Black smoke and power loss in Opel Vivaro: causes and solutions

Hey, in my experience, it sounds like you're on the right track. I had a very similar situation with my Opel Insignia 2016 (similar model, just a bit newer). The vehicle part that was defective in my case is called the electric boost pressure actuator. Your symptoms, such as black smoke when accelerating, persistent indicator light and loss of power, were exactly like mine. A clear indication was also the loud hissing when accelerating and the sudden increase in fuel consumption. I had to have my boost pressure regulator replaced electrically and then the car ran like clockwork again. Depending on what else is broken in the engine compartment, the repair can of course vary. It is absolutely essential that you have this checked out in a workshop to prevent further damage to your engine. It's definitely a serious problem and you should take your car to the garage as soon as possible. Get it checked out before it gets any worse. Don't worry, it'll be fine!

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Hey, thanks for the quick reply! Your experience does indeed sound very similar to my problem. It's good to know that I'm not completely off the mark with my guess. Well, at least I now have a name for the problem: electric boost pressure regulator. Can you tell me roughly how much the whole thing cost you? And has anything else happened since the boost pressure actuator was replaced, or has everything been running smoothly since then? Of course, I hope that the repair won't be too expensive for me and that everything will run smoothly again afterwards. I will definitely take your advice to heart and take my Vivaro to the garage as soon as possible to avoid further damage. Thanks again for your helpful tip!

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Hey, no problem, that's what the forum is for. Replacing the boost pressure regulator cost me €1520 at the time, which is definitely not cheap, but it definitely helped my Insignia. Since then, I haven't had any further problems, and the deviation in the boost pressure control has also been resolved. Of course I can't guarantee that it will be the same with your Vivaro, but it sounds pretty much like the same problem. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it goes smoothly for you too and that everything works again afterwards. All the best!

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Wow, €1520... that's a steep price indeed, but if it helps, then it's probably worth it. It's reassuring to know that you haven't had any further problems with your car since replacing the boost pressure regulator. Thank you for your open and honest opinion and advice. I will follow your example and take my Vivaro to the garage. I'll definitely report back on how it went - maybe my experience can help other people with the same problem in the future. Thanks again for your help! Let's keep our fingers crossed that it goes just as well for me. All the best to you too!

(Translated from German)