Hello Boys and Girls, Help - please. My Copen is on a 54 plate 73,000 miles and normally a good runner. New problem - it's a random one and the garage are struggling to nail it down. It is a random intermittent problem that we can't make happen on cue. The car hiccups, the engine cuts out for a fraction of a second - then comes back. The garage report: @ 0.5 seconds a loss of injector trigger from ECU. and @ 0.65 seconds a loss if ignition input and output from amplifier. But the ECU will not give them an error code. I have been told it is coming from the ECU and it is shutting everything down for a fraction of a second - then it comes back as normal. It happens sometimes 2 or 3 times in the first few miles of a journey, sometimes it never happens. It usually happens at very low revs and when gently accelerating. After happening the car drives as normal. There are no error codes on the ECU when the car is hooked up to a computer. Adam K has already made some good suggestions about sensor problems. 'Sensor problems seem to be a common culprit for this type of engine cut. Specifically Throttle Position Sensor , Crank & Cam position sensors.' Any other insight or help would be much appreciated - the car passed it's MOT today with no problems @ 8 years old and 73k miles. Thanks Really appreciate any help. Ceri
hi check for a sticking turbo gate valve or a blocked turbo pipe (vaccum) as this will cut the fuel as the ecu thinks there is a prob with the boost pressure hope this helps....
Hi Ceri, welcome to Copenworld. Let's us know how things turn out. Let's hope that getting access to the service manual & wiring diagram helps your mechanic sort your Copen.
Since there is no error code from the ECU, perhaps it is just a connection problem on the ignition signal? Wild guess.
dwayner This happened to me for about a week back in 2009, going by the same symptoms: i actually used the wrong fuel,and put normal fuel in it, instead of the high octane which i usually put into it. I took it to daihatsu centre, and they said similar things about ECU etc. But dissappeared and never came back when i went back to the 98 octane fuel.
Hi Dwayner Wow you live in a gorgeous part of the world - I bet your Copen loves it. I have always used normal fuel - but maybe a Tank of Shell Optimax might cure it. Thanks for the idea. Ceri
The hi octane fuel has not cured the problem Will check for a sticking turbo gate valve or a blocked turbo pipe (vaccum) next.
dwayner ceri, sorry it wasnt that - sticking turbo i havent heard anything like that, but use the high octane fuel all the time - i know its more expensive, but i have never used anything else, and im just clicking over 225,000 kms, and the dealer cant find anything wrong with it at the moment. It is much better for your engine, and if ever there was a car that needed constant and correctly timed servicing it is a Copen. Good luck with that problem - im really interested to hear what the mystery of it is when you locate the problem.
According to last weeks Fifth Gear programme on Discovery Channel. The best high octane petrol is Shell V Power. Gave the VW Golf GTI they tested with +5 BHP & helps keep the engine internals clean. However they concluded it wasn't worth the additional cost. I fill with high octane every fourth fill.
It was a Spark Coil problem So my engine cut out / hiccup was a Spark Coil issue. The Daihatsu Dealer could not trace it on their diagnostics kit, in the end a friend said change the spark coils. The Copen has 4 of them, and they cost in excess of £150 each new - luckily I used http://www.1stchoice.co.uk and a very good supplier in Cambridgeshire, FenLand Breakers, (contact Gary on 01354 651949) supplied me with 4 used ones for £67 inc delivery. They work No more cut outs or hiccups Car perfect. Fenland have 4 Copens if you need spares. A friend received a Copen Turbo off them and is very happy as well. So an engine cut out / hiccup that did not show any error codes on the Daihatsu Diagnostic kit was caused by a faulty spark coil. When the fault first occurred my car had 70,000 miles on it and it is on a 54 plate. Daihatsu UK had never heard of the problem before!
