'Service Vehicle Soon' message and Engine Fan

Tiny
PIURUBATO
  • MEMBER
  • 2011 VAUXHALL ASTRA
  • 1.6L
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 35,000 MILES
Hi, I have the vehicle listed above it had a major service about 4-5 months ago. Recently, the 'Service Vehicle Soon' dashboard message comes on and off seemingly randomly while driving, and sometimes it comes on as soon as I turn the car on. Every time the message appears, the cooling fan in the engine turns on (and then when the fan turns off, the message disappears).

I did take the car to one independent garage, and they reported "Fault code read p0597 engine coolant thermostat heater control circuit. Have tried to communicate with system on actuator side not working. Cooling fan running when ignition is even on mar position requires wiring checks." They wanted to charge me an additional £130 to do a couple more hours of investigation, and I decided to stop there, thinking that probably I just need to take it to the Vauxhall dealer for something involving codes. I can't get an appointment with the dealer for a week or two.

From some internet research, it seems like my problem might be the one identified by TSB 2610: “SVS illuminates, P0597 stored in engine control module. Sometimes cooling fan runs permanently. Cause: Poor contact of the heating element of the thermostat causes the trouble code. Remedy: Replace thermostat housing."

I would greatly appreciate your advice, particularly in terms of:

1. How likely is it that my problem is the one identified by TSB 2610?
2. How urgent is it that I get this fixed? Is it harmful that the fan is running a lot of the time while driving? I typically drive about 20-25 minutes per day.
3. Is replacing the thermostat housing something that a non-professional without specialized tools could do? Or would that be dumb?
4. Am I right to think that it’s best to take it to the Vauxhall dealer because they have the specialized proprietary equipment for connecting to the car and diagnosing this sort of issue?

Thanks in advance!
Wednesday, August 28th, 2019 AT 6:30 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,575 POSTS
Welcome to 2CarPros.

First, this vehicle isn't offered in the US, so my technical information is extremely limited. However, I dealt with a similar issue on a similar issue. The fault was repaired by replacing the heated thermostat. As far as replacing the unit, you simply need to drain the engine coolant below the component's level.Then you can remove and replace the component.

Here is a link that explains how to change a thermostat. It should be helpful if you do it yourself.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-thermostat

Let me know if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe
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Wednesday, August 28th, 2019 AT 7:17 PM

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