Vectra not starting after ferry crossing

Nov 04, 2006 10 Replies
T

Last week I could not start my Vectra to drive it off a ferry. When I turned on the ignition some strange engine symbol, with a lightening bolt thro it, came up as a warning on the dash - I turned the key further and nothing at all happened. It didn't matter how many times I fully turned the key, the result was always the same - no response at all.



I was eventually pushed off the ferry. I called the RAC who said they were very busy but would be with me within three hours.



I've done over 89,000 miles in this car and never had this ignition problem before. After half an hour I tried to start the car again - it started first time. I drove it around for the next three days then came back on the ferry again. I was in a cold sweat when I came to start up again to drive off the ferry, but, again, it started first time. And no problem starting the car since.



Can anyone explain what might have happened?



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N

You should have said you were a single female (put on a high voice), they positively discriminate apparently. Doesn't matter if you're a single male as nothing will ever happen to you.

Take it to an independent vauxhall garage who will read the fault codes and tell you. Then you can have it fixed. It could be a number of problems.

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T

Will I have to wait until the fault reoccurs? I haven't seen that dash warning symbol since the car failed to start. So, will the fault code still be there for them to read. Presumably, if I do see it again, I won't be able to start the car to drive it anywhere.

Also, that ferry crossing, is that just a red herring in this problem?

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I

Thunderbolts and lightning very very frightening me.Galileo Galileo....

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T

"Ivan" wrote in news:EQ93h.47172$r61.14936 @text.news.blueyonder.co.uk:

Are ECU's self aware enough to get sea-sick? ;-)

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C

They would definitely get sick if they got sea in them!

Chris

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G

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember snipped-for-privacy@mailhole.com (Terry) saying something like:

The ferry pixies were messin' with your head.

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V

Thunderbolts and lightning, ferry ferry frightening me!

Answer: Your car's ferryophobic mate. :-)

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V

I suggest you arrange to park up your car for a few hours next to Brian Ferry or his idiot Hooray Henry fox-persecuting Parliament-invading son, and see if you can replicate the problem. :-)

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M

Could this be similar to the Vectra Not Starting thread down there somewhere? If you start the car for a short time then stop it the ECU thinks the engine's flooded or something?

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T

My previous car (R reg. Mondeo) definitely suffered from this. First time it happened I got a home-start job from the RAC, complete with explanations of why it happened, how to prevent it in future and what to do if it happened again. My Vectra (touch wood) is not susceptible to this prob, though.

But, I guess, I'll just have to live in fear of thunderbolts and lightning (very, very frightening) on ferry crossings. Some you win, some you lose.

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