[Corsa B 1993-2000] Vauxhall Corsa 1999 Very strange issue

[connorjburton]

Hi,

So I have had a few mechanics come out and take a look at the following issue without any results:

The issue only happens when the car is hot, the hotter the day/the car the sooner this happens when driving.

On an average 20c - 25c day, after 25 minutes of driving, about 15 minutes driving ~30mph and 10 minutes driving 70mph the speedo will go down to zero (Fault Code = No RPM Signal), the steering will get really light and then after maybe 5 or so minutes the steering will get pretty heavy, but not so heavy I can't drive. Some times the engine management light will come and sometimes not.

After a while of driving (This can be anywhere between 5 - 20 minutes later) the speedo will come back and the engine management light will go off and my steering will return to normal a few minutes after.

This can happen multiple times on long trips, going through each stage in order. On an hour drive it maybe did it twice, loss of RPM signal, steering going light and then heavy, engine management coming on. After a while of driving, all reverting back, rinse and repeat.

Given the weather at the moment in the UK it pretty much happens everyday and at the exact same spot on the dual carriageway.

It does not happen in the winter and it does not happen in the morning. I work 8 hours so and the car is parked in direct sunlight, I am assuming this is heating the car up and that is why it happens on the drive home.

I don't really know a lot about cars but I have family that do, so any advice would be great on how I can go to getting this solved!

[Sparky]

I had this exact same problem.
Checked fuses?

[connorjburton]

Will get them checked tomorrow, did you solve your issue, if so, what was the solution?

Thanks

[Sparky]

Will get them checked tomorrow, did you solve your issue, if so, what was the solution?

Thanks

The cause of mine was a blown fuse, but it has happened on more than one occasion. It was one of the 20A fuses IIRC. (Yellow ones)

[Taurus]

Those fuses can sometimes crack which means intermittent contact. The thing is that they look fine when you pull them out, so the only way to be sure is to fit new.

I'd suspect it's fuse 18 - it doesn't control the PAS (that's a 50A jobbie) but it does control the speed sensor.

[connorjburton]

Thanks for the reply, passed all that info along.

Someone on another forum said it could be the speedo sensor in the gearbox as it is linked with the steering, I have quoted the message below. Just adding this in case it gives anyone anymore ideas on this issue.

Could be the speedo sensor in the gearbox. The power steering is linked to it (it stiffens the steering up when you're going fast) so I'd try inspecting that first. Could also be something like a faulty earth which plays havoc with engine sensors.

[Taurus]

Could well be - but I'd check the fuse first. Always start with the simplest & cheapest possible causes.