1999 Vauxhall Zafira Elegance from UK and Ireland - Comments

Wow 2 other people experiencing simular problems.

Engine revs high when idling, engine management warning lights on.

What a nightmare!

I wonder if this is a recognised problem that vauxhall know about, but are not coming clean about.

My vauxhall has been in and out like a fiddlers elbow for repair with this problem.

Its not funny vauxhall it's a nightmare and lets down very badly a car that is otherwise very good.

I have a vauxhall Zafira 2.0DTi which has a problem with starting if left for more than 4 days. I'm told its common for these diesels as the fuel line lets in air? hence you have to burn out the starter motor to clear it. Also the engine management light comes on when driving o and the power of the car halves. When I turn of the engine and start again its OK for a while?, common faults???

Driving home a couple of weeks ago in my 2 year old (low mileage) 1.6 Zafira Club when the engine management warning light lit up. Pulled over and read the instructions in the manual and as the warning light wasn't flashing, decided to try and drive the final 15 miles home. Only 5 or 6 miles further down the road with the engine running increasingly roughly, there was an almighty explosion from under the car and we pulled over to discover the centre box split from end to end with the exhaust pipe glowing red hot. The RAC mechanic predicted a collapsed cat converter and recovered us home. Our Vauxhall dealer repaired the damage under warranty, including manifold, exhaust, cat and ignition module, but kept very quiet about the cause. In fact, I had to go in yesterday and press them for details of what had actually been done. When questioned as to whether this was a common fault, the service manager told me that it was very rare.

My Zafira Elegance 2.0 is 3 and a half years old and we have had constant trouble with the engine management light coming on and then going off. We have had the car in lots of times always to be told the fault has been fixed; our friends had the same problem and it cost them £1500 for it to be fixed, so my warranty runs out in three days and I am having to return again tomorrow - why do the garages get away with it???

Zafira 1.9 L TDI Elegance, V reg. Bought 2nd hand 2 years ago with about 70K. Engine management system has been coming on and off since I've had it. Took it to Vauxhall for first service. Mentioned EMS to them, but they said nothing when I picked car up. Car cut out suddenly on road and wouldn't re-start. AA took it to local garage who diagnosed fuel pump failure. They replaced for £1200. Vauxhall wanted £1600 to do same. EMS re-set and no longer lighting up.

Have had a 51reg 1.6 16v Zafira for 18 mths, love the car, but fed up with constant engine management light problems over last 3-4 mths. Use a reliable garage + they are tearing their hair out as they cannot solve problem. They also have another person with same problems + model. About time Vauxhall looked into problem and help out mechanics, apparently not just a Zafira problem, but low mileage Vauxhalls generally. Model brilliant.

13/5/06.

Have a Vauxhall Zafria, three years old, had the car for 2 years. When the car was 2 years old the management light came on, I got in touch with vauxhall and they did the work for me as it was still under warranty, now a year down the line and the management light has came on again and letting out a nasty smell, it's not under warranty now so I am dreading it!!

My engine management light came on all the time and went off. The manual says if it does this then don't worry! Well as I had to pay £700 for the 10 pages of checks to be completed I worried. Now the indicator has gone, I have found the fault to be a small yellow box which is in the fuse box, surfed the net trying to find one, but can't dreading going to the dealer!

I have had a 2001 diesel Elegance from new, and have done over 130K miles without any problems except I am now on my third starter motor in less than 12 months. The only warning is a terrible smell of burning then the starter motor won't engage.

Brilliant car, but has anyone else had problems with starter motors?

Have a 2003 Zafira 1.6, which we bought new and has done less than 20k, and the engine has cut out on it several times now.

It tends to happen after longish motorway journeys and when slowing down for junctions, but has also misfired while driving at slow (30/40mph) speeds.

Sometimes this misfires cures itself, but that depends on how soon you have to slow/stop for a junction or obstruction.

Has been back to the Vauxhall dealer that we bought it from on a number of occasions, but they do not seem to be able to find any fault, either logged on the cars own diagnostic system or by doing their own checks.

Wife has lost confidence in the car and will no longer drive it on long journeys in case it breaks down and strands her again - which is a pity as the car is very versatile.

I own a Zafira 1.8 Club Jan 04 reg. Great until recently when the engine managment light comes on after I travel on the motorway and then come to a juncion or a roundabout. Vauxhall had car under warranty repair for 3 weeks, and can't find problem. Had AA out 3 times, and fault isn't showing on their computer. Vauxhall have washed their hands of the car, saying my warranty is void because I have a non-vauxhall oil filter. What next?

I own a 02 zafira 34000 miles on clock. been very reliable up till three weeks ago. The usual backfiring and running on three cylinders was the problem. Three weeks down the line it has had three ignition modules, catalytic converter, erg valve and remapping. It then developed shaft noise as we thought, but having fitted new shell bearings, and now new hydraulic followers, the problem still exists. The main dealer dealing with it is now on process of fitting new pistons.PS:WE took this car as replacement for previously owned meriva that after 16000 miles was using a litre of oil every 500 miles.

I own a 52 Zafira 2.0 dti, 38000 miles, and I'm having real problems! First happened 2 weeks out of warranty of course!

Lovely around town, and at speeds up to 60ish, but on the motorway, the engine management light comes on when at higher speeds and I try to overtake, or I put some pressure on the engine up hills. Also happens when pulling my caravan at 55/60 on the motorway.

I lose engine power, and then light either then goes off, or clears when I restart the engine. Been into Vauxhall several times, but as the light is off, they say that there's either no code in the system, or it's just a 'general' one. They couldn't recreate the problem, so don't really want to know. We went away this weekend - happened again on the M5.

I've read some scary stories of the costs some of you have encountered, but this isn't the 'slowing down' problem, quite the opposite! Any ideas?!

Zafira diesel was losing power after a long run so it slowed to a halt. Vauxhall dealer replaced the fuel injection system (very expensive!) and the fault was still there. One of our drivers called the AA last time it did this. The mechanic said an air inlet pipe deformed when it was hot and obstructed the inlet. I was not there so can't be sure. They put wire around the pipe to maintain its shape and it has been OK since.

Oh no! After reading all the previous comments it looks as though we are not alone with our Zafira problem.. It too switches on the engine management light when it feels like it and reduces power so that you can't go above 3,000 revs or 70 mph. This first happened on a return journey from Scotland. Came on and went off a few times before staying on and causing us to stop. After 5 minutes we were able to restart and continue with the light only coming on twice more during the 500 mile journey. The car was serviced a week before we left and did not experience the problem on the way to Scotland. It has been in the garage, (not a Vauxhall one - that's tomorrow), 6 times and still has the problem. It used to just happen in 5th with less than half a tank of diesel, but now occurs whenever it feels like it. Out of all the comments above does anyone actually have an answer?? Don't mind spending money on the car as otherwise it is excellent, but don't want to throw money away on parts that don't fix it.

I have a 2002 Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 Dti Elegance and have the following problem. If it is parked up hill it will not start the following day. Has been back to main dealers several times, but they cannot fix it. Only way to start it is to free wheel down hill and then point the front down hill and bump start it. Fuel appears to be draining back into the tank. Full or empty, the tank level makes no difference. Extremely frustrating and reading the net, this is not a rare problem. Anyone else had a similar experience.