I have a Stilo Multiwagon 1.9jtd 55 plate, and I have recently started having a few problem

firstly whenever I start the engine a glowplug (check glow plug) warning is displayed on the dash with a red glowplug light. so obviously there seems to be a problem relating to these plugs

secondly sometimes again after starting the engine there no virtually no power, i am lucky to get 2000 revs out of it and get white smoke coming from the exhaust, after a short while this just stops and revs go back to normal, I tend to get this problem when engine is cold. Also when this is happening the engine is juddery and i am lucky to get 10mph out of it

are these problems related, and knowing little to nothing about engines is it something that can be done myselfor is it something i will have to go to a garage for. If I have to go to the garage will I need to go to the dealers or would any garage be able to help me

any help and advice on this would be much appreciated

I dont really to want to be a smartass but what about checking the glow plugs ?
When a diesel engine is cold, the compression process may not raise the air to a high enough temperature to ignite the fuel. The glow plug is an electrically heated wire (think of the hot wires you see in a toaster) that heats the combustion chambers and raises the air temperature when the engine is cold so that the engine can start.
It seems that one of them is has failed and the computer of the car says the same. It is not that cold outside so it starts but it needs some temp to operate normally. I am not an expert but seems like that.

Wait for more experienced user to confirm or reject what I think but for me this is the reason. I really hope this helps.

invest in 4 new glow plugs, they are not too expensive and last a bloody long time, i know someone that used to change them once every 100k

i understand i need to have glow plugs looked at, but was also wondering if it is something that i could do myself,and if the other problems i listed were related to the glowplugs. and like i said if it's hard to do myself can any garage do it, or does i need to go to dealer

Any garage will be able to do it, BUT if you want to test them, get a booster pack OR battery with jump leads on, +ve to nipple in top, -ve to body, keep your hand clear and watch it glow red, if it doesn't then you know its dead

had the very same problem it died on xmas eve, spoke to a friend in the trade (after checking the glow plugs as per instructions on here) turned out to be the battery, new battery no probs since, at least not with running and GP warnings

PS mines a 56 plate 1.9 multiwagon

it's only just had a new battery, that was a problem too but new battery is only a few days old

I have recently taken the car to a local garage, they told me that the glow plug indicator is used as an engine management light and it's not necessarily the glow plugs.
they have told me that the problem is with the EGR vavle and the Mass airflow filter, does this sound right

I changed my EGR valve but still have the same problem with the light. I agree with the garage saying it almost works like an engine management light. Did you have any luck?

richieboy1503 said:

i understand i need to have glow plugs looked at, but was also wondering if it is something that i could do myself,and if the other problems i listed were related to the glowplugs. and like i said if it's hard to do myself can any garage do it, or does i need to go to dealer

Click to expand...

Have a look at the guides at the top, on the first page is a guide for "Dealing with the 'Preheat Fault' message [Stilo JTD]"

after having the EGR valve change it sorted most problems, but the light still comes on for glowplugs, but the garage said they don't need to be changed atm,

I may be asking a patronising question , but when u say u still get the glow plug light, what does it actually do?
If you turn the key to MAR the glowplug light should come on for a few seconds then go out and stay out. This is normal.

If the glowplug light flashes for about 20 seconds and a notice comes up saying preheat fault, then there is a problem, you should checkout the guide for curing the preheat fault.

that's not patronising at all, but like i ahve said in previous post the garage told me the glow plug warning was coming on becuse of the problem that they fixed, and it did fix the problems other than the light
it does come on for about 20 secs and says glow plug warning

i'll try and find that thread you have mentioned

https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo-guides/151734-dealing-preheat-fault-message-stilo-jtd.html

is that the thread you meant
if so i can;t do that, i don;t have a multi meter or know somebody with one

Unless you're bothered by the warning message or have difficulties starting, I personally wouldn't worry about it.

I bought my 2004 Multiwagen nearly two years ago with the same symptoms and used the guide to check out the glow plugs - only one was working/had a resistance, the other three were open circuit, so I immediately bought a set.
I never fitted them however as firstly, the engine starts easily even when it's below freezing, and secondly, reading more on this (excellent) forum, you learn that they are not so easy to get at (being buried and over the back of the engine) and there is a risk of them being broken off in situ should one be unlucky or not careful.
For me then, it was job for a garage but as it wasn't broke, it's not fixed!

richieboy1503 said:

https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo-guides/151734-dealing-preheat-fault-message-stilo-jtd.html

is that the thread you meant
if so i can;t do that, i don;t have a multi meter or know somebody with one

Click to expand...

Yes, this is the thread, but ok. another choice would be to buy an engine diagnostic tool, this would tell you what the light is on for.

I use a cheap ebay elm327 usb tool plugged into a laptop running multiecuscan software.

usb tool cost about £9 from ebay, there is a free version of multiecuscan which will display ther error codes.

hi thanx for that
i looked on ebay, but to be sure i am looking for the correct cable, is this the right thing
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/V1-5-ELM3...ic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item27cbba35a2&_uhb=1

Just how reliable is this pre heat warning? Is it possible that glow plugs (or one of them) are bad even if the car doesn't report a pre heat warning?

I'm asking because I'm experiencing slight hesitation when starting at -1°C and lower and I'm not sure if it's the glow plugs or the battery (and since the car is 5 years old and already on its second battery I would hope that battery is not the problem).

i would start with the battery to be honest, its all about cold cranking power, i have a pre heat fault which i will get sorted next year but it still starts even when left for a week in -c conditions, started first turn in -5 the other night even though i have a pre heat warning