Vauxhall Owners Club

I think the first move is to see where you have power going up to the lighter sockets. Using a multimeter or test lamp see voltage what you are getting at the sockets and work your way back through the electrical system from there to establish if there is a break in the circuit somewhere

I can see what you are up against as so much conflicting information out there on the type of autoboxes that are available. If it were me I would clean the exterior of the areas I would be working in (e.g. bottom and side of the box. Warm the engine up but not too hot as the fluid could scold when being drained. With a drain tray underneath let the fluid drain into it and try not to lose any as you will have to measure the quantity of old fluid. If there haven't been any leaks then what comes out is what should be in there. Ensure you have plenty of fluid to fill the box and top up over the next few days. If you remove the sump or side cover then fit a new filter and gasket(s) and see how it goes after that. Also examine the fluid for colour and particles (metal, fibre, etc) and if it smells of burnt toast then the fluid has been heated by wear on the clutch plates.

sorry, no I don't know but it would certainly worth trying them up for size if you could find the doors

Hi and welcome to the Club You can pick away the brains but not sure you'll find much 😄 Good to have you onboard!

If it is just an O ring then I would go to a hardware or hydraulics store which should sell them but ensure they are black in colour as if they are any other colour it could mean they are made of Viton or some other material that is heat resistant. Maybe also worth applying some sealant or grease prior to fitting

I wonder if you have contacted your local Opel dealership in France but also whether you could send an email to a UK based dealership to see if they will supply the part number(s) or order them for you? If it is an O'ring type seal then a local hardware store may sell these along with any sealant you may wish to apply before fitting

Similar to the pressure cap (which I was going to suggest) is any other source of leak, even the slightest amount that is hardly detectable could lead to the drop in pressure but if the coolant is being consumed then I would look at the cylinders (take plugs out and see if water contamination present) or if mixing with the oil. Possibly worth throwing a tin of coolant sealant into the expansion tank (any porous castings usually sorts it)

Hi...welcome to the Club First thoughts are battery - it may be healthy on test but if its the wrong type then this can also cause problems. If you turn the engine over and the light comes on and the steering is heavy almost immediately, then switch it off and immediately try again - if the light stays off and the steering is fine then it is more that they battery cannot provide the power required to work the steering rack and it goes offline. I would also advise to avoid the dealerships as they just fit new parts and hope it cures the fault. If you go to a skilled mechanic in an independent garage that is capable of scanning the fault codes and also measure the voltage at the steering motor to see if it is especially heavy demand (could be poor connection, dirt or water ingress in the connector, etc). Also, they should be able to check the Load and Angle Sensors are calibrated and can adapt it through their test equipment which is an easy job to do. Let us know how you get on with finding a good independent garage that is good at electronic faults

Hi...welcome to the club It's nice to see some connoisseurs like to look at the alternatives out there rather than jumping on the band wagon. The ST is a good car but there are equally satisfying cars out there at a fraction of a price as they are not rated by their badge. I owned a Rover 200LE 'BRM' - a limited edition (795 made for UK market) and it was and still is the one car I wished I had kept for its unique style (google the images of the Rover BRM) and was an homage to the racing cars from the nineteen fifties and sixties. There were many other 'limited editions' available at the time - Renault Clio Sport 'Williams Edition' to name just one - ANYONE ELSE ADD TO THIS LIST? but most of the time it came down to the badge and no one wanted to drive an 'old mans' car like a Rover, albeit not at all standard at all. Good to have you onboard and feel free to pop up some photos of your Astra GTC VXR

Is it paddle shift as well? if so, maybe try turning the steering to a different direction in case there is a flat spot present or damp/dirt in the connections? Its worth a try and at least you can eliminate that off the list

Sounds very much like a suspension link rod that senses the angle of the vehicle (e.g. loaded or not loaded) and adjusts the headlamps automatically The link is usually located on the rear suspension somewhere and usually made of plastic which is why they tend to break

Owners handbook is the best way or working through the settings but may be an online version which would be easier to follow

Langfords at Semley are bound to have something there but you will need to walk around the yard to find it - take some wellys with you :-)

Not sure if it is connected but is the battery a good one and fully charged? Again, not sure but is there a master reset once the battery has been changed? I cannot see how it would have changed anything by leaving it standing except for any factory settings which maybe it cannot achieve through either a scantool to reset or record new voltage settings

If you're in Salisbury then there is the scrapyard on Southampton Road (near Halfords) Also there is a scrapyard at Semley - Langford Car Spares who seem to have everything there and you can wander round and select what you want