23rd Aug 2002, 09:35

Yes.

The problem is the idle control valve. I have to get the one on my Vectra cleaned out regularly.

The fault takes 2 forms on my car:

1: it cuts out as you describe.

2: The revs fluctuate to around 2000rpm and the auto (as mine is) becomes undriveable in town.

I bought mine at 2.5 years old and it has been generally reliable apart from the idle valve and various sensors.

You would think GM (not just Vauxhall) could make those things more reliably, or at least charge less for them.

I had a cavalier before it and it was 100% reliable and after my Vectra experience I'll never by another Vauxhall.

My next car will be a Honda.

8th May 2003, 08:48

I also own a Vectra 1.8Ls Manual - I have been getting the stalling problem described earlier, I took it to the garage and they said it was the air filter. I don't know. That is just what they said. Thanks Scott.

Scottadams1979@hotmail.com.

2nd Jul 2003, 02:38

I have a '97 Vectra with the cutting-out problems that lots of other poor unfortunate Vectra owners have experienced. It is, I consider a very dangerous situation to be in when approaching junctions, roundabouts etc. Vauxhall have been able, I hope, to overcome this problem by providing a different idle valve, breather and trap etc. They know this is a serious problem affecting many Vauxhall car owners and yet they can shrug their shoulders and deny any responsibility. This will ultimately result in many dissatisfied customers and only confirms to me because of that and other problems I have experienced, that my Vectra is a heap of junk that will not last even as long as the humble Belmont that was its predecesor and is still going strong at 190,000 miles. I am picking the Vectra up tonight at a cost of £260 on top of a similar amount spent trying to find the problem, I hope the problem is fixed.

I just know that it has given me a lot of grief that I will make sure I don't repeat in the future!

A DISGRUNTLED VECTRA OWNER!

2nd Oct 2003, 03:32

Both my partner and I have a Cavalier 2.0i and BOTH have this problem. Luckily I'm not that fazed by cars cutting out and manage to restart. However - until the problem gets fixed - or I get rid,I have to use mine daily. It would regularly cut out if it was restarted after standing for a short while. I worked out that if I started it WITHOUT throttle and let it stop, restart, stop restart etc until it eventually kept running - then it would not stall when on the road. Not a fix - but it has saved those awful heart stopping moments at roundabouts and leaving junctions. Give it a go - just remember not to use the throttle at all until the engine is running.

21st Oct 2003, 06:46

Hello I have a Vectra 1998 2litre gls Estate, Its running very poorly If I`m driving about 30mph it feels like it is missing, very uncomfortable to drive I`m forever in low gears to try and compensate for it. On the other end of the scale if I`m accelerating its start to miss etc about 60-70mph. My local garage cannot find a code on the management system, I first noticed it after i`d had my cambelt changed, the garage has looked over this, but can't find any reasons??? please help its so annoying...

Paul.

20th Aug 2007, 02:10

Is 174k on our Vectra the end of the road? It certainly was on my old BMC Morris 1100, or do we expect these modern cars to last for ever? Our LPG Vectra has always had the gremlins; cold mornings mean stalling until the vapourizer gets warm.

But maybe that's the price for many cheap miles on 39p per litre.. anyway she's a bit sick today; sounds like a diesel horrible knocking and erratic cold tick over! The wife's gone work in the other car (mine)... we all have several cars don't we, just in case?

My mate plugged in the meter and it say's no one cylinder as a problem. I think it may be a case of the "Oh dears" this morning. Ebay, spares or repair!!

Just to have a little pop at Vauxhall, I took it in for a gas service.. £60.. sounds a little expensive for half an hour, a filter clean (air line job!) and a plug in pressure check... this would just about tax the brain of a thirteen year old.. Don't you agree?

21st May 2008, 18:54

I have had problems with both my Vectra and Zafira cutting out in the most dangerous places. It seems to be a common fault with Vauxhall cars, but when my husband bought me an Astra 2002 model and an automatic, I was over the moon (had never driven one before). This didn't last long however, and neither did the car.

As I was approaching a set of red traffic lights, I slowed down to stop behind a bus. The car cut out as I was doing around 10mph and I lost all brake power. This had never happened before with the manual cars I'd driven, as when they'd cut out my brakes still worked to some extent and the car slowed down. My lovely Astra just kept on going!!! Very scary stuff indeed!

Don't know anything about the mechanics of cars, but am wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? Or an idea of what caused a loss of brake servo (is that what it's called?).

My Vectra cut out on me the other day and I was scared stiff. Think that a change of car will do me good, a Toyota perhaps?

My experience with the Astra has really shaken me, as I had the kids with me at the time, my son was only three months old. The car is now scrap as the insurance company said it wasn't financially economical to repair. I couldn't have driven it again anyway after what happened, or sold it on to some other poor unsuspecting soul, so I'm glad in a way.

28th Sep 2008, 14:24

Hello, I just got myself a 97 vauxhall vectra, the engine jerks when I try to turn it off, does anybody knows what the cause is? it cuts out too sometimes when the engine is on.

28th Dec 2008, 21:03

I have a 1997 R reg Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 16v Auto. The car has been fine for just over a year (Not driven much admittedly), but a couple of nights ago when it was really cold, I realized that I was getting no warm air from the fan and my temperature gauge was going up and down erratically. I gathered that the car probably needed some water and I filled her up. Problem solved.

But later on in the evening as I was coming off a motorway and slowing down at a roundabout junction, the car just lost all power and most of the warning lights came on. This has never happened before and it totally freaked me out because my approach speed took me into the roundabout and luckily through a gap in traffic. I decided to keep the car moving rather than stopping.

After coming to a standstill in a more safe part of this big roundabout, I put the lever into 'P' and the started the car but it lost power immediately after the needle dropped to about 1000rpm (idling speed). I started the car again and kept a steady rev speed on it then simultaneously dropped the lever into 'D'. The car jolted forward as you would expect but this seems to have solved the problem. The car drove normal for the rest of the journey.

The following morning's start up was fine and idling was fine. I drove down the motorway again and same thing happened whereby I lost power as I was coming off the slip road and slowing down before the junction. I started it again in the same way as I did the night before and it worked fine till I got nearer to home, and that’s when it became haphazardly unpredictable on when it might cut out and when it might not. It was cutting out every time I slowed down or stopped at its worst.

Has anyone else experienced this and if so, how can I get my car fixed so that it doesn't happen in a more dangerous location.

Cheers.