Car cuts out after starting

veganrun

My car is in the garage getting a coolant leak fixed. The leak is fixed but they seem to have caused some other issue now where the car won't run. They told me it starts but then cuts out after a few seconds. They thought it was a timing issue but that is apparently ok now. This leak was a big job to fix as the seal was hard to get at and I think the timing belt had to be taken off etc.

Any idea what might be causing this? The car is not even 3 years old and was running fine before (apart from the coolant leak) and I'm wondering have they caused some serious damage to it or something.

George Dalton

What kind of car is it?

mickdw

They have surely left a sensor unplugged or damaged a wire to a sensor.
They would hardly be silly enough not to have put the airbox back fully before trying to run it.

veganrun

Ford Fiesta

Seth Brundle

Have they not read it for fault codes?

Atlantic Dawn

Is it petrol or diesel?

turbostan

Sounds like a possible immobiliser problem, have you left the original key with the garage, and not just a blank spare?

veganrun

It's a petrol car and they have the original key.

I'm not sure if they've read the diagnostics thing, I'd like to think they have. I've one of those flipping things myself, they're not expensive!

marvsins

Had similar issue few weeks ago with my focus. Incorrectly fitted fuel filter was the problem. Worth checking.

veganrun

Don't have the car back yet. The garage phoned me today to say the Ford engineer is working on it and he's going to replace the crankshaft sensor, although he said it didn't report a fault. Kind of sounds a bit like guesswork!

Don't know if a faulty crankshaft sensor would cause this issue?

irish bloke

Bet the mechanic is sorry he took that job on...:p

mickdw

This is starting to sound dodgy.
Is there any possibility that they have actually crashed your car and are having it repaired?

Have you been in with them since and seen the car?

veganrun

Yeah I've been down at the garage and saw the car last week. I didn't walk around it or anything but could see it on the lift with the bonnet open. I don't think there's anything dodgy going on, just bad luck and a mechanic who's missed something.

I will probably call them today and float the idea of getting a replacement car for good.

irish bloke

mickdw wrote: »

This is starting to sound dodgy.
Is there any possibility that they have actually crashed your car and are having it repaired?

Have you been in with them since and seen the car?

Thats a bit out there dont you think!! - What gives you the impression its dodgy??

I get the feeling they genuinely made an error when correcting the cooling leak that they cant diagnose. - it does happen

veganrun

I just phoned them there now. The Ford guy spent all day looking at it yesterday and they're still not sure what the issue is. They're going to replace this sensor and they're contacting Ford as well to get assistance so let's see. He said the car sparks and sometimes doesn't and they've checked the fuel filter, injector etc.

I agree with the previous poster in that I think it's something they've overlooked when fixing the leak and it's probably something small and stupid. It's just a bit frustrating that is taking so long. He seems confident enough of getting the car back running like it should, although I did mention that we might need to consider replacing the car.