JanaRacer

Opel Captiva 2011: Erratic engine operation, excessive fuel consumption and black exhaust smoke

Hey guys, my Opel Captiva petrol engine from 2011, with just under 200k kilometers on the clock, is giving me a bit of a worry at the moment. Had a bad experience with my mechanic the other day and now need your opinion. It is showing black smoke from the exhaust when accelerating, the check engine light is on, the engine is running rough, there is stuttering when accelerating and the fuel consumption has increased enormously. I suspect that it has something to do with the lambda sensor heater. Have any of you had similar problems and can share your experiences with me? What was your experience with the repair? Thank you!

(Translated from German)

An Opel Captiva 2011 is experiencing erratic engine operation, excessive fuel consumption, and black exhaust smoke. The issues include a rough-running engine, stuttering during acceleration, and an illuminated check engine light. Potential causes suggested include a faulty lambda sensor heater or a defective engine control unit (ECU). It is advised to have the vehicle checked promptly to prevent further damage, with previous experiences indicating that replacing the ECU resolved similar issues.

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4 comment(s)

Hello, I had a similar problem with my 2014 Opel Insignia. The engine was running rough and fuel consumption was noticeably higher. It turned out that the engine control unit was defective. Like you, the black smoke was a big warning signal. It was quite serious, as the car was shaking quite a lot and didn't have full power. The mechanic had to completely replace the ECU. This sounds very much like an engine control unit problem, although I'm not a mechanic. But on my last garage drive it seemed pretty serious. Hopefully that's not the case for you, but in any case you should have it checked as soon as possible to avoid major damage. Good luck with that!

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Hi, this also reminds me of a problem I had with my Captiva. It was a real headache at the time. Do you happen to remember how much it cost you to replace the control unit? And has anything else come up since then that you've had to fix?

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Hi, it's been a while, but I remember that it cost me a whopping 1000.0 euros to repair the engine control unit. Not exactly a penny, but since then the car has been running like a kitten again. And to answer your other question: yes, I actually had to tackle something else. The lambda sensor heater was faulty. But we got it fixed by the mechanic. Fortunately, there's been no further stress since then. Hope this helps you and keep your fingers crossed that your problem is solved quickly!

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Thank you both for your advice! This sounds like serious stuff.... I was hoping it was something smaller. I will definitely get it checked out as soon as possible. It's reassuring to know that everything was fine after the repair. Really hope I have the same luck! Stay healthy and take care of your cars guys!

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OPEL

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CAPTIVA