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1.1 Citroen Saxo 1999 - Cutting out and then not even ticking over to start again! - alison4chris
Hello please could someone help!

We have bought a saxo as a runner to and from work.
We noticed a few hours after purchasing that the engine just cuts out as we where coming upto a junction. With it being a oldish car and that the previous owner had had it sat on the drive since November we put this down to dirt going through the system and thought little of it. HA!
Then the next day it did it again but this time the car was just stationary whilst my partner was waiting for me outside a shop. However it just started again without a hitch, although sometimes in the cold we need to keep the throttle on for a few minutes to keep it ticking over. This morning as we scrapped the ice off the car, it cut out after starting first time, again as usaul the car started straight up again... once we begain to drive out of the carpark it did it again this time failing to start at all... not even ticking over! We have a feeling this may be down to the ECU but only bought the car as a cheap run around so not spending £500 on a new ECU.. thats almost what we paid for the car! Please can someone give me some good news or other possible problems i could look at before the ECU?

Edited by Pugugly on 22/02/2010 at 09:02

Saxo problem. - madf

It almost certainly is NOT the ECU.

You have either a wiring fault - a bad connection or a key sensor is malfunctioning. I would guess it is the cranshaft position sensor.

The major wiring connection underneath the battery tray is first port of call... it tends to get corroded connections .. or the cable to the ECU.

Try disconnecting and reconnecting them.. which may clear the corrosion on the connections if there is any..

The crankshaft sensor is best checked with a multimeter.. At that point I run out of expected voltages etc...


My personal "guess" is the crankshaft sensor...

Edited by Pugugly on 22/02/2010 at 09:03

Saxo problem. - alison4chris
Ok thank you Hopefully that will be the case! Although wen it started again for that short stint in between in was cutting out and catching again and all the lights were on on the dash including the airbag which was flashing... this i forgot to mention... I think we are going to have to get it towed to a garage for a dignostic if this fails... Thank you
Saxo problem. - Carl2

Bit late now but if it is single point injection the stepper / idle control is a known problem on these cars.