Technical UMMM What just happened to my JTD

[navyeye]

I have a W reg JTD multipla, I'm 27 and female and don't know a lot about cars, so bear with me. For the past few days the coil light has been flashing but other than that, all is well. MOT was about 5 months ago, service due next month.

Basically I drive it every day, I just drove to a friends house and the engine didn't start, thought it was a bit weird, but turned off and back on and it worked. I drove about 10 minutes but then the car turned itself off and wouldn't restart. The steering went heavy, the brakes stiff etc but the lights and stereo were still on.

Anyway, I pulled over. Waited a few minutes and restarted the engine and it worked, carried on driving to my friends, with my hazards on.

Just tried to restart it at friends house and after turning it on and off 3 times it eventually worked. Before turning the engine over the handbrake light, battery light and injection light (Think that's what it is, looks like a red needle) are all on. Once the engine turns the coil light flashes.

Does anyone have any idea what the hell this is?!

 

[MultiPa]

I'm not sure which lights you mean to be honest!

By 'coil' light do you mean the orange glow plug light?

The brakes and steering will feel odd when the engine isn't running as you have no hydraulic assistance - that's normal if the engine stopped. The lights and stereo would stay on if the key was in the correct postion.

The glow plugs are needed (or at least help) start the car when it is cold, so if they are faulty that could be why it was hard to start. Unless it's absolutely baltic, it will start eventually.

I don't know which light you mean by the one that looks like a red needle.

 

[momoe]

Red needle might be the oil pressure light, a vertical red bar with small horizontal bars?
The problem could be the rpm sensor which is a relatively easy fix, it's located on the back of the engine located by a single bolt although it's a pig to get at.
Rpm sensor tells the engine control unit (ECU) when to inject fuel, if the ECU doesn't sense the engine turning, it doesn't work!

 

[the frog]

I agree I'd be looking at the rpm/crank position sensor. This happened to me and was a pain.

I got a friend to fit the new sensor (only £29 from FIAT) as he has a garage with a 4 post lift. Unfortunately it's a difficult place to get access to with the car on the ground or on stands.

Also sometimes if you turn the key too fast it won't start, I did this a few times, now I'm more patient.

 

[SGThirkell]

I have a W reg JTD multipla, I'm 27 and female and don't know a lot about cars, so bear with me. For the past few days the coil light has been flashing but other than that, all is well. MOT was about 5 months ago, service due next month.

Basically I drive it every day, I just drove to a friends house and the engine didn't start, thought it was a bit weird, but turned off and back on and it worked. I drove about 10 minutes but then the car turned itself off and wouldn't restart. The steering went heavy, the brakes stiff etc but the lights and stereo were still on.

Anyway, I pulled over. Waited a few minutes and restarted the engine and it worked, carried on driving to my friends, with my hazards on.

Just tried to restart it at friends house and after turning it on and off 3 times it eventually worked. Before turning the engine over the handbrake light, battery light and injection light (Think that's what it is, looks like a red needle) are all on. Once the engine turns the coil light flashes.

Does anyone have any idea what the hell this is?!

As far as I know a flashing coil light (glow plug light) means that one or more of the glow plugs are faulty so this really needs doing first to eliminate it out of the equation and would account for the way the engine doesn't start very well.

 

[QinteQ]

As far as I know a flashing coil light (glow plug light) means that one or more of the glow plugs are faulty so this really needs doing first to eliminate it out of the equation and would account for the way the engine doesn't start very well.

A Boro lad says .. .. on a Multi its the general warning light for thousands of fault codes. Knowing the P code is one thing .. .. but knowing the reason for it is a~n~other story.