ESP limp home mode, running rough and chuffing, any thoughts?

[danebrewer10]

Hi guys, I have only had my 2011 Monte Carlo  105 for a few weeks, but it broke down on me yesterday, I was running late to get back to my girlfriends to put the dinner on, coming out of a roundabout in maybe 3rd,  i gave it some lead boot and suddenly i had a shuddering and loss of power, my engine management light flashed at me for a few seconds then went out, and my ESP light came on and stayed on, i have no power as i guess its in the limp home mode, and it is running very rough, you can feel the whole car shake at idle. Stepping outside the car you can hear a chuffing. At first i thought it might have been the clutch or something, but i now seem to think there's something wrong with a valve maybe the stem has snapped and there's no compression so the piston slams up to the top of the cylinder without being cushioned my the compressed gasses, thing is, there's no misfiring or fuel igniting in the exhaust i don't think, so could it be that?  There's no rattling either, o it doesn't sound like there's anything actually in the cylinder, if that was the case id imagine the head and piston would be FUBAR....I'm going to phone my local dealer on Monday to get them to recover it to the garage  so they can investigate, i'm sure it should still be within their warranty (i hope), but i was wondering whether anyone has any advance ideas?

 

Cheers

D

[xman]

The Tsi has been known to fry ignition leads by being too close to hot bits on the exhaust manifold. A mod is available for this under warranty. Hopefully its something like this.

However the chuffing sounds more serious, could be a catastrophic failure internally. Early Tsi engines of which yours may just be one (mods introduced after about Jul 2011) had a weak camchain that stretched and could eventually jump sprocket teeth leading to catastrophic piston/valve contact. Had you ever heard camchain rattle? Usually audible on cold starts..

Dont know why ESP light would be on, and not the EML light, thats nothing to do with the engine....strange...

Edited 26 October, 2014 by xman

[Ootohere]

Was it not the 'EPC'  light that came on?  'Electronic Power Control'.

[danebrewer10]

Hmm, well everything looked fine when i popped the bonnet, no sooty marks or anything, could the leads break down inside without showing anything externally? Hmm sounds expensive... I haven't ever heard anything rattling that I've noticed, always nice and quiet on startup, it takes a little longer on the key than i have experienced with other cars, but nothing major, only maybe a half or whole second different.... ha, yeah it was the EPC light, i forget, all these acronyms and symbols  ....

[Ootohere]

So the basics first.

 

Did you recently fill up with fuel.    Different place, brand, supermarket?   No diesel put in ?????

Have you been through deep puddles or in heavy rain?

 

How many miles has the car done?

Servicing all up to date?

Air Filter, Fuel Filter.

 

Any Recall / Service Campaign Field Actions due,  ie Loom.

 

Do you have Skoda Assist. ?  Call them

[danebrewer10]

no, i filled up about a week ago, and no, just petrol, i think that was a supermarket fill just get some coupons i think, but i normally stick to either BP or Esso,

No puddles recently or heavy rain, last week was the latest batch of really heavy rain

it done IIRC 24k i think

servicing is all good too all skoda main dealer,

and i am not aware of any recall issues

I don't have skoda assist no, what can they do for me?

[Ootohere]

If no Assist or RAC / AA,  They could have scanned, and you would have a Qualified Opinion.

 

So Main Dealer then.

 

You might not have been made aware of a Service Campaign on wiring loom,  

but you need now to ask.

Because Skoda run  'Secret Service Campaigns',   Need to Know, and that does not include car owners.

 

???

So how many miles on the car?

Maybe Spark Plugs, maybe Loom,  could be anything,  

 

Xman has listed some it can be.

 

PS. EDIT.

Ok spotted the 24,000 miles.

 

Hopefully the last service was done with the Correct oil,  VW 502 00 or Long Life VW 504 00.

*Check the Invoice or Receipt'*

Spark Plug /s  failing a possibility.   But anything is possible.

 

all the best.

Edited 26 October, 2014 by goneoffSKi

[danebrewer10]

Thanks for the help guys, at least I can ask some questions now. I'll post again when I know what the issue was.

Thanks

D

[Ootohere]

Sorry i had not spotted you were a new member.

Just spotted in the Introduction page.  Welcome.

 

Is the car an 'Approved Skoda Used Car ?'

Did you get a 12 month Warranty with it?

 

Ask the Skoda Dealership, or better still, maybe call Skoda UK Customer Services and ask if the Car has had any Warranty Actions 

required, and if there are any Service Campaign Field Actions required on the car.

 

george

Edited 26 October, 2014 by goneoffSKi

[danebrewer10]

Hi again, I got the car to the dealership the week after i broke down, it turned out that it was indeed the HT lead on No 1 cylinder that had broken down and causing a misfire, seems that the computer thought it severe enough to have a major melt down. Anyway, all fixed now so i'm happy.

 George, nah, I only got the 3 mth warranty that comes with it, i didn't think to ask to get an extended warranty....and yes, I got it from Birchwood Skoda in Eastbourne (i guess that means it's approved :p ) , I didn't think to ask about any recall issues either, maybe i'll give them a ring to ask next week.....

 

Thanks for the help!