Astra Diesel Nightmare: Glow Plug or DPF Crisis?

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2009 Vauxhall Corsa diesel (I've got some experience with diesel engines). The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I faced, especially that annoying pre-glow light and the starting troubles. Took it to my local workshop and yep, it was a faulty glow plug. They replaced it, cost me about 560€ total including labor. Car's been running like a charm since then. What model/trim of Astra do you have? Also, have you had any diagnostic codes read? That would help pinpoint if we're dealing with the same issue.

Thanks! My Astra's just clocked 97481 KM and had its last service about 3 months back. Your experience sounds spot on, those symptoms match what I'm dealing with. Haven't got the codes read yet, but planning to pop by a mechanic tomorrow to get that sorted. It's the SXi model, by the way. Really hoping it's just the glow plugs like in your case. The 560€ bill isn't great, but beats having to deal with bigger engine problems. Did your mechanic mention how long the repair took?

Hey again! Yeah, I remember when I had this issue with my Corsa, the repair took about 3-4 hours total. My mechanic said it could've been quicker, but they had to deal with some stuck bolts (you know how these older Vauxhalls can be!). Since you mentioned your Astra's got 97K on the clock, that's actually pretty similar to when mine started acting up, I was just over 100K when the glow plug went bad. Just a heads up though, when they fixed mine, they recommended changing all four glow plugs at once. Said it's better for even wear and prevents having to go back in a few months when another one fails. Might be worth considering, even though it'll bump up the cost a bit! When I got mine checked, it threw the P0380 code (glow plug circuit malfunction). If you get the same code, then we're definitely looking at the same issue. Let me know what the diagnostic says, curious to see if it's the same problem I had. Hope you get it sorted soon!

Cheers for all the detailed info! That's really helpful, especially about changing all four glow plugs at once, makes total sense when you think about it. Just got back from my mechanic and guess what? Got the exact same P0380 code you mentioned! Talk about a spot-on diagnosis. Going to book it in with my mechanic tomorrow and take your advice about replacing the full set. Rather spend a bit more now than have to deal with this hassle again in a few months. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it's made me feel loads better about getting this sorted. I'll probably be about £500 lighter, but at least I know what I'm dealing with now!