Keep stalling my car.

Emilyk698

Hi,

So I passed my test 7 years ago but didn't drive for the first 3 years after that because I couldn't afford a car. When I finally got one I was nervous for maybe the first two weeks and I think I only stalled about once. After that I drove for a year and a half with no problems what so ever. I didn't even think about driving it was just so natural and it was an old petrol ford Ka.
Since then I have moved to Italy and haven't driven for a year. I got a car about 3-4 weeks ago a Fiat Punto 2003 petrol which had an MOT the day I bought it and all was fine although on a car this old I can't believe it passed.
Anyway a few days after driving it fine I noticed the clutch pedal was very stiff to the point where it jerked when I tried to raise it causing me to stall. I got so nervous on the road and I'm still learning the language so it's hard to just pick up the phone.
For what ever reason I do not know, the clutch pedal went back to normal? I had no problem driving it for the next few days then I started to stall ALL the time. Some days it's completely fine and other days I can stall 3 times in the one spot. It's made me so anxious when driving that I don't know if that's just making it worse.
Basically I don't know if I'm just really bad at driving this car or there could be a problem. Does anyone have any advice?
I don't want to take it to a garage and they just tell me it's me not the car.
I've also tried practicing to get used to the car and manage to pull away fine each time so I don't know why I can suddenly stall at random times when I actually go out on public roads.

robotrobo

Emilyk698 wrote: »

Hi,

So I passed my test 7 years ago but didn't drive for the first 3 years after that because I couldn't afford a car. When I finally got one I was nervous for maybe the first two weeks and I think I only stalled about once. After that I drove for a year and a half with no problems what so ever. I didn't even think about driving it was just so natural and it was an old petrol ford Ka.
Since then I have moved to Italy and haven't driven for a year. I got a car about 3-4 weeks ago a Fiat Punto 2003 petrol which had an MOT the day I bought it and all was fine although on a car this old I can't believe it passed.
Anyway a few days after driving it fine I noticed the clutch pedal was very stiff to the point where it jerked when I tried to raise it causing me to stall. I got so nervous on the road and I'm still learning the language so it's hard to just pick up the phone.
For what ever reason I do not know, the clutch pedal went back to normal? I had no problem driving it for the next few days then I started to stall ALL the time. Some days it's completely fine and other days I can stall 3 times in the one spot. It's made me so anxious when driving that I don't know if that's just making it worse.
Basically I don't know if I'm just really bad at driving this car or there could be a problem. Does anyone have any advice?
I don't want to take it to a garage and they just tell me it's me not the car.
I've also tried practicing to get used to the car and manage to pull away fine each time so I don't know why I can suddenly stall at random times when I actually go out on public roads.

It sounds like its the car at fault to me!, why don't you let another positive driver use it for a trial run , you sound confident enough to me , maybe you really know it's the car, get a second opinion.

mad_rich

Some elimination:

Does this 'jerkiness' happen when the engine is off? How about when it's running, but in neutral and stationary?

Was you last car petrol or diesel? And every clutch feels different - even to experienced drivers.

One thing that can happen when stalling is that the violent movement of the car actually throws your foot off the pedal, which makes the stall worse.

Can you find a nice empty car park, and do some practising/ experiments?

colino

It would be good to have someone else have a drive to see if they too have a problem with it, could just need a replacement clutch cable.

Strider590

Sounds like something needs a proper application of lubrication.

Also though, on small Fords the clutch is very soft and forgiving (I personally hated it), so you've gone from something that's been designed to compensate for poor clutch control, to something completely different.

Emilyk698

Thanks for all your feedback!

I think I will get someone else to try driving it. I just haven't before because I was sure I just needed to get used to the car but it's been 3 weeks now.

Nothing happens to the car when it's off or in neutral. It all seems fine and sometimes I can just pull away very smooth without any problems and I don't feel I'm doing anything different when I do stall.

Yeah maybe my Ford was very forgiving compared to this. I have to say it's totally put me off Fiats.

Seems more practice and a second option is needed!

Thanks.

Emilyk698

Sorry Mad_rich I just realised what you meant.

Yes the clutch was still stiff and jerking up when the engine was off or in neutral standing still. It was impossible to drive at that point but only lasted a few days. I don't know if because it was sitting in a garage for a while before I bought it had anything to do with it.