i have just been totaly ripped of buying this vectra, its a sold as seen so i have n choice but to try and sort it out, the engine seized due to the oil pump (this is one of many problems) i had a second hand engine put in it but its not reading any oil on the dip stick, is this because the engines been flushed and it just needs a new oil filter ? the abs brake light is staying on and so is the engine management light, what do i do as i have children that need to be driven about, i would really appreciate some kind of information back on this car, tha last vectra i had was great.
who is doing the work? Normally, when you replace with a used engine, a complete oil and filter change is indicated, just so you know what the baseline for the oil change interval is and to get rid of any possible contaminated oil that may be there. No oil on dipstick with oil change means insufficient and too little fill. Tow car back to mechanic or put enough oil in so the dipstick shows about proper amount (between the full and low marks).
The car should not have left the garage without the proper amount of oil in it. The engine management light codes need to be read and cleared. Not sure if the light was reset, so you don’t know if the codes set are related to the new used engine or not. If this work was performed by a garage, this all should fall under their warranty. It may be short, like 30 days, so don’t hesitate to get the vehicle back to the mechanic who did the work.
ABS light is a second issue. Some brake diagnostics are in order. It could be something like low fluid or serious like ABS computer not functioning. A mechanic can outline some options for you after isolating the problem.
Since this site is US-based, and since Vauxhall vehicles have not been marketed in the US since…sometime in the early '60s, it is not likely that you can get Vauxhall-specific advice in the forum.
However, as a general bit of advice, if no oil is showing on the dipstick, the engine should not be started until you have added enough oil (a 1/2 qt. at a time, preferably) to bring it up to the full level. Whether the engine was flushed or not, the dipstick should indicate that the crankcase is full and the engine will be damaged if it is started and driven prior to filling the crankcase to the correct level.
The ABS light indicates that you have “normal” braking ability, but that the ABS system is inoperative. The car can be driven in this condition.
The engine management light is probably what we call the “Check Engine” light (CEL) here in the US. A steadily-illuminated CEL means that the car’s onboard diagnostic computer has detected a fault in the electronics or the fuel system, and should be checked as soon as is convenient. A “trouble code” will be stored by the car’s computer, and the system can be scanned for the exact codes.
If the CEL is flashing, this indicates a much more serious problem, and the car should not be driven and it should be towed to the mechanic’s shop.
So–in summary, once the oil is brought up to the correct level, the car can be driven–as long as that CEL isn’t flashing. The brakes will work, but you will not have the ABS function. You can safely drive the car for a few days–or at least until it is convenient to have the ABS checked and to have the car’s diagnostic computer scanned for trouble codes. The codes will tell your mechanic where the problem is localized.
Good luck!
thank you for your advice, the car is going to have a diagnostic check , unfortunatly i was not in a position to put the car in to a garage so had a local guy do the work for me, (hence more problems) at least i now have some in sight as to what i should do next, once again many thanks .
A further comment on adding oil: after bringing it up to “full” on the dipstick, run the engine for a few minutes and shut it off, wait a few minutes for things to drain down, and check the level again. Filling the oil filter and various galleries may mean that you have to add yet another quart.