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Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 17 September 2020, 16:33:58

Title: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 17 September 2020, 16:33:58
Parking brake efficiency below requirements.....[1.4.2 (a)]

What is likely to be the cause?. She had new rear pads about 5000 miles ago.
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: amba on 17 September 2020, 16:41:10
Probably cable or linkage ...need to get under and have a look  :)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 17 September 2020, 16:44:35
Probably cable or linkage ...need to get under and have a look  :)

They said they couldn't give me a price without further investigation. So back again on Wednesday. 
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: tigers_gonads on 17 September 2020, 17:15:13
If its the same same setup as the omega with rear discs, strip, clean, replace shoes if necessary, adjust and rebuild.
OR if you want to be a little naughty, tighten the cable underneath the handbrake a touch so when the mot man gives it a tug  :D it pulls on the shoes a little more
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 17 September 2020, 17:16:11
Rear discs so could be a seized cable, do you use the handbrake?

(Use it or lose it)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: amba on 17 September 2020, 17:16:55
Oh that sounds ominous !!

Bend over and accept the greased ladle !!

Hope it’s a simple fix 🤞
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: dave the builder on 17 September 2020, 17:21:03
or it could just need the cable adjusting if it was too many clicks
are they shoes in the disc like omega or ratchet ones that use the pads  :-\
not expensive really whatever the issue

Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: TheBoy on 17 September 2020, 17:28:51
or it could just need the cable adjusting if it was too many clicks
are they shoes in the disc like omega or ratchet ones that use the pads  :-\
not expensive really whatever the issue
Signum uses the Vectra setup, which is pure disc at the rear, so seized cable is likely, esp on an auto, due to lack of use.
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 17 September 2020, 17:54:05
or it could just need the cable adjusting if it was too many clicks
are they shoes in the disc like omega or ratchet ones that use the pads  :-\
not expensive really whatever the issue
Signum uses the Vectra setup, which is pure disc at the rear, so seized cable is likely, esp on an auto, due to lack of use.
Yep......handbrake doesn't get much of a workout as being an auto, and a lazy bastard, I usually hold the car on the brakes.

Along with broken coil springs ( which happens every year) she failed on the same thing last year. They cleaned repaired and lubricated the 'handbrake mechanism'..........apparently. ::) :-X

Also, 17 months since last test due to 6 month covid exemption. :)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 17 September 2020, 18:18:39
Hand brake is on the rear calipers and is known for issues from new.

By the time they've pissed about trying to make it work, you may as well throw a pair of calipers on it :y
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Broomies Mate on 18 September 2020, 17:46:10
or it could just need the cable adjusting if it was too many clicks
are they shoes in the disc like omega or ratchet ones that use the pads  :-\
not expensive really whatever the issue
Signum uses the Vectra setup, which is pure disc at the rear, so seized cable is likely, esp on an auto, due to lack of use.

Now that is interesting, as the Saab 9-5 (an older design, but in production until 2010) uses the drum within disc setup.

Mine are both Auto's, and have never failed on handbrake efficiency.  I NEVER use the handbrake except for on the way to an MOT where it gets a workout whilst rolling to clean the crap from the inside of the drum.
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Nick W on 18 September 2020, 17:55:21
Hand brake is on the rear calipers and is known for issues from new.

By the time they've pissed about trying to make it work, you may as well throw a pair of calipers on it :y


Yes, my sister's Hyundai has needed work on the rear handbrake calipers for every MOT. I finally gave up on freeing off one of the calipers, but it's also had both cables, new discs and pads(those twice). Even adjusted properly, a small pad onto a disc makes for a poor handbrake, whereas expanding shoes in a drum are much more effective and less likely to need work.


A working handbrake is important around here ;)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 18 September 2020, 17:59:46
Hand brake is on the rear calipers and is known for issues from new.

By the time they've pissed about trying to make it work, you may as well throw a pair of calipers on it :y

Not actually correct.

In the early days they used two caliper types, Bosch and ATE. The Bosch one's were complete crap and got ditched very early on, the ATE one are good and work well......but you do have to use it ! :y
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 18 September 2020, 19:02:03
My '55 facelift had a recall for them seizing up, and separately, releasing as the brakes cooled.

It rolled away twice and ending up cooking a rear wheel bearing as well having suffered both issues.
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: dave the builder on 18 September 2020, 19:14:45



Yes, my sister's Hyundai has needed work on the rear handbrake calipers for every MOT.
Mrs Builder had an Elantra when i met her , brakes needed stripping twice a year  ::)
she now has an Astra estate ,which lasts the 12 months  ;D
(i strip and clean brakes as part of MOT prep on all the cars )
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: biggriffin on 19 September 2020, 14:47:05
Me Lud, as it's an mot failure, I will bid you £150 English pounds,as it sits,due to it being very dangerous, and only now fit for scrap.. I will pay you in nice new plastic £20's and £10's...  :)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 19 September 2020, 16:15:03
Me Lud, as it's an mot failure, I will bid you £150 English pounds,as it sits,due to it being very dangerous, and only now fit for scrap.. I will pay you in nice new plastic £20's and £10's...  :)

Bloody hell that's generous BG!  :o

Have you been on the sauce?  ;D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Nick W on 19 September 2020, 16:20:01
Me Lud, as it's an mot failure, I will bid you £150 English pounds,as it sits,due to it being very dangerous, and only now fit for scrap.. I will pay you in nice new plastic £20's and £10's...  :)

Bloody hell that's generous BG!  :o

Have you been on the sauce?  ;D


it's probably worth that to him so he never hears about the bloody thing again
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 19 September 2020, 16:32:49
It is clear that the Signum 2.8T V6 is a future classic.....worth millions. :)

Although I will concede this rise in value may take place long after I am six feet under. :)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: dave the builder on 19 September 2020, 18:05:17
It is clear that the Signum 2.8T V6 is a future classic.....worth millions. :)

Although I will concede this rise in value may take place long after I am six feet under. :)
the only "rise in value" will be the money you spend on new coil springs  ::)
I hope the new ones last a full 12 months this time  ;) unlikely i know being vec C/ signum  :P
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: biggriffin on 20 September 2020, 13:05:16
Me Lud, as it's an mot failure, I will bid you £150 English pounds,as it sits,due to it being very dangerous, and only now fit for scrap.. I will pay you in nice new plastic £20's and £10's...  :)

Bloody hell that's generous BG!  :o

Have you been on the sauce?  ;D


it's probably worth that to him so he never hears about the bloody thing again

 I can take it apart, and keep the posh Vectra going for a few more years :)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 20 September 2020, 14:42:12
Me Lud, as it's an mot failure, I will bid you £150 English pounds,as it sits,due to it being very dangerous, and only now fit for scrap.. I will pay you in nice new plastic £20's and £10's...  :)

Bloody hell that's generous BG!  :o

Have you been on the sauce?  ;D


it's probably worth that to him so he never hears about the bloody thing again

 I can take it apart, and keep the posh Vectra going for a few more years :)

The  desirable and sought after Signum and the 'common as muck' Vectra bear no relation to each other..... :) ::) ::) ::) ::)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 20 September 2020, 14:44:46
Me Lud, as it's an mot failure, I will bid you £150 English pounds,as it sits,due to it being very dangerous, and only now fit for scrap.. I will pay you in nice new plastic £20's and £10's...  :)

Bloody hell that's generous BG!  :o

Have you been on the sauce?  ;D


it's probably worth that to him so he never hears about the bloody thing again

 I can take it apart, and keep the posh Vectra going for a few more years :)

The  desirable and sought after Signum and the 'common as muck' Vectra bear no relation to each other from the B or C pillar back*..... :) ::) ::) ::) ::)
*depend on comparing saloon/hatch or estate ::)

But you're absolutely correct, they have nothing in common appart from that ;D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: biggriffin on 20 September 2020, 17:08:54
Me Lud, as it's an mot failure, I will bid you £150 English pounds,as it sits,due to it being very dangerous, and only now fit for scrap.. I will pay you in nice new plastic £20's and £10's...  :)

Bloody hell that's generous BG!  :o

Have you been on the sauce?  ;D


it's probably worth that to him so he never hears about the bloody thing again

 I can take it apart, and keep the posh Vectra going for a few more years :)

The  desirable and sought after Signum and the 'common as muck' Vectra bear no relation to each other from the B or C pillar back*..... :) ::) ::) ::) ::)
*depend on comparing saloon/hatch or estate ::)

But you're absolutely correct, they have nothing in common appart from that ;D

 There's quite a lot of bits off, the old scraper sigmund, that will fit the Slab. Brakes being the first.  Interior wise, not worth having, but suspension,brakes wheel that'll do.
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 September 2020, 16:29:18
New MOT now in place. Apparently I don't get 13 months because of the extra 5 free months they have already given me due to covid.

I was surprised to find there was no charge for 'freeing off and cleaning' the handbrake mechanism, so I left a £20 tip.

I must be blessed with a likeable personality. :)

So then......£39 for the MOT and a tip of £20.

£59 to keep a classic Vauxhall on the road for another year. What's not to like. :y
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: dave the builder on 23 September 2020, 16:38:44
congratulations on the MOT pass  :)


 What's not to like. :y
I'll start the big list
It's ugly
breaks springs every year....

Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 September 2020, 16:44:22
congratulations on the MOT pass  :)


 What's not to like. :y
I'll start the big list
It's ugly
breaks springs every year....


How a 'hairy-arsed' builder can say anything or anybody is ugly is beyond me....... ;) ;D ;D ;D

The Signum is a design triumph. :)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: dave the builder on 23 September 2020, 16:59:57


The Signum is a design triumph. :)
Indeed  :)
many lessons where learned
what NOT to do when designing a car  :D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Nick W on 23 September 2020, 17:33:43


The Signum is a design triumph. :)
Indeed  :)
many lessons where learned
what NOT to do when designing a car  :D




And that even the design department have no use a broken set square.
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 September 2020, 17:44:46
The car has covered 91000 miles.

Apparently the plugs are supposed to be changed at 80,000.

The 3  plugs at the front are easy to access. :y The 3 at the back are not. :-\

Car is running perfectly so............ ::) 8)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: dave the builder on 23 September 2020, 17:52:23
and will continue to run perfectly till it doesn't
plugs are a service item
if you intend to keep it long enough to be a "classic"  ;D then servicing is important
the genuine plugs where about £20 for 6 when i did my omega
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 23 September 2020, 18:06:44
Same quad plugs too :D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 September 2020, 18:45:04
and will continue to run perfectly till it doesn't
plugs are a service item
if you intend to keep it long enough to be a "classic"  ;D then servicing is important
the genuine plugs where about £20 for 6 when i did my omega

Plugs are relatively easy to remove on a V6 Omega even if it's not a ten minute job.

The back 3 on the Signum are so tight I'd  end up with no skin on my knuckles. :-\
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 23 September 2020, 18:58:15
Twenty including tea ;)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: amba on 23 September 2020, 19:26:54
No worse than the V6 Cavalier ,but the skin will heal  ;D...rough running wont ::)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Kevin Wood on 23 September 2020, 19:49:20
The Signum is a design triumph. :)

On first reading I thought you said it was designed by Triumph.

That would have explained everything. ;D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: amba on 23 September 2020, 20:19:03
Think it should of read....Triang !!! ;D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 25 September 2020, 13:17:18
or it could just need the cable adjusting if it was too many clicks
are they shoes in the disc like omega or ratchet ones that use the pads  :-\
not expensive really whatever the issue
Signum uses the Vectra setup, which is pure disc at the rear, so seized cable is likely, esp on an auto, due to lack of use.

The common Vectra is wholly unrelated to the bespoke Signum. :)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: BazaJT on 25 September 2020, 20:23:06
Have you thought to eek medical help to cure you of your Signum delusions? :P ::)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 26 September 2020, 14:49:44
Have you thought to eek medical help to cure you of your Signum delusions? :P ::)

I'm as sane as you are, Mr Baza..... ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: dave the builder on 26 September 2020, 15:01:45
Have you thought to eek medical help to cure you of your Signum delusions? :P ::)

I'm as sane as you are, Mr Baza..... ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D
If that's True  :o don't worry Mark, we'll get you all the help you need  ;D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: BazaJT on 26 September 2020, 21:24:24
If you're as sane as me Opti then you definitely need help............urgently :D :D ;D
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 27 September 2020, 18:35:48
If you're as sane as me Opti then you definitely need help............urgently :D :D ;D

I can't argue with that. :)

Although I may be beyond help.. ;)
Title: Re: The mighty Signum fails her test.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 28 September 2020, 15:33:17
Twenty including tea ;)

If you were really quick that should read twenty including sex, tea, and a ciggy to follow. :)

I was pretty quick with the 135 bank, but the 246 bank has a load of crap in the way if memory serves.