Black Smoke & Power Loss: Vectra Needs Help!

Hey there, Those symptoms sound very familiar. I had almost identical issues with my 2004 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 last winter. After some diagnostic work, it turned out to be a defective fuel injector. The black smoke, power loss, and rough running were dead giveaways. Had mine fixed at a certified Vauxhall specialist, not the main dealer, but a well-established independent garage. They had to replace two injectors and clean the fuel system. It was a serious job that took about a day and a half to complete properly, but it solved all the problems. The car ran like new afterward. Just make sure wherever you take it, they do proper diagnostic testing first. The symptoms could point to other fuel system issues, but based on what you're describing, I'd bet on injector problems. Don't wait too long though, running the car in this condition isn't good for the engine.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful as it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. I was worried it might be something more serious. Just wondering, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole job? Also, has everything been running smoothly since the repair, or have you had any other issues pop up?

Hey again! Just wanted to follow up, you'll be glad to know I recently got my car sorted at that specialist garage I mentioned. The total bill came to 515€ for fixing a faulty injector, and I'm happy to report it was exactly what the car needed. The Error in the mixture control that was causing it to run too lean has been completely resolved. The car's running like a dream now, no more black smoke, jerking, or power issues. It's actually amazing how much of a difference fixing that one injector made! Fuel consumption is back to normal too, which is a relief for my wallet. I'd definitely recommend getting yours checked out ASAP, sounds like the exact same issue I had. Haven't had a single problem since the repair, and it's been several months now. The engine's purring like a kitten, starts perfectly every time (even on cold mornings), and the check engine light is long gone. Good luck with getting yours sorted! Let me know how it goes

Thanks a lot for the follow-up! I actually took your advice and got my car checked out at a local specialist garage last week. You were spot on, it was indeed the injectors! Had to replace two of them, which set me back about 600€, but honestly, it was worth every penny. The difference is like night and day. No more black smoke coming out the back, the jerking's completely gone, and the engine's got its power back. Even my fuel consumption has dropped back to normal levels. The mechanic I found was great too, really knew his stuff and explained everything clearly. It's such a relief to have it sorted. The car starts perfectly now, even on these chilly mornings we've been having. Guess sometimes you just need to bite the bullet and get things fixed properly. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction, you saved me a lot of worry and probably some money too by helping me avoid the wrong repairs! All's well that ends well!