1987 Holden Astra Pricing and Specs

There are two possibilities here and it will all depend on whether your car is a 2005 model (that was first sold in 2006) or a post-facelift model and also whether it’s a TS Astra or an AH model Astra. If it’s the earlier car, then you might be in luck. The process involves taking the new key, placing it in the ignition and turning the ignition on (without starting the engine). Then, when all the dashboard lights are lit up, you press one of the remote buttons on the key. And that’s about it. You should hear the car lock and then unlock itself to let you know the process is complete and you’re good to go.

For post-2005 models, however, things are not so simple. In this case, you need to either visit a locksmith or a workshop that has the Holden diagnostic gear, as the new key needs to be coded to the car via the diagnostic port. That said, I’d give the first method a try before spending money at a workshop. Who knows, you might just get lucky.

You’d expect any noise from under a car’s bonnet to be caused by the engine, but if this noise occurs before you’ve started the engine, you’re on to a real mystery. Perhaps the noise can be heard as you crank the engine but before it actually fires? If that’s the case, the clunk or knock could be coming from the starter motor. Or perhaps the action of the starter motor is causing the engine to rock back and forth on worn engine mounts and allowing the engine to hit on the cross-member or some other component under the bonnet. Perhaps it’s a loose exhaust system that’s banging on something as you crank the engine. Once the engine fires and is running, the frequency of its vibrations changes and the clunk goes away.

But I’m afraid that without more information, this one remains a mystery to us.

The good news is that this probably isn’t an actual gearbox problem, but rather one with the mechanical linkages that select each gear or perhaps even the gear selector itself. If you can remove the centre console, you might be able to locate the offending (loose) fastener that is allowing the gear lever to flop about and not find its proper place.

If, however, you mean that the vehicle doesn’t want to select Drive properly first thing in the morning and either won’t move or moves very slowly when you accelerate, then you could well be looking at a worn transmission. That said, the same problem can be caused by a transmission that is simply low on fluid, and a top up will put things right. So that’s the first step: Check the owner’s manual for the correct fluid-checking process and try that. If a top-up doesn’t fix it, it’s off to a mechanic. But beware – driving the car in that state could be doing extra damage to the transmission.