Why does my car keep cutting out?

[Mr Pig]

It could be a lot of things but to be honest, is you don't know much about cars you'd be unable to check them. There are lots of sensors, hoses and valves that get gunked up, a clean usually sorts them. Problem being that you need to know where they are and how to clean them!

I wouldn't bother with the Hanes book of lies, it'll just confuse you even more.

 

[ComedyPilot]

There might be a problem with your foofer valve, or the doobery-wotsit.

Oh, go and see a garage. What do I know?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

lambda sensor.

La la la la la lambda....

love that song!

Know nothing about how cars work though

 

[gbb]

Splinge valve ?

 

[rich p]

Splinge valve ?

There's no need for that sort of smut

 

[Bigtwin]

MAF sensor/ECU error would be my bet, but hard to tell. Get it whacked on a diagnostic, or you can download the software and rig your own sensor if you are keen - google is your friend. Tons of Golf fora on the net.

 

[Over The Hill]

Start with the cheaper options-

1. Give it a good blast down a fast road (Italian Service)
2. Check the fuel filter (may be full of gunk that stops flow enough on tickover)
Both zero cost options.
3. Also then worth a check of the pipes (remember some bits work on suction so are pulling air in to make it conk out rather than spilling fuel out)
After that the bits get costly so if not cured best to get it diagnosed at a garage instead of wasting time and money on unsure options.

And some VW models had an auto cut out when the engine idled for more than a few seconds. It is annoying and most people switch it off, make sure (if you have it ) that it is not switched on by mistake.

 

[Black Sheep]

Start with the cheaper options-

1. Give it a good blast down a fast road (Italian Service)
2. Check the fuel filter (may be full of gunk that stops flow enough on tickover)
Both zero cost options.
3. Also then worth a check of the pipes (remember some bits work on suction so are pulling air in to make it conk out rather than spilling fuel out)
After that the bits get costly so if not cured best to get it diagnosed at a garage instead of wasting time and money on unsure options.

And some VW models had an auto cut out when the engine idled for more than a few seconds. It is annoying and most people switch it off, make sure (if you have it ) that it is not switched on by mistake.

and check the bloody plugs, sorted a friends polo out when it was having a similar issue

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks all - excellent suggestions! Helpful, hilarious, or both. As per...

 

[bonj2]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Why does my car keep cutting out?[/QUOTE]

Because it's shoot?

 

[Browser]

S'cooze me fer askin', but is it a petrol or diesel?

 

[beanzontoast]

Certainly on older cars...no reason for new cars to be any different, if the engine dies when you idle or slow down, that used to be a classic vacuum problem.
It was usually a split vacuum hose, or a hose that'd become disconnected.

Hopefully that'll be all swee'pea...an inexpensive fix.

+1. We had an old Polo years ago that exhibited the same thing. The pipe that had split was only about 4 inches long and no thicker than about 1cm wide. The engine, when idling, was 'hunting' (I believe that's what the garage guy called it, which I took to mean instead of running at a steady note, it was revving up and down) - and it kept stalling whenever the car stopped or slowed down quickly. Garage sorted it.

 

[peanut]

don't know anything about Golfs but if it is fuel injected then what you describe is the classic symptoms of a DME relay packing up.

DME relays control the fuel pump and fuel injectors

Its usually easy to repair them they just need the dry joints on the base resoldered . New ones are about £20.00

They are a double relay in a single tall can and they are the same one as the Porsche 944 if I am right.

If you could find someone else with a Golf you could just substitute their DME relay and try it.

Just found this thread about the problem read this before taking your car to the garage ,it could save you £100's
http://www.myvwlemon.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000239.html

Don't let a garage start bolting on lots of new parts like fuel filter and fuel pump etc because it is extremely unlikely to be a fuel starvation caused by these components, but its an easy way for garages to make money... replacing parts until something works.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks again. Um, it's petrol - GL ...is that fuel-injection? Don't know. Thanks for the link Peanut - I'll check that out. Must admit I haven't actually looked yet - been side-tracked by other things. But I'll try to find time this weekend.

 

[peanut]

well I guess it depends on how important it is to you to have a reliable working car eh !

If I were you i would put aside the 'other things' and sort your car out first before it lets you down.
I thought you said it was important .... it seems i waste my time once again....when will i learn my lesson