Opel Meriva A (2003-2010): known problems and buying guide

Built: 2003–2005
Median price: €1,790
Listings: 599
Running cost per month: €406–€436
Power: 90–100 PS (66–74 kW)
Reliability: 3/5
DIY: 2/5

Check the Easytronic gearbox, the electric steering and the 1.4 timing chain first; rust and diesel EGR come next.

Updated 26 October 2026

All versions

Variant	Running cost per month	Median price	Listings	Fuel	Engine codes	Gearbox	Production years
1.6, 100 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€436	€1,700	265	Petrol	Z16XE	Manual (5)	2003–2005
1.6, 100 PS, 5-speed automated manual Research	€433	€2,700	88	Petrol	Z16XE	Automatisiertes Schaltgetriebe (5)	2003–2005
1.4 Twinport, 90 PS, 5-speed manual Research	€406	€1,650	59	Petrol	Z14XEP	Manual (5)	2004–2005

At a glance

Years: 2003-2010, with a facelift in 2005 or 2006. Sources differ on the date.
Reliability: 3/5. The Easytronic gearbox and the electric steering are the costly risks, and the 1.4 timing chain can fail without warning.
DIY: 2/5. Checks and linkage work are simple; clutch, Easytronic and chain jobs need a workshop.
Prefer: a manual gearbox over Easytronic, and a car with regular oil changes and a full service history.
Avoid: Easytronic cars with jerky shifts or no adaptation records, and cars with a flashing steering warning light.

Engines and gearboxes

1.4 Twinport (Z14XEP): the timing chain can stretch, see Timing chain stretch.
1.6 petrol (Z16SE, Z16XE, Z16XEP): damp spark plugs are also reported. Oil leaks: see Oil leaks.
1.3 and 1.7 CDTI (Z13DTJ, Y17DT, Z17DTR): soot clogs the EGR valve and fouls the injectors, see Diesel EGR valve and injectors.
Easytronic (5-speed automated manual): see Easytronic gearbox faults.

Known issues

Issue	Affects	Typical km	Repair cost
Easytronic gearbox faults	Easytronic on 1.6 and 1.8 petrol (Z16XE, Z16XEP, Z18XE)	Not stated	No confirmed price
Electric power steering failure	All cars	Not stated	No confirmed price
Timing chain stretch	1.4 Twinport (Z14XEP)	Not stated	No confirmed price
Diesel EGR valve and injectors	1.3 and 1.7 CDTI (Z13DTJ, Y17DT, Z17DTR)	Injectors under 100,000 km (Kolesa.ru)	No confirmed price
Oil leaks	Petrol engines	Higher mileage, no figure	No confirmed price
Rust on sills and arches	All cars, mainly older ones	14-21 years old	No confirmed price

Before you buy

Easytronic: Drive it from cold. Slow or jerky shifts, a car stuck in neutral or a warning light are bad results. A test drive does not show everything, so ask for a control-unit readout.
Electric steering: With the engine running, turn the wheel on the spot and at low speed. Heavy steering or a flashing EPS light is a bad result. Ask for warranty and campaign records by VIN.
Timing chain: Listen for a metallic rattle from a cold start. A rattle is a bad result. Ask for proof of regular oil changes.
Diesel EGR and injectors: Ask for records of EGR cleaning and injector work. Lost power is a bad result.
Oil leaks: Check the oil pressure switch and the wiring under it. Oil on the switch or the harness is a bad result.
Rust: Look at the sills, the bottoms of the doors and the wheel arches. Rust or flaking paint is a bad result.

Running costs

Operational	€225
Workshop	€125
Fixed costs (tax, insurance)	€114
Total per month	€464
New-car depreciation (not included)	€33

ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months

Market

Listings on mobile.de priced up to 50,000 EUR, 29 October 2026.

Find offers on mobile.de

Listings: 599
25th percentile: €1,200
Median price: €1,790
75th percentile: €2,499
Median mileage: 158,000 km
Median first registration: 2004
Dealer share: 28.1%
Price at 100,000 km: €2,465

To check a listing's price, open its variant in the table above. Each variant page has a price check.

In detail

Easytronic gearbox faults

Easytronic is a manual gearbox with an electric clutch and electric shift actuators. It has no clutch pedal. Faults include rough starts from rest, late or jerky shifts, shifting noises and problems at creep speed. In the worst cases the car has no forward drive or stalls when stopped. Clutch wear comes fast in heavy city traffic. Worn shift forks need a gearbox overhaul, and a failed control unit can disable the gearbox. A battery change or a voltage drop can wipe the learned values, and the gearbox then shifts roughly until a workshop re-adapts it. Software updates help in most cases, according to CarWiki.

Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater, CarWiki, Easytronic, Kfz-Meisterbetrieb Dietrich, autoplenum

Electric power steering failure

The electric steering can fail. The steering suddenly gets very heavy, sometimes while cornering at low speed, and the EPS warning light comes on. The assist can return and then fail again. Kolesa.ru says the wiring fails more often than the motor. The cause is not confirmed. CompleteCar calls it a manufacturing fault. Owners have had the steering column or the rack replaced. Ask for warranty records by VIN.

Sources: PistonHeads, EPS fault 2014, CompleteCar, faulty Meriva, Kolesa.ru

Timing chain stretch

The 1.4 Twinport (Z14XEP) has a timing chain, not a belt. The chain can stretch. Late oil changes and frequent short trips make this more likely, and a stretched chain can cause a major engine failure. Listen for a rattle on a cold start. No repair price or mileage is confirmed.

Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater, CompleteCar, Meriva questions 2013

Diesel EGR valve and injectors

Soot is the root cause. Short trips add soot to the intake. Soot clogs the EGR valve, which feeds exhaust gas back into the intake, and it fouls the injectors. Gebrauchtwagenberater advises a regular cleaning fuel additive. Kolesa.ru says diesel injectors often last under 100,000 km on Russian fuel, and that the EGR valve is weak.

Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater, autoplenum, Kolesa.ru

Oil leaks

The oil pressure switch can leak. Oil runs along the wiring harness into the engine control unit and can damage it, so the switch must be dry at inspection. A clogged crankcase breather causes oil seepage at higher mileage, according to Kolesa.ru. Auto Bild calls the oil leaks costly. The fix named for the switch is a new switch. No repair price is confirmed.

Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater, Auto Bild, Meriva A test, Kolesa.ru

Rust on sills and arches

Older cars rust at the bottoms of the doors, the sills and the wheel arches. Auto Bild reports rust after 14 to 21 years. Kolesa.ru says surface corrosion on doors, wings and arches is mainly on old, neglected cars. The bonnet rusts because not all of its parts are galvanized.