Vauxhall Adam: Heating System Mystery Solved

Hey there! I have some experience with cars and had a similar issue with my 2012 Vauxhall Corsa last winter. The symptoms sound very familiar! My electric auxiliary heater was acting up just like yours. Took it to my local Vauxhall specialist, and after diagnosis, they confirmed the heater unit was shot. Cost me around 350€ to get it fixed, including parts and labor. The repair took about half a day. What's the mileage on your Adam? And have you noticed any warning lights on the dash? This info would help me share more relevant details from my experience. Also, if you're having both heating AND cooling issues, might want to get the whole HVAC system checked, could be something different from what I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My Adam's at 121359 KM and had its last service about 3 months ago. No warning lights on the dash, which is making it even more confusing. The temperature just seems to have a mind of its own, sometimes it works fine, and other times it's completely off. I actually tried checking the fuses first, but they all seem good. Was your repair worth it in the end? Did the problem come back at all after fixing it? Wondering if I should just bite the bullet and take it to the dealer or try my local mechanic first.

Hey again! Thanks for those extra details about your Adam. You know, hearing about your mileage and the intermittent nature of the problem, it sounds even more similar to what I dealt with on my Corsa. Mine was around 115,000 KM when the issues started. The repair was totally worth it in my case, haven't had any heating problems since getting it fixed. It's been about 14 months now, and everything's still working perfectly. But I'll be honest, I did try my local mechanic first before going to the Vauxhall specialist. The local guy couldn't quite pin down the issue, which ended up costing me extra time and money. Given how similar your symptoms are (especially that unusual working/not working pattern, mine did exactly the same!), I'd actually recommend going straight to a Vauxhall specialist. They've got the right diagnostic tools and know these models inside out. I learned that lesson the hard way! Oh, and just a heads up, since you're having both heating AND cooling issues, they might need to check the climate control module too. My problem was just with heating, so your case might be a bit more complex. Keep us posted on what you find out!

That's really helpful information, thanks so much! You've convinced me to skip the local mechanic and go straight to the Vauxhall specialist. It'll probably save me money in the long run, even if it costs a bit more upfront. The intermittent nature of the problem is driving me crazy, so I'm gonna book it in next week. You're probably right about the climate control module too, I hadn't thought about that. I'll make sure to mention both the heating and cooling issues when I take it in. Great to hear your repair has lasted without any problems! Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and advice. I'll definitely update the thread once I find out what's actually wrong with mine!