Want a mid-size luxury car that does the business with a ton of space? This German engineered car is sold under the Vauxhall badge in the UK and has what it takes to haul you and the kids and a ton of other stuff from A to B in considerable luxury and style. Available in saloon, hatchback, estate and cross-over estate variants, you’re looking at a good on the road vehicle that combines utility and power.

Want to buy a second-hand Vauxhall Insignia? These cars are definitely a good investment and won’t break the bank by any stretch of the imagination. However, even with their Teutonic origins they are still prone to several widespread faults. Keep your eyes open for the following…

Rear Brake Binds

One known issue with the Insignia is with the rear brakes, which can bind over years on the road. Slow progress and an unpleasant noise are the main two tell-tale signs and should cause you to start asking questions on the test drive. Check the service history as this fault should have been fixed at some point, but if you can hear a squeaking noise then you could be looking at this problem.

Dual Mass Flywheel

The number one fault on this Vauxhall vehicle is with the Dual Mass Flywheel. How does this manifest on the road? Well any signs of clutch problems like a juddering feeling or hesitant power delivery when you put your foot down are big giveaways. Any suspicion of this fault should be enough to make you turn tail and leave. Don’t risk it as this part is a hefty fork out to replace.

Power Steering Leaks

Before you go on a test drive, pop the bonnet and have a scout around for any signs of leakage in this area. You’re doing the detective work looking for power Steering fluid. Again, this is a serious problem as issues with the steering fluid could increase your risk of catching fire when out on the road. Could be best to stop the potential sale at this point.

Power Steering Failure

That’s not all that’s problematic with the power steering. Other issues include the system deciding to turn off the power part of the power steering, leaving you with tough to handle regular steering. If you’re noticing that the handling is especially harsh then you can actually take the car to the service centre potentially for a free fix – as this is a manufacturer fault.

DPF

Diesel Insignias use a diesel particulate filter (DPF) that has a cleaning system requiring the car to be run at higher speeds to burn off the dirt. If this hasn’t happened you’re likely to be seeing a whole load of smoke coming from the exhaust indicating that the car could be clogged. Ask some questions about the driving habits of the owner. Too much urban driving could be a sign you might be looking at an expensive new DPF.

Electrics

If your Insignia was manufactured in the 2009-2010 period keep one eye open on the service guide to check if the car had an airbag fault, as this prompted a recall, with cars from the 2010-2011 period having a similar recall due to problems in the sensors in the windows’ electric motors. Suspect vehicle identification numbers range from B1017475-B1051478 for the airbag and B1055991 and B1060051 for the windows.

Boot Struts

This one can be particularly annoying especially when you are trying to load the car for a getaway or at a supermarket. Want the boot to stay open? Well a known fault could scupper your plans as the gas will often escape from the support struts and cause them to stop holding the door open. A quick test after the test drive should confirm the existence of this problem.

Many of the later Insignias have some nice features including the OpelEye camera that works on road lane discipline and an adaptive forward lighting system complemented by day-time running lights. A good buy that has many useful features and will keep you safe on the roads.