Hi, you've been highly recommended to me by Kieran @ audioserve (Herne Bay, Kent) who recently helped me with a cd30 mp3 issue.
I'm going to try to make this as brief as possible but I'm not sure I can, so brace yourselves. All of what you're about to read relates to an Astra H SRI x pack 1.7 Diesel, 140k with a full history that I've owned it for nearly a year without any issues. I also have the cars original pass card.
For the last four weeks I've been battling ABS,Traction Control and Airbag warning lamps, a non functioning fuel gauge and a dead cruise control, without the slightest hint that I'm any nearer sorting the problem.
It started with a fairly major oil leak from a split oil return pipe on the back of the filter block, on the back of the engine. Lots of oil all over the back of the engine, starter, loom covers, exhaust, bulkhead and back along the underside of the car. Put it on my friends ramp and cleaned it all up with brake cleaner (quite a lot) and rag, but no pressure washing. Found the culprit and replaced the oil return pipe. At the same time I replaced a slightly leaking three-way 'T' piece and water pipes connected to the oil cooler, gave it a full service.....and thats it! It's at this point that it all starts to go wrong.
After I put it all back together, I fired it up and, as always it started with no problem. But now I have all the warning lamps shining brightly at me, no cruise control and no fuel gauge reading. Initally the fuel gauge would climb for a frew seconds but then fall to zero and flash the low fuel fuel pump sign at me. Now it just sits at zero and flashes. I had a good look underneath in case I had dislodged a plug or wire, but couldn't find anything. Plugged it in to my friends Delphi system and it came up with the following main faults that flatly refuse to be cleared......
Brake (ABS (Anti-lock braking system) - Diagnos)
DTC Description
C0035 - Front left wheel speed sensor
- Malfunction
- Permanent
C0800 - System voltage
- Low voltage
- Permanent
Instrument (Instrument - Display - Info display)
DTC Description
U2141 - REC (Rear Electrical Centre)
- invalid data
- Permanent
U2201 - EHU (Entertainment Head Unit)
- no communication
- Intermittent
Instrument (Instrument - IPC KOMBI-A3300 - Instrument cluster)
DTC Description
P0460 - Fuel Level Sensor Circuit
- Faulty
- Permanent
U2141 - REC (Rear Electrical Centre)
- invalid data
- Permanent
DTC Description
B0023 - Passenger side curtain airbag squib
- Open circuit
- Permanent
Multifunction (Rear Electronic (Rear electronics) - REC RZM Intedis - Rear
electronic center)
DTC Description
B0575 - Fuel Level Sensor Circuit
- voltage high/open circuit
- Permanent
DTC Description
P0460 - Fuel Level Sensor Circuit
- Faulty
- Permanent
U2141 - REC (Rear Electrical Centre)
- invalid data
- Permanent
As a result of the low voltage messages I checked the alternator output, and at idle with no load was putting out 14 volts. But with lights, radio and fan it was dipping into the high 10' to low 11's. Fitted a new alternator, re ran the scan, exactly the same. Plenty of oomph but still the lights remained. Rechecked all the possible leads and plugs that I could have knocked or moved. No joy. Checked all conceivable earthing points. No joy. As the REC seemed to feature heavily in the fault codes, and a lot of the faulty elements seem to be linked to it (from what I've read), I got a tested and working replacement rear electrical unit (not new as they're £450 from Vauxhall). Friend of mine who works for vauxhall kindly coded it to the car with tech2 and I was confident that that was going to put an end to my woes. No! So far, with service parts, water pipes, oil pipe, alternator and REC I'm into it for nearly £350 and no nearer resolving my woes. The car starts, runs and drives a a treat. Is it possible that by sheer crappy luck, all these control modules have packed up at the self same time? Can I be that unlucky? It has left me, and people with way more experience than me doing the full Stan Laurel head scratch. I'm very much in best guess territory now. If you have any questions to fill in gaps feel free to ask. I can probably get hold of a full diagnostic report too if it helps.
If you have any pearls of wisdom, for the love of god throw them this way,........please!
Best regards
Barry
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