Vauxhall
10 February 2012
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2005 Vauxhall Zafira reviews
Vauxhall Zafira reviews by year of make: 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Read all reviews
Dennis Craven, Warwickshire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 cdti 2005
The engine compartment wiring caught fire and melted the clutch pipe, the fluid caught fire and now the car is in a sorry mess! None of the fuses blew, but a mechanic says the ABS block and pump were at fault; my Zafira had done 76,000 miles. I bought it Nov 2009 and it has been utter heartbreak from day one! GM Vauxhall have many duff cars in their range and they are keen to say they make the cars in the UK, but judging by the foreign parts on mine and the OPEL chassis plate, I know this to be a lie. The dealers are just not interested, maybe the electrics are too complicated and poorly made, but that fire just about wrecked my house, garage the contents. The wretched thing wasn’t even running when it caught fire and luckily I saw the smoke wisping from the left hand bonnet/wing gap and pushed it out into the drive then got the fire extinguisher from the kitchen and slowly lifted the bonnet. The next day a part-time fire brigade member who heard about the Zafira fire said he has seen Corsa’s catch fire too and found there is no fuse in the circuit to protect an ABS unit from shorting out! Vauxhall are worse than French cars for safety or the lack-of! No model they could bring out could ever tempt me or my family to buy, drive, hire or even park next to a GM/OPEL/Vauxhall flamin’ Zafira or Corsa!! And why no zero star rating?
Submitted: 08/02/2012 09:43:52
Richard Small, Worcestershire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 CDTi 150 Automatic 2005
I note all the references to issues with the DPF and EGRV on diesel variants. Unfortunately, the emissions and particulates mitigation measures on modern diesels (of all makes) render them less suitable for short journeys and town driving than the old soot blasters. Consequently, if most of your driving is as above, you may be better off with a petrol model. However, I bought my car as a Network Q vehicle when it had done around 19k miles, and it is now almost at 145k miles! Most of this mileage has been on long, A-road or motorway journeys, avaraging >40mpg, and whilst I have had a few issues, these have been no worse than other cars I have owned, on lower mileages. In summary: My Zafira is the best car I have owned and one of the best I have driven. It is safe, roomy, comfortable, reasonably economical, reliable, not a bad looker, and it handles pretty well too! Finally, has anyone driven their Zafira in deep snow? Who needs 4WD, when you can breeze past BMWs and Mercedes embedded in every ditch and snowbank!
Submitted: 19/01/2012 10:12:15
Mike Adams, Surrey
Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Life 2005
Bought mine new in 2005 (last of the old body shape for only £10k). The mileage is now at 87k with no problems so far. Maybe I have just been lucky?
Submitted: 27/12/2011 15:23:07
Brian Cornish, Essex
Vauxhall Zafira 2005
These cars are the biggest load of rubbish! Mine’s had three clutches in one year and all of a sudden the car won’t recognise the key. I have spent £500 on moduals. Now the blowers just work intermittently; they only work about once a week.
Submitted: 09/12/2011 10:14:25
Patrick, Lanarkshire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 diesel 2005
I’ve only given a 1 star rating because there is no zero. My car was bought under network Q at 6 months old; it had been a dealership management car. Besides new alternator and air con problems the main issue has been the dpf regeneration, within 6 months was running rough and drinking fuel. Since then it has been to the dealer nearly ever 3 months with the same issue. We have taken it there while the problem is happening and after it has happened. The dealer has tried fuel additives, forced regeneration and denying there is a problem at all. They recently claimed there were no records of us having reported this fault before, even though we have it recorded on their invoices! In the last year they have manually regenerated the dpf a number of times and then 2 months ago stripped and cleaned the manifold and EGR, handing the car back saying "problem fixed, it won’t regenerate" at a cost of £300. We thought great, at last its fixed! We got the car back last Thursday with the assurance the problem had gone yet today, Monday, 4 days later, after driving appoximately 60 miles the regeneration problem is back. Having read a lot of information on this site and a few others, these cars seem to get through a lot of alternators (ours had to be recovered from the Hebrides when it failed) and have some form of inherent fault somewhere in the DPF or its sensor systems. The car has been a nightmare and is probably using twice the fuel it acutally needs because of the frequent regeneration. So tomorrow it’s back to the dealership for an interview without coffee.
Submitted: 24/10/2011 11:57:05
Damian Graham, Lancashire
Vauxhall Zafira DESIGN 2005
I’m disgusted in our Vauxhall Zafira, since January of this year its been in and out of the garage, with electrical faults, loss of power, egr valve, clutch failure, and accelerator pedal costing almost £2500. We are now in mid september and this car has left us penniless. Can’t sell it, no one wants it, Vauxhall won’t help because we took it elsewhere when it was out of warranty. Name and shame Vauxhall for their aftercare. We are at the end of our wits end!
Submitted: 18/09/2010 22:03:59
Steve Gilbert, Warwickshire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 cdti 2005
Not a bad car as most have believe, but luckily I got the inlet manifold replaced under warranty (the swirl valve rod worn out) most warranty companies wont cover it as they say, if the inlet is choked up, warranty void. Mine was, but, ahem, a word with the garage to arrange a different story. Egr valves, yep, common problem with all euro4 diesels. Easy fix to remove and clean. . . if you are mechanically minded. Just don’t drop an allen/torx screw key down the back while you are doing any work...they tend to drop on the live feed to starter motor, and blow the heater speed control and starter fuse! When I saw the state of the inlet manifold I was shocked, reduced by carbon deposits to a third of its inlet port size. This causes the swirl flaps to restrict, wearing out the rod on top of the manifold. its a 600 quid job for new manifold, but the egr valve is easy for the mechanically minded. Just a fiver for two gaskets and bit of paraffin, and an hr work. Fuel consumption...erratic. Town can give between 25 and 35 in sport mode, but carefull 70mph constant on motorway has given me 62 mpg over 200 miles...not bad! looking at getting the chip from 150 to 170 bhp, it’s a fun surge at 2000rpm. Overall, I bought the ex lease car with fsh at 44000 miles, it had had gearbox, clutch, battery, starter, alternator new...but remember, fleet cars have non existent problems repaired when they go in for services...to fund the dealer! Also, front disks, rear disks, etc etc. Well, 20k miles I have done glitch free apart from warranty manifold, and egr valve 12000 miles ago. If buying used, go for 3 yr old ex fleet with fsh, yr warranty, they have everything replaced during fleet time by greedy dealers. Always have done, with every used car I have. I know cdti reps who covered 200k in 4 yrs with these engines no probs. Saabs have same engine, hundreds of thousands on the roads with the cdti. Just pick carefully.
Submitted: 31/08/2010 21:26:16
Aftab Ahmed, Cambridgeshire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 cdti (120bhp) 2005
I have had for three years without any issues, but now I have hit the problems mentioned here. For the last few months the emmisions light was illuminated whilst driving, I ignored it as I could not feel any difference in performance. Then all of a sudden the battery light came on, this needed a trip to local garage. I needed a new alternator and a new EGR valve. I still have to collect the car from the garage, but I am dreading how long it will be before I have to take it back in. It’s a very practical car, but I may have made the wrong choice.
Submitted: 25/08/2010 21:38:55
Scott Lockey, Somerset
Vauxhall Zafira 2 Ltr Dti 2005
Intermittent EGR fault at 36000 miles, problem with mass air flowmeter, solenoid valve or temperature sensor, main dealer useless but eventually got Vauxhall to pay 1/2 the £400 bill. 65K on clock now and thrust bearing really noisy, looking at between 300 - 500 to sort. Good car for flexibility, useless on reliability and aftercare from dealer. Will never buy another Vauxhall again, Ford or Toyota for me.
Submitted: 15/08/2010 17:09:10
Jack Warwick, Nottinghamshire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Breeze 2005
I think that it is an amazing car and the seat arrangement is just perfect, well done Vauxhall.
Submitted: 20/05/2010 21:41:41
Rob C, Warwickshire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 cdti 2005
Have 1.9 cdti bought car with 50k on clock. At 58k eng management light came on - dealer diagnosed EGR fault. With a new one fitted car would hesitate in lower gears and sometimes feel like it was a missfire, no dealer could help. found out Fiat (with same engine) fit a restricter on the EGR so I made one and fitted it. Car is fine now and even has more response at lower rev’s.
Submitted: 29/04/2010 20:53:54
Steve Rowe, Somerset
Vauxhall Zafira life 2005
Versatility fantastic, seating and load space great. Bought when 3 years old in Feb 2009 with 20,000 on clock, have now done 34,000. Since purchased glove box replaced. Coil packed up and replaced along with spark plugs. Battery kept going flat, due to glovebox light staying on. Then car required new ecu, this replaced but within a day warning light back on and now back with dealer to try and fix. Not impressed. Lack of reliability means car has to go as network Q’s 12 month back up has nearly expired and I’m wondering what next?
Submitted: 05/01/2010 20:22:54
Ian Stuart, Northumberland
Vauxhall Zafira 1.6. Petrol 2005
It is now December 26 2009 and I have had THREE coil packs since April 09. Last New coil Pack fitted December 22. I have had fault codes deleted. Then the warning light on the dashboard came on the next day. The car engine cut out and failed on a busy dual carriageway. The AA towed the car home. AA told me the coil pack fault is showing as fault up on diagnostics. Not sure what to do now, get repaired or get rid?
Submitted: 30/12/2009 22:36:26
Tom Jones, Lancashire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 Life 2005
We have had the car three years. It has been OK. The extra seats have been helpful with a family. Lacks a little power. Fuel mileage not very good around town Thinking of changing it. Concerned by some of the weakness that may start to appear. EGR values, drive chain etc... Any advice welcome folks? Email: tomj4088@hotmail.co.uk
Submitted: 09/10/2009 09:23:15
Mick, Essex
Vauxhall Zafira 2005
Same thing happened to me last year mine failed it MOT on emissions and the garage said the same as yours. I got the CAT changed by someone else and got through the MOT. It ran perfectly until now - has been into a Vauxhall dealer twice so far; £750 and they still don’t know what’s wrong - CAT has disintegrated. I have refused to pay anymore money. I took it to them because it was misfiring; they put in new plugs, EMU and have said the CAT was blocked even though it wasn’t there. Now very upset and looks like I have a battle on my hands. They even charged me £170 for diagnostic check, they are now looking at it free of charge. Kwikfit will do the CAT for about £320.
Submitted: 29/04/2009 08:43:58
Barry Moore, Hampshire
Vauxhall Zafira 1.6i Breeze Special Edition 2005
I bought the car when it was 6 months old and have not had a single problem. I am now looking to upgrade to a newer model as it is the best family car on the road..... I love them!
Submitted: 03/07/2008 14:09:12
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