Technical Cross posted from' general' forum and update

[amanders]

New to board, so re-posting here as it seems to be most appropriate place:

Forgive the lack of techincal terminology in this post but my stilo broke down in traffic today and I'm not sure where to start!
It's a 4 year old 1.6 Dynamic - had it since March. I took it out of the drive this morning and I "stalled" 3 or 4 times few times before I realised that it wasn't my bad driving, but the car was cutting out after 3 seconds or so. IO was able to get it off the main road by restarting a few more times and getting a few seonds out of it every time.

A quick poll of people suggests it's the fuel filter, but what now?! Tow to a garage? Try and drive it (3 seconds at a time ) to one? It is low on fuel (the low fuel sensor came on for the first time as I arrived home last night, but I thought I had plenty in it to get me to a petrol station - I live close to work and can often get 2 days work-home travel after my low fuel sensor beeps!)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

An update is that I put a jerrycan's worth of petrol into the car and got it moved round to my own house (2 mins away) - it drove fine without cutting out but 'engine fault' flashed up on my display screen.

 

[Deckchair5]

You might need 3 clean starts before the warning light will clear

 

[amanders]

Thanks so much for your reply.
So, do you think I should just be careful not to go so low on petrol and it will be fine to drive?
I suppose I could drive round the block a half dozen times before trying to go any further afield...

 

[amanders]

Deckchair-re your questions on my other post (sorry for the confusion!!) Could do with more information

When it starts does it start fine, hold a good tickover and then cut out as if you've turned off the ignition?

Does it struggle to start, not hold a good tickover and then die?

Fuel starvation can give symptoms of a fine start and tickover and then just die

Have you tried releasing the vacuum in the tank by releasing the petrol cap?

Are you on or do you park on a steep hill or perhaps on the pavement?

What's your "range to empty" state?

The more information you give the better the suggestions
__________________

To be honest, it was all happening so quickly that I couldn't judge what was going on - I had an important meeting to get to and was petrfied I would break down altogether in very heavey one lane traffic that I was in a bit of a blind panic.
My petrol warning 'beep' had just come on, and I get about 45 miles from that normally?
I park on the flat in my driveway and drive down a slight slope to get out - this is where I first cut out this morning, but thought I'd stalled....as I did about 5 or 6 times over before it clicked that it wasn't me!
Hadn't touched the petrol cap, although when I went back to move it this afternoon, I did 9to add the extra fuel).

 

[Deckchair5]

Well some items are certain
When the low level light comes on then I have often a 50 miles or so on "Range to empty" depending on how it's being driven at the time

A fuel tank shouldn't create such a large vacuum as it nears empty that it prevents fuel reaching the engine but it's been known to happen through poor venting. Releasing the vacuum when you added more fuel might be the clue, difficult to say. If it happens again and there's a big "Whoosh" when you release the cap and it starts fine afterwards then i'd be suspicious

Parking on a hill or sideways slope can starve the fuel pump when the contents are low as a few have found to their cost. I've no idea whether that's relevant to you though

So, do you think I should just be careful not to go so low on petrol and it will be fine to drive?
Going just "low on fuel" shouldn't ever be a problem but not enough information to say whether it will happen again

I suppose I could drive round the block a half dozen times before trying to go any further afield...
Good plan but take some fuel with you in a can as there's always a possibilitiy that the car is over reading the remianing fuel. Use the "range to empty" selection as well