2006 Vauxhall Vectra Exclusiv from UK and Ireland - Comments

I am a former mechanic. It is interesting to read these comments as handbrake problems with runaway Vectras (marketed in New Zealand as Holden Vectra) have recently come to light here. Many of the submissions on this site involve handbrakes that have been applied, (some in circumstances where the car was on a steep slope and would have run away instantly if it were not applied, thereby eliminating the obvious possibility of the driver erring by failing to apply the handbrake.) In such cases, it would appear that the handbrakes' ratchet mechanisms have failed. Discussions in NZ have focused on replacement of a spring, which is probably the one under the release button that engages the pawl in the ratchet mechanism. The standard spring may be breaking or just too weak, which leads to the pawl not engaging in the toothed part of the ratchet mechanism, causing it to eventualy slip. If this is the case, a partial release of the handbrake lever (leading to the handbrake remaining partly applied, but possibly not enough to stop the vehicle) is possible, but a complete slip (to handbrake lever fully off position) is more likely. If either of these problems are happening, it is a serious defect; (handbrakes clearly should not slip off on their own) however, one can understand GM/Vauxhall/Holden's dialemma in that now every turkey that has forgotten to put the their Vectra's handbrake on, or applied it too weakly, is keen to blame a runaway event on mechanical failure.

No problems with handbrake so far, I never fail to leave the car in gear.

The salesmen never mentioned this problem when I purchased the car if they had obviously no sale.

Would any one like to comment on the drive by wire accelerator delay or the clutch that seems to have been designed for a different car, car also over revs between gear changes I have seen on another forum this is due to the model having a heavy flywheel? This is my sixth vauxhall and third Vectra and I can't wait to get rid of it..

Vectra Exclusive 1.8vvt six months old.

I have just noticed this site, and thought I would share my experience regarding the problem with the handbrake on my Vectra 2.00 DTI.

Back in May 2004, I parked my Vectra on a slope. Realizing the slope was quite steep, I re-checked the handbrake was in place before getting out of the car. I only got out to post a letter, and as I turned round to walk back to the car, approx 40 seconds later it started rolling down the slope, (if the handbrake had not been in place it would have rolled immediately). The car crashed into a wall, which caused a huge amount of damage, and was totally immobile.

On closer inspection I could see the release button on the hand break had completely popped off and was in the passenger side footwell. The AA was called to tow the car to a Vauxhall dealership. The engineer who attended determined the handbrake had snapped and provided written proof.

The outcome was (after a lot of arguing with Vauxhall customer services) that Vauxhall covered the whole cost for all the repairs needed for the damage caused to the car (including a complete new handbrake). Now then, what does that tell you??

We still have the car now and have had no problems since.

As one of the people who's already posted to this board, I've just received my notice from Vauxhall Customer Service (contradiction in terms!!) for the remedial handbrake work - and to book my Signum into the local dealership. Still no admission of guilt on tehir part nor offer to cover the cost of repair to the damage done by the faulty handbrake.

Has anyone else had the call-back note yet, and has anyone tried to use it as a way of pressuring Vauxhall into something more substantive?

I have a Vauxhall Astra company car (05 plate). I must share an experience I had with the car last year (07) when I parked on the drive (car was facing downhill, drive is about 15%), pulled the handbrake up fully and went into my house. After talking to my wife for 10 minutes in the kitchen we witnessed a bang and then a louder second bang. My Astra had released its handbrake, ploughed into my wife's Cavalier (thankfully we have a towbar) and forced the cavalier to hit our fence pushing it over. Nobody was near the car and the car was locked on a 15% downward slope. In short, NEVER trust your Vauxhall to hold on a hill with the very mechanism which IS meant to hold it. As advice given in this forum - Handbrake, Gear and turn your wheels to the side. I'd rather spend 2 seconds a journey extra doing this than live with the knowledge that my car has caused personal injury or loss of life. Vauxhall really need come from behind its shroud of denial before there is a really serious accident.

My husband & I have found this site very interesting, as we have had a handbrake fault, which in turn ended up with our car being across the road, into a roadsign and a fence.

We had a recall letter for our 55 plate vauxhall vectra, as the handbrake needed checking. I booked it in on the Wed afternoon. It took an hour, I then went to go and collect the key. The receptionist, whilst on the phone, handed me the car key and the stamped letter, and said thank you. (That was it!)

I took the car home on the Wed. Didn't use it the Thur, then on the Fri (as I am A childminder) took 3 children out in it for the day. Parked up for 3 hours, no problem. Loaded them back in, went into town, Parked up again for about 2 hours, went back home. Once again no problem. 2 Hours later, went to supermarket, once again parked up, no problem. Came home, parked up, took 1 lot of shopping out, went back for 2nd lot of shopping, shut boot, locked car. Okay fine... 20 minutes later went back to car to take car seats out; it wasn't on my drive! It was across the road, rolled back, up a 6 inch kerb, and rested with boot against a neighbours fence and a roadsign, with just 4 ways flashing. What a shock/horror!

My husband was insistent I hadn't put handbrake on, although I knew I had, because if I hadn't, it would have rolled back on me, whilst emptying the boot. After 20 years of driving, I knew I had put the handbrake on.

My husband took over, rang our local Vauxhall dealer, who said the car should have been left in gear, and there was a sticker on the visor, that we should have seen, but was not pointed out on collection of the car key, as receptionist was too busy talking on the phone. They said they would get in touch with Vauxhall head office who said they would ring back (what a suprise; they didn't). We rang again the next day. This time, we spoke to Head Office, whom told us that our local branch hadn't rang them, and someone in authority would get back to us. (Once again, they didn't.) It is now Tuesday, and we are still no further. We have since found out the head office is in Canada. We are still waiting for feedback.

What a coincidence; there was nothing wrong with the car before the recall. How many drivers in the country can honestly say they leave their car in gear, every time?

This site makes interesting reading and was wondering if anyone could help.

My partner's son had a Vectra Estate, R plate. He took his wife and two children to the chemists last Saturday. Whilst waiting, a member of the public rushed in to find him and tell him his car was on fire, later diagnosed as an electrical fault. Luckily no one was hurt.

He's had the car two months, bought from a local dealer with no warranty, which was a bit silly. But does this incident ring bells with any other Vectra owners.

My e-mail is steve_rowe_@hotmail.com

My 04 plate Vectra SRi rolled down a slope into a wall a couple of days ago, handbrake still in the "applied" position. Thankfully the wall was only a couple of feet away from the where I had parked and there was nobody walking between the two at the time, but I am infuriated that I will have to fork out just over £300 for repairs unless I choose to go via my insurance (not really an option as at 22 years of age my premium is high enough already without losing my no-claims discount...).

I've created a facebook group as it seems to be a good way to get media coverage at the moment, seeing as the Watchdog coverage and so-called "investigations" by Vauxhall have led to nothing (I'd be happy to demonstrate the problem for them). Feel free to join and pass the link around to anyone you may know who has suffered the same kind of problems - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48264740423&ref=mf

alandavidhutchinson@yahoo.co.uk

My vauxhall vectra rolled down a small hill last week, with no-one in it, crashing into a £14.000 BMW. The police were called & confirmed the handbrake was fully on. Thank goodness no-one was injured. The car was my pride and joy, excellent condition with low mileage. My car is now a write off & my insurance company will only give me minimal payment, not enough to buy an equal replacement. I am now without a car, I need it for my work. I have just found this web site which has been very helpful & I am now trying to pursue this matter with vauxhall. If anyone can help with any ideas as to what my next course of action should be I wold e very grateful. Ken.

I drive an 07 plate Vectra, my driveway slopes downward. Advice from Vauxhall is to park the car in gear, which I always have done by habit (I always firmly apply the handbrake). After the car has been parked a while, I have noticed, if I get into the car and dip the clutch the car starts to roll down the drive!

My theory is that Vauxhall handbrakes only hold whilst the mechanism/pads/disks are hot. When they cool and contract they release!

We too are victims of a run away vectra. My husband parked his 56 plate vectra which we had owned for two days at the top of our close. He walked around the car to check how far he was away from the pavement and admire his new car. then walked down the rd. He heard what he thought was a car driving down the road and turned to look he was shocked to see it was in fact his own car. The car hit him throwing him over the bonnet and onto the road. The car then gained more speed a hit a parked up merc. Lucky my husband was not seriously injured. The police came out and told us that they were aware that this was a common fault with vectras! wish we had know this before we bought it. To make matters worse this was the second vauxhall vectra we had had the first one on the day of delivery after driving the car down the motorway developed a loud banging sound. We called the RAC who came out to the car and told us that the wheel was hanging off and the mechanic who had done the network Q checks had not tighten up the wheel nuts properly! we were lucky to be alive. The garage obviously would not admit liability but did agree to replace the car. Can't believe this has happened to the second car!

Does not help that I am 9 months pregnant baby due in 1 week! We are not sure what to do next the car has been taken away and now have to pay excess on insurance when it was not our fault! Would welcome any advice.

nikki-brian@hotmail.co.uk.

Hi, we have a 2007 Vectra that has drove away down our drive and crashed itself into our garage, clever cars!!!.

Spoke to Vauxhall, they are not interested. My other half refuses now to go near the car. Vauxhall have advised me how to park funny, how can you complete a hill start, how do you park in traffic on an hill. Are Vauxhall waiting for some major incident before they take action. Last Vauxhall we will ever own.

I too had a handbrake failure last week on my 54 plate Vectra, which I bought from my local Vauxhall garage. I live on a steep hill with a equally steep drive, therefore I always leave it in 1st gear when parked. I was shocked to hear my car alarm sounding a few minutes before it crashed into the garage causing hundreds of £ worth of damage, both to the car & garage. The car had been parked for nearly 2 hours when it occurred & thankfully it was at night so my little girl was not playing in the garden, as she could have quite easily been behind the car.

I find it hard to believe that after all this time the handbrakes have not been sorted, & are still putting people's lives at risk. It was only after telling a friend about the events of last week that I was made aware of the problem, as they had received a letter last year. The dealers did not inform me of any potential problems, & there is no little sticker in the care or hand book, but I do not know what else I could do to prevent it rolling down the hill.

One very miffed driver.

Just to add, I have a 2008 Vectra estate which was parked facing downhill, it has just run away causing damage to the front bumper. The car was left with the handbake on as this was a usual function (I live on a hill!). I have the sticker on the visor as well!

Hi everyone, I was alarmed to hear your comments on the Vectra as I have a 54 plate; not had a problem yet touch wood.

A possible solution to your problems would be to collectively get engineers reports done on your cars; if you have independent reports proving what you claim to be true, and I'm not questioning it for one second, you can use this to send copies to Vauxhall, tell them you're considering putting all your information on you-tube and the Top Gear show, even motoring magazines, but make sure you're totally sure of your facts. If you have video evidence to help prove what you say, all the better.

If as you say the police know of the problem, then you may somewhere find they have a report. Whatever you do, do it together.