Diagnosing a Fiesta problem over the phone

Hatter The Mad · 26 Mar 2009 at 19:25

MK6.

Going up a hill, car started to struggle. Dropped it down to second, it was still struggling and juddering as if it were about to stall. Dropped it to 1st, the same thing. Apparently it is jerky and 'revvy', and flooring it doesn't shift the car anywhere.

A burning smell whenever it is driven now (not 'electrical smelling', I am assured, but a bit 'rubbery').

No more juddering when driving on a flat, but haven't tested it on a hill yet.

Car is an 08 plate, done < 2k miles.

Any ideas what this could be? Could it be a faulty clutch?

Janesy B · 26 Mar 2009 at 19:38

Take it down to the dealer and get them to take a look at it under warranty. Sounds like a problem with the clutch.

Lum · 26 Mar 2009 at 20:00

My money would be on the clutch. Is the owner of this car a crap driver and/or previously owned an automatic?

Hatter The Mad · 26 Mar 2009 at 20:01

Lum said:
My money would be on the clutch. Is the owner of this car a crap driver and/or previously owned an automatic?

Recently passed their test (few months ago) - I wouldn't say a bad driver. The car is an 08 plate, has done < 2k miles.

mejinks · 26 Mar 2009 at 20:49

Hatter The Mad said:
MK6 Fiesta

yup, theres your problem right there.

Might be a loose/split vacuum hose? My Megane did this (although that had over 130k miles when they went)

Peter Diffey · 26 Mar 2009 at 20:52

The stuggling and juddering bit mentioned - would that really be the clutch?

Janesy B · 26 Mar 2009 at 20:58

Why is it only doing it on hills when under load, surely a vacuum leak is going to effect the car more.

mejinks · 26 Mar 2009 at 21:48

Janesy B said:
Why is it only doing it on hills when under load, surely a vacuum leak is going to effect the car more.

Not necessarily. If the pipe is split, when the engine is under load, the split will open further, which it might not do on the flat or when its not under load.

Janesy B · 26 Mar 2009 at 21:57

How would you explain the burning smell though?

mejinks · 26 Mar 2009 at 21:58

Janesy B said:
How would you explain the burning smell though?

said vacuum pipe has dropped onto or in close proximity to exhaust?

Berger · 26 Mar 2009 at 21:59

Taken the handbrake off?

Lethagized · 27 Mar 2009 at 03:57

This learner driver. Does she ride the clutch at all? Like keep it in gear at biting point at traffic lights and stuff? A lot of women do that! It's no good asking her as she will prob deny it. You need to go out for a ride with her and see for yourself if she does it or not. Did she buy the car brand new?

Malt_Vinegar · 27 Mar 2009 at 07:40

2k, new driver, burning smell, loss of power?

Clutch has got to be the first thing i would think about. Fingers crossed it's something simple though!!

Tesla · 27 Mar 2009 at 08:25

No fuel?

Fropome · 27 Mar 2009 at 09:33

Overlag · 27 Mar 2009 at 10:07

Hatter The Mad said:
Recently passed their test (few months ago) - I wouldn't say a bad driver. The car is an 08 plate, has done < 2k miles.

its still very new so any bad quality parts are only just showing themselfs. Im going to shoot myself in the foot now, but ive only ever had 2nd hand 3 year old cars and never had a problem. My mate has always got new cars on hirepurchase and almost everyone has had a fault or something. I mean his Bran new Focus ST had spring spacers still on it for over 2000miles before one snapped and started rattling around.

Hatter The Mad · 27 Mar 2009 at 12:24

Tesla said:
No fuel?

Qeffects said:
Immediately thought clutch - but 2k miles?!

That's what I am wondering too.

This learner driver. Does she ride the clutch at all? Like keep it in gear at biting point at traffic lights and stuff? A lot of women do that! It's no good asking her as she will prob deny it. You need to go out for a ride with her and see for yourself if she does it or not. Did she buy the car brand new?

She doesn't ride the clutch a lot - even if she did, 2k miles of clutch holding wouldn't turn the clutch into a sponge I guess. It is at the dealers - I'm sure whatever is up with it will be covered by warranty.

Hatter The Mad · 27 Mar 2009 at 23:05

Ok, dealers say there isn't anything wrong with the car... except a split coolant hose.

All I can think of is that that the car was overheating when under load (going up a hill) and doing its labouring and chugging.

:confused:

Janesy B · 27 Mar 2009 at 23:11

Suspicious Bryan is suspicious. I'd be very interested to see if that fixes it or not.