Engine Warning Light on Vauxhall Corsa 1.2, What Could it Mean?

[WouldBe]

Might not need the head skimming. Head gasket went on my dad's escort many years ago and just needed the gasket replacing.

 

[weltweit]

One thing bothers me slightly, the garage this morning they said they had found a water leak and had fixed it in a temporary way, meaning if I want to keep the car going I will need to make a proper repair.

They said something about the leak being related to or part of the water pump but still I don't know exactly where it is, it will need fixing to avoid a repeat of this coolant loss and overheating business.

 

[Ax^]

you need the water pump replaced if you get the head gasket done as its failure was more than likely the reason behind the problem in the first place

 

[weltweit]

you need the water pump replaced if you get the head gasket done as its failure was more than likely the reason behind the problem in the first place

Can I be sure the water pump failed? I know there was a leak which reduced the available coolant.

 

[Ax^]

hmm if you can hear it running it might not have totally failed

but if you going to be spending money to replace or skim a head gasket and the engine taken apart..

would be slightly silly you risk it happen again for the price of a water pump

 

[weltweit]

..
would be slightly silly you risk it happen again for the price of a water pump

Yes, I take your point

 

[weltweit]

I am going to ring around the car hire places tomorrow and see what the options are ..

I don't really want to buy another car until I have sorted out what is happening to my Corsa.

 

[Ax^]

fair play good luck fella with whatever ya choose

 

[Saunders]

Might not need the head skimming. Head gasket went on my dad's escort many years ago and just needed the gasket replacing.

My old Astra I had the gasket replaced a few times and drove it for two years before the cracks in the head proved to be unskimmable.
It was such a great car, started and stopped when I wanted it to, turned on a sixpence, and was utterly reliable. The back windows were blue poly sheets stuck on with yellow electrical tape, after someone smashed them in to steal a broken hifi that was in the boot, and everyone thought it was a hilarious embarrassment but it always got me to where I wanted to go and then back home again.

 

[weltweit]

Having trouble pinning anyone down to do the head gasket on my Corsa, have phoned loads of garages, the ones that can do it can only in 2-3 weeks time, I only have one option left and he is away till Monday and hasn't given me a total price.

So looking again at cars, Autotrader isn't impressing my anymore, I put in 20 miles away and two cars I was interested in are in dealers some 80 and 85 miles away. wtf ..

 

[Puddy_Tat]

i did give a little bit of thought to changing cars last year, and other than people selling off diesels because of an impending ULEZ, prices have gone up - for various reasons, sales of new cars have fallen off a bit so there's more people looking for second hand cars.

buying a car can be shit when you don't already have a car - i had to buy current car in a bit of a hurry after previous one was stolen and written off, and the bigger dealers round here are in the arse end of nowhere, so i didn't have a lot of choice.

 

[Ax^]

second hand car markets been ruined by speculators thinking every banger is an investment and bring up the prices to crazy level might be worth checking in more rural place to get a better deal sadly

also everyone in London is gauging price because of the upcoming ulez expansion

*shakes fist at greedy bastards

 

[Puddy_Tat]

and has anyone posted this yet?

 

[pug]

Could you get about on a push bike while you wait, maybe an electric one.

 

[weltweit]

Could you get about on a push bike while you wait, maybe an electric one.

No, too many hills and work and supermarkets etc are too far away.
I sort of live in the sticks.

 

[weltweit]

I have found a 2014 Ford Fiesta nearby that looks interesting, but I ran an Experian check and it was a category N write off last year and has had a couple of plate changes. Wondering if I can use that to get a reduction in the price.

I also found a Peugeot 207 1.4 VTi S Hatchback 3dr Petrol Manual, also nearby and for less money - with a dent to passenger sill - not sure about that. Lots of receipts from work that has been carried out, which actually puts me off in a way - because it means it had quite a lot of work.

 

[Riklet]

Sorry to hear about the head gasket, it's good they did that test for you. Dont worry about the oil leak they can do the rocker cover and plug valves when doing the head gasket... could well just be some oil seeping down the sides. 100% get it fixed, you should be able to find a cheaper garage, wouldnt sniff at saving a ULEZ compliant petrol car in London at the moment.

Get on google map and keep phoning decent garages. Then try mobile mechanics who come to you. Failing that, go on a price comparison website and get a quote online from someone within 30 miles that provides a curtesy car and just drop it off there. Or ask taxi drivers at the local taxi rank. Someone will want to fix it.

It's not like your engine has blown up and mechanics will have done hundreds of these repairs with Corsas. I wouldnt worry about spending £400 to keep it going. You can buy a liquid molly product to chuck in the engine oil once done to treat it

DO NOT buy one of those Fiestas with the 1.0 3 cyclinder ecoboost engine. You will regret it. That's being sold for a reason. Peugeot 207 is a shitty and fairly old car too, I'd avoid. Maybe a 2006-2008 Fiesta would be affordable if you want a 'new' car, decent engines too. In the end not that much better than what you already have tho. Youd get 300 squid for your current banger and be paying out another £1000+ on top though so why bother.

 

[weltweit]

Hi Riklet I have almost exhausted my options for a head gasket repair, at least one being done soon and I need to be able to go back to work. I tentatively priced up a hire car at £200 for a week but I can't yet be sure that I can get my Corsa fixed in that week. It could go on and on and I need viable transport.

The Fiesta I am looking at is a 2014 - 1.25 Zetec Euro 5 3dr. So a lot younger than my Corsa.

 

[Ax^]

hmm try the below link owners review of that range of fiesta

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/owner-reviews/ford/fiesta-2013/


at least you not looking at a stupid cross over thingy

 

[Riklet]

Does your insurance not cover anything?

Sure buy the Fiesta (theyre fun to drive!), those 1.25 engines are much better, but if you have the time/money/energy id keep the Corsa and get it fixed when possible. Then sell it privately. Might soften the blow as it's surely worth a good grand in todays market.

 

[weltweit]

Bit frustrating, the 2014 Fiesta sold before I got there.

I bought an older 1.25 Zetek Fiesta in good nick with 60k miles on the clock.

A slight issue is it will fall to me to do the timing belt

However I am pleased with it. Just the ticket

Have to decide what to do with my Corsa, but there is no panic now.

 

[WouldBe]

Make sure you get the timing belt sorted or you'll be in a worse position than a head gasket needing changing.

 

[Riklet]

How old is the car weltweit ? I think you've made a good car choice tbh.

Has the timing belt ever been changed, even once? If never I'd probably do it in the next 6 months despite the 60k mileage. Not sure if those are non-interference engines or not but probs not worth risking it to find out.

 

[weltweit]

How old is the car weltweit ? I think you've made a good car choice tbh.

Hi Ricklet, it is a 2007 Fiesta 1.25 Zetec 3dr climate with 60k on the clock

Has the timing belt ever been changed, even once? If never I'd probably do it in the next 6 months despite the 60k mileage. Not sure if those are non-interference engines or not but probs not worth risking it to find out.

As far as I can tell the timing belt should be changed at 100,000 miles or 10 years whichever comes first. So it should have been done in 2017. The seller didn't have a receipt for the belt, quite a lot of the service stamps were owner serviced. I think it is possible it hasn't had a belt done.

I was toying with the idea of writing to the previous owner but if they didn't provide a receipt then they didn't.

I think I should assume it hasn't been done and get it done myself sooner rather than later.
And a water pump at the same time.

Because of my recent car problems I am paranoid. Sunday returning home the cooling fan came on, despite the temperature gauge being normal. Going to keep an eye on that.

 

[Riklet]

Dont worry cooling fan coming on is perfectly normal and even good... it's much worse if that fan isnt working properly like seems to happen with lots of Hondas! My Corolla fan comes on most times I drive it distances tbh. But actually the biggest strain on the cooling system is slow moving stop start traffic and if the guage is normal def don't worry.

Those older Fiestas are really pretty solid and there are so so many parts in scrap yards or online. When it's next at a garage you can get a mechanic to check if the timing belt was done before they often write it on the cover in pen. It probably should be done tho, especially if you got a semi decent deal on the car and can spare the money.