I recently bought a 2000 reg VW Polo 1.4 with 119000 miles on the clock. I have had it for almost a month.
This is my first car and I only passed my driving test in October.
In the time I've had it I have experienced some strange problems. Initially I was experiencing some intermittent loss of
power traveling along single and dual carriageways. The car just feels like it no longer wants to go, but dropping it down a gear
and putting my foot down a bit harder seems to push it through this phase and it continues as normal. We have noticed it seems
to do this more often when the fuel light flashes up, as thinking back to the day we got it, it barely had any fuel and was doing
similar things traveling down the motorway.
Two weeks ago it started with it's shenanigans on my way to work, about 40mins into the journey. I had just left a roundabout and
continued onto a single carriageway, attempting to get it up to speed. Upon shifting to 5th gear the engine started to lose power,and
the revs dropped. I did the usual and attempted to drop down a gear and accelerate a bit harder, but it continued to slow
down to the point it became dangerous (battery light also flashes up at this point), so I flipped the hazards on and pulled in. Strangely
the car did not cut out and once the coast was clear I was able to set back off and continue with my journey. However as a result of this
we put it into the local garage for a major service. We had all the spark plugs replaced, filters replaced, a FORTE engine flush and
complete oil change. The mechanic said he couldn't identify any problem in particular and hoped the service will have done the trick,
as it was most certainly due one. This was on Tuesday 4th Dec.
Yesterday was the first chance I had to really try out my car after it's service and initially it was driving perfectly. We ran
it up to the local store which is only a couple of miles away. We then drove to another shop where I waited in the car park with the
engine running while my partner ran into the shop. I'd say I was sat there for about 5mins when all of a sudden the engine cuts out.
Again it's battery light flashed up. On my first attempt to restart the car it didn't want to play, but fired up fine the second time
immediately after. I was then able to drive 7 miles to meet a friend and all the way back with no problems. Then later in the
evening I took my partner to work and it started with the engine pulling lark going up hill. By this point the fuel light had flashed back
up again. Then on my return home it chose to cut out in the middle of a roundabout and then again 3 miles up the road in the middle
of a right turn. It just seems really strange that it is losing power while the car is still in motion. My partner has asked me if I'm
sure I have got my co-ordination right with the clutch and accelerator and that I am not just stalling the car, and I can
safely say it is not my driving. Interestingly again, it did not do these things on my return home this morning after picking my partner up
and filling the car with half a tank of fuel. Though en-route to get him, it started to lose power driving up the dual carriageway, but I was
seriously in need of a fill up. We are going to try run the car without letting the fuel level get too low
to see if it's a fuel issue. Otherwise, any ideas? It's being temperamental traveling at high and low speeds and as mentioned before seems
to cut out after a while of idling.
In a nutshell, it seems to intermittently lose power when fuel level is low, but has also been cutting out in lower gears and speeds coming away from
junctions and around roundabouts and is becoming a worry to drive. Sorry for the essay!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
