Hey Everyone, I truly hope someone can help with this problem.

I bought my 1.9d Doblo Cargo Van a few weeks ago. Now I'm beginning to discover the problems.

The following problems I've discovered...

1. Heater Plug Light, stays on after it starts for a short period of time.
2. Fuel Gauge does not work as sits on empty with light flashing
3. Van will not start now and then after driving it.

Basically, and the main problem, is that the van will start perfectly fine in the morning cold or not. However, on occasion, after driving it it fails to start and takes some time to fire up.


It turns over fine but no firing at all. Yesterday it took me 20mins to get it to eventually fire up.


It seems after a short journey and then I leave it for 30mins or so this happens.



Once it goes its perfect, drive okay and smooth.

I've spent days googling the problem with no end in sight!

After reading lots of posts, I thought I would explain the above fully in the hope that someone understands the problem and can make suggestions. I really can not afford to throw money at what may not be the problem, in the hope of hitting it.

Not sure if the flashing heater plug light, fuel gauge and the like may be related. Could it be electrical too

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

The glow plug light may just be the module that often malfunctions. Fuel gauge,possible connection problem. Not sure about it not starting when warm if it tends to run fine when it does run. Fuel fiter needing changed?
If you are in Fife,i know the very person based near Edinburgh that can fix all faults.

Thanks for that!!!

Yes, in Kirkcaldy! I have a 2 holidays abroad coming up from Tuesday till May 10th. Once these are taken care of it may be good to get these sorted then. I do not mind driving to Edinburgh too!

The Van has started every time lately but something else has popped up. Coolant type smell when fans are running and on hot, and some very light steam/smoke which clears after a few minutes. Leak somewhere perhaps?

I will watch out for this starting thing! The only thing that was done with it, was my Uncle was at the fuse box in engine bay and said he heard clicking, so he lightly tapped the fuses and it started. Since then I have not had the problem but not done a great deal of driving.

The Fuel gauge is a pin in the butt...

Although it was like Christmas the other day when I went to put a tenner in. the Car was like an oil rig that hit oil I had been underrating MPG

Thanks Buddy!

Just back form Holiday!

Van started yesterday, went to bank and came home. Today it will not start at all!

I have an internal leak of coolant and drivers floor is soaking wet!

This is driving me up the wall now!!

Is it all related?

Getting ready to give in and buy something else!!

Fifer said:

I have an internal leak of coolant and drivers floor is soaking wet!

Click to expand...

Heater matrix maybe?

Re the none starting and tapping the fuse box.
When you switch the ignition on, can you hear the priming pump that is in the fuel tank buzzing? Not sure if there's an inspection plate in the van version, but in the car version it's in the rear seat second row foot well (on the near side) in the foot well.
Had an issue with my 1.9JTD last year with the priming pump not pushing the fuel up to the main pressure pump for initial start up. In my case, I pulled the relays in the cabin fuse box (located below the steering column to the left hand side) and pushed the relays back on securely and it sorted the problem (touching wood).

Hi Retro Pedro,

I went out and tried this, no difference with doing the same with relays and still not starting. I actually do not hear any buzzing at all when turning the ignition on either.

Battery is full of juice and the van is turning over fine but will just not fire up.

I've noticed something else too! Under where the fluid is leaking, is a earth wire and wires going to an Airbag sensor box? Could water have got in here I wonder. hmm

I was having starting issues with my 2008 1.9jtd until last week I replaced the crank sensor and battery (Halford's, which are Yuasa batteries).

The battery is a 680Ah job and would likely start the space shuttle

Now, she spins & fires first time every time

My old battery still spun her over ok, but if I left the radio on and listened at a reasonable volume while fannying about, the car wouldn't start after less than an hour

Not sure if I needed the crank sensor, but I changed it anyway.

I should imagine the fuel pump issue and tank sensor are related!! If one isn't working, it stands to reason the other won't either

As for you leak. When I first got my Doblo, the radiator was weeping away and would lose the contents of the coolant bottle on a short trip.

So I got this stuff: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/4005...f11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

That was in December and I have done almost 2000 miles and not needed to top it up so far :slayer:

Forget the usual suspects, K Seal is the ONLY stuff to use.

Thanks Andoo, the information is excellent!

I have a new battery on the van, AA said that was my problem on a call out the other week so I replaced it and still the same problem. Uncle was down having a look there, he was at the sender unit in the back and said he heard nothing when we turned the ignition on

It still will not start! Crazy!!

I'm going to be forced to get a run-around till the van is sorted unfortunately!

I'm even dreaming about van problems at night now Hahahaha

See if you can get access to the tank sender which will be on top of the tank.

Check for a voltage when the ignition is on, this will confirm if the pump is gone or not.

If no voltage, suspect a relay is gone or a fuse...or just a dirty contact at the fusebox/relay box.

It could even be a dirty/loose contact at the plug on the top of the tank. I imagine the pump wires will be heavy duty.

Fifer said:

Uncle was down having a look there, he was at the sender unit in the back and said he heard nothing when we turned the ignition on

Click to expand...

Have you got a multimeter? If yes try and see what voltage readings your getting on the tank primer/sender unit with the ignition one. I can only quote my 05 1.9 JTD, but in my case there are 4 wires, two low voltage which I believe are the fuel level guage. Two higher voltage which I believe are the main voltage feed and earth - may stand corrected. If your getting the correct readings and the sender unit/pump in the tank is not buzzing up that could be the culprit.
Prior to that, you could try hand priming the main pressure pump. You can do this by finding the fuel feed pipe off the fuel filter. Disconnect the feed pipe and attach a pipe,preferably clear, from with an inline hand pump or a 12 volt electric pump. Then draw fuel from a reservior/fuel can and hand pump the fuel feed into the main pressure pump. If the motor fires up and runs as fast as you can keep it feed with fuel, for my money that would put the tank primer pump under the spot light, or the electric feed to it.

My understanding is that the tank primer pump pushes fuel up at initial start up, once running the main pressure pump also sucks up fuel from the tank once pressurised and running. That's why it runs OK once fired up but it does need the primer pump to push the fuel up in the first place.

I wonder if my starting problems were caused by a failing electric pump?!?!

It just seems queer that I put a more powerful battery on and the engine starts 1st time every time now

I may just get a tank pump in case.....

Thanks for all these suggestions guys! I really do appreciate it!

Could the leaking heater matrix be part of the problem, let me explain.

When I purchased the van, the guy told me he was getting a chemical smell in the cab when using the hot blower. I noticed this too! He had been told that it could be bypassed.

On my starting in the morning problem, I noticed a lot coolant on the floor directly under the blowers. I removed the tray down there and found a Airbag ECU type box, with cables going in and 1 cable going to an earth point. It was damp down there and pretty think with coolant at points. Could this be shorting out at this point.

The problem before was it would not start after running it a while, could the coolant be circulating the system and dripping off at this point or elsewhere in the area and causing an electrical problem, thus the engine turns but does not fire up or is this just coincidental?

Would this cause problems elsewhere in the system and be responsible for the dodgy gauge too, playing havoc with the electrics.

I was thinking of bypassing the matrix as a temporary fix to stop leak, dry out the area fully, check all the wires and ensure everything looks okay. I could do this as a start and then remove that possibility?

I cleaned the earth strap connection on gearbox last night as an elimination. I can not be certain, but I am positive that when I put the ignition on, the tank gauge moved slightly then clicked back off. hmmm

I do not have a Multimeter but I will either get one, or try to get someone out to test it all.

Thanks again guys, im all over this forum looking for suggestions and reading your old posts and its helping to at the very least, eliminate things.

I've decided against getting a second car the now and will instead concentrate on getting mobile with this again. Without throwing too much money at it!

When you say cleaned the earth wire, that may not be enough, it needs removing from the eye, cleaning and then soldering.

You might have a very good point about coolant leaking on electrical connections throwing gremlins at the ECU.
Be wary of disconnecting any multiplugs with the battery live. I'm no expert but I speak with experience from when I stupidly disconnected some multiplugs on a Ford Focus and had to pay Ford main dealer £300 to reprogramme/diagnostics run to get the car going again. Think it's something to do with CamBus electrical circuitry which I think is multiple minnie systems that sends signals to the ECU, hence me thinking you might have a point.
Glad to hear your not giving up on it, I'd put money on it that it's something stupid that's throwing in the gremlins - once you find where from and sort, I bet it will run fine.
You can get a reasonable code reader for not a lot of money. Might be worth a punt and plug in when it's running which might throw up a fault code or two.

Thanks Jazz452, information taken on-board! Its back on the list

Retro Pedro, thanks for the information! I disconnected the battery when I discovered the area and "Airbag" written on the box before I looked at the plugs. Likewise, after I get the area cleaned up and go to check they are all dry and clear I will do the same.

I discovered the fuel shut off switch too! I pressed it and I'm sure it was knocked off and clicked in. Now my battery is low on power from a few days of this and I can not see if this has made a difference.

After more reading today I also discovered the relay for pump in engine compartment and swapped it over with the exact same type from Horn. Again I can not test this out just now due to low battery which will need charging now, just need a charger

I was considering a meter and was actually looking around the net today at them. Could be really handy!

I would say light at the end of the tunnel but not quite there yet.

The relay may solve it, the cut off switch, cleaning up the area that is damp or none of it! Oh the joys

Got it started!

What it was is a mystery! It was either the relay I swapped with a likewise one, or the fuel cut off switch. Charged the battery today, then hooked it up and it started nearly first time. Was a little lumpy to start but soon sorted itself out.

I then went and got some of that K seal and Im sure my leaking matrix has stopped too! No more drips

Took it for a run, stopped and started it and no problems! Fingers crossed its all sorted now! Will see how we get on tomorrow morning!

Thank you everyone, seriously

Went out and tried a cold morning start and no problems at all.

Leak has gone too K-Seal has fixed it!! :slayer: