The Vauxhall Corsa Mk4, also known as the Corsa D, is the ideal car for today. It’s small, it’s easy to drive, it’s simple to park and it’s cheap to run. But what if we at Haynes could show you a way to make it much, much cheaper to run than it is already? The answer? Carry out any repairs yourself.
It’s easy! We’ve already done the hard work by taking the car apart and listing each and every procedure, complete with photographs.
That’s why a Haynes manual pays you back every time you use it, because you pay for it once and it helps you time and time again. And you avoid costly labour charges.
What recalls has the Vauxhall Corsa been subject to?
The Vauxhall Corsa has become rather familiar with the inside of Vauxhall dealerships over the years.
The steering rack caused one significant recall because the toothed rack could fail altogether under heavy load, resulting in a complete loss of control. The intermediate shaft on the steering column also had to be replaced in another recall.
Then a water leak into the electric vacuum pump caused a risk of fire, and so another recall. The parking brake was found to be the wrong specification on more than 12,000 examples, so had to be replaced. Then another parking brake recall affected 26,233 models – a new cable had to be fitted, or a washer installed.
A faulty brake pedal bearing meant heavier pressure would need to be applied to the pedal when stopping, and resulted in a recalled of 405,690 cars. Ouch.
Then the front suspension control arms could break near the bushes, so a recall was issued for them to be welded.
What common problems does the Vauxhall Corsa Mk4 have?
The Vauxhall Corsa suffers a problem in which the dipped-beam headlights can fail, with a number of causes.
Then the cruise control can go on the blink, with a faulty brake light switch the cause.
Some examples emit a noise from the front axle, which is due to incorrectly fitted driveshafts.
Then some generate a scraping noise from the transmission at certain engine speeds.
Water can get into the rear wheel bearings, causing early wear and making them noisy.
And finally, the air-conditioning system can become noisy.
Does the Vauxhall Corsa D have headlight problems?
Irritatingly, you’ll only find out that a headlight has gone on the blink precisely when you need it most.
However, this can happen in a Vauxhall Corsa, and the blame can be laid at the door of faulty wiring, which not only switches off the light, but also causes the headlight levelling sensor to fail.
However, Vauxhall has produced repair kits (parts numbers 2084058: right side, and 2084068: left side).
The good news is that sorting this out shouldn’t take very long at all, and removing and replacing all parts of the headlights is covered in full in your Haynes Corsa manual.
And if you want to know how to replace your headlight bulbs, follow our FREE video below.
Are Vauxhall Corsa sensor problems common?
Such issues certainly aren’t unknown. If the engine warning light illuminates, then there’s a pretty good chance that a faulty sensor is the issue.
So, plug in a fault-code reader, and read what it displays. If this is either P0036 or P0141, then the issue lies with a faulty upstream oxygen sensor in the exhaust system.
If it’s on the bklink, then it’s easy enough to replace – just wait for everything to cool down then unplug the wiring connector and use a special sensor socket to unscrew the sensor from place.
Then it’s simply a case of screwing in the new sensor and plugging it all back in.
Does the Vauxhall Corsa have cruise control problems?
The Vauxhall Corsa is well equipped, and some versions have cruise control fitted. Unfortunately, this can suddenly fail to work, and the problem is accompanied by the illumination of the ABS/ESP warning light. If you plug in a fault code reader, it will likely generate the code: C0161.
The problem is a brake pedal switch that has gone out of adjustment.
Thanks fully, this is a simple job to sort, and involves little more than removing a piece of trim, unplugging the brake light switch and readjusting it.
It’s a 20-minute job, and is covered fully in your Haynes Corsa manual and Autofix.
Does the Vauxhall Corsa have driveshaft problems?
Some owners have reported that their Vauxhall Corsas emit a worrying noise from the front axle.
The problem is that the front driveshafts are fitted in the wrong way, and the cure is a relatively simple one that is well within the scope of the home mechanic.
All you need to do is remove each front driveshaft, rotate it 90 degrees, and refit it.
We’ve covered this sort of procedure on some depth in the Haynes Corsa manual, so as long as you get prepared beforehand, then follow the steps one by one, you should have no great problem.
Does the Vauxhall Corsa have wheel bearing problems?
The rear wheel bearings on the Vauxhall Corsa Mk4 can be a slight weak spot, because it isn’t unknown for faulty components to allow in water over time.
Obviously, this causes much greater wear on the bearings, which will become noise and eventually fail. So, if you notice a noise coming from the back end of the car, the wheel bearings are a likely cause. If the noise gets louder as round a left-hand bend, then the right-rear bearing is at fault, and if the noise gets louder round a right-hand bend, then it’s the left-rear bearing that has the problem.
We’ve carried out the procedure, so just check out your Haynes Corsa manual and give it a go.
Does the Vauxhall Corsa have air-con problems?
Most people will notice if their car has an air-con problem in the summertime, but it’s actually advisable to run it all year round, because it helps with demisting in winter, and using the system also prevents the build up of mould.
However, if you notice an odd noise from under the bonnet when you use the air-conditioning system in your Corsa D, it could be that a faulty radiator fan is causing excess pressure in the air-con.
If necessary, you may need to replace the fan or the switch for the fan, both procedures that are listed in full in the Haynes Corsa manual.
Are Vauxhall Corsa clutch problems a thing?
They can be. The clutch problem manifests itself when the clutch refuses to disengage when the pedal is depressed. Or it it does work, it does so only partially, so it’s still difficult to swap gears.
The issue is that there can be insufficient grease on the gearbox input shaft splines.
The solution is rather involved, and requires the gearbox to be removed before grease is applied to the input shaft splines. Then it’s just a case of refitting the gearbox to the car. As we said, not the work of a moment, but it’s well within the scope of a home mechanic, especially if you follow the procedures in the Haynes Corsa manual, and you’ll save a huge amount in garage labour charges if you carry out the job yourself.
Does the Vauxhall Corsa have gearbox problems?
The Vauxhall Corsa D can fall victim to a problem that causes a sticky gearshift action, plus a scraping noise from underneath between 1800rpm and 2800rpm.
The issue concerns the synchromesh between third and fourth gears, and the same component between fifth and sixth gears.
You’ll need to remove the gearbox and take it to an expert for repair, then put it back in it yourself. Sounds daunting, but it isn’t if you take your time and follow the procedure in your Haynes Corsa manual.
You will save a sum on the labour costs involved in the removal and replacement of the gearbox, and get a huge sense of satisfaction into the bargain.