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Subject Topic: Vectra problems please help
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PersonBoston600
22/2/2015 at 8:28pm
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Bought a 2007 Vectra in August this is my tow car. It's a great car but has 2 problems that I can't get to the bottom of so if you can help it would be most appreciated.

1- At high speeds car is unstable, it feels like your driving in a cross wind and the drifts around left and right. I have had my local mechanic take a good look around the suspension etc and he couldn't find anything wrong. He suggested 4 wheel alignment which I have had carried out but no different. I am concerned about towing my van with the car in this condition. The car has only done 50k. New rear shockers were fitted just 2 months ago.

2- When I bought the car it leaked water into the passenger foot well. This is common on vauxhalls and was due to the rubber drain being blocked in front of the air con intake causing water to tip into the car through the air con system. I rectified this buy removing the blocked drain but water is still finding its way into the foot well, not as much as previously. This can cause problems with electrics in the car.

Any ideas on the above would be most helpful.


Personjeff juke
22/2/2015 at 8:55pm
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If you have had it checked then may i suggest if your driving it on the motorway it might be the channels that the HGV trucks make on the tarmac ?

Or..A steering fault like too much play ?
wrong tire pressures as well.

Waterleak..
Get a watering can or hose and get some one to go inside the car with the carpet pulled back.

Start from the front of the car and slowly move towards the windscreen with the can or hose giving time for the water to penetrate.

If your sure no water is getting in close the bonnet and run the can/hose over the bottom of the wind screen.

If still no water is present,check where the wiring loom enters the gromet might be worn or dislodged.

-------------
Animals have feelings..

JEFF................


PersonBoston600
22/2/2015 at 9:05pm
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Thanks for that. The tyre pressures are fine and I know what you mean about ruts but this is much worse than that feeling, the car really drifts at motorway speed. I'm wondering if it could be a broken front spring which the mechanic has missed. Also I don't know if its possible that the 2 new rear shockers have something wrong with them.


Personbobmel
22/2/2015 at 10:05pm
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Is the nose weight of the van correct, do you have a lot of stuff in the boot ie making the front light nose weight sorry in advance if I am teaching you to suck eggs

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Robert (BoB)


PersonGrampian91
22/2/2015 at 10:17pm
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Was teh alignment check a full geometry check of the castor and camber angles also? Not just the tracking check?

Front and rear checked?


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PersonBoston600
22/2/2015 at 11:09pm
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Yeah all 4 wheels aligned cost £70

This problem is when driving solo, I haven't towed my van with this car yet other than a 2 mile journey to our storage yard. We are going away with the van for Easter so I need to make sure the car is right.


PersonTom#n#Gill
23/2/2015 at 9:10am
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Vectra break rear springs it,s a bit of a weak point, the original springs taper at the end of the coils and snap, after market spring are more strong.
Our caravan wanders at speed and we fitted a stabiliser, end of problem.
Without the stabiliser the caravan constantly wanders, you get the feeling a tank slapper is going to happen, but with the stabiliser fitted all is well.
I know some people are anti stabilizer, am not getting in to that debate.

-------------
TomnGill


PersonSkoda Bob
23/2/2015 at 10:38am
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Are the tyres the same size,??? ball joints ok??? track rod ends???.
Do you know the history of the car, has been in an accident and repaired, possibly with chassis damage?????


Personjeff juke
23/2/2015 at 12:54pm
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You mentioned it getting tracked and a mechanic checking it over ? cant be much of a mechanic if he missed a broken spring !!

Did it have this problem after you fitted the shocks ??
Do a drop test to see if its been kirbed if so as Bob says the chassis might be bent.

Get a plumb line and drop it from the centre of each wheel close to the tyre,and mark the spot with chalk.

Move the car and see if the marks line up,if not the chassis is out of alignment.


-------------
Animals have feelings..

JEFF................


PersonVectratot
23/2/2015 at 1:09pm
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Check out rear suspension arm bushes


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PersonBill Terry
23/2/2015 at 2:11pm
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Look at the anti roll bar bushes


-------------
Roughing it in style at Calloose caravan and camping holiday park nr St Ives.(seasonal pitch)
Its not a hangover, its wine flu!


nant mill.N/Wales
just dont go there.


PersonBoston600
23/2/2015 at 2:31pm
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Been to Kwick Fit today, not me first choice of repairers but to be fair they have found 2 broken springs, one passenger side front and driver side rear. I find it hard to believe my mechanic has missed this when I specifically asked for him to check my suspension. Also another company carried out 4 wheel alignment with 2 snapped springs, surely they should have noticed this, they were quick to charge me £70.

K\Fit want £370 to replace springs and said they might need to change shockers too, my local garage have quoted £164.

I hate it when people fill you with rubbish and send you on a wild goose chase if they can't be bothered to check car why not just say so. I could have had a nasty accident towing my van and considering its been checked very poor. Anyway I will get them changed and hope it's much better.

Now just to get the water leak sorted and happy motoring.


Personkazo2014
23/2/2015 at 2:34pm
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I find it hard to believe that your mechanic missed that and kwickfit didn't produce a much longer list of things "wrong" with your car! lol please for gods sake take the car and get it checked out again before parting with cash on KF's info!


Personkazo2014
23/2/2015 at 2:35pm
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as for the water leak, it could be your heater matrix


PersonTaylor56
23/2/2015 at 3:18pm
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Don't let Kwik Fit touch your car,we have a company lease Focus and had to take it to them for a headlight bulb and they had to ring me to find out how to get the bonnet open.
When we got the car home they had fitted the bulb wrong so I had to sort it myself.
Had to take it to them for the MOT and it failed on the brake light showing white which it wasn't and the middle seat belt was stuck.
They told me that they would have to get a specialist to look at the belt and did not know how to get the back light out.
I simply put the seat back and the belt released, it had only locked because someone had sat on it and took the bulb out of the rear light and replaced it again, took it back and it passed, tested by same guy (cannot call him a mechanic).
Kwik Fit are a total waste of time.
If you have a good local garage stick with them.


PersonBoston600
23/2/2015 at 3:21pm
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I'm not using Quick Fit for the work, they are good though for fault finding but charge far too much for what they do. Thanks for the advice though.



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