Car stalls for no apparent reason, temerature makes no difference. Sometimes doing 40mph often when approaching junctions, parking etc. Doesn't shudder or lurch so may be not petrol, just dash lights come on when clutch dipped. Starts again immeadiately. Sometimes, but not always stalls again straight away. I have looked for obvious faults, loose wires etc. and sprayed wd40 with gay abandon. cleand air intake valve. Can't see any rhyme or reason. Please help! It's driving me crazy! I may have to buy a car with points, distributor & crank handle!

Janice Defuyck, December 2004

you need to clean out the air idle valve located om the side of the throttle body, had the same problem tought i would get a garage to look at it, cost me £600 while they replaced every sensor, mass meter and such like but did not do the idle valve.

Will take about half an hour £5 for a large tin of carb cleaner, make sure that all the vacume pipes are unbloked and give the air idle valve lots or attention, remove the stepper motor from the end and spray the carb cleaner in and work the spindle back and forth lots. you should have no probs after this ( may need doing every 6 months or so)

olly, April 2005

There are a number of common problems afflicting the Vectra:

1. Idle valve (sometimes can be cleaned sometimes needs replacing). Vauxhall do an uprated one with an 'X' on the end of the part no.

2. Hot film air mass sensor. This is the large sensor located in the rubber air inlet pipe. You could risk getting one from a breakers for £50 or a new one will set you back over £120.

3. Blocked idle air path & breather hoses. Remove them & clean them all out with carb cleaner. There is a modification that Vauxhall suggest to fit an inline filter. I've seen a photo online of this modification - do a Google search.

4. Rarely the throttle position sensor is faulty or has been tampered with to overcome other faults. It is not adjustable and should not have slotted holes for adjustment.

Hope this helps.

Kevin Stewart, December 2004