This here Corsa 1.3 CDTi 90 has done this twice now.
Set off from home, 7C, about 3 miles down the road in a 30 zone, doing 30 in 4th the engine stutters, both times this has happened it does this 3 or 4 times over the course of half a mile or so, then the yellow spanner light comes on.
The rest of the journey is a small amount more 30MPH, then up onto a dual carriageway and 70MPH all the way.
Both times, it's never murmured at the 70MPH bit, and if I park up and restart, the yellow light has gone.
First time it did this it was due a service, garage didn't find a fault code, or if they did, they didn't report it to me.
It's been fine for 4 months since then, but happened again this morning, exactly the same circumstances. First time I thought it might have been the fuel filter or something but that was replaced in the service. It's at 31K miles now.
Any thoughts?
Edited by Pugugly on 15/04/2009 at 20:30
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Well the fault light is the Engine electronics, transmission electronics, electronic immobiliser, & diesel fuel filter fault light.
If it's a manual, then disregard transmission electronics. Likewise the electronic immobiliser as the engine is running (the light will flash and engine won't start if this were the problem).
That leaves engine electronics & diesel fuel filter. First place I'd check is the fuel filter to make sure there is no water in it. Then I'd go for a fault code diagnostic readout.
Not sure if this work on the Corsa-D (it does on the Astra-H), but worth a try. See if you can DIY read out the fault codes:-
Press down the brake and accelerator pedals and then turn the ignition on (don't start the engine). If any fault codes are stored you should get the code displayed where the mileage normally is.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 15/04/2009 at 11:27
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I don't get anything useful in the mileage display but the engine light (not the one with the spanner, the one to its left) flashes sequences when I turn on the ignition with brake and accelerator.
They're very hard to follow mind. I might need to use a flipping camcorder!
I _think_ this is what it's doing, there seem to be three distinct sequences:
L L L [sp] L [sp] S S
L [sp] L L L [sp] L L S
L L L L S [sp] L
Chuff know's if that's correct. L is the longer of the two flashes, S is a shorter flash and [sp] is a slight pause with no illumination.
Edited by GaryC on 15/04/2009 at 13:31
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>>They're very hard to follow mind. I might need to use a flipping camcorder!
I use the video feature on my mobile and count the flashes out loud, all happens too fast to write down!
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A bit more googling reveals there may be more than one code - this probably makes sense, I think there are three mixed up which confused me when I was trying to check back what I'd written down.
Nowhere mentions the short flashes though, I don't know what they're for or whether or not to count them.
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For each fault code you should get 4 numbers.
There should be a 1 or 2 second pause between each number in the four digit code that is flashed up.
for exampleP0110 - the light will flash ten times, pause for 1 or 2 secs, then once, another pause, once again, pause, then ten flashes.
See www.corsa-c.co.uk/forum/archive/index.php/t-134139...l for a full list of codes and info on the flash test.
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"it was due a service, garage didn't find a fault code, or if they did, they didn't report it to me."
Garage would`nt check for that Gary at a service. Why don`t you buy one of the basic code readers? I have a Gendan GCR05 EOBD/OBDII Fault Code Reader, which they are currently selling at £39.99.
Regards
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For what it's worth, SWMBO's Corsa D 1.2 (2007 petrol) started cutting out to the point where it had become dangerous to drive in traffic. Engine management light stayed on. Dealer diagnosed a faulty lambda sensor replaced under warranty and, apart from one or two coughs and stutters, it's behaved itself ever since. Not confident of a reliable motor though.
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right lets dispell some myths, you will not get any usfull info from the flashing light it means nowt on this vehicle (astra and zafi only and that brings the codes up as a number) if its a car with a spanner light then it will be a non emmision related fault which most (cheap) code readers wont look for, only high end code readers (2/3 k plus)would and only after prompting, if its a engine with a lighting bolt through it then it must be able to be read with any code reader by EU law, Regards TB
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right lets dispell some myths you will not get any usfull info from the flashing light it means nowt on this vehicle (astra and zafi only)
TB, I was going on the info posted on some of the Corsa forums which seemed to suggest that you could DIY flash up the fault code.
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i understand, but there is a lot of shall we say miss-information on the web, did not want to leave the man chasing shadows, there is only one way and thats a proper code read, take on board what the tech/mechnic says and report back for further infofmation,Regards as always TB
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Cheers guys. I've dropped it in to a garage this morning. We'll see what they have to say.
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Was the MAF sensor.
A bit annoying as it failed and was replaced by the same dealership about 18 months ago. Car wouldn't start that time.
How long are these things supposed to last. Not happy if it's going to be an 18 month consumable item!
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Pleased to see you found the problem.
To help the car a bit you might like to reconsider your driving. On a cold engine having only covered 3 miles or so at 30 mph 4th gear will be labouring the engine, 2nd or 3rd may be more appropriate depending on the incline. When an engine is cold it will not develop the same power or respond as well to the throttle and diesels generally take longer to warm up than petrols. Happy motoring
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Some thoughts
1) Diesels are not dependent on warming up to develop almost max power - during warm up throttle response is the same as when warm.
Petrol engines are less effective all round when cold.
2) Although garages who have invested thousands in diagnostic kit will (who wouldn`t) tell you that only this equipment will work - a basic code reader like the Gendan will read codes.
I know because I have one and it reads our Puntos, one with (basically) the same 1.3 diesel engine. That has a `spanner light`.
Point is, for the cost of a basic reader, you only have to get a result once to get your money back - contrasted with a professional code read.
3) MAF sensor should be an easy DIY job - can you trust an independent to fit an original manufacturers part?
4)Watch out when changing the air filter that crud doesnt get sent down the air intake pipe to contaminate the MAF. Doing it yourself, you would vac the clean (new) filter to remove any fragments from manufacturing - before fitting and then vac out the airbox.
5) It needs to be driven so it is in the torque curve at 30mph. Third sounds more like it.
6) Take it up to 4,000 revs though the gears when you can, use normal diesel from a major player, such as Shell and be sure its a main road outlet that gets lots of trade.
And this post is not `anti trade` but just pointing out that a lot of these things can be done DIY.
OP, your car has (by law) a diagnostic port in the cab that has not to have special tools to remove the cover. It`s typically removable using a coin and then you could borrow anyones basic code reader to read the system and see what is possible
Regards
Edited by oilrag on 17/04/2009 at 12:43
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er yes a code reader will tell you where the problem generally lies but the skill is interpreting what you are being told by the live data, thats the difference between a good garage and shall we say a not so good garage !
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