Vecta - Engine Management light ????

[steve smith]

Hi i am experiencing some problems with my vectra. Basically the car
drives fine, but then it will suddenly jerk for a couple of seconds,
then the engine management light appears and the car drives fine
again. Does anyone have any idea why this may be, and what can be done
to fix it? I am worried that this may lead to causing a bigger problem
with the car.

Thank you.

[Iain McLaren]

Hi,

Does the engine light stay on? If so, it's running in 'emergency program'
mode which won't be the most fuel-efficient way of travelling!

You've got 2 choices:

1) Take it to a garage and let them plug their fault-code reader in and find
out why it's unhappy. This will cost about 20 quid.

2) Read the fault code yourself. This is done by locating the ECU
diagnostics plug (it might be under the handbrake trim) and shorting a
couple of pins on it. This makes the engine warning light blink a sequence
that tells you what the problem is.

There's a few web sites that detail option 2. Here's one to get you going:

http://www.topbuzz1.carenthusiasts.co.uk/info/fault_codes/fault_codes.htm

Observe the warning notices it contains!


Cheers,

Iain

"steve smith" <boy_wonder48@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4bada569.0410161551.2b38491a@posting.google.c om...
> Hi i am experiencing some problems with my vectra. Basically the car
> drives fine, but then it will suddenly jerk for a couple of seconds,
> then the engine management light appears and the car drives fine
> again. Does anyone have any idea why this may be, and what can be done
> to fix it? I am worried that this may lead to causing a bigger problem
> with the car.
>
> Thank you.

[John]

>Hi i am experiencing some problems with my vectra. Basically the car
>drives fine, but then it will suddenly jerk for a couple of seconds,
>then the engine management light appears and the car drives fine
>again. Does anyone have any idea why this may be, and what can be done
>to fix it? I am worried that this may lead to causing a bigger problem
>with the car.


I've had the same problem only the engine management light stays on for long
periods while other times it will not come on at all. I also have a "clunking"
noise coming from the underside of the car. I first thought it was the shocks,
but it wasn't. Turns out the Cat Converter inside my exhaust is breaking up.
Quite common in vectra's so I'm told. The noise is terrible. I think the two
problems may be connected. When the EML comes on in the first place the car
only loses a small amount of power but when I've been driving for say an hour
and the light comes on and the power loss is significant. Embarrasing at times
when you get overtaken by artics on the M/W. I'm getting rid of mine anyway, a
mechanic told me to replace the Cat Con is well over £300. **** that....I'll
get a new car.


-------------------------------------------------------

As we flow down life's rivers
I see the stars glow - one by one
All angels of the magic constellation
Be singing us now

[cristaki]

Suffered the same problem for a couple of months, had it in to the dealers and they were unable to find a problem. Experienced engine surges on the motorway and the engine management light started coming on 2-3 times a day, cleared problem by turning engine off/on. Driving home one night and the management light came on with an accompanying clunk. Got onto hard shoulder and engine would not restart. Car delivered to dealers for repair, they originally said £230 to replace fractured pipe which was letting in air to injectors. 3 hours later told it was the diesel injection pump and that would cost an extra £2143.

Why did I bother with dealer service? The whole point was I thought they had all the gear to sort out any problems and I was happy to pay over the odds……not anymore.

P.S. When I was recovered from the motorway we got 3 miles down the road and the recovery vehicle broke down with.....you guessed it an injector fault, what a happy night that was :mad: