Holden Vectra 2004 Problems

Jump-starting a modern, computer-controlled car is fraught with dangers. Get it wrong and you can fry the electronics and that’s bound to cost plenty if you damage – and need to replace - the on-board brain. The conventional advice is to connect the positive lead of the jump-start kit to the positive terminal of your car, but attach the negative lead of the jump-pack to a solid, metal part of the car. As in, not the actual negative battery terminal. That reduces the chance of sparks that could ignite the flammable gasses batteries give off. Make sure the ignition is switched off when you connect, too.

The best advice is to also make sure you’re using a set of surge-protected jumper leads ort a jump-pack that’s similarly protected as it’s the power surge (or spike) that kills electronics. The other piece of advice is; if you’re unsure about jump-starting, leave it to somebody who knows.

There could be a number of reasons it won’t start, from a battery that’s down, a problematic starter or starter solenoid, a poor electrical connection in the starter circuit, or a problem with the ignition switch.

It's most unlikely that the problem is related to the belts. Have the throttle body cleaned and the idle speed checked.

There’s no way of checking it easily. Take it to an automatic transmission specialist who will be able to check the transmission and diagnose the problem.

Our information is that it needs to be changed at intervals of 120,000 km. If you want to confirm that, I suggest you contact Holden’s Customer Assistance Service.

HOLDEN says the correct change interval is 120,000km or eight years, whichever comes first.

There have been problems with the timing belt breaking on the Astra engine, and the service interval has been cut from 120,000km to 60,000km. And there have been problems with the belt tensioner. Some have lost pressure and failed, and the belts have then broken.