Metal in Oil & Engine Issues: Crossland Crisis

Hey there! I had a really similar issue with my 2018 Vauxhall Grandland X (1.6 petrol). Those symptoms sound exactly like what I went through last summer. Turned out it was a faulty crankshaft sensor, it was causing all sorts of chaos with unusual stalling, rough running, and starting problems. Took it to my regular workshop, Pete's Auto, and they diagnosed it pretty quickly. Total repair came to about 250€ including parts and labor. Car's been running perfectly since then. Before I can give you more specific advice, which engine size you have? How many miles/km on the clock? Any recent work done on the engine? These issues can be really frustrating, but usually they're fixable without breaking the bank. Let me know those details and I can share more about my experience!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine's got 232423 KM on the clock, and yeah, those symptoms sound really similar to what I'm experiencing. The last service was actually just two months ago, but these issues started popping up recently. I might check out that crankshaft sensor you mentioned, sounds like a promising lead, especially since the repair cost wasn't too crazy in your case. My local mechanic was suggesting something much more expensive, so I'm glad I asked here first. Did your car also have that metallic noise before you got it fixed? Just wondering if I'm dealing with the exact same problem or if there might be something else going on too.

Hey again! Actually, now that you mention the metallic noise and metal in the oil, I should've mentioned something important. While my crankshaft sensor issue caused similar symptoms, I didn't have any metal shavings in my oil or metallic noises. That's definitely a red flag that caught my attention in your post. Come to think of it, my Grandland X had metal in the oil last year, and it turned out to be way more serious than my sensor issue. It was timing chain related, the chain had started to wear badly and was throwing metal particles around the engine. The symptoms were really similar to what you're describing. I'd strongly suggest getting this checked ASAP, don't wait like I did. His repair ended up costing nearly 2000€ because I kept driving it. The metal shavings are usually a sign that something's wearing down inside the engine, and that's not something you want to ignore. Maybe get a second opinion from another mechanic? Let me know how it goes!

Thanks so much for that important clarification! You're right, the metal in the oil does make my situation sound more like your 's timing chain problem than your sensor issue. That's actually really worrying, and I definitely don't want to end up with a €2000 repair bill! I'll stop driving it for now and get it to another mechanic for a second opinion first thing tomorrow morning. Really appreciate you mentioning Pete's Auto, but I'm actually in Manchester, might have to find my own "Pete" here! You've probably saved me from making the expensive mistake of ignoring these symptoms. Will update the forum once I get a proper diagnosis. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience, it's been super helpful!