Weak Lights & Dead Locks: Vectra Electrical Mystery

Hey! I had a similar issue with my 1997 Vauxhall Astra 1.6L last summer. The symptoms were almost identical, central locking failed completely, and I noticed dimming lights. Turned out the cable connection between the door handle electronics and the control unit was damaged, likely due to repeated door movement over the years. Took it to my local garage where they diagnosed it pretty quickly. They had to replace the wiring harness in the driver's door and reconnect it properly to the central control unit. It wasn't a major repair, more of a common wear-and-tear issue on these older Vauxhalls. The mechanic mentioned they see this problem quite often on Vectras and Astras from that era. Job took about 2-3 hours to complete. It wasn't a serious issue that affected safety, just an inconvenience really. Been working perfectly since the fix. Hope this helps with your decision.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful as it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. Can you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the repair? Also, has everything been working fine since then, or have you noticed any other electrical niggles pop up? I'm trying to budget for this and want to make sure I'm not in for any nasty surprises!

Hey again! Yeah, happy to fill you in! I actually just got back from the mechanic last month, they fixed that pesky door handle electronics issue I mentioned. The total bill came to 110 Euro, which honestly wasn't as bad as I was expecting. They found that the cable connection between the door handle electronics and the control unit was acting up, just as they suspected. Since the repair, everything's been running smooth as butter, no more flickering lights or central locking drama. Actually, it's kind of funny how you don't realize how annoying these little problems are until they're fixed! The car's been totally reliable on the electrical front since then, no new issues popping up at all. Trust me, as someone who's been through exactly what you're dealing with, it's worth getting it sorted. The repair was pretty straightforward, and the peace of mind is worth every penny. These old Vauxhalls can be quirky with their electronics, but once you get them sorted, they're pretty solid! Let me know how you get on with yours!

I really appreciate all your help! Actually, I just got back from the mechanic myself and thought I'd update you. Took your advice and got it sorted last week, funny enough, my bill was pretty close to yours, came to 125 Euro. You were spot on about the wiring issue! The mechanic I found was brilliant, really straightforward guy who showed me exactly what was wrong. Turned out the wiring in my driver's door was properly shot, just like yours was. They fixed it up in about 2 hours, and I can't tell you how nice it is to have working central locking again! No more fighting with individual door locks in the rain! Everything's working perfectly now, lights are bright and steady, and the central locking works like a charm. Such a relief to have it sorted without breaking the bank. Thanks again for sharing your experience, really helped me take the plunge and get it fixed instead of putting it off. Cheers for all your help!