1994 Vauxhall Omega CD from UK and Ireland - Comments

At 80,000 miles 2.0 16V engine was 'Tapping' ONLY when cold.

Car information display reads 'Brake pad'. Replaced ALL brake pads, front discs and the brake sensor wire, but still reads 'Brake pad'

Sunroof switch has to be turned, pushed AND HELD in place until sunroof is in desired (position (on all rotational settings). Apparently it should just have to be turned and not held. Any ideas?

Dashboard lights (behind speedometer, rev counter etc.) all went out. Replaced at cost of £2 (own labour)

The electrical wires under the drivers seat are too short. When the seat travels along to its maximum forward position, it kills itself by pulling a plug free from its own electrical socket. Cost £30 to diagnose, and 5 seconds to plug back in!

Outside front passenger door handle would not allow access to the cabin with the car unlocked. Fixed quickly at cost of £20, Same problem with drivers door 30,000 miles later (another £20). Apparently this is a common problem with the Omega door locking rod, Is it? How can I fix it myself?

Ignition barrel wore out. I was faced with the option of paying £90 to have Vauxhall re-cut another ignition barrel (in order to fit the remaining key). Or £20 for a standard ignition barrel (with two new thin basic keys). Chose option B.

Drivers airbag light came on, immediately after changing ignition barrel, not sure if this is related. Light still remains on.

The illumination lights behind the heating controls blacked out. Difficult to gain access, so still out.

Standard Blaupunkt CD player, gave up ejecting CD's properly, had to swipe a credit card in the slot to eject them.

CD player played CD's very noisily (could hear the CD spinning). Replaced unit with own JVC, however this meant forefeiting the radio / CD information, in the upper display on the cars information screen.

A single light in the DOT MATRIX clock went out, means time is now shown as 12:0H instead of 12:08 for example (Numbers are in Dot Matrix).

Out of the 4 HEATED SEATS only the rear, passenger side, one works. The drivers seat packed up at 90,000. It's not a fuse, any ideas please? (The other two seats were already faulty)

98,000 miles. Engine management light comes on Intermittently, until 113,000 miles. Had a diagnostics test and came out negative!

At 117k the drivers side electric window became faulty. Window goes down OK, but when up button is pressed, it makes a machine gun / drilling sound and does not move. Has to be pulled up by hand now, until rectified.

At 114,000 miles, a mis-firing / juddering engine lead to the replacement of HT leads. Cured problem.

AT 116,000 miles engine is 'Tapping' louder (when hot as well as cold) and a 'knocking' noise enters the cabin.

Finally, every so often the engine revs will rise and fall several times of its own accord (normally when) before finally cutting out. Has not done it for the past month, but was problem from 100,000 miles to 117,000 miles.

This car is extremely spacious and comfortable, very few people will need more space than this.

2.0 16V is rapid, but not overly quick.

Even though this car has had its fair share of problems, it has always started first time, and has never left me stranded.

I feel that this car comes with a lot of kit for a lot less then a Mercedes or BMW.

Best bit is the fact that this is one of a handful of REAR WHEEL drive cars available.

Superb motorway cruiser.

Good handling.

Rolls a bit too much around corners.

23.2 MPG (with engine faults)

To answer your concerns about the car...

1. the revs rising and falling of their own accord... sticking idle speed valve, they get bunged up with fumes from the engine - a daft design fault and a known problem on these ecotec engines, get some carburettor cleaner, remove the valve, spray clean and replace.

2. the sunroof button needing to be held down... turn switch to closed position and hold button down till sunroof fully closes, hold for two seconds and let go... do the same with the switch in the fully-open position, this resets the sunroof position settings.. same with the electric windows for one-touch down and up... hold electric window button down till window is fully open, keep holding for two seconds (should hear a faint click noise), and do the same when closing - repeat on other electric window (s). Have a look at your owners handbook for this procedure if my instructions aren't too clear.

Regarding the doors not opening from outside, I have found that there is a rod which acts as a hinge for the handle.

This slides out thus not allowing a full movement of the handle, refitting of the rod fixes the problem... till next time!!

To replace heater illumination lights :-

1. pull off 4 heater control knobs

2. unscrew Phillips screw behind each knob

3. remove central ashtray 'liner'

4. remove Phillips screw behind hole in centre of ashtray

5. remove ashtray

6. remove 2 Phillips screws in LH and RH corners behind where ash tray was located

7. heater control panel will now pull forward sufficient to replace bulbs.

The 'Engine Management' light illuminating may have been caused by a faulty or corroded camshaft or crankshaft sensor. Again, a very common 2.0 Ecotec fault. Vauxhall suggest that if the light comes on and then goes out again soon afterwards, ignore it.

My battery terminals keep getting hot and the battery light keeps coming on.