Opel Ireland have announced that owners of Opel Zafira B models will be invited to bring their vehicles back to Opel dealerships so that a preventative action can be carried out to protect the vehicles from the risk of fire.
In the last six months, Opel have written to all Opel Zafira B owners to make them aware of an issue which could affect their vehicle. Based on Opel’s investigations they have found evidence of improper repair of the blower motor resistor and its thermal fuse, which is designed to protect the blower motor system.
These improper repairs, which may have been conducted without the owners’ knowledge, can lead to overheating of the system’s electrical components and the potential for a fire. Resistors should never be repaired, they should only be replaced.
Since then Opel have been conducting a recall programme designed to return vehicles to their original condition. This has involved replacing the resistor in every vehicle they have inspected and the blower motor and the pollen filter in many thousands of vehicles. All of this has been free of charge to the customer.
In consultation with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Opel will be initiating a second recall to replace the current soldered fuse resistor with a wax fuse resistor so reducing the opportunity for manipulation. When the recalls are complete, all vehicles will have a new wax fuse resistor, a new blower motor and a new moulding at the base of the windscreen to address water ingress. Again, this work will be conducted free of charge.
It is anticipated that customers will be contacted from August onwards with regard to this recall. Customers who wish to obtain further information can contact Opel Customer Assistance Centre on 015339818 or contact their local Opel dealership.
