent. I think we may just have to live with it until VX get enough complaints they do something with the software.
They are good cars though, other than that, don't you think?
I haven't really noticed first gear but now you mention it I will watch for it next time I am out in the car (later today). I have noticed that the gearbox is a bit notchy and can be difficult to get into 1st and reverse - is yours the same?
Cheers mate, Dave
Hiya,
Yup, I love the car to be honest and the few niggles still dont detract from the fact I love getting in the driving seat and driving the car. Actually now you mention in the Corsa VXR I had as a lone car for a couple of days did seem to exhibit the same "hesitation". Hmmmm
With respect to the gears, I was really impressed with the demo car I had and mine does seem a bit like yours "notchy" is a good word, its not as smooth as I thought the demo car was but my car has only done about 500 miles so I am wondering if it will loosen up a bit.
I'll keep an eye on everything and see how it goes. As for 1st gear it just doesnt seem to pull as well as in say 2nd and 3rd. Maybe its just something I need to get used to, not sure. I wondered if the turbo was not working in 1st but I am not sure how that can be?
Cheers,
Yup, I love the car to be honest and the few niggles still dont detract from the fact I love getting in the driving seat and driving the car. Actually now you mention in the Corsa VXR I had as a lone car for a couple of days did seem to exhibit the same "hesitation". Hmmmm
With respect to the gears, I was really impressed with the demo car I had and mine does seem a bit like yours "notchy" is a good word, its not as smooth as I thought the demo car was but my car has only done about 500 miles so I am wondering if it will loosen up a bit.
I'll keep an eye on everything and see how it goes. As for 1st gear it just doesnt seem to pull as well as in say 2nd and 3rd. Maybe its just something I need to get used to, not sure. I wondered if the turbo was not working in 1st but I am not sure how that can be?
Cheers,
Having just been out in mine I can see what you mean about first gear. I think it is just down to the ratio and is nothing to be concerned about regarding the turbo - mine has done 8500 miles, so I imagine it is as loose as it is going to get without breaking!
The car is great and these few niggles don't really affect the enjoyment - it still goes like hell when you floor it and it is great fun on the country lanes around here!
My mate has just bought an Astra VXR and guess what.....it does exactly the same!
Ho hum.
The car is great and these few niggles don't really affect the enjoyment - it still goes like hell when you floor it and it is great fun on the country lanes around here!
My mate has just bought an Astra VXR and guess what.....it does exactly the same!
Ho hum.
hehehe yeh the first gear is really short, as I have learned and been pointed out on some other forums, its mainly apparently to stop you destroying the gear box, so its normal which is fine.
Still the "hesitation" no one else with 1.6Ts seems to experience it on the other forums I frequent, so not sure what's going on. Is it just us? lol
Still the "hesitation" no one else with 1.6Ts seems to experience it on the other forums I frequent, so not sure what's going on. Is it just us? lol
You're not alone, my 1.6T does this too, and has for the 7 months I've owned it. Perhaps I've got used to it as I don't seem to notice it all the time, but certainly I would say it's most prominent under gentle acceleration and when the engine's cold. I've always had it down as a quirk of the car so I didn't even bother mentioning it to the dealer when it had its first service (and I was pretty sure I'd get a fob off if I did).
One thing I did mention though was the significant inaccuracy of the trip computer. There I was, happily thinking I was getting about 37-38 mpg, only for my own accurate records to reveal it was more like 34. I must admit that I was pretty disappointed with this, especially as this was summer driving - and not flamboyant driving at that! And what did the dealer do - surely I don't need to answer that!
One thing I did mention though was the significant inaccuracy of the trip computer. There I was, happily thinking I was getting about 37-38 mpg, only for my own accurate records to reveal it was more like 34. I must admit that I was pretty disappointed with this, especially as this was summer driving - and not flamboyant driving at that! And what did the dealer do - surely I don't need to answer that!
Hi.
My Astra hesitation is not as noticable now but I did try others at the dealer and they all seem to do it to one degree or another. As for the trip computer mine shows an average of about 32mpg around town but when i take it on a longer motorway run it usually returns 40 - 45mpg. I am generally a bit heavy on it on the country roads which won't help the 32 mpg!
My Astra hesitation is not as noticable now but I did try others at the dealer and they all seem to do it to one degree or another. As for the trip computer mine shows an average of about 32mpg around town but when i take it on a longer motorway run it usually returns 40 - 45mpg. I am generally a bit heavy on it on the country roads which won't help the 32 mpg!
Just bought a 57 Corsa VXR and this car does have a stutter at around 3200RPM. Worse when its cold and more evident under more gentle acceleration, particularly second gear.
Other than that "hot snot off a stick". That's after trading in an RX8 against it. Not much slower. More fun, cooler seats and twice the MPG.
Other than that "hot snot off a stick". That's after trading in an RX8 against it. Not much slower. More fun, cooler seats and twice the MPG.
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