hello

i recently bought an 09 ford fiesta edge, ive noticed a problem when braking. when im approaching a t junction and use the brake very gently the car slows down but then for no reason it gathers speed again as if ive lifted my foot (which i havent). there are no revs going to the engine.

it the same sensation you get when you put the clutch down (coasting) but the clutch is up, you can feel the car getting away from you until you apply more pressure.

i wasnt sure if the brake pads are releasing or there is some clutch issue ie the engine braking stops as if the clutch is down.

the reason this problem is very worring for me is because i have just started driving school business, and a learner could struggle to control the car when braking gently.

any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated

thanks

tom

A quick way to test the clutch is to either try a hill start or moving away with the handbrake on. You should soon know if the clutch is slipping.

I would have thought it's more likely brakes if anything. Does the car speed up and slow down in pulses or just once?

personally i would check the brake pads see what condition they are in and change them if needed i would also bleed the brake fluid

A quick way to test the clutch is to either try a hill start or moving away with the handbrake on. You should soon know if the clutch is slipping.

I would have thought it's more likely brakes if anything. Does the car speed up and slow down in pulses or just once?

its very intermittent as you gently slow down, the car then speeds up until you apply more pressure, there are no rev from the engine. it feels like your free wheeling. very odd. ive got it booked in for a check up as its still under warranty

its very intermittent as you gently slow down, the car then speeds up until you apply more pressure, there are no rev from the engine. it feels like your free wheeling. very odd. ive got it booked in for a check up as its still under warranty

I would imagine its a braking issue then and they are not grabbing uniformly as the disc rotates, then as you add more pressure, the pads pull in more and the effects are not noticeable.

thanks for the comments , hopefully it will be sorted when it gets checked next week.

At what sort of speed are you talking about and also what gears does it happen with?

At what sort of speed are you talking about and also what gears does it happen with?

any gear as you come to a stop the moment before the engine starts to struggle and you would press the clutch, just as your about to press the clutch it speeds up, its very strange feeling

Is this a petrol or diesel?

Is this a petrol or diesel?

deisel 1.4

deisel 1.4

I don't wish to sound patronising, but have you driven a diesel before?

Diesels have a lot more torque and bottom end power, a diesel is a LOT more resistant to stalling than a petrol. Its completely normal for a diesel car to "push" back at you as its nearing the idle limit and about to stall.

Of course you might have experiences with diesels and what you have is above and beyond that, but a diesel will fight you when a petrol would just stall.

Agree with alexp999

I have the Titanium 1.6 tdci and will do the same.I think that the old teachings of engine braking does not work anymore,as new cars have had anti stall feature fitted.As stated diesel will kick back at you (kangaroo).

Hope this helps.

Agree with alexp999

I have the Titanium 1.6 tdci and will do the same.I think that the old teachings of engine braking does not work anymore,as new cars have had anti stall feature fitted.As stated diesel will kick back at you (kangaroo).

Hope this helps.

Engine breaking actually works better in a diesel as the engine is heavier, its only when you get below 1000rpm and it resists a stall that it starts having the opposite effect.

I don't wish to sound patronising, but have you driven a diesel before?

Diesels have a lot more torque and bottom end power, a diesel is a LOT more resistant to stalling than a petrol. Its completely normal for a diesel car to "push" back at you as its nearing the idle limit and about to stall.

Of course you might have experiences with diesels and what you have is above and beyond that, but a diesel will fight you when a petrol would just stall.

yeah ive driven diesels, just as the revs drop below a 1000 it goes idle, changes note and picks up speed meaning you need to brake more or you will over shoot a t junction. o trid to emulate the same thing in my wifes car focus diesel and it doesnt do it.

yeah ive driven diesels, just as the revs drop below a 1000 it goes idle, changes note and picks up speed meaning you need to brake more or you will over shoot a t junction. o trid to emulate the same thing in my wifes car focus diesel and it doesnt do it.

Its done it in all the diesels I have driven, I have usually put the clutch down before 1k RPM. My dad always used diesels for his driving school, for the very reason that it's much harder to stall them.

Still worth checking out if you are unsure though :)

I use engine braking a fair bit, drop to second just before a junction and it reduces speed without braking and allows a smoother pull away as the traffic moves again.

In slow moving traffic or around car parks with your feet off all pedals just sit in first and the car will crawl nicely.

Try that in a petrol and you'll stall every time.

It's quite good fun going up gentle hills in low gear and no pedals feeling the car actually pick up speed, a petrol definitely won't do that.

It's quite good fun going up gentle hills in low gear and no pedals feeling the car actually pick up speed, a petrol definitely won't do that.

Mine does - I've pulled away in heavy traffic on a steep hill then let go of the gas, car slows down a bit obviously but before stalling it compensates for it and carries on moving on its own. Weird sensation, but it manages it!

In slow moving traffic or around car parks with your feet off all pedals just sit in first and the car will crawl nicely.

Try that in a petrol and you'll stall every time.

The anti stall feature in the current Fiesta lets you do this in petrol engine's. i just tend to cover the pedals just incase it decides not to work one day

I must say, in over 2 years - it's not stalled once.

i think what im experiencing is the anti stall, i had no idea my fiesta had it, and ive never experienced it before. i just tried it out on a quite road if im in 3rd gear the car will not slow down below 30 mph. it drives it self. thats why if im stopping in 3rd or 4th gear the car accelerates as im slowing. doh

i think what im experiencing is the anti stall, i had no idea my fiesta had it, and ive never experienced it before. i just tried it out on a quite road if im in 3rd gear the car will not slow down below 30 mph. it drives it self. thats why if im stopping in 3rd or 4th gear the car accelerates as im slowing. doh

Most diesels will generally do that anyway, maybe it's just more prominent with the anti stall feature.

On 10/20/2012 at 8:58 AM, alexp999 said:

Most diesels will generally do that anyway, maybe it's just more prominent with the anti stall feature.

What revs does the anti stall feature kick in or stop at?

As sometime in 2nd the will keep adding revs then lets go and adds some more. It will keep kangrooing until i put clutch in. 

Which odd i have had it at different revs. 1800 then today at 1500. It kept going below 1500 then revs above then cut the power so it back under 1500 then revs again. 

I thought anti stall but different revs and only 2nd. I also know than you can go around on idle in 1st and 2nd gear. 

I got mk7 1.6 dtci fiesta if that matters.