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Before you buy a used Opel Astra K.

2015–2021 · Petrol / Diesel · 4 engines

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.

Opel Astra K, real photo of this generation
M 93 · CC BY-SA 3.0 DE · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

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.

1.0 / 1.4 Turbo

Petrol

1.2 Turbo (GM, desde 2019) · 1.5 Diesel (GM, desde 2019)

1.2 Turbo (GM, desde 2019) (Petrol) · 1.5 Diesel (GM, desde 2019) (Diesel)

1.6 CDTI

Diesel

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Opel Astra K
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
1.0 / 1.4 TurboPetrol10
1.2 Turbo (GM, desde 2019)Petrol11
1.6 CDTIDiesel10
1.5 Diesel (GM, desde 2019)Diesel11

According to the data we have, all its engines have the same number of documented faults.

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

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
Insufficiently tightened Opel winter wheelsSuspension and steering

Engines: 1.2 Turbo (GM, desde 2019) (Petrol) · 1.5 Diesel (GM, desde 2019) (Diesel)

How to check it: Confirm VIN in the 20-C-172 / E202008530 campaign appendix; an Opel service should inspect and correct tightening.

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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 3 checked

Timing system

  • Look out for: Chain rattle, engine light and lack of power. Note: a rattle lasting only 1–3 seconds on a cold start is usually the dual-mass flywheel, not the chain.

    Ask them to check: Listen to how long the noise lasts on a cold start and check chain stretch with a diagnostic tool before replacing it.

  • Look out for: 1.2 Turbo: the timing belt runs in oil and, with the manual gearbox, there have been cases of crankshaft end play. 1.5 Diesel: rattling on a cold start or under load changes from a stretched chain, risking engine failure. On all: oil leaks that fail the roadworthiness test.

    Ask them to check: Ask for the oil-change history; listen on a cold start; check for oil leaks and campaigns by VIN.

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.

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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