Loss of Power (and malfunction light)

[guest5841]

Hi everyone,

First of all, please forgive me if I'm doing some repeating: I've done a bit of googling for this issue and have seen things similar to my problem, but I'm almost clueless when it comes to car mechanics, so I don't know if they're the same.

I've got a 54 plate Jazz 1.4 with extremely low mileage (when we acquired the car from grandparents in Sept 2014 - its tenth birthday - it ticked over 25,000 miles when we were collecting...!) - we've added about 8,000 miles since. It's a cracking car to drive, way better than the new cookie-cutter Corsa I learned in, and rather nippy too!

Yesterday I experienced a loss of power and the malfunction light appeared. The car sort of trundled at low revs regardless of what I did with the throttle. I stopped the car and tried starting it again, and it ran normally. This has happened five or six times since in about 8 miles of driving in traffic yesterday and today. I understand that the Jazz operates on a "drive by wire" system of sorts, so I figure there's an issue which is causing the computer to restrict the throttle - but I don't know beyond that.

I will of course take it to the garage - but was just wondering if others had experienced this and what I might have to pay to have it put right?

Cheers!
Dave

[VicW]

I think you will find that a 54 plate Jazz has a cable throttle not a 'fly by wire' one so the fault is something else and has probably produced a fault code accessible using a code reader.

I have no doubt that someone on here will come in with more in-depth knowledge.

Good luck Dave.

Vic.

[guest5589]

I think only last week someone had experienced a similar episode. I do believe some 2004 cars including mine have electronic throttle body. The guy who had similar issues mentioned something of a wire that is near the throttle body that gets damaged and once fixed, his issue was resolved. I might be completely out of my head so let me check that thread and report back

[guest5589]

yeah it wasn't exactly this problem but was relevant to throttle body: http://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=7641.0
do you have a code reader? you need to get some codes that must be stored in the ecu before you can begin the diagnosis.

[guest5840]

When was the TBC (throttle body cleaning) done in your car. Since they vehicle has been driven less (25000 + 8000 miles), it might be accumulated dirt requiring TBC.

Another issue causing this missing could be worn out spark plugs. Remeber, i-DSI motor deploys 2 spark plugs per pot which fire at different timings calculated by throttle position and RPM, leading to better combustion of fuel-air mixture. The recommended replacment schedule for my Honda City (Fit Airia) 1.5 i-DSI is 40,000 KM (about 26,000 miles). Please check the service log if all the 4 pairs were replaced while your Jazz was still owned by your grand-parents. Apart from these, I do not think issue could be with anything else with what I understood from your post. Hope this helps.

Thanks.

[guest1372]

If you get an OBD-II code reader, and plug it in (above the pedals near the centre console) you will find out what is causing the MIL to light. They are cheap, and worth keeping in the glove-box, an enthusiastic neighbour is likely to have one.

I have one suggestion based on past experience, although it could be many other things ignition / throttle related.
Once after giving the engine bay a detailed clean I dislodged a connector that only came slightly loose two weeks later lighting the MIL. It was an ignition coil sensor wire, and meant I could only drive at tickover revs, any higher was a spluttering mess. These connectors may look snug but could be loose, ensure they are fully clicked into place, only the first one at the front is accessible without removing the cover, plugs at the rear of the block are less easy to reach.

Also check connectors around the throttle body are secure. (It's not something that is usually disturbed in routine servicing, or ever taken off for cleaning, and it is fly-by-wire on this car)

The fault mentioned by legend-ary P0221 & P0121? Engine light and erratic idle is quite possible (yellow/green wire broken in conduit) so check in blue circled area as well (wiggle it about is all really).

It may also be a coil pack, especially if the car seems to be running on three cylinders, a code reader should tell you which one.

So in summary: Connectors, plugs, coil packs, wiring.
Complete set of coil packs is expensive when it may only require one, so don't let a garage persuade you otherwise.

--
TG

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[guest5841]

Thank you all for your replies; inevitably some of what you've said has gone straight over my head - a garage visit awaits... But I'll bear what you've said in mind. I hit a couple of inconspicuous speed bumps a bit harder than I intended on New Year's Eve - every chance I've worked something loose on those.

I might invest in a code reader, though - just for my own future reference.

Thanks!
Dave

[MaxFrames]

I might invest in a code reader, though - just for my own future reference.

Seriously do that. It might have saved me hundreds of quids by allowing me to narrow down the hunt for a failing coil to one cylinder.

[guest5826]

I would also recommend a code reader.  They are cheap and easy to use.  It helped me narrow my problem and with the help of this forum find the problem.  Mine was a broken wire coming between the throttle body and the ECU.  It produced the same sort of problem you experienced.  Mine is also a 2004.