[TheCoosTail]

Hi folks,

Just thought I'd give you all a heads up and word of warning on a 'possible' fault with the seating in the Antara. I was traveling home this morning from working a nightshift when my drivers seat collapsed backwards, throwing me almost horizontal with me facing the interior roof of the car!!!

I managed to just hold onto the wheel one handed before pulling myself up and managed to brake to a halt. Luckily it was first thing and the road was clear, God knows what could have happened an hour or so later OR if my wife was driving, there is no way she would have managed to pull herself up one handed.

Anyway I traveled straight to the dealers where we discovered the front two fixing bolts had come totally undone. This was quickly fixed and all other bolts checked etc. I obviously made my feelings clear to the staff in Arnold Clark Dundee who were excellent.

Once home I contacted VX to tell the my tale of woe and they were appalled and are now investigating. I pointed out to them, yes it was a quick fix but the potential consequences could have been fatal. They agreed.

Now of course this is probably a one off, but I'd thought I'd let yourselves know just in case. I'd hate for it to happen to anyone. I'm a big, strapping lad, Firefighter for a living but this left me pretty shaken and I know only too well of the potential consequences of this type of thing.

I will keep you updated on the results of VX's investigation.

 

[Grumps]

Glad your okay. Very scarey stuff.

Thanks for posting and it might be worth people having a check to see if they have any issues.

it will be interesting to see what VX Say

 

[KenB]

good to hear that you are OK.

Off to check that mine is fitted properly before I end up horizontal ....... without a drink !!

 

[Griffin]

That was a frightening thing to happen. I will be getting mine checked and hopefully it's only a one off. The main thing is that you are okay though.

 

[wilma08]

Glad you are ok coostail was your seat the electric one ? If so I will get mine checked to because I take my daughter everywhere in the car and I would never be able to stop the car like you as I have mobility problems with my back.
This is quite scary and worrying.
I am so glad you are ok

 

[Spantara]

Well done in getting the car stopped. I am really glad that you came out of this drama unscathed.
Thanks also for sharing this with us. I willbe checking my seat today

Woops - maybe I should rephrase that

 

[TheCoosTail]

Ok folks bit of an update.

VX say they can only think that this may have been an oversight in the production process. They say they have not had another reported incident of this nature, I can only take them at their word. I have emphasised with them that my reason for contacting them is that I want my incident recorded with them (it could possibly be the first of others and could force a recall). I do not want anyone else to go through this, especially in more congested conditions and/or at greater speed than I was travelling at.

VX appreciated this and have sent word to the factories on this issue etc etc. VX to be fair we're excellent with me, and have got back to me quicker than they said they would. They are also sending me a voucher to use in one of their stores. (Which I will use to buy the cargo net system I was eyeing up). I told them I was not after financial gain etc etc but wanted their reassurance that this will be followed up and measures taken to ensure there will be no repeat of this type of incident.

So there you have it folks, not sure I can do much more than that but it may be in your best interests to at least have a look at the underside of your seats or take into the dealers.

Wilma, it was NOT the electric seats, however I'm not sure it would make much difference, these bolts fix the entire seat unit to the body of the car. Worth checking IMO.

Thanks for listening folks, I don't mean to go on but this COULD have turned out much much worse. Give me a bit of peace of mind and get your motor checked.

Cheers

 

[Grumps]

Sounds like a decent enough reply. I just hope they are true to their word and do record it as an issue and double check the problem and act on it if anyone else has a similar issue.

 

[Dunc]

Hi everyone,

Having seen your post's, I had to join to say your not the only one who has had this issue. This happened to mine about 3 weeks ago. Only 1 bolt had come all the way undone, but the other was only on by quarter of a turn, so I didn't have a total collapse!!. I haven't spoken to VX about it yet, as I tightened the 2 bolts back up myself.

This was also a non-electric seat. Thinking back the seat had developed a slight wobble before this happened, so watch out for the warning sign!!!.

 

[Grumps]

Hi everyone,

Having seen your post's, I had to join to say your not the only one who has had this issue. This happened to mine about 3 weeks ago. Only 1 bolt had come all the way undone, but the other was only on by quarter of a turn, so I didn't have a total collapse!!. I haven't spoken to VX about it yet, as I tightened the 2 bolts back up myself.

This was also a non-electric seat. Thinking back the seat had developed a slight wobble before this happened, so watch out for the warning sign!!!.

Hi Dunc welcome to the forum.

Thanks for posting. very worrying. I would defiantly contact VX just so they know its not the only case although im sure when you tell them they will say its the first time they have heard of the issue.

 

[TheCoosTail]

Hi Dunc, I would echo what Grumps has said and recommend you contact VX Customer Care. I can honestly say the lady who dealt with me was excellent, BUT I was not naive enough to truly believe that I was the first reported case, I could have been, but I would not be surprised if there were others and VX did not want it known about. Now THIS was my worry, believe me IF THIS IS a "common fault" this could kill someone. In fact I will be contacting them again on 08443690112 as I will not let this lie, my conscience won't let me.

 

[Isaac Hunt]

My Antara is booked in to my Vauxhall Main Agent this Thursday morning, (11th of July), to investigate movement in the Drivers Seat !!. It has developed a slight "rocking" motion, which can be seen and felt better, when placing one hand on the base, and one hand on the back of the seat, then applying pressure with one hand at a time. The seat then moves noticeably, can be made to rock forwards and backwards slightly, and feels loose. I can also feel this when accelerating, as the seat tips back slightly, then rights itself again by dropping forwards, when you stop pressing the accelerator pedal. I`m certain it was not like this before, so it seems to me that having read through this thread, this could in fact be a common and VERY dangerous fault on the Antara. I will post an update once Vauxhall have looked at the drivers seat on Thursday.

 

[TheCoosTail]

Bizarrely I happen to be on a course this week and I was in conversation with a lady on it who I saw getting out of an Antara in the car park today, and guess what? She had the same problem as above, I told her my tale of woe and she is off to get her car checked out.

This seems to be gathering pace!!!

 

[Dunc]

Hi Isaac, your description of the movement of your seat is exactly the same as mine before the bolts came undone, I would take great care whilst driving until it goes into the garage.
I have also now spoken to VX customer care and have raised my concerned with them too. I will also be booking mine in to the local dealer on my next day off to get fully checked out and the issue logged via them too.

 

[Isaac Hunt]

Hi Isaac, your description of the movement of your seat is exactly the same as mine before the bolts came undone, I would take great care whilst driving until it goes into the garage.
I have also now spoken to VX customer care and have raised my concerned with them too. I will also be booking mine in to the local dealer on my next day off to get fully checked out and the issue logged via them too.

It`s really worrying isn`t it ??!!. I`ve got to use the car tomorrow, as I have an important hospital appointment that I`ve been waiting Months for, so I`ll just have to be very careful !!. I couldn`t rest, so I`ve just been outside to have a look at the seat again, and It`s definitely doing as I said before, although it does seem just the seat itself that`s moving, and not the frame/runners that are bolted to the floor, but then again, I`m not a mechanic. I managed to get on the floor, (no mean feat), and tried to have a look underneath the car, but couldn`t really see anything, then had to call my other half to help me up again !!. What with the DPF, awful Fuel Economy, Loose & Dangerous seats, nasty Transmission Noises from cold, etc, I`m starting to get rather disenchanted with my particular car !!. Edited by: Isaac Hunt

 

[fjaimo10]

currently trying to reject my antara due to ongoing and new fauts
knocking om suspension all replaced suspension still knocking
knock also when turning wheel
dpf regens every 100 miles
vibration/rattloe at and above 3000 rpm very loud
revs up when clutch pressed to change gear
doors stick
wobble through wheel when brake bad
wobble above 50mph through wheel
etc etc only 11 month old
dealer also smeared grease all over o/s/f hub etc area to try to stop knock then when hot melted and sprayed everywhere especially on brakes causing the brakes to not work on that side slippy and wife nearly had bad accident
wish i not bothered and kept vectra 100% better car

 

[Isaac Hunt]

Hi Isaac, your description of the movement of your seat is exactly the same as mine before the bolts came undone, I would take great care whilst driving until it goes into the garage.
I have also now spoken to VX customer care and have raised my concerned with them too. I will also be booking mine in to the local dealer on my next day off to get fully checked out and the issue logged via them too.

It`s really worrying isn`t it ??!!. I`ve got to use the car tomorrow, as I have an important hospital appointment that I`ve been waiting Months for, so I`ll just have to be very careful !!. I couldn`t rest, so I`ve just been outside to have a look at the seat again, and It`s definitely doing as I said before, although it does seem just the seat itself that`s moving, and not the frame/runners that are bolted to the floor, but then again, I`m not a mechanic. I managed to get on the floor, (no mean feat), and tried to have a look underneath the car, but couldn`t really see anything, then had to call my other half to help me up again !!. What with the DPF, awful Fuel Economy, Loose & Dangerous seats, nasty Transmission Noises from cold, etc, I`m starting to get rather disenchanted with my particular car !!.

Well, the car has been back to Vauxhall earlier today, and "amazingly" enough, I`ve had the standard answer of "there`s nothing wrong, or to worry about" !!. They reckon that the movement in the driver`s seat, is perfectly normal/acceptable, due to the various adjusters it has. They have checked the anchorage points between seat and body, and said that all is fine, with nothing at all coming loose etc. So, It`s just a case of using the car as normal, and monitoring the situation as I go along.

I also had a long chat with my Motability Rep, who came over to me, as I was waiting for the car, and he has said that due to both the present Euro 6, and on-going DPF "legislation", owning any Diesel Engine car is now becoming totally impractical for the low to average mileage driver, and only feasible if you are a covering a high annual mileage, and will obviously have a huge impact on the sale of all Diesel cars in general as time goes on, and people get more and more frustrated at the issues concerning the fitment of DPF`s. As per his comments, this is obviously already becoming a major problem for "his" particular Dealership, due to the amount of complaints received. He also said that he is using the emails that I have sent to him regarding my own car, to highlight these issues, if potential Motability Customers request a Diesel Engine vehicle on the scheme, in an effort to dissuade them from "Leasing" one, and to get them to go down the petrol route instead. He has promised to let me know straight away, "if" any ECU Software Update`s become "officially" available from Vauxhall, and obviously I will let you all know if I hear anything more, "if" that is, I haven`t already changed my own Diesel car for a Petrol one !!. Edited by: Isaac Hunt

 

[TheCoosTail]

Have to say I still love my car, just. I may have to downgrade that to really like one day who knows?

 

[wilma08]

I still love my car we are on holiday at present and driving here and thier in North Yorkshire, We have driven up some really big Hills and I mean large hills with gradents of 20/24% the car has acted addmillary, The only thing I would advise is to take of the ECO when going up a massive hill as it gives more tourque even if you have the 184bps as I have as I felt the ECO was dropping the excelaration which was needed,absolutely love my car

 

[Derbyflan]

Hi everyone,
I just joined when I read the reports of the driver's seat collapsing, as mine did so today!

It looks like there are two bolts that have either come loose or may have sheared that retain the seat in-place. Fortunately, my seat started rocking and only collapsed when I parked up and gave it a bit of force.

My car is a second-hand 12 plate. I contacted VX customer service and eventually got transferred to my local dealer/services although they're all on a training day today so I'm waiting for a call back tomorrow. VX reiterated that my car is out of warranty. That's not my concern.My concern is that after reading the above posts that this is a manufacturing fault and could very easily result in a fatal accident.

I'll keep you posted as to how I get on.