Mitsubishi Carisma - poorly :o(

I've got an X-reg (2000) Carisma 1.8 GDI Equippe Auto (4G93 engine) that's playing up.

Symptoms are:

When starting from cold, instead of just sitting at a fast idle the revs go up to about 2500 then drop to about 800, then go up, then go down, up, down etc., etc., oscillating between the two values for about 20 seconds, then it settles to about 1000.

Putting it into either "D" or "R" the revs drop right off and it almost stalls. Sometimes it does actually stall.

On moving off, the car accelerates to the point where the auto box wants to change gear but during the change the engine races (on a manual box it would be like putting your foot down on the clutch but without lifting your foot from the accelerator) so that there's a jerk as it engages the next gear.

When the engine reaches normal running temperature most of these things disappear and the car drives OK. The only thing that remains at normal temp. is the stalling. Sometimes, waiting at traffic lights for instance, I'll have the car in Neutral. When the lights change and I put it back in gear, the revs drop off and it almost stalls - sometimes it does stall. And sometimes, when approaching junctions, it'll stall before it comes to a stop.

It's done 50,589 miles and had the transmission fluid dropped, box flushed out and new fluid in, along with cambelt change and everything that should have been done on the 54,000 mile service, nine months ago at 45,490 because the dealer said that it was 54,000 or 5 years, whichever came first.

I rang a mechanic today who's going to have a look at it on Wednesday, but describing the above to him on the phone, he reckons it could well be the Idle Control Valve Stepper Motor - what do you guru's on here think?

Cheers,

Fred

Reply to
Fred
Loading thread data ...

To me, that sounds like a good diagnosis over the phone :) From your description, the Idle Control Valve would be the first thing I'd check.

Tony

Reply to
Tony Bond

Also for vacuum leaks, given its got a boucning idle..

Be aware that these GDi units are not the last word in reliability, and dont take to gentle / slow driving at all- they get coked up with ease. Given your low milegae, how has the car been driven?

Tim..

Reply to
Tim..

Thanks Tony, that's made me feel better. Now I presume I'll just have to sell a kidney to afford the new parts :o)

Fred

Reply to
Fred

Hmm... we bought it with 29,957 on the clock and although I cane it a bit (I'm used to the power of my 3.0 Nissan QX) when I'm driving it, it is my wife's car and she does tend to be slow and gentle so you may have something there Tim.

Cheers,

Fred

Reply to
Fred

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.