54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

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LMS13
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Drives: VW Polo 54 Plate 1.4 engine
Location: Kent

54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by LMS13 »

I have a 54 plate 1.4 VW Polo bought 2nd hand from a business seller 119k miles (yes I know it's a lot)
It has randomly started just cutting out when driving - my apologies if any of the below sounds obvious or stupid but I am not great with cars and would appreciate any help possible.

About 2 weeks ago I was pulling into a storage facility and the engine just cut out although the electrics etc. were all still OK. I managed to restart it after a couple of attempts including revving the engine. It's been absolutely fine until now so I thought maybe I had just stalled it. I did also just have the exhaust manifold replaced (no idea if that helps).

Today driving to work it happened again, I slowed to go over a roundabout and it just cut out so I manged to limp it over and turn hazards on, again after 2 attempts including revving the engine it started - I got 200 yards down the road, it happened again - this time I was just driving at about 30mph, it was when I pressed the brake to slow in traffic that it cut out. I called my recovery company who asked me to try and turn it over, I did but it just started then died immediately after - it did this 2 or 3 times. I left it turned off while I waited for the recovery mechanic, and thought I would try one last time - low and behold it started again and kept running with no issues, the engine sounds fine and after the mechanic got to me, there was no fault to diagnose - he drove behind me for about 25 minutes to check it didn't happen again and it didn't - so I got to work OK, parked up - tried turning it over again when there just in case and it's fine.

What worries me is if this happens again on the motorway/in busy traffic - does anyone have any idea what this could be please?

Thanks so much! :)
littlepolo
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Re: 54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by littlepolo »

Petrol or diesel?

There should be some fault codes. Do you have an OBDII scanner?
LMS13
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Drives: VW Polo 54 Plate 1.4 engine
Location: Kent

Re: 54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by LMS13 »

Petrol - no scanner yet - the mechanic guy didn't even plug it in when he came to me as the car was working fine... I'll get a scanner ordered though as I know they aren't that much money
RUM4MO
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Re: 54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by RUM4MO »

You are right in trying to nail this problem down and sort it out as trying to stay lucky is not a good plan.

First thing would be to check ALL vacuum lines for signs of splitting, especially any associated with the brake servo and its inline one way valve, check all round the areas where that horrible piping connects to other parts.

After that, if you are able, clean the Throttle Body and the area where the EGR valve gasses get passed into the Throttle Body area.
RUM4MO
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Re: 54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by RUM4MO »

A cheap scan tool might find something, getting it scanned with a more compliant VAG scan tool will always reveal more.
LMS13
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Drives: VW Polo 54 Plate 1.4 engine
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Re: 54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by LMS13 »

RUM4MO wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:40 am You are right in trying to nail this problem down and sort it out as trying to stay lucky is not a good plan.

First thing would be to check ALL vacuum lines for signs of splitting, especially any associated with the brake servo and its inline one way valve, check all round the areas where that horrible piping connects to other parts.

After that, if you are able, clean the Throttle Body and the area where the EGR valve gasses get passed into the Throttle Body area.
Thank you so much for that - I'll definitely get that looked into!
LMS13
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Drives: VW Polo 54 Plate 1.4 engine
Location: Kent

Re: 54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by LMS13 »

RUM4MO wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:41 am A cheap scan tool might find something, getting it scanned with a more compliant VAG scan tool will always reveal more.
I think the scan is definitely the first stop to getting it sorted - I just have to hope I get the car home OK after work!
RUM4MO
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Re: 54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by RUM4MO »

The other source of "no wanted air" is the EVAP system, if the EVAP valve or its final pipe was faulty you might get extra air when it was not expected.
flub136
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Re: 54 Plate VW Polo randomly cutting out

Post by flub136 »

LMS13, Hi, I would be very interested in any developments you have in trying to fix this problem. I have exact same model that's doing the exact same thing. It usually does this when cold and when I am accelerating. The car will just momentarily shut down as if the ignition has been pulled and fire back into life; very off-putting to those in the car as it throws you forward and back again. It also does the stall when pulling off a junction and is then a pig to restart and pull away without screaming the engine and slipping the clutch. My mate is a mechanic and plugged the computer in but no faults exist! Very frustrating. I replaced the temp sensor, cam sensor and then finally the crank sensor about 3 months ago to cure an earlier problem very similar to this but was mainly focused on rough running and not being able to start the car at all. It turned out it was the crank sensor in the end but the car has been fine until now. My mechanic mate reckons it could be Lambda sensor but I'm not convinced. He also suggested that water has got in somewhere and condenses when cold and shorts something out and then when the car warms up the water vaporises and the problem switches off. If I hear anything more I'll let you know.
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