Now on secondary market you can find a fairly large number of Opel Astra J models at an affordable price. For example, a five-door hatchback 2011-2013 can be purchased in the region of 450-500 thousand rubles. Solaris, Rio, Polo Sedan of the same years are sold at the same prices. But the Astra is a C-class car, that is, a higher class, and outwardly cute, in the cabin there is soft plastic and a lot of different bells and whistles. What's the matter, why is the price tag for Opel understated?

In this article, we will talk about common problems, malfunctions, weaknesses of this model and see why the prices for Astra J are at the Solaris level.

Engines

The range of engines consists of atmospheric and turbocharged gasoline engines. It's for Russian market. Diesel units are also available for Europe, but today we will talk exclusively about versions for Russia.

The most popular internal combustion engine among aspirators is the 1.6-liter 115-horsepower A 16 XER. A less popular version of the A14 XER, with a volume of 1.4, with a capacity of 100 forces.

They were equipped with a 5-speed manual F17, and a 6-speed automatic transmissions. The 1.4-liter A14 XER is manual only.

In terms of reliability, the version with a 1.6 engine (115 hp) is the best and unpretentious. Here you can fill in both the 92nd and the 95th. There is no turbine, which means that it will not need to be repaired.

Of the minuses, it is impossible not to note the weak acceleration dynamics of Astra with such an internal combustion engine. Fuel consumption in the city is 10-11 liters, and this is with moderate driving on the mechanics. With an automatic, the consumption will be higher, and if you drive dynamically, it can reach 13-15 liters.

About turbo engines

Engine 1.4 (A 14 NET) 140 hp, 200 Nm torque at 1850-4900 rpm. It was equipped with a 6-speed M32 manual and a 6-speed automatic.

Of the advantages worth noting excellent dynamics, acceleration from zero to hundreds takes 9.8 seconds on the version with manual transmission. Fuel consumption according to the passport is 7.9 liters per 100 kilometers. In practice, no less - 9.6-10 liters.

Of the minuses: the turbocharger fails, on average, per 100,000 kilometers. Some earlier, some later. You can't guess here. Work to replace the turbine at official dealers is estimated at 3,000 rubles, and original part the assembly costs 50,000 rubles, but you can also buy a non-original one from Garret for 32,000 rubles.

New turbocharger for 1.4 A 14 NET. Read about the rules of operation

Another disadvantage is the destruction of the pistons. Symptoms of this breakdown: increased oil consumption, from 0.5 to 1-2 liters of oil per 300-350 km, as well as the appearance of vibrations or tripling.

You can identify the problem only by "opening" the engine.

As the company says General Motors: “when using low-quality gasoline, detonation occurs, which leads to a breakdown piston rings and their partitions - up to the complete destruction of the pistons. Therefore, it is recommended to fill in fuel with an octane rating of AI-95 and only at proven gas stations.

The less popular but more powerful 1.6 Turbo (A 16 LET) 180 HP and 1.6T SIDI (A16XHT) engines have almost the same problems as the 1.4 Turbo.

In general, Opel turbo engines, as well as other brands, are quite capricious and require careful maintenance.

Gearboxes

The five-speed F17 has a design feature: the first and second speeds on a cold engine can be turned on with difficulty. And this is quite normal. This is due to the design of synchronizers.

The M32 six-speed transmission, which is only available with turbocharged engines, shifts at all speeds clearly and smoothly. Of the shortcomings: noise may appear at speed. It is usually thought that the release bearing is the culprit, but in reality it is worn gearbox shaft bearings.

The six-speed Hydra-Matic GM automatic (6T30E, 6T40E, 6T45E) is a classic torque converter and at first glance seems to be hassle-free, but in practice it is not.

In particular, at various runs, the hydraulic unit may fail, the gears break, the oil cooler tubes flow, the planetary gear set wears out, and so on. Problems are usually solved by replacing the automatic transmission, or by overhaul. The cost is approximately 70-100 thousand rubles.

So when buying, be sure to diagnose this unit, preferably at the dealer. And it is important, periodically every 50-60 thousand to produce partial replacement gear oil Dexron VI.

Cooling system

The thermostat is an obvious weak point in the Astra J. When the cooling fan starts spinning constantly and the requirement for maintenance is displayed on the dashboard, it means that it's time to change the thermostat.

Usually, owners purchase a Chevrolet Cruze in a metal case and do not experience such a problem after replacement. The cost is about 4000 rubles.
As a rule, such a breakdown occurs on a mileage of 20 to 50,000 km, regardless of the engine model.

In addition, Astra has a problem with a pump that lets coolant through. Solved by replacing .

New and old water pump

On runs of 80-90,000 km, replacement of heat exchanger gaskets is required, which allow engine oil to pass into antifreeze. If you replace them in time, an emulsion may appear, the thermostat may fail, which is fraught with overheating of the engine. Work + spare parts = 10,000 rubles from an authorized dealer.

As soon as you notice that the antifreeze in the expansion tank has become dark in color, it is most likely that the oil enters the coolant.

I recommend buying only original gaskets, as there have been cases when people who purchased non-original parts had to return to the service in less than half a year and do the same work again.

With suspension and steering Astra J has no particular problems. But if there is a knock from the rear, then most likely it is the rear calipers knocking. it design feature models produced before 2013-2014. Modified caliper brackets and guides were installed on restyled cars, which do not emit extraneous knocks when driving over bumps.

The sound of the calipers is eliminated by replacing the brackets with guides, or by installing springs from the rear drums of the VAZ 2108, 2109. One bracket costs 4,500 rubles.

Having described the common sores of Astra J, it is worth noting its undoubted advantages:

1) Modern and stylish appearance

2) Quality paintwork, the paint layer is really thick. The body is galvanized from the factory.

3) Comfortable and pleasant interior with soft plastic.

Such a salon is the prerogative of the maximum version of Cosmo with additional options.

4) Excellent handling. Speed ​​at 140 km / h is not felt. Road holding is excellent.

5) Moderately soft and not hard suspension.

6) Rich equipment - already in the basic version there are ABS, ESP, four airbags, air conditioning, heated mirrors, etc.

In conclusion, I will say that there are no problem-free cars in the world. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Every car needs to be looked after and taken care of. Whatever car you choose, always carefully check its technical component yourself, or with a competent master in a specialized service.

At first glance, one gets the feeling that something is leaking in the car all the time: now water, then oil, then antifreeze. But Opel Astra's childhood illnesses do not end with a difficult relationship with liquids. We studied the nuances of car operation with the support of official dealers and directly from one of the “Astravods”, the owner of a 2011 copy with a 1.6-liter engine.

Water leak into the cabin

"To batten down the kingstones!" - they joke wittily on the astraclub.ru forum. Although the owners of Astra J, on own experience those who have experienced the questionable moisture resistance of the car are clearly not laughing. The body of the Astra J allows "outboard" water to pass through in several places at once and for several reasons: in the spare wheel niche in luggage compartment over time, a small lake may form due to poor tightness of the sealing gum in the brake light cover on rear window. Official dealers recognize this case as a warranty and within warranty period change the entire ceiling assembly with an elastic band.

But in the front of the car, everything is much more interesting. Many "astrovods" after heavy rains found a puddle under the front passenger seat mat. And what strange sounds were heard from under the front panel! "Near glove box- a sound, as if there is a half-empty canister of water: blym-blym, "writes the user 48_Sandro (astraclub.ru), noting that when the blower is turned on, the sound of" bubbling appears. Firstly, as the officials explain, this is due to a design feature: during rain, water by gravity along the trapezium of the wipers enters the air duct and gradually makes its way into the passenger compartment.As a countermeasure, official dealers began to install two clamps on the lever mechanism of the wipers, which stopped water flow.At the same time, under the guarantee, the cabin filter, which became unusable due to water falling on it. By the way, at first some unscrupulous dealers refused to change the filter under the warranty, but the debriefing that followed ended in favor of the client.

The second cause of the leak may be a poor-quality drain hose of the air conditioner, from which condensate flows. Perhaps this malfunction cannot provoke a catastrophic flood, but it carries another threat: condensate can get on the control unit. However, the case is recognized as a warranty, and dealers change the defective hose so that the on-board electronics of the car do not start celebrating the Chinese New Year.

Oil cooler tube leak

Many owners, having barely exchanged the first ten thousand kilometers, encountered oil leakage from the oil cooler tubes of an automatic transmission. External symptoms boiled down to oil "fogging" in the area of ​​​​compression couplings on hoses. Official dealers confirmed this problem: it refers to children's "sores" of two Opel models at once - Astra J and Zafira C. Moreover, if water flowing into the cabin could become a headache for Astra owners in many world markets, then oil leakage is exclusively Russian problem. And it is explained by our climate.

As the officials said, the tubes and ferrules simply could not withstand too much low temperatures and over time began to miss the oil. To fix the problem, the manufacturer organized service campaign, within which the tubes were changed to more frost-resistant counterparts. Warranty replacement is provided for vehicles manufactured between 2010 and 2014. True, judging by some reviews, some owners astra problem leaking hoses still came back even after replacement.

Reflow of headlight housings

“The car is new. Well, who is pleased that such snot is like a bubble in the headlights?” Writes SERG71, astraclub.ru. "It's strange that GM is slow to fix the problem, because these headlights are attracting many," says Toon user. And we are talking about the adaptive head light on the Opel Astra, which, according to many car owners, is perhaps the main "highlight" of the model and one of the most valuable and pleasant options. The adaptive AFL headlight system can automatically adjust to vehicle driving conditions by selecting one of nine preset lighting modes. It was all the more insulting for the owners of such a fashionable and technologically advanced system to find suspicious traces of melting in the headlight housings.

At first, the problem of "conjunctivitis" was attributed to the sealant - they say that it leaks from heating, and the plastic itself remains intact. However, the officials, having taken up the problem, came to the conclusion that it was precisely plastic element. It should be noted that not all dealers agree to the warranty replacement of headlights, since the defect is insignificant and does not affect traffic safety. If the fact of melting is confirmed, they can change the firmware of the adaptive light, reducing the burning time of the lamps in the turn signal sections from 180 to 60 seconds, but dealers do not note cases of mass appeals. For example, Genser suggested that headlight melting may occur due to incorrect installation of the lamps when replacing them. However, some motorists decide not to contact dealers at all and try to solve the problem on their own - for example, changing H11 bulbs to H8 ones.

By the way, it is worth noting another constructive nuance associated with adaptive headlights AFL: body position sensors, which "tell" the system how to direct the beam of light, are located in easily accessible places and are quite easily damaged, after which the headlights start to work incorrectly.

thermostat leak

The problem of a leaking thermostat is also familiar to the owners of the Opel Astra J. And if in the case of the box cooling pipes (and with adaptive headlights) it was necessary to be careful to detect the problem, then the car will remind you of the “arrived” thermostat: it will suddenly ask for maintenance, and the cooling fan will draw attention to itself by working too hard.

The problem lies in the very design of the thermostat - it consists of two parts, metal and plastic. It is the plastic part that quite quickly (according to statistics, within 20-50 thousand kilometers) begins to lose ground and loses its tightness. As dealers say, the case was recognized as a warranty, the faulty part is replaced with a modified analogue. However, depending on the severity of the situation, the dealer may be limited to replacing the thermostat gasket, which has also been improved.

Brake assist glitch

Sometimes a car can give a sudden surprise: a warning appears on the dashboard to check the brake assistance system, after which the burning Brake icon begins to annoy the driver's eyes. "Some kind of hat with this BRAKE, when my icon lit up for the first time, I almost turned gray - on good move throws out the inscription brake system malfunction" - wildfreesia writes on the astraclub.ru forum.

However, not everything is so scary. This problem, by and large, does not pose a particular threat and will not deprive the car of the brake system, except that the computer itself begins to annoy with an annoying squeak when the ignition is turned on. The occurrence of a malfunction does not depend on the driving style and conditions: the electrician can “jump” at any moment, you just need to lightly touch the brake pedal. At an authorized dealer, the problem is treated by updating the software or calibrating the sensor. True, despite its insignificance, the "jamb" risks turning into the status of sluggish and periodically manifesting problems: sometimes even after flashing the sore repeats over time and makes itself felt on cars different years release.

Driver's seat lift handle broken

“I sat behind the wheel after my wife, I wanted to lower the seat lower. I pulled the handle - and it fell at half past five. Now I’m sitting like a woodpecker on a birch,” says our friend Astra owner. On the forums dedicated to the model, similar complaints are also not uncommon. Hidden under the side plug, the bolt that secures the handle unwinds as you use the adjustment. Despite the fact that the "sore" is very widespread, the "folk" method of treating it is simple - an additional locking washer helps many. However, problems with the warranty replacement of the handle should not arise either: dealers are surprisingly accommodating in this matter. They are logical - after all, even on specimens standing in salons, it was sometimes possible to stumble upon dangling elevator handles.

Of course, the owners of rival classmates can gloat and stay in complete confidence that they definitely made the right choice and bought the most reliable and hassle-free car. But there are no perfect cars, and the fact that your favorite model has not yet appeared in this section means only one thing: we just haven’t got to it yet.

22.01.2018

It is considered one of the leaders in its segment (golf class) thanks to successful combination sizes, specifications and practicality. Against the background of its famous competitors, Astra J looks more expensive and solid car, and all thanks to the streamlined design that replaced the angular body of the model previous generation. You can talk about the advantages of this car for hours, but today we will talk about its shortcomings, or rather the reliability of this model, since this factor plays a key role when choosing a used car.

Specifications

Brand and body type: C - hatchback, sedan, station wagon;

Body dimensions (L x W x H), mm - 4419 x 1814 x 1510, 4658 x 1814 x 1500, 4698 x 1814 x 1535;

Wheelbase, mm - 2658, 2685;

Ground clearance, mm - 165;

Tire size - 205/60 R16, 215/50 R17;

Volume fuel tank, l – 56;

Curb weight, kg - 1393, 1405, 1437;

Gross weight, kg - 1850, 1870, 1995;

Trunk capacity, l - 370 (795), 460 (1010), 500 (1500);

Options - Enjoy, Enjoy +, Enjoy High, Enjoy Low, Essentia, Essentia Low, Cosmo, Cosmo Mid, S / S Cosmo.

Problem areas and disadvantages of the Opel Astra J

Body weaknesses:

Paintwork- despite the fact that the quality of painting is not bad, scratches and chips appear on the body quite quickly, and after 10 years of operation on a car assembled in St. Petersburg, the paint may begin to swell and fall off in pieces (most often the problem occurs on 3-door hatchbacks).

body iron- the days have already passed when Opel bodies, for weak anti-corrosion coating, only the lazy did not criticize. To date, the German company galvanizes all body parts of the car and gives them up to 12 years of warranty. Despite this, on some copies of the Russian assembly, over time, pockets of rust appear on the thresholds, wheel arches, trunk lid, at the bottom of the doors, as well as at the junctions of bumpers and wings (as a rule, bugs appear after winter). Original body parts are not cheap, therefore, if they are damaged, they are usually restored rather than changed.

Bottom- not completely covered with a protective impact-resistant mastic, therefore, in order to prevent corrosion, it is recommended to treat it with an anti-corrosion agent.

Pilkington windshield- very soft, which is why it quickly becomes covered with scratches and chips, it is worth noting that the use of hard wiper blades accelerates the process of glass wear (rubbed and cloudy). It is not uncommon for glass to crack due to a sharp temperature drop.

Brush replacement- this procedure involves switching the wipers to the service mode, to do this, after turning off the ignition, move the mode switch lever down, after which the wipers should be in the service vertical position.

Adaptive optics AFL- this type of optics significantly exceeds the standard one in terms of lighting quality. However, it has a couple of significant drawbacks - the rapid wear of lens drives and the failure of the control system (body level position sensors fail), in addition, replacing such a headlight is expensive. There are craftsmen who have learned to restore the headlight, but, with the presence necessary spare parts there are problems.

Common ailments of Opel Astra J power units

Atmospheric motors:

1,4 - this engine has earned a good reputation for itself and is considered a very reliable unit, but only in the hands of calm drivers. So, for example, the timing chain drive that the engine is equipped with can last up to 180,000 km without replacement, but if the car is operated in the “slipper on the floor” mode and saves on maintenance, the chain will be asked to be replaced after 80,000 km. The engine resource to the capital is 250-300 thousand km.

1.6 - It is also a reliable atmospheric small-capacity engine. Unlike a weaker unit, a timing belt drive is used here, but with a variable valve timing system on two shafts. In addition to the advantages (increase in the service life of the belt), this system has its drawbacks - the solenoid valves of the phase regulator often fail. If there is a problem, the engine starts to diesel. The disease is eliminated by cleaning the valves, if cleaning does not give positive effect valves will need to be replaced. The motor does not have hydraulic lifters, so the valves are adjusted by selecting calibrated glasses. This procedure is recommended to be carried out every 100,000 km. For trouble-free operation of the engine, it is recommended to change the oil every 10,000 km. In this case, it is desirable to use some high-quality analogue, instead of branded oil DEXOS 2 - contains additives that, with prolonged use, cause severe coking of piston rings and heavy deposits inside the power unit.

1,8 - has similar problems with more weak aggregate ­– frequent failure solenoid valves phase regulator, there are no hydraulic compensators. In addition, a small resource of the ignition module (70-90 thousand km) can be noted, most often owners who save on spark plugs face a malfunction. Symptoms - the engine troit. Oil leaks from the oil cooler are also common phenomena. The engine resource is 250-300 thousand km.

Turbocharged powertrains:

1,4 - appeared in 2010, its feature is the use of a turbine on a low-volume engine. This is both an advantage of this unit and its disadvantage - the turbine resource rarely exceeds 200,000 kilometers, and its replacement will cost about 600-800 USD. Despite the fact that there are few complaints about the turbine, it still has one weak point - sometimes there are failures in the boost control system (the boost control valve fails). The engine is equipped with a timing chain drive, which slightly increases the reliability of the mechanism (chain life 120-150 thousand km, sprockets and tensioners more than 200,000 km). Unlike atmospheric power units, hydraulic compensators are present here, so there is no need to adjust the valves. The cooling pump (pump) has a limited resource of 70-90 thousand km - it starts to make noise and loses tightness. The most serious malfunction that can be encountered during operation is burnout and piston breakdown, fortunately the problem is not widespread. The reason is the use of low-quality gasoline and coking of the pistons.

1,6 - the main disadvantage of this engine is considered to be poor performance in the cooling system (insufficient fluid circulation in the block), because of this, the fourth cylinder is subject to increased load. The consequences of this problem can be burnout of the pistons and damage to the block. The engine is demanding on the quality of fuels and lubricants. If, instead of high-quality synthetics, pour into it anyhow, the failure of the engine lubrication system and crankshaft will not make you wait long. When using oil high viscosity there is a risk of ring sticking. You can also note weak pistons - with increased detonation, partitions are destroyed. If you decide to take a car with such an engine, be sure to check the condition of the piston group and do not be too lazy to do an endoscopy of the fourth cylinder. In a 170-horsepower engine, the timing chain is not famous for its reliability and can rumble after 60,000 kilometers. At proper maintenance the resource of the motor to the capital is 200-300 thousand km.

Disadvantages are common to all Opel Astra J gasoline engines:

Thermostat- fails after 50-70 thousand km, if there is a problem, the fan starts to work constantly. The problem is solved by installing a more reliable thermostat from the Chevrolet Cruze.

valve in intake manifold- valve failure is a common problem and was usually encountered on cars manufactured in 2011-2012. Most often, the disease manifested itself on short runs and was eliminated official dealers under warranty. But when buying, you should still ask if the indicated problem has been identified and eliminated.

Oil leaks through the oil cooler, phase shifters and gasket valve cover - a common thing for GM engines, do not be surprised and do not worry, repairs cost a penny.

Strumming, clicking and other sounds- Astra motors like to make a variety of sounds so that you do not get bored, for example, nozzles make a clicking sound, an air conditioning compressor bearing can make screeching sounds.

Euro 5– to meet these standards, cars were equipped with electronic throttle valve and fuel quality-sensitive injectors. In order for these elements to last as long as possible, they must be periodically cleaned (at the first sign of a deterioration in dynamics) and try to refuel at proven gas stations.

Disadvantages of diesel engines:

All diesel Opel motors Astra J fitted whimsical fuel system common rail, which, when using diesel fuel from a "canister", can present many problems in the form expensive repairs(replacement of injectors, injection pump, EGR and catalyst). Otherwise, the units are practically trouble-free, but after 200,000 km, the dual-mass flywheel and turbine will have to be replaced. The declared resource of motors is 250-350 thousand km

1.3 - a common ailment of this power unit is considered to be fluid leakage from under the thermostat. It is also worth noting the sensitivity of the motor to the quality of the oil, the use poor quality oil leads to wrong work timing chains and the chain can jump over, causing the pistons to meet the valves.

2.0 - as well as gasoline engines has an unreliable thermostat (may crack). Over time, there are problems with the flaps in the intake manifold. A common occurrence is the failure of the exhaust gas recirculation valve.

Transmission

Mechanics- A five-speed transmission F17 was installed in tandem with atmospheric engines and diesel 1.3, and is not the most successful unit. Its main problem is a weak differential and unreliable output shaft bearings. Buying a car with such a box can be compared to a lottery with good chances of winning, the main thing is to correctly diagnose before buying - you need to hang out the drive wheels and spin them with the motor, if the bearings have already begun to fail, you will hear a characteristic noise (you need to listen when the engine is off). If you don’t try to squeeze all the juices out of the car and monitor the oil level (leaks appear over time), the box can last more than one hundred thousand kilometers without problems.

M32WR- A six-speed manual was paired with turbocharged and diesel engines. This box more reliable, but, unfortunately, she also has problems with bearings, in fairness it should be noted that they are rare.

F40- installed with a two-liter diesel engine - is considered the most successful box.

automatic transmission- far worse is the reliability of automatic transmissions, which are a joint development of GM and Ford. A common problem with the machine is jerking when shifting gears. Most often, servicemen associate incorrect work transmission with imperfect software, and offer to replace it, but this procedure does not always solve the problem. If the problem is ignored for a long time, this will lead to the fact that the drum will begin to crumble, and its fragments will gradually "kill" the sun gear of the planetary gear. Another weak point of the automatic transmission is its cooling radiator - leaks appear, this ailment occurs when untimely elimination may lead to loss of performance of the unit as a whole. The problem is that when the radiator was depressurized, coolant leaked into the hydraulic circuit. Of the mechanical problems, a high probability of breakage of the retaining ring of the 4-5-6 drum can be noted. When the ring is broken, the drum is damaged in almost 100% of cases, and, as a result, requires replacement. Subject to the rules of operation, the "machine" will last about 200,000 km.

Robot- it is better to avoid buying a car with this type of transmission, as it can start to mope after 60,000 kilometers. If strong shocks or jerks are felt at the beginning of the movement and sharp acceleration, it is better to refuse to purchase such a car. know the resource robotic box, as a rule, is less than that of a conventional automatic transmission.

Weaknesses in the suspension, steering and brakes of the Opel Astra J

Suspension Opel Astra J simple (front - MacPherson, back - Watt mechanism) and has a good resource, but it still has a couple of weak points. The peculiarity of this suspension is that at low temperatures it starts to make extraneous sounds, and a detached shock absorber boot can also be the cause of knocking (it is necessary to install the boot in place and secure it with a clamp). The most problematic were the tie rod ends, in rare cases they nurse over 40,000 km. You can also note the unreliability of shock absorbers - they begin to flow after 60,000 km of run. On the rear axle, traction bends from heavy loads. The rest of the suspension elements serve no worse than those of competitors.

Resource suspension elements:

• Stabilizer struts - about 30,000 km.
• Stabilizer bushings - 50-60 thousand km
• Thrust bearings - their resource depends on the operating conditions, for example, if you often drive on a primer and do not wash the wheel arches from the inside, the bearings will last no more than 60,000 kilometers.
• Shock absorbers - require replacement without having served even 100,000 km.
• Ball bearings and wheel bearings - 120-150 thousand km
• Silent blocks of the rear beam - 150-200 thousand km.

Steering:

If you do not take into account the steering tips, then steering Opel Astra J can be called reliable, especially on versions equipped with electric power steering. For a long and trouble-free service of the rail, you need to adhere to the following recommendations - try not to drive through deep puddles, slow down when moving speed bumps and tram tracks, once a year to carry out prevention of contacts. If there are knocks or smudges on the rail, check the condition of the rail bushings. On cars of the first years of production, there were cases of failure of the steering shaft bearing. If you do not change the fluid in the power steering after 100,000 km, you will have to change the booster pump.

Brakes:

AT brake system an unpleasant feature is the squeaking of the brakes. Top versions with 18-m diameter wheels often have cases of warping brake disc. It is also worth noting the need for periodic maintenance of the system, if this is not done, the fingers of the rear calipers will start to turn sour. If you do not use the handbrake over the years, its mechanism will begin to turn sour. At the electronic hand brake with the AutoHold function, after 4-5 years of operation, the drive begins to fail.

Salon

Finishing materials of the Opel Astra J interior are not High Quality, because of this, crickets settle here over the years. Most often, annoying sounds come from a decorative trim on the center console, plastic trim around the windows, front seat adjustment mechanisms, and a ceiling lamp. Not pleased with its quality and sound insulation. Opel Astra J is equipped with a lot of electrical equipment, especially in top versions, but, unfortunately, over time it causes a lot of trouble. The most common problem is periodic failures in the operation of control units of one or another equipment - seat heating, power windows, standard alarms, etc. Fortunately, most of them are solved by restarting the car. Of the more significant ailments, one can note an arbitrary reboot of all on-board equipment (the reason has not been established) and the failure of parking sensors.

What is the result?

Opel Astra J turned out to be a predictable car in the best sense of the word. You should not expect any serious surprises from him, the main thing is to service him in a timely manner and use high-quality fuels and lubricants. Typical sores, which are characteristic of this model, are well known and are treated without problems. Almost any thematic forum has a lot of information on how to fix a particular problem with minimal cost.

Astra J is the most stolen model of the Opel family, keep this in mind when choosing a car.

If you have experience in operating this car model, please tell us what problems and difficulties you had to face. Perhaps it is your review that will help readers of our site when choosing a car.

"Opel Astra J" is positioned by the manufacturer as a car for a young family. It was intended to replace the former Astra family of the H series. Letter designation"J" indicates ninth generation of this line. The reliability of the machine plays a decisive role in sales and it is it that determines the activity in sales and the growth in popularity of this series. Several body options and the presence of diesel engines in the lineup allow you to choose a car according to your preferences and tastes.

Disadvantages of the Astra J model

Advantages of a car that is produced under brand Opel, the list can be long. All the advantages are well known not only to the owners and admirers of this brand, but also to people who are uncertainly oriented in automotive industry. But it’s worth focusing on the shortcomings, especially if you want to buy a J-series car in the secondary market.

Let's start the review of "sores" with the chassis and suspension

Opel's eternal disease is tie rod ends. It is very rare when they nurse more than 30 thousand km. rear multi-link suspension with the Watt mechanism suffers from the fact that traction bends from loads. Weak rear silent blocks of the front levers require special attention. Front shock absorbers can leak and start knocking already at a range of 50 thousand km. All this can be revealed if, when buying, you carefully examine the chassis and make a small test drive.

Transmission units do not cause any particular complaints, but there are several features

When equipping a car with automatic transmission, pay attention to the radiator. With its depressurization, the performance of the automatic transmission will be a big question, since the coolant enters its hydraulic circuit. No wonder Opel held a revocable company on this issue. This applies to vehicles manufactured in 2009-2010. If you come across a car with a robotic gearbox, then remember - even before reaching 60 thousand km. they caused problems for the owners. If you feel strong while driving jerks or jerks Please refrain from purchasing this vehicle. Know that the resource of the robotic box is much less than the "machine".

Weaknesses of the Opel Astra J

Brake system and thermostat in the cooling system. Vibrations, noise when braking indicate curvature brake discs. This is especially true for the top versions of the car, which have 321 mm discs. With strong heating as a result of braking and sudden cooling, the disk surface “warps”, which is manifested in vibrations. On machines manufactured in 2010-2012, the thermostat suffers from fragility, which is accompanied by almost continuous operation of the cooling fans. When replacing, the gasket must be changed, otherwise the leak will be guaranteed.

What to look for when buying

The main disadvantages of Opel Astra J, which you should pay attention to when buying a car, are: frequent failures in electronics, mediocre sound insulation, poor visibility, poor quality of finishing materials in the cabin, which leads to the appearance of "crickets" already at the initial stage of car operation , low-quality glass, especially the windshield, which very quickly “overwrites” and becomes cloudy.

Of course, any sores can be cured both independently and in a specialized technical center. Practically on any thematic forum there is a lot of information about what breaks down most often at Astra J. There are problems with the failure of the valves in the intake manifold. This applies to cars equipped with a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, as well as paint problems.

There are many cases when cars that have not served even ten years, the paint began to peel off in large pieces. Visually, you can determine this yourself using a thickness gauge. As with all cars, the most problematic places are the thresholds, trunk lid, bumper and fender junctions.

That's about all you need to look at when buying an Opel Astra J. If these typical sores were eliminated by the previous owner, then you can safely purchase this car. It will bring you great pleasure from driving and from the very fact of owning this car.

Astra J gearboxes were not very lucky. Moreover, there are no complaints about the rest of the transmission elements, everything goes long and hard. Fortunately, there is only front-wheel drive and no additional cardan shafts And there are no gearboxes.

The traditional Opel "trouble" in the form of a manual transmission of the F 17 series is also present on the Astra J. Five-speed box with atmospheric engines of 1.4 and 1.6 liters - this is it. And the saddest thing is that with a 1.8-liter engine, it was also usually installed on its own. This is a frankly problematic unit with a weak differential and very often failing output shaft bearings have been stubbornly put on Opel cars for about twenty years. Moreover, even with 1.6 liter engines, it often failed, and even with 1.8 liters and on heavy cars like Vectra C. But mass Astra J - the same 1,500 kg, this is a very heavy car, despite its size and belonging to the golf class.

By the way, the same box is paired with 1.3-liter diesel engines, which are already quite problematic.

In short, a car with such a manual transmission resembles a lottery. The chances are not so bad, most of the cars successfully drive for ten years or more without experiencing special problems. Especially if they monitor the oil level in the manual transmission and occasionally change it: the box is prone to leaks. But for those who like to pull trailers, for those who handle the clutch roughly, they like to break speed mode on the highway, rides over bumps without slowing down, and generally doesn't care much about the well-being of the transmission, the chances are much less. "Used" boxes are in great short supply, they are in great demand for older cars.

Replacing with another manual transmission is a dubious way out. Stronger boxes F 16 / F 18 do not fit under the hood of Astra, and the more expensive six-speed M32 is also not ideal, and even does not have a version with suitable gear ratios: it will be frankly "long" for driving around the city.

When buying, it is recommended that you check the noise of the manual transmission on the lift, for which you need to spin the wheels with the engine and turn it off. If the bearings are already failing, a characteristic noise will be heard. And be sure to check the oil for metal dust. If you have any suspicions about the manual transmission, it is worth bargaining. A new box costs about 200 thousand, which looks almost unrealistic for a car priced at 400-500 thousand rubles. Used box good condition it will cost from 20 thousand, and repairs - from ten to infinity: spare parts are very expensive, and many put second-hand ones in the process of restoration.

With turbocharged engines of 1.4-1.6 liters and almost all diesel engines, a stronger six-speed M32WR was installed. Unfortunately, similar problems haunt her. True, the failure rate is generally lower than that of the F 17. The box feels especially good with 1.4 turbo engines or the first 1.6 turbo, which has a small torque.

With 1.6 SIDI, especially with the 200-horsepower version of the GTC, everything is much more complicated. More than 280 Nm of torque, the box holds much worse and is damaged more often. With a 1.7 liter diesel, the M 32 is also quite vulnerable.

When buying, the same check is required as for the F 17. The gearbox is a little better repairable, but in the same way, used units are in good condition - in some shortage and are not cheap. However, earlier this box was put on cars with turbocharged two-liter engines, and there it failed much faster. So the owners of Astra J are not so bad.

Only owners of cars with 2.0-liter gasoline and diesel engines were very lucky. They rely on an "adult" box of the F 40 series, for which 350-400 Nm of these motors are children's toys. Unless a dual-mass flywheel will force owners to fork out for something other than a new clutch.

In the photo: Opel Astra GTC(J) "2011–present

If you think that here, like at, automatic transmission is more reliable than manual transmission, then I'm afraid that I will have to upset you. For this generation of cars, GM has been generous with new machine own development. More precisely, joint with Ford. On the Ford cars these boxes performed well, but at GM everything is squeezed out of them. Especially in the boxes of the first releases. However, let's go in order.

Atmospheric 1.6-liter engines are equipped with an automatic transmission GM 6T30 series. With 1.4 turbo engines, a box of the 6T 40 series was installed, but 1.6 SIDI put an even stronger version of 6T45. These automatic transmissions of the modular series technically repeat each other, but the younger ones have a noticeably lighter mechanical part boxes.

A characteristic feature of GM machines is the very aggressive operation of the valve body. If the driver likes to "sink", he literally allows you to tear the box apart. And most of all, cars with a 6T30 box were unlucky, it is simply not suitable for this. The 6T40 with a 1.4 liter turbo engine gets along noticeably better, and the 6T45 with 1.6 SIDI works just fine. It's nice, but sometimes with a 1.4 turbo engine you can also find 6T45, moreover, "from the factory", and on cars with atmospheric engines - 6T40. But these are extremely rare options, you should not seriously expect to find such a car. Moreover, the problem of these automatic transmissions is connected not only with the power of the motors ...

First of all, we note that the box at the time of the release of Astra J was quite fresh and was constantly being improved throughout the entire period of its release. So there are many modifications and options for the execution of internal nodes.

Later automatic transmissions have both optimized “brain” firmware, which ensure better preservation of the mechanical part, and eliminated design defects.

All gearbox options have a very intense thermal regime, which naturally leads to problems in the electrical part and accelerated wear of all friction clutches, including the “main” one - the gas turbine engine blocking lining.

Well, how without obvious errors in the mechanical part? There is also a typical mechanical problem, determined constructively. When buying and during operation, it is recommended to check the oil in the automatic transmission for level and color. The level is often measured incorrectly, which can also lead to bad consequences. In short, the oil should just drip, and not pour from the control hole. Many unsuccessful translations of the instruction manual miss this point.

And, of course, the box really lacks cooling and an external filter. The regular heat exchanger in the radiator on a number of machines is supplemented by a small remote radiator under the number 52432861, but its area is also not enough for a heavy load. And yet, with normal operation, the situation improves markedly with it. But in the mountains, or if you like to ride dynamically, you need a radiator twice as large in area.

Of course, the oil needs to be changed every 30-40 thousand. And it is very desirable to embed the external filter of the box into the highway: like many other automatic transmissions, this one has solenoids that are very sensitive to contamination.

The main mechanical problem of 6T40 / 6T45 for early releases (until about 2011) is the breakdown of the 4-5-6 drum retaining ring. After the ring breaks, the drum is damaged almost irreversibly and needs to be replaced. The part itself is not too expensive, about 11-15 thousand rubles, but there can be a lot of incidental damage. After this breakdown, the car usually gets up immediately.

Subsequently, the drum was changed to a reinforced one, and the problem disappeared. I note that new item 213550BB-EM requires a new piston and a new caliper.

However, this drum is long-suffering on all boxes of the family, including the 6T30, where a part of a slightly smaller diameter is used. The problem is still in the “wavy spring” used - a volumetric ring for pressing the package. It bursts under load, and this problem cannot be solved, you can only fix it in time and not load the box to the maximum at which the spring breaks most often.

If you ignore the jerks that appear, then the drum 213550 is damaged, and the fragments can “kill” the sun gear of the planetary gear, and the entire “planet” number 213580 will go for a replacement. And this is already a big expense. If you stop by the service in time, then everything will be fine either by replacing the long-suffering 4-5-6 drum, or even installing a repair spacer on it and, of course, a new spring.

Planetary transmission Output Planet boxes 6T40 release before 2011 is also a weak point. Later, this assembly was unified with a similar part from 6T45, number 213584, and earlier, frequent use of the maximum engine power could lead to the destruction of satellite gears.

Another feature of the box is the relatively intense wear of the sleeves due to the adopted hydraulic scheme. Pressure and load pulsations lead to their wear and tear, and therefore, even with a good mechanical and hydraulic part, the pressure in the box steadily drops. This completely natural process is usually noticeably accelerated in case of problems with contamination of the valve body and oil. Even with normal operation of the box, for a run of 250-300 thousand, the bushings must be replaced preventively. The bushings are changed if there are any problems with the operation of the box and oil pollution.

The VFS solenoids used in this box are also very sensitive to contamination and oil temperature. Good news- they are relatively inexpensive, and they can even be washed with good chances for success. The bad news is that for most car owners who have not changed the oil, almost all of them will require replacement, as well as bushings.

The pre-2011 black solenoids are less reliable and less tolerant of high temperatures, while the green/yellow 213420K kit is a bit more reliable and often solves jerking problems for a while. But if the oil pressure is insufficient, the gas turbine overlay has not been replaced, the bushings are old, and O-rings on the drums are worn out, then the repair will not last long.

Another typical problem with these boxes that have worked under high load is the contamination of the Hall sensors with magnetic wear products of the box. Moreover, the turbine speed sensor can be used as a “mechanics” wear sensor: the state of the unit can be seen on it by the amount of debris.

Of the remaining problems, the most unpleasant is the abrasive wear of the channels of the valve body plate. There is a Sonnax kit for repairs, but its correct installation requires extraordinary skill and therefore often does not help.

As you understand, these boxes are not in vain considered problematic. chances for a long and happy life a little. You can slightly improve the situation by frequently changing the oil, using an external filter for automatic transmission, by installing good radiator without overloading the unit. Unfortunately, most owners violate these requirements one way or another, and even modernized boxes after 2011 have a finite resource and very high chances for extraordinary repairs.

Not everyone knows, but another box is aggregated with a two-liter diesel engine. This is the noticeably more reliable Aisin TF 81SC. Its undoubted advantages include a reliable mechanical part that can withstand 450 Nm nominally, and abnormally all 600.

There are also disadvantages: the box has a valve body that is very sensitive to pollution and frankly capricious, in which the plate itself suffers greatly from wear, and very expensive spare parts. But due to the relatively rare use on the Opel Astra, it is better to read the detailed description where this automatic transmission is widely used. You can not be afraid of overheating with a diesel engine on an Opel, and in this version, the automatic transmission is definitely the leader in reliability among all Astra J transmission options.

Motors

Tell for the twentieth time about power Opel units a little boring - I hope you have studied the relevant materials on and . In fact, atmospheric engines have not changed at all, and diesel engines are almost the same.

Engines A14XER, A16XER, A 18XER here are the same and with the same features. These are relatively reliable and simple motors, which, nevertheless, have a number of unpleasant weaknesses.

Current heat exchangers, capricious phase regulator valves and current phase shifters, unsuccessful thermostats, a dirty intake manifold and exhaust cracks have not gone away. The chains on 1.4 liter engines and belts on 1.6 and 1.8 do not please with the resource either.

But cars with these motors are not troublesome, these minor troubles are solved quite reliably and inexpensively. And in warranty period there are usually no problems at all, up to a hundred or one and a half hundred thousand mileage you don’t have to worry too much.

If you still use non-branded Dexos II oil, which is very prone to " oil plague"and in general it does not differ in special quality, but something decent, then you can count on a quite worthy resource of the piston group and the absence of an "oil burner" up to a run of 200-300 thousand kilometers.

In the photo: Opel Astra (J) "2009–12

If the engine eats up oil, nothing bad will happen either. A complete loss of oil pressure or global breakdowns are unlikely: the design is not only conservative, but also has a good margin of safety.

Radiator

original price

7 093 rubles

Of the additional problems, the Astra J only added a tight layout, flaws in the cooling system seals and its design in general, including too closely spaced radiators and constantly flowing expansion tank. If you want to see more criticism on these motors, see the materials about and, on older machines, the number of problems is noticeably greater. On Astra J, these motors suffer only from heat exchanger leaks, and even in old age or after serious operational violations - cover leaks, oil appetite, and similar consequences.

Much more interesting new turbo engines. I note right away that in terms of the mechanical part, A 14NET, A 14NEL and A 16LET almost completely repeat their ancestors of the same working volume in the face of A 14XER and A 16XER. Unless the chain resource on a 1.4-liter engine is still smaller than that of an atmospheric engine, and you need to monitor it more carefully. But this problem is not great either: usually for the first time everything is limited to replacing the chain itself and occasionally the tensioner. A complete set with stars and a phase shifter changes much less often, usually with runs over 200 thousand.

In the photo: Under the hood of Opel AstraOPC(J) "2011–present

A lower operating temperature (there is a thermostat at 90 degrees) allows us to hope for a longer life of plastic and rubber elements cooling systems. True, for some reason there are a lot of complaints about the pump and its housing just for the A 14NET motor, often it is only enough for 60-80 thousand mileage. It not only starts to make noise, but also loses its tightness.

original price

6 531 rubles

Sometimes there are also failures of the boost control system. Most often, the boost control valve fails, here they managed with the usual vacuum actuator, without any of your fashionable electronic actuators.

The turbine resource is usually at least 150 thousand kilometers. There is a simple KKK03 here, the cartridges for which are inexpensive and have long been mastered in repairs for Volkswagen cars.

The most serious, but, fortunately, rare problem of such motors is burnout and broken pistons. They are possible when the intake temperature rises to 60 degrees and above, the use of low-quality fuel or piston coking. Therefore, the cleanliness of radiators and the condition of the piston must be monitored very carefully.

In the photo: Under the hood of the Opel Astra BiTurbo (J) "2012–15

But the 180-horsepower A 16LET is an example of a less successful conversion of a naturally aspirated engine to a turbocharged one. A clear lack of performance of the cooling system - more precisely, the circulation of fluid in the block - leads to an increased load on the fourth cylinder and, as a result, to an increased chance of piston burnout and damage to the block.

The pistons themselves are rather weak, detonation often causes baffle breaks or even cracks. The crankshaft and lubrication system are also working to the limit, and the SAE 30 oil for this motor is frankly thin, although there are cases of occurrence on a more viscous oil scraper rings due to oil leakage.

In general, this motor will ask you to fill in high-quality synthetics, and not just anything, and ester is better and with minimal dropout of additives and very thorough maintenance. Regular oil does not suit him well, consider this. By the way, only high-quality 95 gasoline is recommended, and preferably 98-100, and for temperature regime both need to be followed.

When buying a car, be sure to check the condition of the piston group and do not be too lazy to do an endoscopy of the fourth cylinder: the initial stage of problems is marked there by small seizures of the piston and corresponding marks on the cylinder.

And in the future, the chances of problems with piston group remain high enough. High oil temperatures result in more frequent heat exchanger leaks. Taking into account the fact that not only a catalyst, but also a turbine stands above it, the repair price increases slightly. The motor itself, unfortunately, has a small margin for forcing. To achieve decent power and torque of more than 300 Nm, it is necessary to change the oil pump and reinforce the cylinder block with a plate at the bottom. Yet the original design was designed for half the load, and ignoring these restrictions leads to sad consequences. Usually, the lubrication of a part of the crankshaft journals is violated due to curvature, and then where the curve will take it.

In the photo: Opel Astra Sedan (J) "2012–present

The turbine here is the usual KKK03, as on a 1.4-liter engine. Installing KKK04 is not recommended due to the limitations described above. But in general, don't be scared. The motor is very inexpensive in design, well understood and known. And even though its 180 forces are in fact no more cheerful than 122-140 forces from a 1.4 engine from another manufacturer of downsized motors, a car with such an engine drives briskly. And with careful operation, it is quite possible to count on 200 thousand trouble-free mileage.

In the photo: Under the hood of the Opel Astra (J) "2012–15

Timing kit 1.6 / 1.8 16v

original price

8 329 rubles

Here are the A16XHT motors, they are also 1.6 SIDI, - this is a completely different calico. Despite the lower power (there are “only” 170 forces in the initial version), the cylinder block, crankshaft and power system are clearly designed for a noticeably greater load. In practice, this means that without much intervention in the hardware, you can get more than 300 Nm of torque from it, and the standard version has a good margin of reliability. Even balance shafts are added, and the motor is completely devoid of vibrations.

Direct injection makes it less sensitive to octane number fuel, the engine runs on "just 95" and does not find fault.

And now a fly in the ointment. Poor piston material is very sensitive to detonation: pistons crack, and it's good if you do without damaging the cylinder block. Nevertheless, detonation is often managed to be obtained in case of breakdowns of fuel equipment, dirty radiators and intercooler: the turbine here blows for real, and direct injection very sensitive to fuel contamination and the quality and condition of filters and, as a result, to injector contamination. Moreover, a change in the shape of the injection jet can lead to increased wear of the cylinder and piston rings.

You can ruin an expensive high-pressure fuel pump with unsuccessful gasoline, and the filter coarse cleaning the pump in the gas tank often gets clogged and shuts off the fuel supply.

For cars before 2013, the standard firmware is unsuccessful, it does not take into account possible violations in the operation of fuel equipment and the fact that we have especially smart drivers pouring “clean 92nd” gasoline. And therefore, pistons “fly” with it regularly, so it is recommended to upgrade to latest version ON.

The carbon formation on the pistons and valves of the motor is simply terrible, it requires regular bracing once every 30 thousand km. Well, or installing a water-methanol injection system, which helps very well.

In the photo: Opel Astra (J) "2012–15

The chain has a very small resource, often stretching to a mileage of 60 thousand to such an extent that it begins to knock on the motor cover. It's good that at least it doesn't fly off.

In general, the motor is still very "raw", although it has potential. with forged pistons and good tuning German companies do not hesitate to remove up to 300 hp from it, but I'm afraid this fact will not help in any way for "the guys from our yard", and in the standard version this engine remains a risky option with high potential.

Summary

Astra J is a very good car. Especially if you are lucky and you did not choose the initially problematic option. You know, here a step to the right, a step to the left - and now ... Typically, this is only after a run of a hundred and a half thousand kilometers, but the age of the car is already quite sufficient for such a run to be considered normal.

In general, everything is fine, but atmospheric engines rely on very unsuccessful manual transmissions and hardly more reliable machines, which, although they were finalized after 2011, did not completely eliminate the shortcomings.

In the photo: Opel Astra GTC (J) "2011–present

Powerful supercharged 1.6 liter engines are generally a minefield. Of course, you can install an automatic transmission 6T40 with atmospheric 1.8, modify the supercharged 1.6 by installing a new forged piston ... But for this reason, the model does not have as many fans as it could be. Choose a car wisely, check for weaknesses, and it will please you with a low cost of operation.

Would you buy a used Opel Astra J?