Antara Owners Club banner

excess condensation, mould, oil leak.....

2632 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  wilma08
Hi, bought my six week old antara sept 2012. Is a 2012 reg. Apparently was a ''wrong order'' as didn't have eco button so I bought for a discount price. Still paid £16k. I've had it in the service centre no less than eight times in 17 mnths for

oil leak

excessive water, not condensation on front window (have pictures)

rattling engine

window shuddering

rattle in steering column and.....

MOULD all over the carpet under front passenger seat and footwell, thick, powdery mould (also have pics)




Vauxh claim to have fixed the window, oil leak. However, after being shocked at the mould they still have no idea why it was even there and all they've done is put antibacterial solution down, not actually gotten to the real reason why!

Now today the sound on the seatbelt and parking sensors was incredibly loud and fuzzing as if has been damaged......

I've written to the MD as I'm so so fed up, to the point I just want my money back and they sent a snotty letter back saying that apparently Vauxh have sorted the problems......

Now what....? Has anyone ever had any of these issues especially re the mould?! I bought a new car to avoid problems but this car has been in more than any car I've ever owned and I'm so annoyed with the service....
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Hi Maria

Welcome to the forum. Im sorry to hear about your problems.

Obviously the problems have not been fixed properly so Vauxhall need to look at this again. Maybe a second opinion from a another dealer or get Vauxhall to have an independent inspection done.

Feel free to give us more details of the dealer involved. Name and shame them.
You said you bought it six weeks ago but it has been in 8 times over 17 months it's had all these problems then reject it, the mould must have been due to a water leak, as that's were mould usually develops and comes from it is a medical fact that it is unhealthy to breath in the spores of certain moulds, therefore you have a valid reason to reject this car, the front window must be were your water leak is coming from or it's due to a hole in the rear washer tube under the carpet? Which is I think is under the passenger side
You also have the garage to rights as they must have not done the check right and signed off as they must have missed the oil leak and all these other problems (they are negligent for missing this )
Get stuck into to them
Oh an by the way hello to the forum
Edited by: wilma08
See less See more
hi guys many thanks for your responses, I'm at a point where I'm so angry with Vauxhall- St Leonards Motors in fact near Hastings east sussex! The fact that I've had the c ar 17 mnths (bought when car was 6 weeks old) and it's been in more than it hasn't I am just so fed up, myself and my Husband put in over £10 k to the car so far and I have two very young children to think about not to mention doing a full time degree so finances are already stretched for me and time too! I'm disgusted with them actually, they dismissively told me of the oil leak whilst it was in for something else and really played it down and now to say 'they've fixed the problems' - how can they say that when they don't know why I had all the mould in the first place . Size wise, I would say it covered a 40cm area by 20 ish and looked thick, powdery and green- god knows what my children have been breathing in!

Now,,, to make matters worse.......Vaux gave me a Mikka whilst my car was with them more than a week....I never obv wanted my car to be in bearing in mind but needed a car.....well....they came to pick up the Mokka and to my utter disbelief there was a scuff downwards about 4 by 2 inched on the bumper- can only think must've been the dust cart as I checked the Mokka every day and I'd be the first to hold my hand up if I'd done it...so....was shocked to see it and the dust bin men had been that very morning....now Vauzhall are saying I owe them for the repair so it adds insult to injury....so...an Antara that isn't really any the wiser as to why the mould grew...and now a repair to pay for on something I know I didn't do (yes was in my possession).... great! Never ever again will I buy from them!
See less See more
maria7510 said:
hi guys many thanks for your responses, I'm at a point where I'm so angry with Vauxhall- St Leonards Motors in fact near Hastings east sussex! The fact that I've had the c ar 17 mnths (bought when car was 6 weeks old) and it's been in more than it hasn't I am just so fed up, myself and my Husband put in over £10 k to the car so far and I have two very young children to think about not to mention doing a full time degree so finances are already stretched for me and time too! I'm disgusted with them actually, they dismissively told me of the oil leak whilst it was in for something else and really played it down and now to say 'they've fixed the problems' - how can they say that when they don't know why I had all the mould in the first place . Size wise, I would say it covered a 40cm area by 20 ish and looked thick, powdery and green- god knows what my children have been breathing in!

Now,,, to make matters worse.......Vaux gave me a Mikka whilst my car was with them more than a week....I never obv wanted my car to be in bearing in mind but needed a car.....well....they came to pick up the Mokka and to my utter disbelief there was a scuff downwards about 4 by 2 inched on the bumper- can only think must've been the dust cart as I checked the Mokka every day and I'd be the first to hold my hand up if I'd done it...so....was shocked to see it and the dust bin men had been that very morning....now Vauzhall are saying I owe them for the repair so it adds insult to injury....so...an Antara that isn't really any the wiser as to why the mould grew...and now a repair to pay for on something I know I didn't do (yes was in my possession).... great! Never ever again will I buy from them!
See when you took the Mokka did they go around it looking to see if there were any marks on it whilst marking a sheet,
If not then you can argue the fact that it was already there, was it covered under your own car insurance or theirs, did you sign a waver against excesses, in any case you should seek legal advice or go to trading standard even contact your local press informing about how you have been treated and how they have been given the opportunity to fix the car for you and your young family and they are making matters worse with the added stress of wanting money out of you for the Mokka although they have not completed their own obligations . Then get in touch with VX customer care informing then of your discontinued disappointment in this particular garage and the worry you have regarding your children perhaps breathing in harmful spores from the mould, inform them you will be seeking further advice and contacting the papers, also contact Watchdog explaining what has happened and especially about the mould.
Good luck
See less See more
I have a colleague at work who's father in law has had mould in his new anatra. Apparently it is not unknown.I will ask him where he is up to with the fault. Its clearly due to cabin moisture and I would assume ingress, although if there is a lot of condensation, this could cause mould.
Hi Again, thanks for your replies. Yes, unfortunately the Mokka was brand new - only had 600 miles on the clock and I checked it too before I drove it off and it was okay.I also checked it every day and barely drove it as I was off work that week so I hate to point the finger but we think it may have been the dust bin men....

Vauxh phoned me today and before I could say anything he actually said ''we'll waive the cost as you wouldn't have had the Mokka if it weren't for your car being in '' which was quite good of them but now I have to send my Antara back again and I really don't want to use another of their cars!!!

Back to the Antara.....I'm now taking it to Eastbourne Vauxh to get a second opinion although I'm sure they will all say the same thing...

I said I'd take it to an independent garage (not Vauxh) but Vauxh said if I did that andanother garagefound a fault but Vauxhall didn't agree to the find then they wouldn't even acknowledge it!

That's really interesting re your colleague who's Father in Law also had mould in his Antara and the fact that the fault isn't unknown! I'd really like to know what the outcome of his problem is as I really don't know where to go if Eastbourne Vauxh can't help...thanks for your advice
See less See more
If I were you I would get independent advice about using a independent garage just before our daughter was born a Sum 16 yrs ago we rejected a Renault Megan Coupe and as part of our argument a independent garage was used to examine the car by all means a representative from Renault was their and a engineer from the RAC as well as our Solicitor, as we had voiced that we had lost faith in the Renault garage. It can be done
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top