Before you buy a used Opel Astra H.
Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.
The essentials.
- 5 documented, sourced faults across its 2 engines.
- 1 of them depends on the equipment or the production date: ask what this car has.
- We have no official recalls on record for this model; ask anyway, with the chassis number (VIN).
- According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 1.4 / 1.6 / 1.8 (Petrol).
Typical faults by engine
The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.
All versions
Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.
- M32 manual gearbox bearingsGearbox
- Period mentioned
- 2004–2019
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Applies if: Only if fitted with the M32 six-speed manual (common on six-speed turbo and diesel versions); confirm by VIN.
1.4 / 1.6 / 1.8
Petrol
- Ecotec 1.0–1.4 timing chainTiming system
- Period mentioned
- 2003–2019
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
1.3 / 1.7 / 1.9 CDTI
Diesel
- 1.3 Multijet chain, DPF and EGRTiming / DPF / EGR
- Period mentioned
- 2003–2020
- Mileage mentioned
- 80,000–120,000 km
- 1.9/2.4 JTD intake flaps, EGR and flywheelIntake / EGR / flywheel
- Period mentioned
- 1997–2012
- Mileage mentioned
- 80,000–150,000 km
- Opel CDTI EGR cooler and timing beltEGR / timing
- Period mentioned
- 2006–2019
- Mileage mentioned
- 80,000–180,000 km
Which engine has the fewest documented faults?
| Engine | Documented faults |
|---|---|
| 1.4 / 1.6 / 1.8PetrolFewest documented | 21 with conditions |
| 1.3 / 1.7 / 1.9 CDTIDiesel | 41 with conditions |
According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 1.4 / 1.6 / 1.8 (Petrol).
By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Petrol.
We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.
Official recalls: ask before you pay
We have no official recalls on record for this model. Our list is not complete: ask anyway, with the chassis number.
- Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
- Ask an official Opel dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
- Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
On the test drive: what to look and listen for
Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.
0 of 5 checked
Timing system
Look out for: Engine rattle, especially on start-up, power loss and misfires (P0300 to P0304).
Ask them to check: Listen to a cold start, read misfire codes, look for the yellow mark on the timing cover (Astra H) and check chain stretch.
Timing / DPF / EGR
Look out for: Chain rattle on cold starts; oil level rising and smelling of diesel; particulate filter warning; power loss from a dirty EGR or the turbo.
Ask them to check: Listen to a cold start, check whether the oil is above maximum or smells of diesel, read the DPF status and check the oil change history.
Intake / EGR / flywheel
Look out for: Power loss, rough idle and an engine light with “swirl actuator malfunction”; soot around the intake manifold; vibration and knocks in low gears (dual-mass flywheel).
Ask them to check: Check the rod and flap operation on top of the manifold, read actuator codes, inspect the EGR and listen to the flywheel when starting and stopping.
EGR / timing
Look out for: Coolant loss with no visible leak or white smoke (cracked EGR cooler); power loss and rough idle (clogged EGR); on the 2.0 CDTI, water pump noise before the belt breaks.
Ask them to check: Watch the coolant level, check whether the 2.0 CDTI belt and water pump were replaced together and inspect the EGR.
Gearbox
Look out for: A whine that rises with speed, mainly in 5th and 6th (also in 1st and 2nd), a loose gear lever that moves on and off the throttle and, when advanced, gears jumping out. Left unrepaired, the bearing can break through the casing.
Ask them to check: In a garage test: confirm whether the noise depends on road speed (wheel bearing, tyre) or the gear engaged (gearbox), and whether the lever moves under load. Check the oil for metal debris. Repair early: replacing all bearings and fitting the revised end case costs far less than a new gearbox.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.
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