Installation of alarm on Opel Astra H. Opel Astra H: technical characteristics of the family Reliability of the Opel Astra H chassis

In most cases, when choosing a used car, you need to take a not very powerful atmospheric engine with a manual transmission, and then the car will travel for a long time. But with the Opel Astra H, things are a little different.

Mechanical boxes

Mechanical boxes in the Opel Astra N are not particularly reliable, because over time they have some surprises, especially since quite powerful motors go to mechanical boxes.
In Astra, 5-speed gearboxes F17 and F13 are installed, which were installed on the Opel Cadet, produced in the late 90s. The power of the motors began to increase and the load on the box too, so the bearings began to fail.

On Vectra B cars, you can still install a stronger and more reliable box of the F16, F18 and F23 series, you also need to install new hubs and drives. But more reliable boxes will not fit into Astra N, because the steering rack does not allow.

So a huge number of Astra H owners repair the box or change it to a used box. If the bearings of the output shaft suffer, this leads to the destruction of the gearbox housing, after which metal crumbs appear, which then damage all other elements. In general, you have to overhaul the box, which is not cheap. A new manual transmission costs about 200,000 rubles, so many people take used ones, but there is a risk that this whole situation will soon happen again.

Solution to the problem

But not everything is as sad as it might seem, you can solve this problem. It is possible to move the motor mounting points. If you move the motor a few centimeters, you can install a more reliable box - F23. You can also put a manual transmission from Chevrolet, it is the same as in Opel, it becomes clear, and there is no need to redo the structure.

Before buying, it is not difficult to determine that the gearbox has problems - you just need to lift the car, start the engine and start turning the wheels. Engage 4th or 5th gear, then turn off the engine and listen carefully. If the bearings are damaged, the characteristic sound will be heard very well. It will cost about 70,000 rubles to repair the box in the early stages. Repairing a standard box is a waste of time and money.

For the box to last longer, you need to monitor the oil level, and you can also change it periodically. It is better to pour ATF DEXTRON II oil into the box, and not the oil recommended by dealers. It is especially likely that the manual transmission will fail on cars with a 1.8 and 1.3 diesel engine.

More than 1/3 of cars with these engines have already repaired or changed the manual transmission at 60,000 mileage. On cars with a 1.6-liter engine, the risk that the box will fail is slightly less, since the engine is not as powerful and the box will be able to work better with it.

But if you suddenly get under way from a traffic light, when overtaking, turn on a lower gear, then the box will also have to be repaired. There are configurations with a 2.0 turbocharged engine, a manual M32 box goes to it, it breaks down just like others. But it does not break so often, because there is a more durable differential, and there are not so many cars in this configuration.

The owners of Opel are still not happy with the dual-mass flywheel, it does not last long, but is quite expensive. The box has a more or less reliable cable drive, but over time the link wears out, so the first and second gears are turned on worse. To remedy this situation, you just need to change the rocker or install new ball joint liners of the lever.

Automatic boxes

On cars with a small engine displacement, an EasyTronic robot box was installed instead of an automatic transmission. She has the same problems as in the manual transmissions F17 - M20, plus there is also an automatic clutch.

If you drive calmly, do not kill the box on purpose, then it will train for some time. But if you often drive in traffic jams, then the clutch actuators will fail faster. In general, the clutch in such cars is about 60,000 km. And the price of new parts is quite high. In general, when buying a car, it is better to refuse configurations from the EasyTronic robotic box.

A real reliable automatic transmission is installed in a complete set with a more powerful engine: petrol 1.8 or 2.2. These motors are equipped with a 4-speed Aisin automatic transmission. This is a Japanese box with a robust design. It serves for a long time, does not break and does not cause any problems to its owner, especially if the oil is changed as indicated in the instructions.

If you don't specifically kill the box, then it will last at least 300,000 km. And the repair of the automatic transmission is not particularly expensive - you just need to clean it, replace the rubber bands and worn out clutches. Anything else can still serve. It is necessary to check the automatic transmission for serviceability using the ATF "glycol test", or check the box for emulsion.

Motors

Opel engines are traditionally made with high quality, serve for a long time, consume little fuel and are especially unpretentious. Before restyling, Astra H was equipped with engines with volumes of 1.6 and 1.8 liters, their design is the same as in the older engines installed in the Cadets and Asconas. Sometimes there are also 1.4-liter engines. They have 16 valves, the design is simple, they can easily serve more than 250,000 km. Among the shortcomings of this motor is a slightly weak control unit, it can overheat, there are also cases that cracks appear in the soldering points.

The throttle valve and ignition have a long service life, it is enough to clean these nodes periodically, then there will definitely be no problems. The engines use an EGR system, the valve of which becomes dirty over time and does not close. The adjustable intake manifold also does not tolerate the abundance of dust and dirt on the roads, it is covered with soot and oil, so it is advisable to keep track of these things.

But still, the engine has a large margin of safety, if you change the timing belt and oil in time, then this engine will last a long time. 250,000 km is guaranteed to serve, there are copies with 400,000 mileage, except that there is a small oil consumption in the region of 200 grams per 1000 km. mileage. Even if the engine breaks down, its overhaul will be inexpensive, since the cost of spare parts for this car is not high.

More modern engines of the Z16XEP and Z16XER series with a volume of 1.6, as well as the Z18XER with a volume of 1.8 liters, are also reliable, but they already use a new cylinder head, a phase shifter in the timing system. All these innovations increase torque at low revs, and the engine power has also become more. At that time, for a 1.8 engine, the power was 140 liters. from. Is a good indicator.

These motors do not have hydraulic lifters, so the valve will have to be adjusted every 60,000 km, although according to the passport, this must be done every 150,000 km. Therefore, if extraneous noise appears in the motor, then it's time to adjust the clearances. Among the innovations are a controlled thermostat, an oil heat exchanger, the operating temperature of the engine has increased, and the oil filter has changed.

The motor is still reliable if MOT is done on time. True, complaints are due to phase shifters and their valves, after a while knocks and floating revolutions appear. But now there is no EGR system, so the intake tract does not get dirty. For those who start abruptly without warming up the car, heat exchangers can leak over time.

You can find Opel Astra H with A16XER and A18XER engines, in fact, these are the same motors, only they are configured differently and are a little dull. According to European regulations, the oil change must be done at fairly long intervals, this has a bad effect on the engine, therefore the condition of engines from Europe is often worse than from Russia. Regardless of what is prescribed in the regulations, the oil should be changed the more often the better. But at least once every 10,000 km. These motors use SAE 40 viscosity oil. And no additives need to be added, because they lead to ring coking.

There are also more powerful motors of the Z20LEH / Z20LER / Z20LEL series. Their volume is 2 liters, the resource is quite high - 300,000 km. will serve easily. It is not difficult to repair them, and the price of the parts is not high. The disadvantages of 2-liter motors are that they are quite rare, and the wiring is not particularly successful.

Diesel motors

In most cases, diesel engines in the Astra Z13DTH series are quite economical, while the power is large, the torque is good. But over time, problems arise with fuel cells, and corrosion appears on the cylinder head, the turbine often fails, the EGR system strains, the catalyst clogs, the intake becomes leaky, and the particulate filter clogs.

The compact Astra G (factory designation Opel Astra of the second generation) was introduced in 1998. The design of the car was not so welcomed, but its practical qualities were immediately appreciated by motorists. The Astra 2 is not too big and therefore convenient when parking. In addition, it offers a lot of space in the cabin. It still looks attractive today, especially if it is in good condition.

The car is really compact. Even the station wagon is only 4288 mm long. Some compact hatchbacks are even longer these days. But despite the limited size, the station wagon's designers managed to keep enough room for four people and find space for a 480-liter trunk. With the seats folded down, the maximum cargo capacity rises to 1,500 liters. Not bad!

Compared to the first generation, the body of the Astra G is much better protected against corrosion. But age does its job, so when buying, you need to pay attention to whether the hood, trunk lid, rear wheel arches or door edges are rusting. Corrosion can also be found on chassis components. Fortunately, rust there, most often, does not have a detrimental effect.

You should also inspect the headlights, which will not be able to hide the age of the car. Astra G engineers made the optics glazing from plastic, which quickly loses its transparency over the years. Polishing does not always give the desired result, because the "glass" can "fade" over the entire area. In addition, the factory protective varnish layer is damaged during polishing.

There is surprisingly plenty of space inside the Opel Astra. The driver's seat has a range of adjustments sufficient even for "big". The seat upholstery is durable. The head restraints in some Astra 2 are set low, without the possibility of adjustment. While the steering column can change its position in two planes.

Unlike the front head restraints, the rear headrests surely block the view to the rear. Large rectangular doors make it easier to board the second row, and there is still plenty of room above the passengers' heads. The Astra G is a car from a time when space was a priority over fashion lines.

The dashboard of the Opel Astra has a very simple design. Speed \u200b\u200band RPM indicators are located next to each other. The small steering wheel fits comfortably in the hands and does not overlap the readings of the instruments. The plastic in the cabin often creaks. This will take some getting used to.

The glass control unit on the door handle is durable. In the case of disobedience of the glasses, as a rule, the cause must be sought in the drive motor. In the control unit for the electric drive of mirrors, the left-right switch sometimes stops working.

The center display, located under the windshield, has proven unreliable. It displays information depending on the mood, and at the right moment it just stops showing anything. It is worth paying attention to this before buying an Astra 2. It is also worth checking the operation of the wipers - their electric motor is not among the durable ones. This is where the surprises from the Astra G electrics end. Agree that these are trifles for a middle-aged car. All thanks to uncomplicated equipment.

If there is an air conditioner on board, then it is imperative to check its performance (intensity and distribution of flows). In addition, the floor at the front passenger's feet should be inspected for moisture. An incorrectly fitted pollen filter often causes condensation to drain into the passenger compartment.

Among the engines, the 1.6-liter gasoline engine is considered the most optimal. The powertrain provides the best compromise between performance and economy. The 1.4-liter engine is too weak, and the 1.8-liter is gluttonous. A 2.2 liter engine should be avoided due to the rapid stretching of the timing chain.

The 16-valve 1.6-liter engine produces 100 hp. and in motion demonstrates good elasticity - it pulls well already from low revs. However, at high revs, it is too noisy. Weak points - oil leakage and increased oil consumption for waste due to wear of the piston rings. Leaks can be repaired and oil consumption will take some getting used to.

Oil leaks are also observed in a manual transmission. The manufacturer has upgraded problem areas several times, but it has not been possible to get rid of the defect. In addition, over time, the steering rack begins to "sweat" in the area where the steering rods exit.

Paired with a 1.6-liter engine is a 5-speed manual. The gears are long, according to Opel custom. This can be annoying in the city, but on the highway it helps to reduce engine load (by running at low revs) and reduces engine noise.

The Astra G's suspension is said to be tough. If you have to repair it, then the costs will be small. Most often, silent blocks lose their elasticity with age. Also, sometimes the springs collapse - this disease is well known to the owners of Astra 2.

Astra G with 1.6-liter petrol engine is the most successful version of the second generation model. Technically, Astra 2 is simple and familiar to mechanics, and troubleshooting does not require a lot of money. In the used car market, this model is one of the cheapest to maintain.

Considering the technical characteristics of the Opel Astra H, it is necessary to take into account the variations: more than 5 different engine sizes, sedan, station wagon, two hatchbacks and a convertible, 3 complete sets.

Opel Astra H - specifications for the whole family

The technical characteristics of the Opel Astra H cannot be described in one paragraph. Because the Astra H is not just one car, it is a whole family. A range of at least 5 vehicles. At first glance, they are identical, but different in nature, in their driving characteristics, appearance and size.

Astra H was launched in 2004. In 2007, it underwent a slight restyling. The technical characteristics of the engines have undergone changes. They have become more powerful, economical and environmentally friendly. Also changed the front bumper, mirrors, and some trim elements. Astra H is still produced in the station wagon, sedan or 5-door hatchback, but under the name Astra Family.

08.03.2017

Opel Astra 3) - the third generation of the German company passenger car. The Astra has always been a popular model, but this generation especially delighted dealers with sales volumes. Recently, the number of used Opel Astra H has increased sharply, of course, this can be attributed to the natural renewal of cars, since most motorists do this every 4-5 years. But it may be that the owners begin to get rid of their cars after a run of 100-150 thousand km . And, here's what the real reason is, and what disadvantages are inherent in this car, now let's try to figure it out.

A bit of history:
The debut of the Opel Astra H took place in 2003 at the Frankfurt auto show, and in March 2004 the serial assembly of the car began. In the markets of different countries, it was also produced under the names Chevrolet Astra, Chevrolet Vectra, Holden Astra, Saturn Astra and Vauxhall Astra. The novelty was intended to replace the popular at that time Opel Vectra B. In total, for the assault on the segment " C"Or, as they say, golf class, four bodies were produced based on the" Delta "platform developed by General Motors - three and five-door hatchback, sedan, station wagon and coupe.
For most of the CIS markets, the car was assembled at the Russian Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad, and since 2008 - at the General Motors car assembly plant in Shushary near St. Petersburg. The design of the car was developed by the director of the German design studio Opel in Rüsselsheim - Friedhel Engler, who is also the creator of the Opel Korsa. Production of the model stopped in 2009, this model was replaced by the Opel Astra J, but even after the release of the new model, the popularity of the Opel Astra H did not diminish at all, therefore, it was decided to extend the production of this model (the car was produced until 2014 under the name Astra Family).

Weaknesses and disadvantages Opel Astra H with mileage

Unlike most competitors, the Opel Astra H has a fairly high-quality paintwork. The exceptions were cars made in Poland, on such copies the paint swelled and fell off in pieces, fortunately, the manufacturer eliminated all defects under warranty. The body is completely galvanized, thanks to this, it resists the onslaught of redhead disease well, but, nevertheless, over time, from the effects of reagents that are generously sprinkled on our roads, one can find foci of corrosion on the trunk door, door edges and sills. On cars of the first years of production, the headlights become cloudy, and the rear door handles can also jam.

Engines

A large number of power units were available for the Opel Astra H: gasoline - 1.4 (90 HP), 1.6 (105 HP), 1.8 (125 HP) and 2.0 (170, 200 HP). ; diesel - 1.3 (90 HP), 1.7 (100 HP), 1.9 (120 and 150 HP). All motors are quite reliable, but after 100,000 km they require little investment. The 1.4 motor proved to be the most problem-free, but due to insufficient power, this power unit is not in demand among motorists. In the more common engines 1.6 and 1.8, in our operating conditions, the catalyst and the EGR valve are very quickly contaminated. The problem is especially relevant for cars operated in a metropolis. One of the most serious breakdowns that many Astra owners have had to face is jammed intake and exhaust camshaft gears. This trouble occurs at a mileage of 60-80 thousand km, and after repairs there are no guarantees that it will not happen again. Signs of a problem are: increased noise when starting the engine (grinding, rumble) and deterioration in dynamics.

Also, the main disadvantages include a small resource of the rear engine support (it becomes unusable every 60-70 thousand km). Often, the owners are faced with a malfunction of the ignition system module, the cause of the ailment lies in poor contact in the connectors and untimely replacement of spark plugs. Closer to 250,000 km, a membrane rupture occurs, which is responsible for the recirculation of crankcase gases, located in the valve cover. The problem can be determined by the unstable operation of the engine, as well as by the blue smoke from the exhaust system. Very often the services condemn the engine to overhaul, however, the problem is solved by replacing the valve cover. The most powerful power unit, in most cases, does not require repair up to 150,000 km, but minor troubles such as fogging of the cylinder head and oil leaks through the crankshaft oil seal , can happen even after 20,000 km.

All motors are equipped with a timing belt drive, according to the regulations, belt replacement is prescribed every 90,000 km, but there have been cases of belt breaks after 50,000 km, therefore, it is better not to risk it and change the belt every 60,000 km. The pump usually changes at every second belt change. Diesel engines are reliable, but demanding on the quality of fuel and lubricants. Of the shortcomings of diesel engines, it should be noted weak fuel equipment and a small service life of the particulate filter (replacement every 50-60 thousand km). If the filter is clogged, traction disappears, and fumes come out of the exhaust system, like from an old KAMAZ. Also, due to design flaws, the engine control unit suffers (exposed to moisture and dirt). One of the most expensive problems faced by the owners of diesel cars is the failure of a two-mass flywheel (resource 100-150 thousand km). A knock and vibration when changing gears will serve as signals of a problem; it is worth noting that the gears are switched on clearly.

Transmission

The Opel Astra H customers were offered three types of gearboxes to choose from - mechanical, automatic and Easytronic robot. The mechanics are considered the most problem-free, even the clutch kit serves 100-120 thousand km. The only thing for which the manual transmission can be blamed is for the lack of synchronizers, because of this, reverse gear does not always turn on correctly. Among the shortcomings faced by the owners of cars with mechanics, one can single out a leak in the rear oil seal of the crankshaft and a small resource of the secondary shaft bearing (60-80 thousand km). On some copies, after 70,000 km, cracks appear along the seam of the box. If, when switching from first to third gear, a shock is felt, it is better to contact the service, but, in most cases, to eliminate the disease, it is enough to change the oil.

The automatic transmission is famous for jerking and jerking during gear changes, but they are not afraid of this, since this is not a breakdown, but a feature of the transmission. The most common automatic transmission problem is a coolant leak into the gearbox hydraulic circuit, after which a complete failure of the unit occurs. If the auto-neutral fails, most likely, cleaning the jet in the box will help. When going into emergency mode, the box only works in fourth gear. Robotic transmission is very capricious and requires attention every 15,000 km (maintenance and clutch adjustment).

During operation, the driven disk is erased, while the point of contact with the basket is displaced, but the controller responsible for the fuel supply does not know about the shift of the contact point and supplies the wrong amount of fuel. As a result, this leads to incorrect operation of the box and premature clutch wear. It is worth noting that even with timely maintenance of a robotic transmission, its resource in rare cases exceeds 150,000 km. Before buying a car with a robot, be sure to ride it, if there are strong jerks when switching, it is better to refuse to buy such a car.

The reliability of the Opel Astra H chassis

Simplicity is a guarantee of reliability, it is according to this principle that the suspension of this model was developed, a semi-independent torsion beam is installed at the back, and MacPherson strut at the front. If we talk about driving characteristics, the suspension copes well with the realities of our roads, but it is distinguished by increased noise. If you do not take into account the struts and stabilizer bushings (resource 20-40 thousand km), thrust bearings are considered the weakest point of the chassis, and the steering rods, their resource, in most cases, does not exceed 60,000 km. Wheel bearings (the ABS sensor becomes unusable after 50,000 km) and ball bearings at average loads take care of 50-70 thousand km. The rest of the suspension elements serve 100,000 km or more.

The weakest point in the steering mechanism is the steering rack, as a rule, it starts knocking after 100,000 km of run, there may also be a fluid leak, this, over time, can lead to the destruction of the unit, but if you notice and eliminate the problem in time, complications can be to avoid. There are no complaints about the reliability of the braking system, the only thing the owners complain about is the small resource of the front pads (30,000 km.).

Salon

The salon of the Opel Astra H is made in a simple style, but, at the same time, the manufacturer used sufficiently high-quality materials, but, despite this, almost every car has crickets in the cabin. The car cannot boast of the reliability of the electrical equipment of the passenger compartment. The main problem in electronics is the incorrect operation of the buttons on the steering wheel and steering column control levers, the reason is a faulty steering column sim module. There are also claims to the climate control system, or rather to the air recirculation damper. The problem manifests itself with a characteristic crackling from under the console.

Outcome:

In terms of reliability Opel AstraHdoes not differ much from its competitors, but due to the low cost of maintenance and repair, this car is one of the most interesting representatives of the golf class in the secondary market.

If you are the owner of this car model, please describe the problems that you had to face during the operation of the car. Perhaps it is your feedback that will help the readers of our site when choosing a car.

Best regards, editors AutoAvenu

The next installation of the alarm with start Starline A93 with 2Can module for All the difficulty in this car, this is the removal of the steering wheel and the Sim block under the steering wheel

Installing autorun on Astra H

You also have to clean and solder to the contact tracks from the ignition switch. The process is very difficult and requires professionalism, since when removing the steering wheel you can get many problems with the SIM block. Everything worked out great for us, everything works, more than one system did not give errors.