Hi there, Eastendborn here- Fiat Doblo owner. Can anyone help with my cutting out problem please?

Eastendborn said:

Hi there, Eastendborn here- Fiat Doblo owner. Can anyone help with my cutting out problem please?

Click to expand...

hi, and welcome,
need more info really,

any fault lights / messages lately,
glowplug circuit o.k. ..,

when was the vehicle last serviced,
fuel filter..??

reading stored fault codes is a good start.. but may not be anything if you've not seen a warning light,
Charlie - Oxford

Suspect crank sensor.

piratepaul said:

Suspect crank sensor.

Click to expand...

Its a possibilty..
but could be almost anything..

varesecrazy said:

hi, and welcome,
need more info really,

any fault lights / messages lately,
glowplug circuit o.k. ..,

when was the vehicle last serviced,
fuel filter..??

reading stored fault codes is a good start.. but may not be anything if you've not seen a warning light,
Charlie - Oxford

Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for replying- no lights to speak of- glow plug light goes out after a few minutes -fuel filter changed a week ago

varesecrazy said:

Its a possibilty..
but could be almost anything..

Click to expand...

I haven't changed that- I will see if I can get one and change it- thanks.

Worth having a look at the earth cable as well. The black negative lead from the battery and is bolted onto one of the gearbox fixings. They can corrod internally at the bottom connection. A cheap fix if you get your local auto electricians to make you up a spare negative cable and bolt that new one on as well. Have been it posted where peeps have attached a negative jump lead on as a temporary measure to eliminate of prove a poor earth situation.

Thanks all for your help. Once again Autumn is here- along with it the colder weather. My 1.9 Doblo has been good all summer (as it was the previous summer) but now it is back to it's usual cutting out trick. Nobody can seem to solve it. For some reason or another it usually happens when soon after starting- I put it in reverse. Straight away it cuts outs. If I go forwards it doesn't happen so much. I can go on a long journey and it is ok. Then - even when the engine is warm - it will cut out upon pull away - or just putting it in reverse. Sometimes it cuts out when I'm going along- and it is scary because I lose power steering.

Eastendborn said:

Thanks all for your help. Once again Autumn is here- along with it the colder weather. My 1.9 Doblo has been good all summer (as it was the previous summer) but now it is back to it's usual cutting out trick. Nobody can seem to solve it. For some reason or another it usually happens when soon after starting- I put it in reverse. Straight away it cuts outs. If I go forwards it doesn't happen so much. I can go on a long journey and it is ok. Then - even when the engine is warm - it will cut out upon pull away - or just putting it in reverse. Sometimes it cuts out when I'm going along- and it is scary because I lose power steering.

Click to expand...

Welcome back.

In order ..I would replace the;

Main earth cable

Crank angle sensor


Very odd it being ok all summer.

Battrry MAY also be s factor.


Hsve you hsd the fault coded cleared since the spring??

Hi, battery is good- I just got in and in cut out on way home- lights went out also. I am not very good with cars - I was ok with simple stuff- not much of a mechanic, and also I have been trying to avoid expensive mechanic investigations. I assume by 'fault coded cleared' you mean computer stuff ? Which is way beyond me. Yes, I know- it is weird. I've had the car since 2013, and each Autumn I have been putting the vehicle off-road until spring, because it plays up during winter and nobody has (guys I can afford to look at it) been able to fix the problem.

We had a car that couldnt recognise the key chip.. so stayed immobilised..
Unless the cabin temp was above 20'C

Wasted a lot of money... then fixed it myself...it was a relay.

Yours sounds more fundamental..

So . When it shutdown.. was that everything.. or just the engine?

Retro Pedro said:

Worth having a look at the earth cable as well. The black negative lead from the battery and is bolted onto one of the gearbox fixings. They can corrod internally at the bottom connection. A cheap fix if you get your local auto electricians to make you up a spare negative cable and bolt that new one on as well. Have been it posted where peeps have attached a negative jump lead on as a temporary measure to eliminate of prove a poor earth situation.

Click to expand...

Thats a good cheap starting point..

But need to know exactly what is failing to operate..

Charlie

Hi, thanks again for your help - I'm 64, so I will try to get a mechanic to look at the things you pointed out. The whole thing shuts down when it cuts out - ignition goes off - lights stop - it seems to flash on the dashboard -where the speedometer, and other indications occur

Hi,

If everything goes off, then that would point to an earth issue. You could try starting it up and let it run for awhile if possible, then open up your bonnet and check to see if any of your earth leads are getting hot. If you locate one that is, thats your culprit.

Another consideration would be your throttle position sensor. They are no more than a variable resistor, and as such the resistor itself can break down, but as the temperature increases contact is made. Its a possibility, and you could check it with a multimeter, and see your voltage readings change as you increase the throttle position with the engine off.

By the way, I too am 64. Today's cars are a different beast all together, not like carbs, points and the likes of our time.

John.

Thanks John, and Charlie - appreciate you guys I came back from coast today, 40 mile trip - car went fine then cut out when I went to start it after having stopped for 2 minutes. I am going to try and see if I can get my mate to help me- as he has tools- to look at the things that you blokes have metioned. I'd say (from what little knowledge I have) that it must be something to do with temperature, as it only plays up when winter comes- but runs fine throughout the warm weather. Thanks again blokes

p.s John- do you know where the throttle position sensor is located?

Hi,

It sits at the end of the accelerator pedal. Not the easiest sensor to get at I'm afraid,

you need to be double jointed just to get at it.

John.

Eastendborn said:

p.s John- do you know where the throttle position sensor is located?

Click to expand...

That will effect engine running. But why would the headlamps go out..??

I would have a read of the Grande punto section..FAQs..random electrical gremlins.

Good pictorial..the added earth cable may help your diagnosis. Charlie

Eastendborn said:

Thanks John, and Charlie - appreciate you guys I came back from coast today, 40 mile trip - car went fine then cut out when I went to start it after having stopped for 2 minutes. Thanks again blokes

Click to expand...

A jump lead added at times of non starting could make all the difference.

varesecrazy said:

A jump lead added at times of non starting could make all the difference.

Click to expand...

:yeahthat:
Try one between the battery negative and the chassis or engine/gearbox. This is just a lead, not a second battery. Even better is two, one between the battery negative and the chassis and the other from chassis to engine block. Make sure they can't get caught in moving parts.
I this allows the car to start check / change the battery to chassis and engine to chassis "earth" leads.


Robert G8RPI.