Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 00:00
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - bridge.end

my picasso has started stuttering when driving, if i just lightly touch the accelarator its not to bad but if i give it power its as if its missing a spark or something like that, PLEASE HELP!!

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 09:31
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - craig-pd130

If you can answer a few questions, then it would help to narrow down the possibilities:

Is it petrol or diesel, and which specific engine does the car have?

How old is the car?

When did the symptoms start?

Does it stutter all the time? Only when the engine is hot? Or only when the engine is cold?

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 14:40
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - bridge.end

Hi, its a 1.8 petrol, 2001, the symptoms started a few weeks ago, just a stutter now and then, now its all the time, seems to be ok when its cold but as soon as its warm it starts stuttering , i dont know much about cars but it seems like its missing a spark or something like that.

Thanks

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 14:56
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - craig-pd130

It could be something as simple as the HT (spark plug) leads breaking down and needing replacing.

Do you have an engine temperature gauge in the car? Is that reading normally? It could perhaps be the engine coolant temperature sensor is dying too (quite common in cars as they get older)

Do you get any other symptoms like warning lights on the dashboard, or lights flickering? It could be worth checking and tightening the battery connections, and the point where the main earth lead from the battery connects to the car body.

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 15:18
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - bridge.end

temp is ok, and no warning lights, when its ticking over you can feel the revs dipping down to nearly the stalling point for just a second, it does this all the time when sitting, I will look at the HT leads, the battery is under the passanger seat (I think)

Thanks

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 17:25
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - craig-pd130

The other simple thing to try is the electrical connector to the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor, which is usually next to the airbox. With the ignition OFF, try unplugging it and then reconnecting it 4 or 5 times.

The pins in the connector can get dirty / a bit corroded. Unplugging and reconnecting can 'wipe' them clean.

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 17:30
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - elekie&a/c doctor

Ignition coil pack failures are a common fault on Citroen/peugeot models fitted with this engine.May be an idea to check the spark plugs as well.hth

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 18:20
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - bridge.end

Thanks All, I have been reading alot about the ECU having water damage / corrosion, is this a possibility too?? I'll try the above advice though

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Mon 17 Dec 2012 18:35
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - elekie&a/c doctor

There have been a few issues with water ingress into the ecu from capiliary action through the wiring from the engine coolant temp sensor.Get the basics checked first.

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Tue 18 Dec 2012 02:26
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - thuba6

More info:

Edited by BorisTheSpider on 18/12/2012 at 11:20

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Tue 18 Dec 2012 18:54
Citroen Xsara Picasso - Stuttering when pressing the accelaraotor down - bridge.end

Hi, took the coil pack off and it was very dirty / oily, cleaned up and put back on and it is running a bit better, I take it it would be a good idea to get a replacement coil pack, would it be worth getting a second hand one that looks better than my one??

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