Opel Zafira does not work. The main disadvantages and weaknesses of the Opel Zafira with mileage

Every modern vehicle is equipped with a fuse box, the elements of which are responsible for the functioning of certain electrical devices and various components. Therefore, the operation of many elements of a car’s electrical system depends on the performance of the fuses. We invite you to find out where the Opel Zafira B is, what the block diagram looks like and how to replace failed fuses.

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Fuse location

In Opel Zafira models, unlike most other cars, several fuse blocks (hereinafter referred to as fuse boxes) can be located. Basically, these vehicle models are equipped with two power supplies, one of which is located in the passenger compartment and the other in the engine compartment.

However, depending on the year of manufacture of the car, the car may also have a third power supply unit, which is installed by the developers in the luggage compartment.

Layout diagram

Below we will look at the layout of the power supply in Opel Zafira A and B cars. As indicated above, the number of blocks depends on the year of manufacture of the car.

Description of power supply

Let's consider the description and purpose of each individual power supply unit in turn. Let's start with the power supply located inside the car. Some power supply parts are backup, so we will not consider their purpose.

The remaining components of the power supply are redundant. Next, we will consider the purpose of the parts of the unit installed under the hood of the car.

In conclusion, let’s look at the designation of the elements of the power supply installed in the trunk of the Opel Zafira.

The spacious and functional Opel Zafira minivan is a family car that is in steady demand. For purchase on the secondary market, its modification is not important, since there is no significant difference between them. The vulnerabilities of this car are worth attention.

• Transmission;
• fuel burner;
• stabilizer struts;
• heater;
• ignition module;
• timing belt;
• wheel bearings;
• particulate filter (in diesel engines).

Now more details...

The Opel Zafira automatic transmission is reliable, but if the oil level is insufficient, shocks may occur in it, especially when moving from third to fourth gear. In manual transmissions, the roller bearings and the secondary shaft journal most often wear out. You can find out about problems during a test drive. The appearance of jerks at start, hum and vibration when driving will indicate an upcoming repair of the gearbox, which will result in a loss of 20-30 thousand rubles.

Fuel burner.

Fuel injectors in diesel engines fail due to low-quality fuel. Failure to replace it in a timely manner will result in engine damage, so when purchasing, you should pay attention to the operation of the engine. If there are difficulties in starting, interruptions in operation during transition and idle mode, as well as loss of power, we can talk about clogging and failure of the fuel injectors.

Stabilizer struts.

Stabilizer struts are also a problem with the Opel Zafira. Their wear may appear after 40 thousand km. When test driving, it is worth driving on uneven roads. If at the same time there is a knocking sound, the car skids when turning and the car roll increases, then the struts will have to be changed. You can also detect their breakdown by applying force to each corner. A sharp lowering when the car rocks will indicate problems with the racks.

In a heater, the motor most often fails. When purchasing on the secondary market, you must carefully check its operation, as well as other devices.

The ignition module may fail after 70 thousand km. This can be caused by faulty spark plugs. Problems with it will be indicated by traction failures during acceleration, floating idle speed, and also when you can hear from the sound that not all cylinders are working. To be absolutely sure that the ignition module is working properly, you need to undergo diagnostics at a service station.

Timing belt drive.

The timing belt drive is installed on both gasoline and diesel Zafiro engines. Its breakage can occur already after a mileage of 130 thousand km. Belt wear can be determined during inspection before purchase, but this is not always visible visually. It is worth paying attention to its “shaggy” appearance and varying thickness.

Wheel bearings.

Problems with wheel bearings begin after a mileage of 70 thousand km. They can be determined by ear during a test drive in the car. When they wear out, the body vibrates and an unpleasant sound is heard, which becomes louder when you turn the steering wheel.

Particulate filter.

Separately, for cars with diesel engines, I would like to note the weak side of the Zafir - this is the particulate filter. If the car you are buying was used for long-distance regular trips, then there probably shouldn’t be any problems with it. Since the filter is “regenerated”. But if the car was regularly stuck in city traffic jams, then most likely it is on the verge of being completely clogged. And replacing it will cost about 30-35 thousand rubles. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify this nuance with the seller.

The main disadvantages of the Opel Zafira

1. The trunk lid does not close well;
2. air conditioner pipes rust;
3. small side mirrors;
4. poor paintwork;
5. low ground clearance;
6. poor sound insulation;
7. "crickets" in the cabin.

Conclusion.

Despite the described weaknesses, the Opel Zafira is considered a minivan with good reliability. There are many more advantages than disadvantages. There are no problems with spare parts and their prices are quite reasonable. When purchasing, you should pay close attention to the problem areas of the car in order to avoid unplanned financial costs in the future.

P.S.: Dear car owners, if you discover systematic malfunctions of a car of this model, write in the comments below about the problems identified during operation.

The main disadvantages and weaknesses of the Opel Zafira with mileage was last modified: October 16th, 2018 by Administrator

Before the Zafira, I owned a Mercedes W202 - it was simply terrible in terms of comfort. The Volvo S8 2.8 T6 was remembered for its terrible fuel consumption. The Dodge Caravan rusted and broke down constantly. The Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI had an unreliable DSG gearbox and an engine with a very short service life. Well, I just didn’t like the BMW 530D for its rattling and diesel smell. Before the increase in customs duties, I seriously thought about buying a new car from Europe. After BMW, I wanted something dynamic and comfortable, but at the same time practical and, naturally, with a gasoline engine. I went for the “steel horse” to Europe. There was nothing suitable in Germany, only “drinking” in car houses, where only Turks worked. So I got to Switzerland and found my future Opel there.

In Switzerland, cars are treated completely differently, more carefully. Speed ​​limits are a maximum of 120 km/h on the highway and 50 km/h in the city, and not full “unlim”, as on German autobahns. And so I went to one large autohouse, the road passed through local villages. Suddenly I noticed a silver minivan standing near the road with a price tag under the windshield. He immediately stopped, got out and saw what a ridiculous price they were asking for it (for reference: the amount of then-low customs duties was higher than the cost of this car in Switzerland). After talking with the owner of this car, an old farmer named Otis, I found out that he is the only owner of the Opel and the mileage of the car is very low. After thinking a little and putting dynamic acceleration and comfort in the background, I took this 2002 Zafira A with a 1.8i engine and automatic transmission. Naturally, before purchasing, I checked the thickness of the paint on the body using a thickness gauge. To my surprise, the values ​​were the same, despite the fact that the car was already 9 years old. This meant that he did not get into an accident.

Having completed all the necessary documents, I went back to Minsk. Over the course of 3,000 km, I felt my back swell. The seats are not very comfortable for long trips, and my configuration did not have cruise control, but it did have air conditioning and an automatic transmission, and I also realized how terrible the sound insulation is in the car (almost like in a Zhiguli) and how cheap the plastic is in the cabin ( everything creaks and is unpleasant to the touch).

When I arrived home, I immediately went for diagnostics, which revealed nothing except a rusty muffler. I, pleased with my purchase, began to run it in. Consumption in the city is approximately 11 liters of AI-95, the engine has never asked for oil in 10,000 km. Having driven about 100,000 km, I encountered some troubles and “childhood diseases” (before that I only changed oils, filters, fluids, brake pads, timing belt and spark plugs):

1. The ABS error light came on. I went for diagnostics and the verdict was to replace the ABS sensor. But there is one caveat to replacing it: it comes complete with a hub, that is, each wheel has such a sensor, and only assembled. I had to buy the entire hub ($100 + $30 installation).

2.After some time I decided to refill the air conditioner. When refueling it was discovered that the radiator was rotten. I had to change it ($130 + $40 installation).

3. Then came the most interesting thing: the engine control unit blew up (they say this is an Opel disease). The blower fan did not turn off, draining the battery, and sometimes the motor ran unevenly. But you need to install not only a new control unit, but also an automatic transmission control unit for it and a new immobilizer, otherwise the car will not start. All these elements are interconnected and will not work alone ($500 + $130 installation).

4. The second serious breakdown after the engine control unit was that the electric power steering stopped working. I drove like a Zhiguli, it was even more difficult to turn the steering wheel, since the VAZ was equipped with a worm gear, but I didn’t have one. But he pumped up his hands. As a result, they brought me a used spare part to order from England - $200 + $100 installation.

5. And finally - 30 thousand km after replacing the control unit, everything fell apart at once: half of the entire suspension, steering tips, the windshield wiper blades jammed, the tubes through which the brake fluid circulates rotted, and, finally, the rusty muffler fell off. It was also necessary to sharpen the brake discs (I still haven’t changed them since purchase). I had to leave the car at the service station. Result: $600 + $200 for labor. And after the repair, on the way home from the service station, a stone flew into the windshield - another $150.

I foresee the question: why do I need such an uncomfortable, undynamic acceleration, unreliable electrical system (the weak point of almost all Opel models) and ugly cramp? I'll tell you its most important advantages. During the entire period, the engine did not consume a drop of excess oil (unlike BMW). The automatic transmission never twitched or showed any signs that it was soon time for a service center (unlike the notorious DSG that I had in a Volkswagen Golf). In winter, the car always started great and took me from point A to point B. The car warms up instantly. During the entire period of ownership, not a single rust was noticed on the body of my Opel (although everyone used to scold Opel for their bodies). When I brought it to Belarus, I treated the bottom, arches and doors with a special liquid and did nothing else. Of the additional equipment, I installed only an MP3 radio with a remote control and brighter Zenon low-beam lamps.

Recently a client came to us with an Opel Zafira, 2008, Z18XER engine, robot gearbox. The customer, a young woman, complained that the power steering was not working. She also said that the fuse in this electrical circuit had blown.
PROLOGUE.
The fuse was replaced at the service station. After this, the amplifier allegedly started working, but only for a few minutes. She returned, but the experts just shrugged.

This car model is equipped with electric power steering. When checked, the power steering fuse turned out to be intact. Then it was decided to check the fluid level in the amplifier reservoir. Here, on this model, there are minor difficulties associated with the design features of installing the hydraulic tank. The tank is located behind the engine, closer to the left side (view from the hood), at the bottom. Therefore, in order to reach the reservoir cap, on which the level dipstick is located, you have to practically hug the engine. So, when we managed to remove and remove the tank cap from the depths of the engine space, we saw that the dipstick was completely dry, with the remains of foam around it. The thought immediately flashed that the power steering pump had burned out, because... It cannot run “dry” even for a short time after starting the engine. And the client drove with such a malfunction for several days! Moreover, the “death” of the pump was confirmed by a working fuse. As it turned out during a more detailed survey of the client, a year ago, the steering rack on this car was changed. Apparently the “specialists” didn’t really bother themselves with pumping the liquid and bringing it to the proper level. Zafira's owner was already heading to the store to buy Dextron, but instead we recommended that she purchase only the standard liquid. Fortunately, the Opel dealership center was a five-minute walk away. When the liquid was brought, the system was filled, pumped and the level was brought to normal. Then the engine was started and.........the power steering started working! We must pay tribute to the durability of the pump and the reliability of the electronic protection in the electronic power steering unit. This doesn't happen often.
EPILOGUE.

Several years ago, an electric power steering control unit from a 2007 Opel Astra was brought to our laboratory for repair. The customer filled the power steering reservoir of this car with Dextron instead of the standard fluid. When starting the engine and turning the steering wheel (according to the client), a loud bang was heard under the hood and the steering wheel became “heavy”. The transistor switches and capacitors in the unit were literally torn apart. Of course, we carried out a successful repair, and the client said that from now on he would always only pour standard fluids, because he didn’t want to buy such a block for 30 thousand rubles. So, Dextron is a mortal danger for Opel electric steering systems! This is as additional information for specialists who have not yet encountered such nuances.

The problem cannot be called “fatal” for the car, but the circumstance is not pleasant, since in addition to opening the doors, the central lock controls the trunk door and the fuel tank hatch. The car doors can be opened and closed with a key, but the gas tank hatch cannot be opened with such manipulations, so you will have to look for the cause of the failure and eliminate it.

Where to begin

First, you should pay attention to the fuses; there are several of them in the car. In the engine compartment, devices numbered 7 and 10 are checked. The first is designed for a current of 20 Amperes, and the second for 7.5 Amps. There is also a fuse number 38 for 25 Amps in the luggage compartment. Fuse numbers may vary depending on the year of manufacture of the machine. You can check them with a car tester or by installing new ones. If they burn out again, you should look for the reason for this.

The fuse fails when the current of the protected circuit exceeds, which most often appears after a short circuit occurs. Also, an increase in current can occur if the lock drive fails. If, for example, the drive jams, there will be a multiple increase in current consumption. In this case, experts recommend using the method of elimination, turning off the drives one by one until the problematic one is discovered. This situation occurs in the cold season, when the trapped moisture freezes and blocks the operation of the mechanism.

What else to pay attention to

Most often the left front door opens in a car, so there are often cases when a break occurs in the wiring harness on this side. You should check the presence of on-board voltage at the Opel Zafira B fuses related to the central locking, and then carefully inspect all the wires of this harness. The worst thing will happen when the electronic central locking unit itself fails. Finding and fixing a breakdown on your own is not so easy; you need knowledge and special equipment.

In some cases, it is possible to restore the normal operation of this mechanism when it is “set up” with a key. Such an operation may also be required when the battery is removed for one reason or another. The problem may also appear when removing the battery from the key. What do they do in this case? The key is inserted into the keyhole and turned twice. After this, pressing the button on the key opens or closes the door. If the system is working properly, all mechanisms are activated.