2001 Vauxhall Corsa SXI from UK and Ireland - Comments

I have an 01 plate corsa bought second hand; only had one fault so far touch wood no more! It was the crankshaft sensor (kept stalling) and when I had the fault removed, it wouldn't start at all. £85 and sorted got a little knocking noise over rear drivers side wheel but only very slight. Other than that, a brilliant little car. I will definately stick to Vauxhall after my last car, a Fiat. (Fix it again tomorrow, and the saying was right.)

My daughter purchased an 03 plate SXI 11 months ago.

The car uses around 500m of oil per 450 miles, there is no evidence of an oil leak and there is no blue smoke coming from the exhaust, does anyone know why it's using so much oil please.

It's also becoming difficult to engage 2nd gear.

I purchased my Corsa SXI 54 plate just before Christmas. However, recently I have noticed a slight tapping which seems to come from the engine when I accelerate up to 2,000 revs. After then, it seems to disappear. My car drives fine and really impressed with it, although I'm puzzled by this slight noise. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I bought a 02 corsa 1.2 sxi semi-auto last August and have had nothing but problems with it ever since.

After about 2 months it started losing power so I took it to a garage and was advised to change the spark plugs and coil which I did it cost me around £200.

Then a few weeks after that my back wiper stopped working and I started hearing this funny noise coming from my back wheel.

Then around 3 months ago my clutch started smoking and the car was losing power again, took it back to the garage and was told it needed a new clutch which cost me around £300 including labour.

Now just a few months after the last problem I am having trouble selecting gears it started off with just 1st and 2nd gear but now I cannot select reverse and I have an F flashing on the dashboard.

I originally thought it would be gear linkage as I have heard it is a common problem with corsa’s but I have just learned that as my car is a semi-auto it doesn’t have gear linkage. I have just had a diagnosis done by Vauxhall and they say it is either the CPU or the Selector and I may need to change both. The CPU would cost around £900 to fix and the Selector would cost around £700 to fix. I have told Vauxhall not to bother fixing it as I cannot afford it and with all the money I have spent on this car previously it doesn’t seem worth it. Problem is I now have a corsa sitting outside that I cannot drive or afford to fix. I really really regret buying this corsa!!

I have just bought a 1.2 SXI cheap as chips! I was a bit worried as it has 120,000 on the clock! Yes it's done some miles. The car drives an absolute dream, the only problem I have had with it was the crank shaft position sensor, which cost me 20 quid and was easy to fit.

Have a 2004 Corsa SXi that has developed a knocking noise, especially when going over rough road or manholes etc as though there's something loose that rattles when going over bumps.

Originally had problem with different knocking noise when turning steering wheel and had to have track rod end done. The new knocking noise has gradually got worse. Had it in for anti roll bar links and lower arm bush to be done; still making the noise. Any ideas???

Someone has suggested a shock absorber bush may be the problem. Has anyone had something similar?

Thanks.

My Corsa 06 model 1.4 SXi has developed a slight knock when initially moving from standstill, and still hear it at times when driving.

The knock appears to be at the drivers side. I think it may be the dropling.

It's going back in to Vauxhall as it is still under warranty.

As anyone had similar?

53 reg Corsa Design.

I had noticed a knocking sound from under the bonnet whilst it was ticking over. To be honest. it sounded like a diesel not a petrol. I then took it into my local Vauxhall centre, who told me, it was the timing chain and would cost about £550.

I had this replaced in 2006 as a recall. The car at that point had 21,000 on the clock. It has now 47,000 on the clock and has been regularly serviced.

I have spoken my local Vauxhall centre who cannot help me as the car is over 3 years old and out of warranty. I then called Vauxhall customer care, who are rather rude and abrupt. They are not at all helpful!

I cannot believe that work they did is only covered by a 12 months warranty. It makes me think, if I had not had the timing chain replaced at the time suggested, would the car be running fine now?

I am in the process of contacting the head office for some answers as this seems to be a common fault.

I will NOT be purchasing another Vauxhall that's for sure. The general customer care is disgraceful.

I have a Vauxhall Corsa on a 51 plate. Only had I about a month. It's second hand. There is a 'f' flashing on the dashboard. Any ideas what it could be? Thanks.

I bought a new 04' SXi in Sept 2004 and have spent touching £1700 to keep it running. It seems Vauxhall have no interest in what is one of their most popular selling vehicles, and their customer care is only slightly better than being bent over and ******. I would advise anyone not to buy a cheaphall I mean Vauxhall as they are ****!

I've got a 2002 Easytronic Corsa that does not work in the rain!!! The cars starts fine, drives fine for a while then the 'F' comes up on the dashboard - which according to the handbook means your gearbox is knackered (already had a new gearbox put in just before Christmas!!) When the 'F' comes up the car does not move, turn it off for a few minutes (very inconvenient when the traffic lights are on green & everyone flashing you dirty looks!!) & when you turn it back on it's fine. This happens EVERY time it rains & ONLY when it rains. I have had it in 2 garages (not Vauxhall garages) & apparently there is nothing wrong with it!!! Any ideas (apart from scrap it!!)

I have exactly the same problem as the comment above... when it rains my car does not work!!!

It says 'F' on the dashboard and won't let me change gear (easytronic), then I stop and start the engine again and it's fine. What's it all about???

Water noise behind dash on corsa 1.2 merit please help.

I have I've got a Corsa SXi 1.2 on a 53 plate. I've had it for a about 5 or 6 years now. I have read all the above comments and I'm shocked because I thought all the problems I've had with mine were a one off. But I've realised they are all common faults with this model. It's never passed an MOT, it failed its first MOT, which no car I've ever had has done, because of the CV boots being split and the hand brake setting being too high, and needing re-adjusting, costing 148 pounds.

So every year I take the thing for an MOT, I need new CV boots and my hand brake, which is again touching the roof re-adjusting. I've also got the knocking noise coming from the drivers side front wheel, which never goes away, no matter what I have done to this car, it's just there all the time.

And I've got the dreaded diesel ticking noise from the engine. This noticed this at about 20.000 miles, but it has proudly been their longer than that. I've just hit 52,000 and I've not had it repaired. I've got 3 other friends with Corsa at work and they have all got the diesel ticking noise from their engines it sounds like noisy tappets. But I've now found out from this forum it's the timing chain. On last years MOT I had to have my CV joints and boots replaced again, plus a new exhaust and new hand brake cable. 2 springs replaced plus other bit. It cost me 569 pounds.

This year's MOT on 24 September 2009, and 7.000 miles later, yes you guessed it, CV joint boots again. And the dreaded skyward facing handbrake again plus another spring. That only leaves one more spring that only leaves one more to be done yippee. Plus other items done on this MOT cost 319 pounds, oh and 79p.

Well I've saved the best for last; the clutch. I'd only done 10.000 miles when I could not select first and second gear without a fight. This got worse as the weeks and months went by, until one morning as I set off to work, I turned onto the dual carriageway at the end of my street, and well need I say anymore, I was so scared; I had no gears.

I had to jam it into third gear and limp the car all the way round the block and back home. I only just made it home before the clutch totally burnt out. I went to Vauxhall, who basically told me to take a running jump, which I did expect from them.

So I had it repaired at a local garage, who were great. And they told me about the plastic joint on the gear selector that had broken and cracked. He even showed me it with the plastic ball socket cracked into two bits.

He told me then that he had seen this problem on many Corsa. And he thought this item may be on a on a recall and was dangerous. Let's be serious, who makes such an important moving part on a car in plastic. It's cost cutting and madness.

Anyway I'm hoping my Corsa will hold out till Xmas, because I'm getting rid of it. It won't see another MOT with me thank god, it costs too much. I'm getting another Corsa, a VXR Corsa. But before I get it, I'll be reading some of these forums first.

Signed, not happy.

I have a 55 reg Corsa SXi, which still shows the same sorry tale of recurring faults that Vauxhall just aren't interested in...

Steering rack bushes replaced at 13,000 miles (after 4 visits).

Tightening of 'a bolt' on bottom of steering column to stop vibration.

Clutch vibrates when pulling away in 1st gear.

At 4 year old and only 21,000 miles it just needed droplinks and track rod ends.

Steering still groans when turning sharp corners, and knocks when pulling away from standstill.

Of course, the handbrake needs tightened every year.

Now all the dials on the dash randomly stop working while driving, requires new wiring harness according to garage.

Paying to get a low mileage one from a dealer is essentially pointless; each fault requires numerous visits before they accept fault. Now it's out of warranty they just say 'yeah, we've had a few with that problem' when asked about the steering problems.

It's a shame because aside from the faults, the Corsa's a great little car, especially with the 1.2 engine, however I'll be selling it before next years MOT.