Technical Cutting out driving and engine light

[zippeyrude]

My g/f panda, 2008 1.2 is randomly cutting out whilst driving. Engine light comes on and the engine seems to jolt / cut out? then the engine stays on (presumably jump starting whilst driving) and engine light goes off.

No engine codes on the diagnostic scan.

I've a donor car of the same year and model so swapping parts is not an issue.

I've heard coil packs go on the puntos, could this be a culprit?

Also the below post, someone suggested crank sensor...

Stalling Panda | FIAT Panda (Mk3)

My wife's 58 Panda has started to stall whilst in motion generally restarting itself, in addition to other occasions when it will not and in particular when straddling speed humps and running over uneven road surfaces when the engine cuts out and the ignition has to be turned on. The garage...

www.fiatforum.com

Any ideas or experiences of the same? Thanks!

 

[koalar]

If the crank sensor that's failing

The rev counter will drop to zero normally

Any pattern

Bump roads
When cold
When hot
Turning a corner
High revs/ low revs
Coasting to a junction
Accelerating hard

 

[dagdromer]

I would have expected a stored fault code when the crank sensor is playing up. The ECU decides to shut down the engine based on the missing crank information. you can start the car and wiggle with the crank wires and or sensor to see if you can replicate it. they are easy to get to.

If there is no MIL or stored code the ECU must have thought that it was a valid action. I would check the ignition or power to the ECU.

 

[varesecrazy]

I would have expected a stored fault code when the crank sensor is playing up. The ECU decides to shut down the engine based on the missing crank information. you can start the car and wiggle with the crank wires and or sensor to see if you can replicate it. they are easy to get to.

If there is no MIL or stored code the ECU must have thought that it was a valid action. I would check the ignition or power to the ECU.

I believe you need BOTH a Crank and Cam Sensors for that

Crank only, and the ECU is"blind", and has no idea motor is turning

 

[varesecrazy]

My g/f panda, 2008 1.2 is randomly cutting out whilst driving. Engine light comes on and the engine seems to jolt / cut out? then the engine stays on (presumably jump starting whilst driving) and engine light goes off.

No engine codes on the diagnostic scan.


I've heard coil packs go on the puntos, could this be a culprit?

Any ideas or experiences of the same? Thanks!

Hi,
generally the Yellow warning light is just feedback from the Lambda sensors, telling you it's "out of range"

Yes.. CoilPacks do fail : but in my experience.. They Die.. They dont fade in and out


Have you changed the battery black cable yet?

 

[zippeyrude]

If the crank sensor that's failing

The rev counter will drop to zero normally

Any pattern

Bump roads
When cold
When hot
Turning a corner
High revs/ low revs
Coasting to a junction
Accelerating hard

It has happened on constant throttle, not acceleration. Engine up to normal temperature. No high or low revs, I'd say 2-2500 slow cruising revs. No speed bumps, on a straight.

It happened maybe 3 or 4 times in a 10 minute drive. It jolts when the car restarts, whilst it's moving.

No other lights on the dash.

 

[zippeyrude]

Hi,
generally the Yellow warning light is just feedback from the Lambda sensors, telling you it's "out of range"

Yes.. CoilPacks do fail : but in my experience.. They Die.. They dont fade in and out


Have you changed the battery black cable yet?

I haven't changed the earth strap. The battery is good and spins the engine over fast, no sign of poor earth. I'll add a secondary strap temporarily and feedback.

 

[zippeyrude]

Hi,
generally the Yellow warning light is just feedback from the Lambda sensors, telling you it's "out of range"

Yes.. CoilPacks do fail : but in my experience.. They Die.. They dont fade in and out


Have you changed the battery black cable yet?

I haven't changed the earth strap. The battery is good and spins the engine over fast, no sign of poor earth. I'll add a secondary strap temporarily and feedback.

I would have expected a stored fault code when the crank sensor is playing up. The ECU decides to shut down the engine based on the missing crank information. you can start the car and wiggle with the crank wires and or sensor to see if you can replicate it. they are easy to get to.

If there is no MIL or stored code the ECU must have thought that it was a valid action. I would check the ignition or power to the ECU.

I've tried looking at YouTube, would you mind telling me where the sensor is likely located please?

 

[koalar]

Crank sensor fail in two ways

Just randomly go open, engine just stops, engine check light comes on, if the engine stops spinning completely the oil and battery will eventually also come on, no signal, no spark, no injectors, no code, rev counter zero

Or the magnetism reduces leading to a inplusable signal, often the car will not rev past a certain point, and normally will give a crank error code


I there was a battery connection issue, the ECU would loose the key CODE and you would need to turn the ignition off and back on to restart car


If the earth strap was faulty, the communication between the ECU and BSI would normally be lost and the immobilizer light will come on, it certainly does on the latter cars with the ECU bolted to the engine

I'd start by swapping the crank sensors over, it's only a 10 minute job, easy but it's from underneath

 

[dagdromer]

the cranksensor is located on the drivers side (timing belt side) at the bottom of the engine near the crank pulley (pulley with a lot of teeth). Just follow the wiring loom over the timingbelt cover, it will split halfway the engine to the oil pressure sensor and then to the crank sensor.

 

[MrMagoo]

Do you have lots of keys on your key fob?