Problems With 2001 Avensis D4D

April 9, 2012

Hi folks,

After a long and not very happy relationship with a Land Rover 90 I recently (the end of February) bought me a 2001 Avensis GS D4D Estate. It's done 190k and has a full service history with a couple of garages, so I've no reason to think it's been abused and appears in good nick throughout. The only niggle has been the howling screech of a slipping belt from under the hood when cold (and only then when revs are applied) which may or may not be relevent...

All has been well until a couple of days ago and it's first long journey from Hertfordshire to Yorkshire. Approaching the 100 mile mark (70-80mph most of the way) I decided to pull off for refreshment. As I pulled into the services, the engine management light came on and the engine went into what I presume is a "get-you-home" mode. I got to McDonalds instead, and after eating the car fired up right away without the engine management light and got to the Yorkshire destination with no trouble.

The next day I tried to start it up to go driving in the dales and nothing happened apart from a faint click. The dash lights came on and then went off again in the usual fashion but the engine did not even turn over. I tried the fuse box (all ok), various combinations of remote clicking the central locking on and off (in case it was some sort of immobiliser problem) and leaving the actual final turn of the key for a few seconds. On about the 8th go it started with no labouring or puffs of smoke from the back, just fired as though nothing was wrong. I drove around for about 20 minutes and parked up in town. After 10 minutes (cashpoint and back) I got the same result, only this time it fired on the 3rd try.

This morning It took only 2 tries to fire, though I had let the handbrake off and was rolling gently forward down a quiet residential street when it fired. Significant (the first try was stationary)?

Biggest problems were saved for the journey home. After 60 miles the engine management light came back on along with the "get-me-home" low-power mode. This time I was still on the A1 rather than in a service area and travelling at usual motorway speeds. I pulled over and switched off the engine. After two or three minutes I tried switching on with the same results (first and second tries got nothing but a click, third time ok. Power back to normal). The engine management light/low power mode happened twice more (120 and 150 miles) with the same hassles restarting.

Hmmm.

I'd appreciate your thoughts as to possible causes before I go to a garage to spend money I haven't really got...

April 10, 2012

this sounds very like a problem i had two weeks ago, no EML but dashboard lights, central locking all working until last turn of the key then just a faint click and nothing else, i suggest checking earth lead, or as was the problem with mine which turned out to be a loose positive connection to the Battery leads(even though i check every thing weekly) meaning car received enough power to unlock and display dashlights but not enough to start the engine, once tightened up car started first turn and has continued to do so, probably loosened of by speed bumps/potholes, hope this helps,