VAUXHALL TIGRA: Questions and answers

Vauxhall Tigra 1996

Hi. My Vauxhall Tigra`s front right and rear left brakes are not working. I have changed the rear slave cylinder and these will still not work or bleed. Please can anyone help? (1.4)

Vauxhall Tigra 1994

Hi, I have a Vauxhall Tigra. There has been a leak on the back of the engine which has got worse over the past couple of weeks. When I took the hose off which was leaking on the back of the water pump the fitting was completly rotten and there is no way I can get a good seal on it. Can this part be replaced or is it a part of the block? Many thanks, Rob.

Vauxhall Tigra 2004

Hi. I haven`t had my Vauxhall Tigra long but it seems to be too heavy on petrol. I am only getting 40 miles for £10. The co2 emmissions were too high when I took it for an MOT. Would this affect the fuel efficiency? Any advice would be much appreciated, thankyou. (Sports Convertible)

Vauxhall Tigra 1997

Hi. I have a Vauxhall Tigra which is using lots of water but I have no leaks. I also checked for blocked pipes and the water pump but all`s okay. It`s still using lots of water and I`m filling it every 2 days now.

Answers

If the water is coming out from the exhaust, then you have a problem with the head gasket - Choukri Kayal from France

Vauxhall Tigra 1999

Hi, I have a Vauxhall Tigra 1999 1.6l. The battery goes flat when I’m using the car which causes the power steering to stop working and the lights to dim before cutting out completely. After an hour or so it will start again but steering is still hard and it cuts out again before long. The engine management light is also on and off. Could this be the alternator, if so how much will it roughly cost to sort out? Any feedback will be much appreciated as I need the car to work tomorrow night. Thank you.

Vauxhall Tigra 1997

I wonder if anyone out there has done a front disc conversion on their Tigra? I have a set of nearly new discs and callipers from a 2-litre Calibra - same sizes as the Tigra (a bit wider though, 24mm instead of 20mm). I have been told it’s a straight fit with no need to modify anything. Can anyone tell me if this is true or if they have done this modification? (1.6 106hp)

Vauxhall Tigra 1997

Can anyone out there help? I have had this vehicle for 2 years but this year it failed the MOT on it’s emissions test. The natural idle has produced a pass, but the fast and 2nd fast idle tests have produced about twice the limit for the carbon monoxide (CO2) while the hydrocarbons (HC) are about 70% for the fast idle and 61% for the 2nd fast idle. I am assuming that the management system is, for some reason, increasing the amount of injected fuel or is having the intake of air restricted at higher engine speeds.

Vauxhall Tigra 1999

Hi. I have just replaced the front disc pads on my sons Tigra. Now the brake pedal won’t pump back up and go solid. It feels like there is no pressure from the master cylinder, what should I do?

Answers

Have you bled the brakes? Possible air in the system if bleed nipple slackened. But be warn in the past, I have reversed seals in master cylinder in a Corsa by fitting new pads and only fix ways to change master cylinder. The garage advised when changing pads in future to clamp flexi and slacken nipple to push caliper back and to bleed when all done - Mass Debater from Blaenau Gwent

Try the vacuum servo unit hose. In your case, the hose is loose or broken - Choukri Kayal from France

Vauxhall Tigra 2007

The engine maintenance light is staying on and the garage can’t find any reason for it. Also, since this happened the car is hesitant to start and is taking about 3 attempts to get the engine started. And once started, the driving of the car is perfect and performs well! (1300cc ctdi)

Vauxhall Tigra 2007

Hi, I currently have a 1.4 Tigra petrol, and was wondering if it is suitable for towing just a small trailer to put all the camping gear in in the summer? I asked an assistant in Halfords and they said it had sufficient power to tow but on looking on the internet, there doesn’t seem to be towbars to fit the car, so does this mean it’s not suitable to tow?

Vauxhall Tigra 2006

Hello, can anybody help? I have just recently bought a Vauxhall Tigra, 55plate. When there is a downpour of rain the driver’s seat and floor is so wet. I have only had the car seven days and am gutted. I’ve been so stupid to not have checked under the mats when buying. I can’t see where it’s coming from, thank you for your time. (1.4 16v)

Vauxhall Tigra 2007

Hi, I’ve just purchased some heated leather seats for my Vauxhall Tigra. Can anybody tell me if its just a case of fitting them in to my car and fitting the switches that I have got with them. Is the loom already in? Thanks. (diesel)

Vauxhall Tigra 2005

Hi, I have a 2005 Tigra 1.3CDTI and it is leaking diesel from the engine compartment and it happens a lot more when the car is parked from the engine compartment. The fuel filter looks OK and we cannot find any leaks. Can anyone help please as the leak is getting bigger and bigger by the day. (Twin Top 1.3CDTI)

Vauxhall Tigra 1988

My Vauxhall Tigra’s water system has air inside and the fan won’t start... How should I remove the air from the system?

Vauxhall Tigra 2008

Can anyone tell me if you can disengage the passenger airbags on a 2008 Vauxhall Tigra, for a rear facing child seat?

Answers

Laura, we had the same question - our local garage said that this cannot be disabled by the owner. They did say however, that it could be disengaged by a main dealer (for lots of pennies). Probably not the answer you wanted - Wm Stewart from Scotland

Vauxhall Tigra 1999

I’m hearing a knocking on the offside front wheel on my Vauxhall Tigra 1.4 W-reg. I’ve got my suspicions that its either the wishbone, bushes or the drive shaft. Can someone please shed some light and help me out. Any help will be fully appreciated. Also, when I open the boot, even with the ignition off, the offside electric window will open and shut spontaneously. Thank you for taking the time to help.

Answers

Hi, is the noise from the front more apparent when the steering is on a hard lock? If you hear it more, then it is most likely the drive shaft. If it knocks continually, it could well be a joint or wishbone bushes as our current poor roads will bugger them up. The Tigra was designed to open the window slightly when tail gate was opened, something to do with the internal vacuum building up when you slam the tail gate. If window didn’t open slightly, it would make your ears pop if you had a passenger sitting inside at the time - Clive Parrish from Buckinghamshire

Vauxhall Tigra 2007

On my Vauxhall Tigra, why do my heaters go cold when stood still but then as soon as I start driving again it’s warms straight back up?

Answers

Maybe to save your battery? - Paul from Cheshire

A car’s heater works on hot water being run through the engine, that then goes into a heater matrix which has a fan blowing air through the matrix, the air gets heated and then directed around the interior. When stood still your engine is only idling and so the water flow won’t be as strong therefore making the heater go colder than when car is in motion and engine is working harder - Alex from England

It sounds like the thermostat has kicked the bucket. It’s not a huge job to replace and shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. As for the previous answer that was posted, it is correct but not very helpful. If you go to most garages, they should be able to replace your thermostat quite quickly. I hope this info has been helpful to you xx - Leverson Holder from Herefordshire

Vauxhall Tigra 1995

Hi, I’m having endless problems with the throttle sticking on my Vauxhall Tigra. When gear changing etc, it runs on gas and runs very well. I have had gas checked - all OK, and the throttle cable is OK too. What can cause this problem and how can I resolve it?

Vauxhall Tigra 2006

Help! My 2006 Vauxhall Tigra hazard lights come on when the car is parked up and not being driven. They will just flash of their own accord and sometimes won’t even turn off when I try and turn them off from inside, when I press the hazard button. I have to disconnect it at the battery. This is so annoying as I rely on my car for my job. Can anyone help?

Vauxhall Tigra 2004

Hi. I hope you can help! I have a 2004 Tigra and have had endless problems with it starting when cold and being jumpy when the fuel tank is low on fuel. I have spent about 300 quid in my local garage on it and still the problem remains! I have had the air sensor changed, the plugs and coil pack renewed and the fuel filter and coolant sensor changed. Any ideas please as it is driving me mad and clearing out my wallet. Many thanks.

Answers

Seriously get rid of that piece of sh*t cheap poor excuse of a car; stop being a tight a*se and buy a decent car. Forget Vauxhall. What did you expect really? You are clearly a moron owning a Tigra and somehow think it’s cool to do so. I strongly suggest getting a life along with a new car, you pathetic idiotic fool - Jason Vale from England

Why did you have to be so bl**dy rude, she was only asking for advice for flip’s sake! I absolutely hate people like you with a passion. Go get a flipping life, you d*ckhead! - Jeff Simpson from England

Hi Sue, the jumpy starts could be the spark plug leads or the timing could be slightly out. To be totally honest with you, it could be a host of diffrent things but that’s where I would start looking first, hope this has been helpful - Leverson Holder from Herefordshire

Jason Vale... The guy who drives a Micra! Shut your potty mouth, you pathetic little man! - Natalie Crookes from England

Sorry for coming to this question late but if you have this problem only when you have a low fuel tank - I would suggest that any particles in your petrol tank (sludge, water - who knows even a bit of plastic wrapping) could be the culprit. If you suspect this, it would almost certainly pay to have the fuel filter replaced as this could be partially blocked - Wez from Staffordshire

Vauxhall Tigra 1999

When my Vauxhall Tigra gets to about 80-85 mph the orange engine light comes on but when I go back down to about 70 mph it goes back off. It is mainly when I’m on the motorway and the car is well warmed up. Any ideas what may be causing this? Many thanks, Mel.

Answers

You shouldn’t be speeding anyway! - Matt Draycott from Nottinghamshire

Does it splutter and the light comes on? It sounds to me like a ignition fuse. The same thing happened on a mk2 Punto. There under the bonnet is all i know as I only got my Tigra yesterday...but that’s my idea pal - Jay from Germany

I had a problem a bit like that. Try coil pack replacement then disconnect battery for 12 hours to reset management system reconnect battery start leave to find base idle the drive slow/fast revving freely. This should help management system relearn, see how you go - Jason B from dorset

Vauxhall Tigra 2000

Hi. Please HELP! My Tigra is using more coolent fluid then nomal. When I’m at traffic lights for a long time it starts to go to 100 but when I do drive it goes back to 90-ish. Is there something wrong?

Answers

Try taking out your coolant thermostat. If nothing appears to change, check there is no air or blockage/restriction in the radiator or hoses. The coolant could be "boiling off." If the engine takes a long time to warm up from starting & appears to run cooler than normal - except for maybe a long fast motorway journey - replace your thermostat with a new one. It may be sticking closed. To do a quick check on the thermostat, put it into a container of boiling water to see if it opens - Wez from Staffordshire

Vauxhall Tigra 2004

What style motor wiper is needed for a 54 plate Vauxhall Tigra? Is it a Corsa C or Corsa D?

Vauxhall Tigra 2004

Hi, can somone please tell me if a 2009 rear-bumper plate will fit a 2004 rear-bumper plate rear bumper? It is to go on a Tigra Sport Twinport 1.8-litre. Thanks.

Vauxhall Tigra 2005

Hi. Can anyone help me? I’ve got a 54 plate Tigra Sport. I’ve had nothing but trouble with the roof since I bought it brand new. It’s been back to Vauxhall twice to have the boot re-aligned which seemed to work for a while, but now I’m having trouble again but it is out of warranty and Vauxhall are saying the ECU has packed up and they want £545+VAT for a new one. I took the car to my own mechanic who has done a long list of work on it for me and he has been all over my car and cannot find the ECU for the boot and the roof. Does anyone know what operates the arms that lifts the boot and roof? There just doesn’t seem to be enough power getting through to operate this. Thanks, Sharon.

Vauxhall Tigra 2005

The drivers side electric wing mirror on my Vauxhall Tigra has been smashed but the actual casing is OK. Do I need to replace the whole thing or can I just pop the mirror out and replace that? If so, is it easy to replace it? I have phoned a few garages and they all tell me different things so I’m a bit confused!! Thank you.

Answers

Natalie, just ask a valleys boy! Go to a car parts shop where you can buy a replacement glass with an adhesive back then just stick it on top of the broken one, job done. P.S. Make sure you buy the right size one - Alant from Rhondda Cynon Taff

Vauxhall Tigra 2006

Hi, hope you can help... What bulb goes in the dipped front light of a Vauxhall Tigra? Is it h7 or h4? Thank you.

Vauxhall Tigra 2001

The water is running dry when I drive but fills back up when stopped. How so? (1.4 petrol)

Vauxhall Tigra 2000

Today, my indicator lights have decided not to work. Front and back. The hazard lights are working but there is no indication of this on the dash. Is this going to be an expensive problem to fix?

Answers

Hi Shona, check the fuses, if they’re ok then check the relay. Hope this helps - Stephen Cronshaw from Lancashire

Hi Shona, I’ve got a 54 plate Tigra and had been experiencing the same problem. One day they would work then the next, the indicator light would flash really fast on the dashboard but no indicators would work. I took it to my mechanic who was already fixing a long list of stuff for me and I asked him to check my indicator bulb because I thought it had come loose, only to find out that the relay had gone, so that was yet another problem I had. New relay has been fitted and now all working fine - Sharon Jagger from Warwickshire

Vauxhall Tigra 1999

I can’t get the handbrake to disengage. This has happened a few times before, my drive is on a slight slope, usually takes about five attempts but it has been broken down and on drive for three months and I can’t get it off no matter how many times I try, it was always fine on flat surface. Any ideas?

Answers

It sounds to me like your brake shoes need changing. It’s a common thing for most Vauxhalls, sometimes they need a little hit with a hammer - Steven Goodson from England

Put it in reverse, then turn ignition on to bump start should then free the rear brakes, make sure you have a full battery - Obione Jedi from Nottinghamshire

Vauxhall Tigra 1987

I want to know what the car can pull with a towbar.

Vauxhall Tigra 2006

My granddaughter’s drivers window will not wind up. I have checked fuses, they are okay. How do I get the door panel off and how do I fit new window winder assembly?

Vauxhall Tigra 1999

How easy is it to fit a pretentioner on the driver’s side for a novice? Or if a garage fitted it, how much would I be looking at in having one fitted, not by a main dealer, roughly?

Vauxhall Tigra 1996

Hi, does anyone know how to remove the front seats from a Vauxhall Tigra from 1997? I need to get them out to put new ones in and have tried but can’t see how to get them off. Any answers much appreciated.

Vauxhall Tigra 2005

I have had an on-going fault on my Tigra now for some months. When shutting the driver’s door, the window often doesn’t go back up into its fully closed position. I have also had the window fail completely which resulted in a new motor and regulator being fitted, although I have subsequently had the original motor/regulator checked and found to be okay. Vauxhall have fitted a new Control Unit (CPU?) and had it for 5 weeks and they cannot find the fault! This is baffling, anybody seen this before or any ideas? (Sport)

Vauxhall Tigra 2005

The mileage indicator and light on dashboard are not lighting up. How do I find out if it’s a fuse that has gone? (pampreston06 [at] yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk)

Vauxhall Tigra 2005

Hi, I’ve got a 2005 Tigra and my emission indicator light has come on. Any idea what might be wrong with it? I’ve just had it serviced and MOT’ed. (Sports convertible)

Answers

One of two things - either it’s producing too many emissions or the Lambada sensor in the exhaust needs to be replaced, but the latter being more likely. You should disconnect your battery for two hours to reset the engine management. If the light stays off then there is no problem. If it comes on again, you should bring the car to a mechanic to check the sensors - Caolan Laverty from County Antrim

Vauxhall Tigra 1999

How do I make dash board light brighter?

Vauxhall Tigra 2005

Hi, I have a Vauxhall Tigra and the electric window goes down OK but it will not go back up again. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Answers

Hi Paul, I’ve just had a problem with my 54 Tigra where the passenger window won’t go back up properly. I messed around with it until the window wouldn’t go up OR down and was left open about an inch. I opened the bonnet, opened the fuse compartment and, using the manual, found both the window fuses. I took each one out, checked they hadn’t blown (which they hadn’t), cleaned them and put them back in. I put the ignition on and, hey presto, the window went straight back up. Not sure how long it’ll last or if it’ll do it again but it’s shut tightly for now which is all that matters. Try it and see. Good luck - Rachael from Dorset

Vauxhall Tigra 1999

How do I remove the carburetor from my Tigra?

Answers

Tigra’s don’t have carbs, they are multi-point injection and that goes for all of them - Nathan Sweeney from Lancashire

Vauxhall Tigra 2000

I’m having problems clearing the front windscreen in the mornings. It is as if there is a film on it and the blowers are warm, no water leaks. Can anyone help?