Citreon Picasso Flashing Engine Management Light + Misfire?

[sjw64]

Hi

Any advice greatly appreciated.

I have a Citroen Picasso 2001 Petrol 1.8 and the orange engine management warning light has started to flash, immediately followed by loss of power.

I don’t know an awful lot about cars but let me try to explain the symptoms:

Initially the light would flash followed by loss of power – it feels/sounds like it runs on one spark plug – rough! It would only last a couple of minutes, then everything back to normal. It can happen any time – on start-up, when running, hot cold etc

Now its constant and doesn’t go away so it stuck on the drive.

Worryingly I noticed underneath the car that the exhaust pipe (about where the hand brake is) and just before the pipe enters the first box it glows red hot after its being run for 5 mins.

Any idea’s?

I know it needs taken to a garage (is it still ok to drive there?) but Im trying to get an understanding wrong

Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

As the engine management light is on, it means that there is a fault code stored in the cars on board computer - which can be read by any garage with the suitable diagnostic equipment.
My guess is that a coil pack has failed, and as the unused fuel is passing into the exhaust it is being burnt there - hence the heating up.
John

 

[sjw64]

As the engine management light is on, it means that there is a fault code stored in the cars on board computer - which can be read by any garage with the suitable diagnostic equipment.
My guess is that a coil pack has failed, and as the unused fuel is passing into the exhaust it is being burnt there - hence the heating up.
John

Thanks Burnerman

The word coil pack seems to pop up a bit via google. My daughter has a friend who runs a garage with diagnostic machines who said they would plug his bits in to see whats wrong.

Is it safe to limp about six miles with it?

 

[Burnerman]

Theoretically I can't advise that - but I've done it many times before
There is a chance that the catalytic converter may get in the huff if you do, but again I've had no issues with that either!
John

 

[gregers]

check out this forum for other well known problems with these,

http://www.citroenpicasso.org.uk/picasso/