That in itself is good news. How did you get it there, and more importantly did the insurers agree to pay forit ?
After four days of vainly trying to start the car, and while sitting in the driver seat waiting the arrival of the breakdown truck, I idly tried to start the car and the bloody thing responded. So I drove it 500 metres home and cancelled the rescue vehicle. The driver was very understanding, l guess it wasn’t a new experience for him?
But I reckon I have used up all my roadside rescue options chez Pacifica. 
When it does not start does it turn over ok and just not catch.
The key turns in its mounting but the information panel shows Defaut Moteur abd the ignition is inert. Sometimes it starts but the engine runs in limp mode and does not respond to the throttle pedal. When I switch off the pantomime act restarts…
Sometimes (when l turn the key in the ignition) the collision indictor button on the console flashes and beeps though the car is stationary (engine not running) and not close to an obstacle.
Thrre is slight collisiion damage the rear bumper close to the collision sensor, and my instinct tells me that this may be at the root of the problem. It looks merely cosmetic but I fiddlled with it recently and may have disrupted the electronics by doing so. I told this to the local garageiste but he pooh-poohed the idea… which is why I need an anglophone mechanic who will take heed and not dismiss me as a dotty senile anglais… 
This guy had similar problems too. Lol
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I have heard from a friend that limp mode is age related.
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Tell me about it… 
Sounds like it could be the ignition switch contacts are worn/dirty and making bad contacts, hence the getting worse and sometimes starting.
If it was me I would flood it with either contact cleaner or WD40 using the red straw, key in and work the switch a few times and do it again, if it works use some graphite to keep the tumblers on the barrel lubricated.
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I have suggested earlier that you try another key Peter and your latest posting is eerily similar to my recent experience.
Having chopped and changed keys for months depending upon which one the engine responded to I was caught short outside Brico Depot when it failed to respond to either. I walked across to Norauto who were helpful but unable to help so called AXA breakdown. Norauto told me, based on my story, that it was likely the transponder and could only be repaired by a mains dealer. Whilst waiting for the depanneur I thought I’d give the key another turn ( some ninety minutes later by now) and it fired up. I drove the thirty Kms or so home without problem.
Next day my friend tested it with his multimarque diagnostic thingy and concluded that it could be a damaged key. I changed the battery in the key since when it has fired up each time without problem. The trouble is that I am now scared to risk taking it anywhere but as any main dealer electronic work could easily run to a thousand euros or so and this particular car is only worth about that I shall no doubt have to summon up the courage. Short trips to rebuild confidence.
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I wouldnt worry Graham. But if on the off chance you one time take off like the devil possessed, then i would get worried. 
Peter, like another poster has mentioned, replace the battery in the key fob, these things wear out and believe it or not, not many people realise that there is a battery in them… Another trick is too disconnect the battery (both poles) and touch the cables together for about 2-3 mins. reconnect them to the battery, turn the ignition on to the first position and leave it like this for about 5 mins, and then go and try to start the engine. This does a main reset on the ECU. Touching the battery cables together discharges any latent power in the ecu condensers ergo deletes any codes.
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Problem with replacing the battery in a key fob is the id transponder chips do not use the battery they are passive, the battery only works the remote functions on the key, the id readers on the steering column/barrel can go but it is unusual on a Ford for that to happen.
The aerial part can go on the transponder readers hence why a lot of older iveco vans had the spare key taped to the top of the reader under the steering column shroud because the key in the ignition lock was too far in distance to be read, it was easier to tape the key there than replace the reader 
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Thanks for those insights Colin and Roger. I shall be trying them out on my Vectra.
It has now started every morning on the key with the new battery without problem but I am still rather wary about driving the car anywhere.
Eventually I shall have to otherwise it will just sit there of no use.
OH’s Golf went into some other dimension over the weekend…starts, stops, but wouldn’t accelerate.
After diagnosis, it turns out the pedal & its “capteur” were faulty.
Didn’t know cars don’t have cables for that anymore.
They often don’t have a direct connection for steering either - position sensor on the steering wheel and rack driven electrically.
Good grief…
What happens if that fails ?
there’s a lot to be said for an “old car” which one can repair with string/wire-coathanger and all sorts of stuff… even if it’s just enough to get it to the garage or home… (been there, done that) 
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I am so glad you are not a garagiste 
ha ha… turned up at several garages across France/Portugal… always been met with a smile and a willing helping hand.
Thats why Paul posted a link, you are supposed to look at the link and update your knowledge a little.
Safety requirements, however, mean that production steer-by-wire systems have so far featured a redundant mechanical connection - just like a conventional steering set-up. Should the system fail, the link is engaged and the driver remains in control of the vehicle.