[nev32]

Hi all, newbie here

Just a quick question, i have a 1.6 zafira 1999 my & now & again the power steering fails & the battery light flickers when this happens then goes out. the only way to get it to work is to switch off & start again. Also when driving it failed & all guages failed on dash & now the temp guage is reading on the wrong side of the guage. ie if it were a fuel guage it would be full rather than half. any ideas please, i suspect alternator/battery??

 

[holmfirthsteve]

Hi,
I had exactly the same problem last year. It turned out to be the alternator failing. On my fault, if the engine revs went up over about 2000 rpm the alternator stopped outputting so the battery warning light came on, the steering stopped (this is because it has an electro-magnetic controlled drive to the steering pump from the engine) plus the other symptoms you mention.
Vauxhall qoted about £400 to replace the alternator. If you can find a local altermator / starter motor repair specialist (try yell.com) and you can get the alternator off and on yourself (fairly straight forward from undermeath (I have 2000 1.8 model))you can save a packet. I had mine repaired plus a couple of hours DIY getting the thingoff and on for less than £70.