Hippyschick
New member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2013
- Messages
- 7
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- 2
Hello there,
I've asked technical questions on the Forum a long time ago regarding my Stilo 1.4 Active (04 plate), but had to re-register as I've forgotten my details!
I have been through everything that seemed similar but can't find an exact match for my current problem.
First of all, the car sat for about four and a half months without being even started. My bad...my husband had a stroke last September and I've been using his car as it is more comfortable for him to get in and out of as it is bigger and a little higher off the ground - it also has a bit more power which is useful on the Autobahn! I had a lot of Autobahn driving to do to visit him, unfortunately.
Anyway, about a week and a half ago I finally started it up - or dried to. Dead as a dodo, not a light, flash, beep, nothing. Couldn't even get in with the remote locking! Figured it may need a new battery so the local AutoOK towed it (free!) and checked it. Recharged the battery and checked all the electrics and told me it was fine.
Went to collect it and it would NOT start. The starter motor fires and chatters away, but no ignition. This happens five or six times - I let it run about five, six seconds, no more - and eventually will fire up and start. There was a beep, the 'check engine' light came up and 'Engine Fault' appeared on the display. The mechanic took it back in to the workshop and attached it to the computer and told me it needed a new Drosselklappe, which I believe is a choke. My German is patchy, but it seemed he was telling me it was a valve that controls the mix of air and petrol - which I seem to recall is the choke, yeah?
Anyway, 650 euro or so later and a new whatever-it-is, I picked it up and it was no longer producing the engine fault, but still at times reluctant to start. It has been slow to start both cold and after a short trip of a couple of kilometres to the petrol station. Usually fifth or sixth time it will start. I haven't had an engine fault message or light out of it since Monday, until Friday afternoon.
Drove it up the Autobahn to my husband's work and it ran okay. It seemed a little bit sluggish but I thought it may be that I was just used to the power of the Avensis, which has a much bigger engine. Took it into the shop out of the rain and changed the cigarette lighter socket. Started it up to move it back out, two and a half hours later, and it wouldn't start. Again, I get an 'Engine Fault' light and message.
Driving home, I couldn't hear any misfiring noises and there was no suspiciously over-rich smell coming into the cabin from the engine. I noticed that it was a little slower to accelerate than usual and just doesn't have the same pick-up that it used to. I couldn't get much above 4,000 rpm in fourth gear and getting it up to 80 mph was hard work. I drove home in a much more sedate manner than is usual, put it that way.
It is very wet today, I don't know whether that makes any difference or not.
I've used this garage before, they've done three services and I've had no reason to complain up until now.
Reading through similar problems, I've seen suggestions of cleaning off the battery terminals and connections, and also checking the Lambda sensor. Also mention of a cam sensor? My gut feeling is that it's an ignition-related problem, stemming from the choke replacement - which may or may not turn out to have been necessary. The garage is going to hook it up to the computer tomorrow and see what it tells them.
The battery is a 75AH Varta, fitted a couple of years ago. Biggest battery that will fit in the compartment, on my husband's advice. Should still be good, he reckons. Usually he would have taken it out and worked it over in the workshop (electronics tech, rebuilds and refurbs batteries as part of that), but he's not up to prolonged work on the car as he is still getting over the lingering effects from the stroke.
I'm not terribly good where electrical issues are concerned; I don't hear or smell anything mechanically wrong, though. There's no juddering or rattling or any indication, just the feeling that it isn't producing as much power as it usually would and an inability to get up to speed. I can normally expect it to run at 100 mph pretty easily by the speedo, and on areas where there is no speed limit routinely do.
Just wondered if anybody might have any useful ideas, really! Thanks for your time - will of course let you know what the garage comes up with.
I've asked technical questions on the Forum a long time ago regarding my Stilo 1.4 Active (04 plate), but had to re-register as I've forgotten my details!
I have been through everything that seemed similar but can't find an exact match for my current problem.
First of all, the car sat for about four and a half months without being even started. My bad...my husband had a stroke last September and I've been using his car as it is more comfortable for him to get in and out of as it is bigger and a little higher off the ground - it also has a bit more power which is useful on the Autobahn! I had a lot of Autobahn driving to do to visit him, unfortunately.
Anyway, about a week and a half ago I finally started it up - or dried to. Dead as a dodo, not a light, flash, beep, nothing. Couldn't even get in with the remote locking! Figured it may need a new battery so the local AutoOK towed it (free!) and checked it. Recharged the battery and checked all the electrics and told me it was fine.
Went to collect it and it would NOT start. The starter motor fires and chatters away, but no ignition. This happens five or six times - I let it run about five, six seconds, no more - and eventually will fire up and start. There was a beep, the 'check engine' light came up and 'Engine Fault' appeared on the display. The mechanic took it back in to the workshop and attached it to the computer and told me it needed a new Drosselklappe, which I believe is a choke. My German is patchy, but it seemed he was telling me it was a valve that controls the mix of air and petrol - which I seem to recall is the choke, yeah?
Anyway, 650 euro or so later and a new whatever-it-is, I picked it up and it was no longer producing the engine fault, but still at times reluctant to start. It has been slow to start both cold and after a short trip of a couple of kilometres to the petrol station. Usually fifth or sixth time it will start. I haven't had an engine fault message or light out of it since Monday, until Friday afternoon.
Drove it up the Autobahn to my husband's work and it ran okay. It seemed a little bit sluggish but I thought it may be that I was just used to the power of the Avensis, which has a much bigger engine. Took it into the shop out of the rain and changed the cigarette lighter socket. Started it up to move it back out, two and a half hours later, and it wouldn't start. Again, I get an 'Engine Fault' light and message.
Driving home, I couldn't hear any misfiring noises and there was no suspiciously over-rich smell coming into the cabin from the engine. I noticed that it was a little slower to accelerate than usual and just doesn't have the same pick-up that it used to. I couldn't get much above 4,000 rpm in fourth gear and getting it up to 80 mph was hard work. I drove home in a much more sedate manner than is usual, put it that way.
It is very wet today, I don't know whether that makes any difference or not.
I've used this garage before, they've done three services and I've had no reason to complain up until now.
Reading through similar problems, I've seen suggestions of cleaning off the battery terminals and connections, and also checking the Lambda sensor. Also mention of a cam sensor? My gut feeling is that it's an ignition-related problem, stemming from the choke replacement - which may or may not turn out to have been necessary. The garage is going to hook it up to the computer tomorrow and see what it tells them.
The battery is a 75AH Varta, fitted a couple of years ago. Biggest battery that will fit in the compartment, on my husband's advice. Should still be good, he reckons. Usually he would have taken it out and worked it over in the workshop (electronics tech, rebuilds and refurbs batteries as part of that), but he's not up to prolonged work on the car as he is still getting over the lingering effects from the stroke.
I'm not terribly good where electrical issues are concerned; I don't hear or smell anything mechanically wrong, though. There's no juddering or rattling or any indication, just the feeling that it isn't producing as much power as it usually would and an inability to get up to speed. I can normally expect it to run at 100 mph pretty easily by the speedo, and on areas where there is no speed limit routinely do.
Just wondered if anybody might have any useful ideas, really! Thanks for your time - will of course let you know what the garage comes up with.
