Astra's Black Smoke & Power Loss: Ignition Coil Crisis?

Hi there! I have some experience with cars, and had a very similar issue with my 2012 Vauxhall Corsa last summer. Those symptoms sound exactly like what I went through, it was super frustrating! Turned out the cable connection to my ignition coil was defective. Took it to my trusted local workshop, and they diagnosed it pretty quickly. The repair set me back about 365 Euro, but it fixed all those issues, no more black smoke, jerking, or power loss. Could be the same problem, but I'd need to know a bit more about your Astra to be sure. What engine size do you have, and have you noticed any other symptoms? Have you had any recent work done on the car? Hope this helps! Feel free to share more details, and I'll try to point you in the right direction.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My mileage is at 240286 KM, and I just had a service about 2 months ago. Those repair costs sound reasonable actually, I was worried it might be something way more expensive! You might be right about the ignition coil connection, especially since my symptoms match yours so closely. Did you notice any warning signs before it got really bad? I'm wondering if I should get it checked out right away or if I can safely drive it to my regular mechanic who's a bit further away.

Hey again! Thanks for the follow-up. Yeah, looking at your mileage (240K+ km), it definitely sounds similar to what I experienced. With my Corsa, I actually did notice some early warning signs before it got really bad, first it was just occasional hesitation during acceleration, then it gradually got worse over about two weeks. To be honest, I probably drove it longer than I should have before getting it fixed. When I finally took it in, my mechanic said I was lucky I hadn't caused any additional damage. Based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend driving it too far in this condition. The black smoke and power loss could definitely get worse pretty quickly. In my case, the coil connection problem ended up affecting other components too because I waited. If your regular mechanic is quite far, might be worth finding someone closer just for this fix. I learned the hard way that these symptoms shouldn't be ignored, better safe than sorry! Just one question, have you noticed if the symptoms are worse when the engine's cold or after it's warmed up? With mine, it was particularly bad during cold starts, which was another clue pointing to the ignition coil issue. Let me know how it goes!

Thanks so much for the detailed advice! Yeah, now that you mention it, it is definitely worse during cold starts, takes a few tries to get going sometimes. You've convinced me not to risk driving it too far. I'll get it checked out at the garage just down the road tomorrow morning instead of driving to my usual mechanic. Better to spend a bit more at a closer garage than risk causing more damage! I really appreciate you sharing your experience, it's helped me understand what I might be dealing with. Will let you know what the mechanic finds! Thanks again for all your help!