Faults:
Warranty Woes Summary - 4 years/70,000 km of ownership (a lot of visits above and well beyond regular servicing requirements, which equate to loss of work time, inconvenience etc, etc), Some of these problems took a lot of time, as in several visits, to work out.
You can translate "erratic idle and stalling" and "clunk/squeak in steering" to be among just some of the contributing factors here.
- Numerous panel and paint faults evident on delivery - fixed (not completely, but Holden refused further coverage) requiring no less than 3 visits to panel beaters - all this before the 1000km service!!.
- Every external door/window trim replaced twice - they never sit right and warp (snapping holding clips) under moderate heat (mid 30 degrees).
- 3 IAC motors. Dangerous design fault - often stalling during gear changes (a dead car halfway through a roundabout with oncoming traffic is no fun at all) - as noted in other Vectra responses here, it will require regular replacement for the entire life of the vehicle.
- 3 intermediate steering shaft and valve bodies (and several return visits to re-align the steering wheel after each replacement part) - Another design fault? Most likely.
- 2 crank angle sensors (engine dead in middle of 80kph traffic anyone? Again, no fun!!!)
- 3 demister vents replaced (internal front windscreen) - never fixed satisfactorily - *load* cracking noises anytime a temperature change is directed there (i.e. heat or AC) - and when not actually replaced, it has been adjusted and repacked with various vibration deadening materials on almost every visit over four years of ownership from new!
- 2 door light switches replaced (and two flat batteries as a result).
- 2 door light covers 'fell off' - reglued.
- Heater switch (in engine bay) failure.
- Various internal rattles and squeaks.
- Internal rear view mirror replaced (wouldn't sit in position, very loose).
- Erratic power window faults (never tracked down... happened infrequently and righted itself).
- Power door locks failure (small actuator) - unable to use driver's door for two weeks - was charged for this one (out of warranty) - but has been noted as a common warranty failure elsewhere.
- Loud rattle from engine bay under acceleration (initially thought to be drive train or suspension related) - after many many visits (and me thinking the car could blow up at any moment) it ended up being internal engine problem associated with the notorious cam belt design fault. I had to have the cam belt, the tensioner, 3 pulley assemblies and the water pump (damaged by the pulley failure) replaced. After much annoyed phone calls to Holden Australia (armed with some research from online resources like this (carsurvey) and www.consumer.org.nz) - Holden agreed to pay for the parts, but I still had to pay for labour (out of warranty).
- Air conditioning has developed a foul smell each summer for the past two years - began under warranty, but Holden maintain that it is normal (not normal on any other car I have owned) and that the AC requires a deodorising treatment each yearly cycle... at $100 a pop. Have since been advised it is another design fault, the AC is designed for Europe and our humidity/heat combo causes nasties to 'grow' in the AC system. The deodorising basically does an antibacterial wash of the system.
General Comments:
I have just disposed of my 1999 Vectra CD sedan - it was the biggest piece of crap I have ever owned!!! And although Holden (via my dealer, who was excellent) had mostly covered everything that went wrong under warranty, it is now 12 months out of warranty, and some of the things people have listed here as design or otherwise warrantable problems are starting to happen and cost me money - so apart from spending so much time at my dealer (and knowing all the mechanics on a first name basis), I also have to contend with Holden refusing to acknowledge that recurring design faults are the same as the ones they fixed under warranty for other owners, and I am now being charged a fortune in repair costs.
The number of 3+ year old Vectras appearing on used car lots is amazing! I took a bit of a loss by trading it to a dealer (on a nice new, non-Holden, Japanese made car), but given all the faults I have endured, I couldn't bring myself to sell it privately... at least the new owner will get a 12 month used car warranty.
I'm sure I've forgotten something else (in the faults listing) - but I'd had enough... Never ever a Vectra again, and never ever a Holden (have you read the Holden Commodore section on www.carsurvey.org???)
I recommend you read this website (www.carsurvey.org) before buying any car, new or used.
29th Aug 2004, 02:54
Firstly I wish to empathize with this once Vectra owner.
It seems that you have had plenty go wrong with your purchase, I'm sorry I can't say the same.
I have used this site to research my purchase, a 2001 Vetcra CD Sedan 2.2ltr auto. With a staggering 170000 klms on the dial at 2.5 years old, I can't fault it! It now has 177000 klms.
I get better than factory fuel efficiency, (6.3 HWY travel and 8.5 - 10.5 city travel.)
Yes the steering wheel has this little squeak to it, and I get this valve lifter noise at approximately 80c. I've had audio problems with the standard head unit, but it out performs most other car audio players. It has a tiny oil leak at the half moon seal on the valve cover.
The car was serviced every 15 thousand klms at a Holden dealership. I have one coupon left in my service book, the 175000klm service. I use Mobil 1 oil, at 5w-50, and change the oil every five thousand klms. It never needs oil and the oil keeps it's consistency as well as cleaning the engine to specifications.
I have contacted the prior owner and the dealership that serviced the car. I had asked them both, "what things had gone wrong with the car?" A Holden mechanic had said that the only warranty item replaced on the vehicle was a cooling fan relay. He also said that the Vectra model is commonly used as fleet vehicles and that seeing them come into the workshop with more than 300 thousand klms is not unusual. The driver of the vehicle said his wife now wants one. 'The car as a company vehicle.'
After reading the many posts on this site, I was almost determined not to buy a Vectra. I hear you ask why I bought one with such high kilometers and an ex corporate car? Well the truth to that is, "I couldn't find a car that had equipment such as power everything and demisters on rear view mirrors, on any other vehicle...!" Unless I was to spend lots of money.
In my opinion, the Vectra is very much a luxury car that almost outweighs a Statesman or Caprice. Apart from the electric driver and passenger seats, my Vectra rides and handles as if it were new, I know this because I have driven many with fewer klms and I'm wrapped with my purchase.
By the way, I paid $13.500 for my Vectra, and it's comprehensively insured for an agreed value of $23.000. Not bad for a car that doesn't rate well on this site.