Vectra's Multi-Symptom Crisis: MAF Sensor to Blame?

Hey there! I had pretty similar issues with my 2006 Vauxhall Astra (I'd say I have some experience with these cars). Those symptoms sound exactly like what I dealt with! Initially thought it was the MAF sensor too. Turned out it was actually damaged wiring in the engine bay, specifically the cable harness. My mechanic found several wires that were worn through, causing all sorts of weird electrical issues. Cost me 95€ to get it sorted out, and the car's been running perfectly since. What's your Vectra's mileage? Also, have you had any warning lights on the dash? This info would help me confirm if it's the same issue I had.

Thanks for sharing that! Yeah, I'm at 279432 KM and just had my service last month. Actually the warning light has been flickering on and off. I'll definitely get those wires checked out, much cheaper fix than replacing the MAF sensor if that's the case. Did your mechanic mention how long it took to repair the wiring? Hoping it won't keep my car in the shop for too long.

Hey again! Yeah, looking back at my Astra's case, the wiring repair was pretty quick actually. My mechanic had it done in about 2-3 hours. Since your Vectra's got similar mileage to what mine had (mine was around 265000 KM when this happened), it makes even more sense now, these wires tend to wear out around this mileage. The flickering warning light you mentioned? That's exactly what mine was doing too! It's actually a good indicator that it's an electrical issue rather than the MAF sensor itself. When my mechanic opened up the engine bay, you could actually see where the wires had rubbed against some components and worn through the insulation. Quick tip from my experience, while they're in there fixing the wiring, get them to check all the connections in that area. I had them do that and they found a couple other spots that were starting to wear. Better to catch those early, right? My Astra's been running like a dream for about 18 months since the repair, no issues at all. Let me know how it goes! Really curious if it turns out to be the same problem.

Thanks a lot for all that detailed info! You've made me feel way more optimistic about this. I'll definitely get my mechanic to look at all the wiring first, sounds like it could save me a bunch of money compared to replacing the MAF sensor. Great tip about checking the other connections too, makes total sense to sort it all while they're in there. I've actually just booked it in for tomorrow morning, and they said they'd check the wiring first based on what I've told them. Will let you know how it goes, but feeling pretty confident now that this might be the solution I've been looking for. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!