Vectra's Transmission Nightmare: Grinding & Whining SOS

Hey there, I had a similar issue with my '08 Vauxhall Insignia (also petrol) last summer. The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I experienced, especially that whining noise and rough shifting. Turned out my torque converter was indeed failing, and it was causing the transmission fluid to get contaminated with metal particles. Got it fixed at my local transmission specialist. They had to rebuild the torque converter and flush the transmission system completely. It was a serious job that took about 4-5 days, but it was necessary to prevent complete transmission failure. My car had around 130,000 km when this happened. If you're hearing those symptoms, don't wait too long, driving with a failing torque converter can cause more damage to other transmission components. Look for a shop that specializes in automatic transmissions, not just a general mechanic. They'll have the right diagnostic tools and expertise for this kind of work. Best of luck with your Vectra. Let us know how it goes.

Hey, thanks a lot for sharing that, it's super helpful! Sounds like we had pretty much identical issues. Can't remember if you mentioned how much the whole repair set you back? Also, just curious, has everything been running smoothly since the fix, or have you noticed any other quirks? I'm trying to figure out what I'm in for cost-wise and whether this might just be the start of my transmission troubles.

Hey again! Yeah, happy to give you an update! Since my last post, I actually ended up getting the repair done, the mechanic confirmed it was definitely the converter lockup clutch malfunction, just like I suspected. The total bill came to 2120.00 € for fixing the automatic transmission converter, which was pretty much what I expected for such a major job. And I've got good news, my Insignia's been running like a dream since the repair! No more weird noises, no more clunky shifting, just smooth sailing. It's been about 8 months now, and I haven't had a single transmission-related issue. The specialist I went to really knew their stuff, and it shows in the quality of the work. I know it feels like a big hit to the wallet, but honestly, it was worth every cent to get it sorted properly rather than letting it get worse. My advice would be to get it fixed sooner rather than later, these things tend to only get more expensive if you wait too long. Hope this helps give you a better idea of what you're looking at! Let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks for all that info! Just wanted to update you all on what happened. Finally bit the bullet and took my Vectra to a transmission specialist last week. Turns out you were spot on, it was the converter lockup clutch giving me grief. Found this great shop through a 's recommendation. They were super professional and walked me through everything. Bill came to about 2300€, which wasn't fun, but at least they did a thorough job. Had to leave the car there for four days while they rebuilt the torque converter and flushed the whole system. Picked it up yesterday and honestly, it's like driving a different car! No more whining, shifts are butter smooth, and that horrible grinding sound is completely gone. Feels good to have it sorted properly. Thanks again for sharing your experience, really helped me make the decision to get it fixed before it turned into something worse. Hopefully this helps anyone else dealing with similar issues!