Black Smoke & Power Loss: Insignia Exhaust Crisis

I had very similar issues with my 2018 Vauxhall Astra (1.4L petrol) last summer. Black smoke, power loss, and cabin smell are classic symptoms of a faulty lambda sensor, just like what you're describing. My check engine light was also on. Got it checked at my local Vauxhall specialist, and they confirmed one of the lambda sensors was shot. It's not a massive job, but it's important to fix it soon because it can affect your fuel economy and potentially damage your catalytic converter if left unchecked. In my case, they replaced the faulty sensor and also found the exhaust had a small leak at one of the joints, which explained the smell in the cabin. The whole thing took about 2-3 hours to fix. Car's been running perfectly since then, no more smoke, full power restored, and the cabin smell is gone. I'd definitely recommend getting it looked at by a certified Vauxhall specialist rather than a general mechanic. These sensors need proper diagnostic equipment to identify exactly which one is faulty.

Thanks for sharing that, it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with! Really helpful to know it was the lambda sensor in your case. I ended up sorting mine out and the symptoms were spot on with what you described. Just wondering, do you remember roughly how much you paid for the whole job? Also, has everything been running smoothly since then, or have you had any other issues pop up? My mechanic mentioned something about keeping an eye on the cat converter too.

Hey there! Glad to hear you got it sorted out. Yeah, after my mechanic fixed the lambda sensor for €375, my Astra's been running like a dream. The Exhaust aftertreatment malfunction warning is completely gone now, what a relief that was! About the cat converter, mine's been totally fine since the sensor replacement. My mechanic explained that fixing the lambda sensor early probably saved me from any cat converter damage, which would've been way more expensive. Haven't had a single issue since the repair, no more black smoke, power's back to normal, and the cabin smell is history. Just keeping up with regular maintenance now and everything's sweet. Best €375 I've spent on the car, to be honest! These Vauxhalls are pretty solid once you sort out these little sensor issues. How's yours running now? Are you noticing better fuel economy? Mine definitely improved after the fix.

Thanks so much for the follow-up! Really good to hear your car's still running well. Mine cost a bit more, €450 in total because they had to fix a small crack in the exhaust pipe too. But honestly, it was worth every penny. The difference is like night and day. Fuel economy has definitely improved, I'm getting about 40-50 km more per tank now. No more embarrassing black smoke when I accelerate, and the cabin finally smells normal! I actually went to AutoCare specialists in the end, they were really thorough and explained everything. I took your advice about getting it fixed quickly to avoid cat converter issues. The mechanic there was actually really impressed I brought it in when I did. Said another month or two could've caused some serious damage. Anyway, thanks again for sharing your experience, helped me make the right call instead of putting it off. I'll definitely be sticking with these guys for future maintenance. Cheers!