I am wondering if anyone here has any suggestions, please

 

The car has had issues starting up over the past month or two. When I try to start the ignition, it will cut out or stall most of the time, unless I also press down on the accelerator pedal. It will also stall if I'm driving at low speeds from time to time, for example when in slow traffic, going up a hill or slowing at a junction. It also feels shaky/lumpy when idle and driving slowly but feels fine when I'm driving around at 30/40+.

It was serviced last April, and the timing belt was changed in November — these issues started a few days before this was done. I've not had any warning lights on the dashboard show up. It's 12 years old but has only done 48k miles.

I've taken it to a local garage and they ran diagnostics and didn't find any faults - they did, however, diagnose a misfire and changed the spark plugs and the ignition coils and although it did start better when picking it up, the car still stalled on the drive home at traffic lights, and again when I tried to start it the next time.

 

Any help is very much appreciated, thanks.

8 hours ago, TheDreamIsOver said:

Any help is very much appreciated, thanks.

What is the indicated idle speed? The symptoms sound like they could be low idle/ early cold enrichment cancel.

14 hours ago, Paws4Thot said:

What is the indicated idle speed? The symptoms sound like they could be low idle/ early cold enrichment cancel.

 

Thanks for the response, it's slightly under 1000 RPM

5 hours ago, TheDreamIsOver said:

 

Thanks for the response, it's slightly under 1000 RPM

Maybe not then,

Maybe fuel related? Has the fuel filter been changed recently. Could be partly blocked or at the moment here frozen.

Alasdair

Diesel can freeze but not petrol, unless it is full of water, highly unlikely in the UK.

Hello, welcome to the forum.

Did this problem start shortly after fuelling? If so, fairly rare, but it's possible you have picked up a batch of contaminated fuel. 

Thanks for the responses. The issue may have started just after fueling, but I'm not 100%. I'll use petrol system cleaner the next time I top up.

 

A friend has offered to change the fuel filter for me this week, so hopefully that will help. Looking over the service history book, it hasn't been done in at least 2 years

If it hasnt been done for at least two years it may be the problem. Enough fuel getting through for idle and low revs but not enough when you put the foot down. My old local garage when servicing changed all filters annually and not by mileage.  It only takes a fill up or two of dirty/contaminated fuel. I recently did my 08 1.9tdi and the fuel filter was almost blocked. It had a weird jelly like substance  in it which I eventually found out is a weird bacteria/algae diesel bug that can grow in diesel. Normally found in marine diesels. I also had in my old tractor. No idea where it came from although I normally get diesel for boith at our local garage who have recently had their tanks replaced???? Treated the system with a marine diesel additive and so far so good

Hope its as simple as a new filter

Alasdair

1 hour ago, Alasdair1 said:

If it hasnt been done for at least two years it may be the problem. Enough fuel getting through for idle and low revs but not enough when you put the foot down. My old local garage when servicing changed all filters annually and not by mileage.  It only takes a fill up or two of dirty/contaminated fuel. I recently did my 08 1.9tdi and the fuel filter was almost blocked. It had a weird jelly like substance  in it which I eventually found out is a weird bacteria/algae diesel bug that can grow in diesel. Normally found in marine diesels. I also had in my old tractor. No idea where it came from although I normally get diesel for boith at our local garage who have recently had their tanks replaced???? Treated the system with a marine diesel additive and so far so good

Hope its as simple as a new filter

Alasdair

 

Thanks - I hope so too! Will update the thread later this week with findings 

I have never changed a petrol fuel filter in my life. Back in the '60s I would take the diaphragm filter out of the old mechanical pump and rinse it with clean fuel but since the advent of modern cartridge filters, I have never bothered. I have never had a problem.

11 hours ago, Jocko said:

I have never changed a petrol fuel filter in my life. Back in the '60s I would take the diaphragm filter out of the old mechanical pump and rinse it with clean fuel but since the advent of modern cartridge filters, I have never bothered. I have never had a problem.

 

Unless you have symptoms of fuel starvation changing the petrol filter is a total waste of time and money.

The promised update: my friend and his colleague were able to change the fuel filter and clean the throttle body but sadly the problems are still there

 

"He is still leaning towards it being an air issue.

Cam sensor, temp sensor perhaps."

I'll have to get it back in a garage next week and I'll run the fuel cleaner through it this weekend, to see if that helps at all.