Help! Peugeot 207 Cuts Out/Stalls On Low Revs

JoJoPug_2

Can anyone assist a damsel in distress who has no clue about cars and not much money to keep forking out for costly repairs!

I have a Peugeot 207 (2006) 16v 1.4 SE petrol with 90,000 miles on the clock. The car has been perfectly fine up until the last couple of months. It passed its MOT in October.

The engine management light was coming on intermittently and then the car began to very occasionaly cut out/stall at low revs - such as approaching junctions and roundabouts, etc.

The garage did a diagnostic test and said it was MAP sensor. When they took it out, it didn't cut out at all and they couldn't really find anything wrong with it. The garage replaced it the MAP sensor and the engine management light stayed off for a week or so but then came on and the cut outs started again.

I have no trouble starting the car in any weather, even when it's been very cold, frosty, etc.

The car (touch wood) runs/drives absolutely fine when it is above 1000 rpm, as if there is no problem at all. It doesn't always cut out. Sometimes, i will stop at a roundabout, and the car will go down to 500rpm, slightly judder and then the rpm will go up and it won't cut out.

I've taken to temporarily dropping the clutch/restarting as soon as it dies and it drives fine as if nothing has happened.

I've looked online and am horrified to learn that this seems to be quite a common problem but haven't really found any answers.

Ideally, I'd like to go armed with info to my local garage. I don't want them to be trying this and that and for it not to solve the problem and me just spending out for the sake of it. And I DEFINITELY would prefer NOT to take it to my local Peugeot dealer who are nothing short of daylight robbers!

Just a bit of history on the car - I've had it since 2009 when it was 3 years old. Always had it serviced/sailed through all MOT's. This time last year it had a new earth wire put in as the bulbs kept blowing (another common problem). In summer last year (2013) i had to have the radiator replaced - i think this was possibly caused by hitting a pigeon about a week earlier on the motorway. Other than that, it's been the diagnositc test and the new MAP sensor. I also had new brakes fitted.

So, with all of the above in mind, can anyone help me? Has anyone had the problem fixed?

My friend has the exact same car as me and she also had the cutting out problem. She thought hers was caused by a loose pipe?? But not certain on that as she can't remember!!

I was kind of hoping it might be something like fuel filter, fuel pump, possibly the earth wire but i have no idea!! I am clueless!

captainawsome

If this is the same engine as fitted to a mini one (think it is) they suffer from air leaks from various places. But as they have no air mass meter they're hard to detect, with the MAP sensor showing faulty this indicates a possible leak, as the sensor may be doing its job right and reporting the pressure is too low/high and not be faulty at all. You may also see a before cat O2 sensor fault as it detects a lean/rich mixture depending where the leak is. Best was to find out is have the inlet and exhaust system leak tested with a smoke detector, this will find the slightest leak and is without doubt the best way to trace a small air leak.

forgotmyname

Thats the problem with code readers and some (mechanics).

Reader says MAP out of range and rather than investigate to see why the MAP maybe out of range they just replace it and charge you.

JoJoPug_2

Ah thanks guys! Will a garage likely be able to do this leak test with a smoke detector?

I checked my bill from the garage and the diagnostic test showed the O2 sensor fault and MAP problem.

Really appreciate your help. Hopefully it will work!

JoJoPug_2

captainawsome wrote: »

If this is the same engine as fitted to a mini one (think it is) they suffer from air leaks from various places. But as they have no air mass meter they're hard to detect, with the MAP sensor showing faulty this indicates a possible leak, as the sensor may be doing its job right and reporting the pressure is too low/high and not be faulty at all. You may also see a before cat O2 sensor fault as it detects a lean/rich mixture depending where the leak is. Best was to find out is have the inlet and exhaust system leak tested with a smoke detector, this will find the slightest leak and is without doubt the best way to trace a small air leak.

Just one question, if the car past its MOT (emissions test, etc.)would the emissions tests shown any leak from the exhaust, etc? As i said, i have no clue about anything related to motors so sorry if i seem a bit dim!

crispy_chris

I had this problem with my Peugeot 206.

Changed all sort of parts and sensors, in the end nobody could work it out. I got rid of it for a few hundred quid because I couldn't be doing with the hassle.

Hope you have better luck.

JoRowlingRocks

My Fiesta did the same thing, it turned out to be a holey pipe letting in air as someone mentioned above- it did take them quite a while to find out where the problem was, in the end I think they just spotted the hole by looking around. Since the pipe was replaced it's been fine!

JoJoPug_2

JoRowlingRocks wrote: »

My Fiesta did the same thing, it turned out to be a holey pipe letting in air as someone mentioned above- it did take them quite a while to find out where the problem was, in the end I think they just spotted the hole by looking around. Since the pipe was replaced it's been fine!

That sounds exactly the same as what my friend has as well. She said there was a hole in the black air pipe going into her engine. Can you remember if it turned out to be very expensive?

atrixblue.-MFR-.

could be a worn out vacuum or breather pipe.




I would also note it could also be the throttle position sensor and idle control sensor built into the throttle body or gunked up throttle body needing cleaning.

captainawsome

JoJoPug wrote: »

Just one question, if the car past its MOT (emissions test, etc.)would the emissions tests shown any leak from the exhaust, etc? As i said, i have no clue about anything related to motors so sorry if i seem a bit dim!

The emissions test may show a rich/lean mix as a result of an air leak but weather it passes or fails will depend on the size if the leak. As for finding where the leak is an emmissions tester would not be much help, it would just confirm it is there.

Modern engines are able to adapt to conditions such as slight air leaks, engine wear, poor fuel etc etc to keep the mixture where it needs to be, but if the leak becomes too big and the adaptation can no longer keep the optimum mixture you will then get an engine light on and fault codes relating. Unfortunately there is no pattern for air leaks on this engine, it could literally be any small seal, gasket, hairline crack. Please be patient with your garage as it may not be an easy fix. Best of luck

MoneySavingTipsNeeded

I am Having the same problem as above. did you figure out what the problem was?

It started this morning, just cutting out when i was slowing down in traffic but then it would start up straight away again.
happened about 5 times in a row and then was fine.
I've dropped it in the garage but was hoping you could let me know if you had got yours fixed.

Sorry if i sound abrupt, just massivly panicing as it's my first car and i have hardly any money so don't want to be spending a fortune on repairs that might not work.