Considering the technical Opel specifications Astra H, variations must be considered: more than 5 different volumes engine, sedan, station wagon, two hatchbacks and a convertible, 3 configurations.
Opel Astra H - specifications for the whole family
Specifications Opel Astra H cannot be described in one paragraph. Because the Astra H is not just one car, it's a whole family. A line of at least 5 vehicles. Identical at first glance, but different in essence, in their driving performance, appearance and size.
Astra H began to be produced in 2004. In 2007, experienced a slight restyling. Changes have been made specifications engines. They have become more powerful, economical and environmentally friendly. The front bumper, mirrors, and some trim elements have also changed. Astra H is still being produced, in a station wagon, sedan or 5-door hatchback, but already under the name Astra Family.
Opel Astra, the car that opened the era of Opel's "golf class" models, appeared on the market in 1991. The purpose of its appearance was to replace the empty niche that was previously occupied by Opel Kadett A. Each new generation of Opel cars is marked with a letter of the Latin alphabet. Insofar as latest model Kadett had an E index, then the first Opel generation Astra, the price of which was absolutely democratic, is denoted by the letter F.
Review Opel Astra all modifications
Opel Astra F (1991)
The first generation of Opel Astra was represented by a wide range of modifications. It was made up of: 3- and 5-door hatchbacks, a sedan, a 5-door Caravan station wagon and a commercial version of the latter - a 3-door "Astravan", designed for the transport of goods. At the same time, two sports modifications were presented - GT and GSI. The first - with a 2.0 liter engine with a capacity of 115 liters. with., and the second 16-valve, with 2.0 liters and 150 liters. with. respectively. Two years later, the GSI version, which was previously produced in the modification of a 3-door hatchback and 5-door Caravan, was supplemented by a four-seater Astra convertible.
As for engines, their choice is impressive: five petrol and two diesel. All of them are 4-cylinder, with a volume of 1.2 to 2 liters. Diesel "opelevsky" 1.7 l with a capacity of 60 liters. with., and turbodiesel Isuzy 1.7 l with a capacity of 82 liters. with. The gearbox of all models is a five-speed manual (less often a four-speed "automatic").
High-quality leather materials in the interior trim, comfortable seats with a range of adjustments for maximum comfort, an elegant instrument panel, air conditioning and an airbag for the passenger - an interior that creates a pleasant impression.
The Astra car is also relatively soft on the go. Stabilizer roll stability in the front and rear parts of the machine allows you to keep the road well. Independent front and semi-independent rear suspension provide excellent maneuverability and efficient movement. Most Astra models have an ABS brake system, as well as front disc and rear drum brakes. brake mechanisms. In sports versions - disc brakes both front and rear. The volume of luggage compartments: 3- and 5-door hatchbacks - 360 liters, and with folded rear seats 1200 l., 5-door station wagon Caravan - 500 l. and 1630 liters, respectively.
The minor changes that the Opel Astra car underwent in 1994 affected appearance. New wheel disks, grille, headlights and mirrors. The quality of the finish has improved in the cabin, and the steering wheel has acquired an airbag.
Opel Astra G (1997)
Designed by Opel, the Astra model, presented in 1997 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, was practically new, taking nothing from its predecessor. Driving performance, ergonomics, as well as interior trim have been improved. At first, the update was presented in three models: three- and five-door hatchbacks, and a station wagon. A year later, another sedan was added to them. The convertible was discontinued. The strength of the body has significantly increased, in the manufacture of which about 20 grades of steel are used and the resistance to corrosion has improved. As for safety, four airbags, two front and two side, hidden in the backs of the front seats, provide it on an Opel Astra car. The thruster was used for the first time rear suspension, providing stability to the car on steep turns. Gasoline engines remained the same, but the diesel ones were supplemented with a new option: a 2.0-liter turbodiesel with a capacity of 82 hp. Additionally, in 1999, the Coupe model was released, with a coupe body, and in 2001, the Opel Astra Cabrio cabriolet. The exclusivity of these modifications is that, despite the manual assembly of the new Opel Astra models, their cost was competitive.
Opel Astra H (2004)
The upgraded Opel Astra model of 2004 was made up of a sedan, 3- and 5-door hatchbacks, a station wagon, and a coupe-cabriolet. The introduction of the ESP stabilization system has significantly increased the prestige of the brand. High quality finishing materials and a variety of color solutions, ergonomic seats, as well as a folding rear backrest that allows you to carry loads up to 1.67 m long, emphasize the practicality of the car. The engine range consists of 5 petrol and 3 diesel engines, and the power ranges from 90 to 200 hp. with. Despite the numerous technical innovations of the new Opel Astra model, the price has remained almost the same.
Opel Astra J (2010)
The new C-class model is based on the Delta II front-wheel drive platform. The wheelbase length was increased by 71 mm and the front and rear tracks were widened by 56 and 70 mm, respectively. The rigidity of the body in torsion (43%) and bending (10%) has increased. As in the restyling of 97, this time the Astra car was also almost completely updated. Quadrangular headlights were replaced by LED optics, air intakes and fog lights, changed the look and grille. The silhouette of the roof has become more sporty, and rear glass received a greater slope. sporty look seats, a number of additional compartments for small items, red illuminated door handles, cup holders that perfectly fit a mobile phone or GPS navigator are the main interior updates.
Opel Astra J (restyling 2012)
Point restyling in 2012 touched the grille, front bumper and foglight shape. As additional equipment was added: heated seats, a rearview camera and a lane departure warning system. The engine range was supplemented by a new CDTi BiTurbo diesel engine with a capacity of 192 hp. with. and a volume of 2 liters (not yet presented in Russia). The premiere of Astra J took place in September 2012 in Paris. As for the technical details of the updated Opel Astra, the configuration and prices have long been presented, including on the network.
Sedan Opel Astra H specifications.
The car body is made in accordance with increased safety requirements. More than 20 grades of high-strength steel are used in the design, due to which the rigidity of the frame is significantly increased. To protect the driver and passengers in extreme situations, the design of the Opel Astra H Sedan uses elements, assemblies and parts with a given deformation geometry upon impact. The protective characteristics of the Opel Astra H provided the car with a well-deserved highest safety score Euro NCAP. body warranty from through corrosion- 12 years.
Despite belonging to the class compact cars, Opel Astra H Sedan turned out to be quite spacious:
Sedan Astra H dimensions - length 4587 mm;
Sedan Astra H dimensions - width 1753 mm;
Sedan Astra H dimensions - height 1458 mm.
Generally, Opel dimensions Astra H Sedan are very close to the parameters of a car of a higher D-class. The wheelbase dimensions (2703 mm) demonstrated by the Astra H sedan and a solid volume luggage compartment(490 liters) make the interior of this car practical and functional. The rear sofa can comfortably accommodate three adults. Dashboard informative and not overloaded. The front seats have 3-level heating. The control of this function is located on the center console. The driver's seat is adjustable in 6 directions (option), and steering column- in terms of reach and height.
The range of Opel Astra H Sedan engines consists of four power units. These are 140- and 155-horsepower gasoline engines of the ECOTEC family, as well as four-cylinder turbodiesels 1.3 CDTI and 1.7 CDTI with a traction power of 90 and 100 Horse power respectively. The range of transmissions includes 5- and 6-speed manual transmissions, a 4-speed automatic transmission Astra H (A-4) and an Easytronic robotic gearbox, which combines the capabilities of “mechanics” and the comfort of an “automatic”. In Russia, diesel car opel Astra H Sedan, as well as Astra cars H sedan with 6-speed manual transmission, not produced.
Top Opel engine Astra H - 140-horsepower Z18XER engine is considered one of the most powerful and economical in its class. A reasonable balance between power and economy is provided by the variable valve timing system Variable Cam Phasers (VCP). The indicator of liter engine power is 57 kW / liter. In addition to this, 90% of the torque (175 Nm) is already available at 2200 rpm. Paired with a 5-speed manual transmission, this engine accelerates the car from zero to hundreds in 10.2 seconds. Max speed is equal to 207 km/h. With this configuration Opel sedan Astra H fuel consumption in the combined cycle is 7.8 liters per 100 kilometers.
Z16XER motor in combination with robotic box The Easytronic transmission, equipped with Hill Start Assist, accelerates the sedan from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.7 seconds. However, these more modest dynamic characteristics more than compensated by the prudent 6.3 liters of fuel consumption per 100 kilometers in the combined mode of operation.
The chassis of the Opel Astra H Sedan is as follows:
Basic interactive chassis Interactive Driving System (IDS).
MacPherson strut front suspension with anti-roll bar.
The rear suspension is represented by a patented semi-independent torsion beam. This combination provides Astra sedans H handling characteristics comparable to those of "charged" hatchbacks.
Steering- rack type with hydraulic booster. Front and rear brakes - ventilated discs. Auxiliary braking systems include ABC anti-lock, brake distributor EBD efforts and emergency braking system Brake Assist. This also includes the TPMS tire pressure controller.
Sedan Opel Astra H - equipment
On the Russian market the car is available in three variants: ESSENTIA, ENJOY and COSMO.
The Astra H sedan of the ESSENTIA configuration (basic) is equipped with all security systems, air conditioning, a CD30 audio system, heated front seats, an anti-theft alarm and electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors.
In the ENJOY version, electric lifts are available not only for the front, but also for the rear doors, a radio with MP3, rain and light sensors, a leather steering wheel with audio control and 16-inch alloy wheels.
In the top COSMO filling, in addition to all of the above, there are cruise and climate control, fog lights, Piano Paint-style center console and steering wheel trim, and leather elements in the seat and interior upholstery.
The cost of Opel Astra H Sedan in the dealer network varies in price ranges from 613,900 to 747,900 rubles.
However, in Europe, this company did not particularly interfere, there were completely different tasks: for all the popularity of the brand, there were problems with the profitability of production, GM managed to make the brand unprofitable for many years. But “unprofitability” and loss are very different things in the modern world, in any case, the American concern has been refusing all proposals for the sale of the European branch since 2008, and given the complex system of ownership of suppliers and the concern ... In general, not only AVTOVAZ has similar nuances.
Why buy Astra H?
But back to our "rams". The unimportant situation with Opel sales in Russia was changed by the release of Astra H in 2004. The car replaced the well-deserved Astra G, which, like all its ancestors before, was practical, comfortable and ... extremely boring.
In the photo: Opel Astra Hatchback (H) "2004–07
In the new generation, the car has changed in accordance with latest requirements to C-class cars: it has become much more voluminous inside, more comfortable and at the same time more economical. At the same time, it remains quite simple in design - no multi-links, only MacPherson struts in front and a torsion beam in the back, only in-line motors. Of course, it complied with all the latest European safety requirements.
In fact, the car occupied a niche in which its “relative” had recently played - Opel Vectra B, and which was vacated when a very large and solid one was released. Of course, the price of the Astra corresponded more to the class than to the status, and it fit in well with the new realities of the Russian market for new cars, in which “imported” cars were squeezed out by domestic assembly, and the import of “three-year-olds” was fueled only by an extremely low price per dollar until 2008.
And sales were good! Astra remained in the top three sales leaders in its class, yielding two to three times in sales of Ford Focus, but at the same time steadily outperforming all competitors from Japan and Korea. And the “Czechs” lagged behind at least two times.
The reason for this growth is not only in literate pricing policy and recomplexing cars of this class, but also in excellent appearance and very worthy driving performance. Opel cars were gaining respectability before our eyes, besides, it was clearly noticeable that corrosion was now the lot of competitors, and Astra, even with problems with painting, did not rust for a very long time, so the proverb “every car becomes an Opel over time” gradually lost all relevance.
In addition, Astra became one of the cars that went through localization, they began to be assembled at a new plant near St. Petersburg. Little by little, a new circle of buyers formed who appreciated good ground clearance and simplicity of suspensions, aggressive European design and… engine power! After all, Astra was offered for a very modest amount with a 1.8 140 hp engine, and fans of the “hotter” could choose from a couple of options for a supercharged two-liter engine.
The disadvantages of the model were not a secret either: minor troubles with quality, an outdated automatic transmission (albeit a reliable one), a frankly unsuccessful Easytronic “robot”, a stiff suspension and a not particularly loyal warranty policy of the company. In general, to compete, much was not enough.
Released in 2009 new Astra J (and a little earlier - and its platform), which greatly complicated the company's marketing, but even against this background, the car remained one of the most popular cars in its class. They released Astra H right up to 2015, but most of the sales are still the period from 2006 to 2012.
In 2015, when GM curtailed its presence in Russia, the new Astra confidently set the tone in sales. And most of the machines presented on the Russian market are already close to their tenth anniversary. What owners of such cars will face, and how economical solutions from GM are doing now, read below.
Body
The aggressive design of the car looks quite relevant now. Unless the paint fades over time, because the quality of body painting at Opel is difficult to call outstanding - the layer is thin, it is easily scratched. In addition, both German and St. Petersburg cars at a certain stage suffered from “peeling off” of the paint layer due to the unsuccessful technology of applying the primer, and the defect was very similar, which indicates a puncture of a purely technological plan. The advantages of the paintwork include at least elasticity - with “soft” strokes, the paint does not fly around.
Do not worry, even despite all the difficulties with the paintwork, the car is not prone to corrosion. They pretty much went overboard with the metal processing: small corrosion spots begin to appear on the surface without paint only after a year, but most of the owners fixed the defects under warranty or simply painted the car on their own. Extensive corrosion damage is usually the result of poor quality repairs or poor maintenance.
Front bumper
original price
However, there is still a chance that if the car was manufactured in 2008, then it spent a lot of time under the snow at the Rzhevka airfield near St. Petersburg, where the plant sent almost all the cars produced. Some wintered in this way two or more times before they were acquired. Personal experience shows that, first of all, such wintering affects the condition of the car doors, they are usually not subject to this misfortune, but if corrosion was noticeable in the “five-year-olds”, then most likely the biography of the car has a solid pause between the year of production of the main units, the actual production according to VIN and date of first registration. Most likely, the negative effect of such wintering will manifest itself in something else, but so far, due to the young age, other consequences are not noticeable.
But earlier cars are usually still extremely far from all such difficulties. Especially if five to eight years after the release, someone guessed to re-anti-corrosion treatment of the bottom and internal cavities.
“Standard” places of corrosion, such as joints at bumpers and arches, are well protected here. Is that a "shelf" rear arch upon closer inspection, it already shows traces of future problems: the sealant swells. This means that in another five or six years, corrosion will be noticeable from the outside, and the arch can be overhauled only by welding in a repair insert.
Now the main points of control are the lower seam of the threshold, the places of sandblasting, the attachment points of the subframe and the upper part of the threshold, which is tritely stepped on, and the friction points of the door seal on rear rack. Corrosion also feels at ease on the leading edge of the hood and roof: they are clearly worse protected than the rest of the car. The rear doors and trunk lid are also at risk, on the oldest cars they may already have corrosion along the bottom edge, but most cars have no problem with this.
Pictured: Opel Astra Sedan (H)" 2007–14 In general, against the background of competitors, Astra is an almost perfectly protected car from corrosion, even though it has practically no plastic protection panels.
As with all cars of this class, in case of an accident, the quality of repairs leaves much to be desired. Casco repair rates simply do not leave much choice, so a lot of cars with layers of putty on the wings and doors, with non-original body elements and poor build and paint quality are waiting for their buyer. An extra layer of paint will not hurt, but everything else is best avoided, at least because the car loses its remarkable anti-corrosion resistance.
In the photo: Opel Astra OPC (H) "2005–10 However, the body is threatened not only by corrosion. Astra's door hinges are not bad, but the driver's door sags over time, with runs "over 150" adjustment will be required, which is not so easy to do. Backdoor on hatchbacks, it loses its tightness and starts to tap even with a lower mileage, it is necessary to adjust the lock in time and change the seals. By the way, the seal on the side doors is also not eternal, and if it is “tousled” in the lower part, and its tubular part opens, then the doors will close without a noble sound, and extra noise is provided on the go.
In the photo: Opel Astra TwinTop (H) "2006–10 Windshield
original price
Chrome overlays peel off quickly and many simply paint them “in a mat”, because restoration is usually not cheap (keep this in mind when bargaining). The windshield here is quite strong, it is almost not afraid of stone strikes, but over time it is rubbed off - on early cars, windshields were changed under warranty, do not be surprised if the year does not match.
But the headlights are rather weak, the very soft material of the cap practically leaves no chance for a long service: five or six years - and the headlight is worn out. But the luminosity drops due to the banal burnout of the reflector, and both xenon and lensed halogen keep about the same, five to six years of city driving. You can replace the headlight, or you can restore it, several technologies are available.
Headlight AFL
original price
This is especially "pleasant" for those who have adaptive optics with AFL. The Astra was one of the first cars in its class to feature this system, and the headlights are incredibly expensive. If we take the price of a new original, then, roughly speaking, the price of a car is four or five original headlights! Fortunately, this is not - the headlights are not removed from the Astra.
Fog lights crack easily, and the reason is their illiterate use as additional lighting, which is categorically unacceptable - they blind drivers, especially in the rain.
Sagging bumpers are a well-known problem, and it is not at all necessary to fasten them with screws, new mounting brackets are available. Weak plastic lockers are a small problem, the price of non-original ones is something like a couple of thousand rubles.
Pictured: Opel Astra Hatchback (H)" 2007–14 And, of course, the “lip” dearly loved by astrovods is the rubber lower part of the bumper. If you saw Astra with a hanging rubber band on the street, let the driver know, save him from another unpleasant expense. The "lip" is located low, and it is often torn off during careless parking or in the winter season. If you remove it for the winter, then there are high chances that in the summer you will have to put it on screws already - delicate fasteners are also damaged. In general, a whole “lip” and fasteners are a sign of a good attitude towards the car or a recent body repair.
Salon
The interior of the Opels of this period is traditionally gloomy, but the materials are surprisingly good. Strict lines and other "ordnung" side by side with a very high quality of study of all elements, squeaks are rare, plastic is very wear-resistant, except that the steering column levers and climate control system buttons will have visible signs of wear. Plus the gearshift lever cover.
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The quality of the full-fabric interior is excellent, but if the equipment of the car is better, and there are already seats with combined trim, then tears in the seams and scuffs on the “eco-leather” are a common thing, especially when running over a hundred thousand kilometers. In addition, light fabrics perfectly absorb dirt. But if there is a sports salon, everything is just fine - both the material and the execution do not fail, and the skin, most likely, will be natural.
The steering wheel and door handles peel off at runs over two hundred thousand kilometers, the original rugs “end” at 150, which can serve as an indirect indicator of mileage (unfortunately, it twists easily here).
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Here the climate control system fails regardless of the mileage. Moreover, there are enough problems in the simplest configurations with a simple air conditioner, and for those who have dual-zone automatic climate control. The block is not made well enough, the buttons stick, stop pressing and spinning as they should. Yes, and damper motor drives break, especially if you switch something intensively in winter, while the interior has not yet warmed up. If there extraneous sounds when switching the direction of flows (including turning on air recirculation in the cabin), then this is - to expensive repairs. But sometimes you can still get away with just lubricating the rods, any grease will do. The same operation should be done even if everything is still good, at least once every two or three years, take silicone grease and crawl under the panel on the driver's side. Well, or entrust this business to professionals.
Water in the ceiling light is not the result of leaks windshield, just a lack of thermal insulation of the roof, the shape of the skin is such that condensation accumulates there. It is useless to look for holes in the roof, just ventilate the car more often, and you should not drive with the climate turned off and without air conditioning - the car prefers dried air. By the way, this will affect the condition of the interior materials in the best possible way.
In the photo: Torpedo Opel Astra Sedan (H) "2007–14 If the steering column switches, and sometimes some of the buttons on the center console, do not work, this is already serious. The problem is mainly electrical, the so-called CIM module is dying, it is also the front console connection module. A lot is tied to it, including the work of the immobilizer, and a breakdown can empty a pocket for a tidy sum, since a visit to the owner of a Tech2 dealer scanner will be required to bind a new module, or to those who can repair old ones with high quality. Thousands of pages have already been written on the problem, there are many developments for “easy fixes” and workarounds, so it’s better to turn to the original sources.
Otherwise, only random little things can annoy. I repeat, everything is done quite monumentally, from good materials. In addition, it is extremely technologically assembled and disassembled.
Electrician
Part of the electrical problems could be attributed to breakdowns of interior elements and vice versa. I have already told about the trouble with the CIM module and climate control above, it remains only to complain about low quality manufacturing door wiring, it sometimes breaks in the corrugation. And it's not the wiring of the driver's door that breaks, but the wiring of the rear doors. Typical signs of impending trouble are a wheezing speaker in the door and a non-working central lock. It is treated either by the skillful work of an electrician, or by a proprietary repair kit, which is preferable.
In the photo: Opel Astra Hatchback 2.0 turbo (H) "2004–07 The central lock also fails due to the wear of the microswitches in the driver's door lock, it may not unlock the lock, it may open it at the wrong time, for example, while the car is parked. If the locks click when you hit the door trim, it's time to deal with them, change the microswitches in the drive.
A weak throttle and an ignition module for gasoline engines are actually not so weak, as practice shows. The true mileage of cars with such breakdowns is usually already well over a hundred and a half thousand, regardless of what numbers the odometer shows, and the price of parts is quite sparing by modern standards. Under the condition of regular and replacement of candles at least once every 30-40 thousand kilometers, such problems almost do not appear. The ignition module is mainly afraid of moisture and oil leaks - if not noticed in time, it will pierce the tip and knock out the coil.
Here are the failures of a controlled thermostat due to a failure heating element happen regularly. Do not forget to read the errors, on many firmwares the “check” does not light up in this case, and the only thing that saves the motor from overheating is that the thermostat loses its tightness over time. Wiper motor failures and leaves getting into the climate control motor are a sign of rare cleaning engine compartment from dirt and leaves. Check the condition of the "aquarium", it may accumulate water. This rarely happens and the drain is almost never completely clogged, but at an early stage it manifests itself in the form of a wiper failure. The rear "wiper" is trite sour - they need to be used, otherwise there is a chance to burn the motor.
Radiator fans are another problematic point, the motor is literally clogged with dust from burnt brushes. Bosch fans are "famous" for the latter, and if it's Valeo, then there will be no problem.
Brakes, suspension and steering
Brake system Opel, as usual, no surprises. This does not mean that there are no problems, just that they are completely standard. The front pads creak with little wear - it's easier to get used to or pick up with new "anti-creak" plates. With a run of over 200 thousand, the turn of anthers will most likely come, especially if you abuse the wear of the pads “to zero”. Brake discs are reliable, like an iceberg on which the Titanic has ground off, relatives survive up to five sets of pads or more than one and a half hundred thousand mileage. And not very sensitive to puddles and overheating. Note to the buyer: if there is something on the odometer in the region of 100 thousand, and the seller proudly declares new disks (or it’s just clear that they are fresh), then the mileage is not real.
Pictured: Opel Astra Sedan (H)" 2007–14 Brake disc rear
original price
7 705 rub (2 pcs)
At the rear, the situation is a little worse, because the new calipers with an integrated parking brake mechanism are prone to souring even more than the calipers with drum internal handbrake that suffered from the same problem on older cars. Yes, and for breeding pads, now some kind of tool is required.
However, this is not a replacement for pads when you need a dealer scanner, otherwise there is a chance that your fingers will be slightly pressed forever ... brake pipes and the hoses hold up well, the ABS module is extremely reliable. Except in front ABS sensors stand in a vulnerable area, and change along with the hub. Do not worry, the problem has long been thought about: the sensors have learned to change individually. What can I say, this is Opel, a huge number of owners day and night are thinking how to save money! However, other services are still trying to breed to the fullest, offering a complete replacement in order to get less dirty and make more money on the resale of parts.
In the photo: Opel Astra GTC Panoramic (H)" 2005–11 Rear beam silent block
original price
The Astra's suspension has always been good, and the H's is doubly fine. Good comfort and the highest reliability. Just do not forget that sagging springs and an extra 50 kg in the trunk of a sedan drastically reduce the resource of the rear beam bushings - they are not eternal here, as a standard they are enough for about a hundred thousand mileage on "ordinary" roads and two hundred - on Moscow.
In front, it is mainly the rear silent blocks of the L-shaped lever and the pillar supports that wear out as standard. The manufacturer obviously overdid it with the supports, because they begin to creak and squeal in our climate already at 50-60 thousand mileage. Users have long privately established that the reason is a lack of bearing lubrication and an unsuccessful boot design, which collects dirt more likely. When assembling, it is recommended to lubricate the assembly liberally, and if it is still working, wash it with a high pressure washer and fill it with grease. Suspension level sensors on cars with xenon are a consumable, but this is quite typical for this element.
In the photo: Opel Astra Caravan (H) "2004–07 The steering on the Astra H is also in good health. Unless the resource of rods and tips is relatively small. Yes, the EGUR electric pump on restyled cars with runs over 200 requires a fluid change. The rail itself does not flow and almost does not play. Machines with a conventional power steering pump are again limited by fluid contamination, but they have a cheaper pump and fluid changes are much easier.
But what about motors and gearboxes?
As you can see, the material turns out to be very voluminous, so we will devote a separate material to choosing the “right” engine. By the way, in this regard, Astra H is almost a unique car, because mechanical box can deliver almost more problems than automatic ...
08.03.2017
Opel Astra H (Opel Astra 3)- third generation passenger car German company. Astra has always been popular model, but this generation especially pleased dealers with sales volumes. Recently, the number of used Opel Astra H has increased dramatically, of course, this can be attributed to the regular 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, what is the true reason, and what disadvantages are inherent in this car, now we will 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 designed to replace the Opel Vectra B, which was popular at that time. In total, to storm the segment " C” or, as they say, a golf class, four bodies were produced based on the Delta platform developed by General Motors - a three and five-door hatchback, sedan, station wagon and coupe.
For most 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 Opel design studio in Rüsselsheim - Friedhel Engler, who is also the creator of the Opel Corsa. The production of the model ceased 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 decrease 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 shortcomings of the Opel Astra H with mileage
Unlike most competitors, the Opel Astra H has a fairly high quality paintwork. The exception was cars made in Poland, on such specimens the paint swelled and fell off in pieces, fortunately, the manufacturer eliminated all the shortcomings under warranty. The body is completely galvanized, thanks to this it resists the onslaught of the red disease well, but, nevertheless, over time, from the effects of reagents that are generously sprinkled on our roads, you can find pockets of corrosion on the tailgate, door edges and thresholds. On cars of the first years of production, the headlights become cloudy, and the handles of the rear doors may also stick.
Engines
A large number of powertrains were available for the Opel Astra H: petrol - 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 of run they require little investment. The 1.4 engine proved to be the most trouble-free, but, due to insufficient power, this power unit not in demand among motorists. In the more common 1.6 and 1.8 engines, in our operating conditions, the catalyst and the EGR valve become dirty very quickly. The problem is especially relevant for cars operated in the metropolis. One of the most serious breakdowns that many Astra owners have had to deal with is jammed intake and exhaust camshaft gears. This trouble occurs on a run of 60-80 thousand km, and after repair there is no guarantee that it will not happen again. Signs of a problem will be: increased noise when starting the engine (rattle, rumble) and deterioration in dynamics.
Also, the main disadvantages include a small resource back support engine (becomes unusable every 60-70 thousand km). Often, owners are faced with a malfunction of the ignition system module, the cause of the disease lies in poor contact in the connectors and untimely replacement spark plugs. Closer to 250,000 km, a rupture of the membrane responsible for the recirculation of crankcase gases occurs, located in the valve cover. You can identify the problem by the unstable operation of the engine, as well as by blue smoke from the exhaust system. Very often, the engine is sentenced to overhaul at the services, 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 smudges through the crankshaft oil seal , can occur after 20,000 km of run.
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 a belt break after 50,000 km, therefore, it is better not to risk it and change the belt every 60,000 km. The pump is usually changed every second belt change. Diesel engines reliable, but demanding on fuel quality and lubricants. Among the shortcomings of diesel engines, it should be noted weak fuel equipment and a small resource particulate filter(replacement every 50-60 thousand km). If the filter is clogged, the thrust disappears, and fumes come out of the exhaust system, like from an old KAMAZ. Also, due to design miscalculations, the engine control unit suffers (it is exposed to moisture and dirt). Of the most costly problems owners face diesel cars- failure of the dual-mass flywheel (resource 100-150 thousand km). Signals about the presence of a problem will be knocking and vibrations when shifting gears, it is worth noting that the gears turn on clearly.
Transmission
Opel Astra H buyers were offered three types of gearboxes to choose from - mechanical, automatic and Easytronic robot. Mechanics is considered the most problem-free, even a clutch kit serves 100-120 thousand km. The only thing for which you can reproach the manual transmission is only for the lack of synchronizers, because of this it does not always turn on correctly reverse gear. Among the shortcomings faced by owners of cars with mechanics, one can single out a leak in the rear crankshaft oil seal and a small resource of the output shaft bearing (60-80 thousand km). On some copies, after 70,000 km of run, cracks appear along the seam of the box. If, when switching from first to third gear, a blow is felt, it is better to contact the service, but, in most cases, it is enough to change the oil to eliminate the disease.
The automatic transmission is famous for jerking and jerking during gear changes, but you should not be afraid of this, since this is not a breakdown, but a feature of the transmission. The most common automatic transmission problem is the leakage of coolant into the hydraulic circuit of the box, after which the unit completely fails. If the auto-neutral fails, cleaning the jet in the box will most likely help. Upon transition to emergency mode the box only works in 4th gear. The 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 shifts, but the controller responsible for supplying fuel does not know about the shift in the point of contact and supplies the wrong amount of fuel. As a result, this leads to incorrect operation of the box and premature wear of the clutch. 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.
Reliability running Opel Astra H
Simplicity is the key to reliability, it was on this principle that the suspension of this model was developed, a semi-independent torsion beam was installed at the back, and MacPherson strut was installed at the front. If we talk about driving characteristics, then the suspension copes well with the realities of our roads, but it is characterized by increased noise. If you do not take into account the struts and stabilizer bushings (resource 20-40 thousand km), the most weak point support bearings are considered to be running, and steering rods, their resource, in most cases, does not exceed 60,000 km of run. Wheel bearings (the ABS sensor becomes unusable after 50,000 km) and ball bearings with medium loads nursed 50-70 thousand km. The rest of the suspension elements serve 100,000 km or more.
The weakest point in the steering mechanism is steering rack, as a rule, starts knocking after 100,000 km of run, fluid leakage may also appear, this, over time, can lead to the destruction of the assembly, but if the problem is noticed and fixed in time, complications can be avoided. There are no complaints about the reliability of the brake system, the only thing the owners complain about is the small resource of the front pads (30,000 km.).
Salon
The interior 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 interior electrical equipment. 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 complaints about the climate control system, or rather, the air recirculation damper. The problem is manifested by a characteristic crack from under the console.
Outcome:
In terms of reliability Opel AstraH not much different 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 review that will help readers of our site when choosing a car.
Sincerely, editorial Autoavenue