25th Oct 2006, 16:11
We bought a Zafira 1.6 petrol in March 2001. We had no problem until May 2006 with around 35,000 miles on the clock. The car started to misfire, lose power, engine management lights come on, intermittently and stay on. It has been in and out of garages 5 times now over the past five months, each time a slightly different fault is diagnosed, but it seems the same problem. The engine cuts out, loses power, runs on 3 cylinders, smells of petrol, now burning oil etc. etc. It has just been fixed again - but we know it will break down again soon. Can't Vauxhall be taken to task?
15th Nov 2006, 14:11
I own Opel Zafira 2.0 DTi 16V manuf. 2002 168,000 km (100,000 miles.). It is an excellent car, but I have a problem with the cold start recently. Every morning I cannot start the car even in 2-3 min./6 to 7 unsuccessful starts/ and then finally it turns on. Next starts during the day are without any problems. Does anyone know what the problem is? Please, post an advice. (Ervin Valo, Slovakia)
6th Dec 2006, 10:30
I have a Zafira 2.0 elegance and enjoy the car very much, luckily with not many teething problems... My problem is that I can't find the reversing light switch... as I think this may be my "no reversing lights problem " please help if you can spainapart@hotmail.com...
6th Dec 2006, 13:53
Took the wife's 2.0 Dti Zafira to a garage, engine management warning light on, replaced a sensor, but said it might be pump, still not right, apparently a common problem.
2nd Jan 2007, 14:10
Stumbled across this site and have been amazed that many others are experiencing the same problems as me! I have an 02 Zafira 1.6 Club, 43k and since I bought it in May 05 (37k) I have had the "management light" problem twice, together with the loss of power and refusal to go above 3k revs. First time was 15 months ago, no proper explanation from my dealer, but "codes reset" and it seemed to do the trick. Until recently, that is when the "emission" light was displayed, reset and displayed again, with no obvious effect on the driving. The loss of power and revs occurred again on Boxing Day (how convenient!). Returned from the workshop today, all codes reset and a "knock sensor" replaced (computer signalled this was faulty) and not too expensive. Is this a problem with vehicles of a certain age / mileage? Any newer models affected?
16th Jan 2007, 05:50
It has amazed me that so many people are suffering with the same problems that I have. It all started with my Zafira 2000 reg in September 2006. The engine warning light came on took it to a Vauxhall dealer they said it was the ignition module fixed or so I thought. The light came on again oxygen sensor fixed then the light came on again lander sensor fixed. I thought surely this cannot all be happening at once then it came on again catalytic convertor and full exhaust system replaced at a big price as you can imagine. Nothing else can possibly go wrong and guess what has happened the light has come on again this car has got to go never again will I buy Vauxhall.
28th Jan 2007, 15:29
We have a zafira1999 1.8 comfort, pleased with car, but engine electronic light is now lit up on dash, but no loss of power rev counter dips under 1 and no misfiring. I am really scared at the cost of what it could be after reading all these comments! please could anyone help. I live in bristol any good, but reasonable garages?
8th Feb 2007, 09:50
Zafira Comfort - 2.0DTI (Y-Reg).
I can't believe all these problems! I have a problem with my Engine Management light always coming on, usually when I'm reversing! And I have experienced a power loss when this light is on. Has anyone experienced, that when starting the car, the Speedometer, Rev Counter & Fuel Gauge dials go backwards and make a grunging noise?? Apparently this is an electrical problem due to a flat battery, but my batteries just been replaced and it's still doing it!! Now when I lock the car using the key, the immobiliser and alarm won't activate! Help!
10th Feb 2007, 05:36
I have a 1.8 petrol vauxhall Zafira elegance on a 99 plate, I love my car as its so practical, but like so many other people I'm having so many problems, such as- engine light management coming on/off - loss of power- miss firing- kangarooing along the road as I'm driving- not starting if parked on a hill- cutting out on me (usually when stopping at a junction, reversing, or going up hill!!) At this very moment it is in the garage AGAIN, my 3 kids and I were stranded on the A46 in the pouring snow and had to be rescued by my brilliant rescue company. Its been plugged into the machine so many times and Vauxhall always give me a different excuse- how are Vauxhall allowed to get away with this!! When are they going to admit that there is a serious fault in their engines!! Next time I will buy Ford!
21st Feb 2007, 13:15
My 2003 2.0 DTI Zafira with 44000 miles on it has had the intermittent engine management light on with loss of power problem for a couple of weeks now. I've just bought a OBD2 code reader off ebay to read off any fault codes, but it indicates clear. Next long drive I'll leave it connected and see if it gives a code while the light is on and report back.
The car also fails to start from cold on occasions which I suspect is a glow plug problem. I've started using a can of Easystart to get it going until I get around to checking the glow plugs.
1st Mar 2007, 04:45
I bought a 02 Zafira 1.6 and boy have I had problems with the engine management light. it's been on 12 times. Vauxhall haven't got a clue why it keeps on coming on. I've had both oxygen sensors replaced, the cat converter, the on board computer (ECB), the timing belt, all the filters, spark plugs, wiring loom. The car works like a treat, but why this light comes on, I really don't have a clue and nor do Vauxhall. If Vauxhall have built this car, they've made a real hash of the the electronics!
The latest thing that one vauxhall dealer has suggested, which has now been tried is to replace the oil filter with a genuine Vaxhall Filter, put in some vauxhall pure synthetic engine oil, run it on high revs for 20 minutes. I've had about 2 weeks of driving. I am fully expecting the light to come on any minute now...
14th Oct 2006, 15:25
I have a 2000 Vauxhall Zafira 2.0Di and had problems like some of the posts on this site about losing power periodically when driving on motorways or up a hill (with the engine management light coming on etc). Mine was fixed almost immediately with a new air flow mass meter (the computer fault code showed my air flow meter was faulty).
Other problems I've had: glow plugs go regularly, but I guess these are "consumables" - the engine light comes on for a short while when they're on their way out. I don't think the engine management unit has a code specifically for glow plug failure, but my garage (an independent) knows the Zafira miles better than the dealer. He knows which plug is gone an just changes that. The dealer would change all 4 every time one went making a nice little earner.
Overall it's a great car (in terms of space and layout). Vauxhall engineering is average at best and generally below average hence all the posts here about problems. The WORST thing by far about any Vauxhall is the dealerships. Leeches. Blood sucking leeches. They suck blood and give nothing in return - just like a leech!