Stalling all of a sudden

mk_lon · November 22, 2016

Hi Guys,

Something very odd happened today. I started my is250 auto this afternoon (parked all night) and the car stalled. I pressed the start button again and after a few seconds it finally restarted. I revved the engine for a bit and it was fine. Any ideas to what it could be?

I noticed the car spluttering when starting a few days ago and revs dropping once started before I move off but I thought it was due to the cold weather.

No error or lights on dash either

Edited November 22, 2016 by mk_lon
Forgot to add some information

johnatg · November 23, 2016

Clutching at straws here - what mileage are you at, and have the plugs been changed if (well) over 60K?

Possible alternatives - dirty fuel (what brand?), clogged air filter, very short previous journey (maybe just moving it on your drive?), clagged up throttle body or idle speed control.

I'd try and give it a good blast. When was your last MoT? What were the HC and CO figures (fast idle and natural idle), if you got the print out, and how do they compare with the previous year's?

is200 Newbie · November 23, 2016

Battery?

The reason I have mentioned this is that when I was doing my exhaust recently I had disconnected the Battery while welding on the car. With the Battery re-connected and when initially starting the car, it started, spluttered and died. Starting it a second or two later its back up and running as normal. Every time I disconnected and re-connected the Battery this happened.

So it may be a loose lead, water around the terminals, old Battery?

Just a thought on what it could be...

lex28 · November 23, 2016

Im also thinking Battery as well...mine were having same symptoms as yours and it's turned eventually the Battery was on its way out.

When was your Battery last changed if you know at all?

Plugs maybe too?

mk_lon · November 23, 2016

Hi guys,

Thank you all for coming back to me :-

Current mileage is 67,940. When i bought the car last year i recalled seeing an invoice from lexus for the plugs for the 14 service. I bought it with 63k and a full lex service history.

I fill up with shell, although last tank was BP. The Battery was changed last year too.

I usually do a short journey in town with a load of start stop. Worth mentioning that its due for a service in december and the Mot is in jan.

On the day before it stalled there was a load of smoke coming out when I started it and I could smell egg, although this has not happened again.

I'll check the HC and CO figures (fast idle and natural idle) and get back to you.

I did give it a bit of a thrashing today in the paddle shift manual mode, but my journey was only 20mins which is very typical of the driving I currently do.

I was thinking of getting a carbon clean but local indy advised me not to due the age of my car because they have seen quite a few cars my age get leaks after carbon cleans resulting in big bills.

is200 Newbie · November 23, 2016

There was a post on here a while back, I have had a look but cannot find it - it turned out to be failed cats in that occasion and the indication of that was a smell of rotten eggs from the exhaust. Just googled it and it can be a result of this.

Also a fuel sensor that's on its way out.

Try changing the fuel brand and see if that helps as it seems to have happened after the fuel was changed. It you get concerned about the cats they take it to a garage to have an emmissions check and that will rule them out as being the culprits.

johnatg · November 24, 2016

Hmm..this is shaping up to sound like cat and/or sensor problems which are typical of cars driven only around town, rarely getting up to proper operating temperature and certainly not heating up the cats properly. You need to operate at mid-range revs at least for decent periods to do that.

My suggestion to take it for a blast holds, but first I suggest you run the fuel down to less than a quarter tank and stick a bottle of Cataclean in. This works wonders with clogged up cats and is available from Carparts4less via eBay for less than £10. My car is at a somewhat lesser mileage (59K) but is rarely driven in town - if I am doing less than about 7 miles I use my wife's Mii - that gets up to full temp round town in less than 2 miles. My IS250 passed its MoT this week but my emissions figures show deterioration from last year (0.01% CO vs 0.00% last year and 12ppm HC vs 4ppm at fast idle, 0.01% CO vs 0.00% at natural idle). These figures are nothing to worry about yet but I have a bottle of Cataclean arriving today!

By a blast I mean at least 50 miles on a motorway at 70 or a spirited drive in the country on clear roads. I suggest you lock it down to 4th gear with S mode during this drive. And afterwards, fill up at least once with Shell V-Power. Other top flight fuels from other brands are OK too, especially Texaco. BP Ultimate and Esso whatever tend to be super expensive (I run my car on V-Power all the time)

mk_lon · November 24, 2016

Thanks John and Newbie,

Makes sense, I'll definitely get some cat clean and give it a trip.

I remember there was a recall on the fuel pressure sensor a few months ago (mine had it done too). Do you reckon that has something to do with it?

Thanks once again for shedding some light on this.

johnatg · November 25, 2016

Always just possible I suppose but extremely unlikely that the fuel pressure sensor recall work would have caused a problem - they only replaced a washer and one would hope that a Lexus mechanic would be able to put the thing together again correctly.

This is the Cataclean stuff you need - a bottle arrived for me yesterday:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291497349744?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

normski2 · November 25, 2016

Given the mileage you mention.

I'd also do a solvent clean of the MAF sensor on the uptake pipe from the air filter box. If only to remove it as a potential issue. A dirty MAF wire can cause rough idle and lumpiness. Just unplug it, unscrew and pull the whole item out and thoroughly spray with contact cleaner, leave to dry and pop it all back together.

There are loads of Vids on Youtube about MAF cleaning if you are at all unsure

Something like this will do

mk_lon · November 25, 2016

Thanks Normski,

I have noticed the responsiveness and mpg drop in the last few months. Even when I drive like a granny around town I only manage at best to get 22mpg

Just waiting on the Catclean to arrive then I plan to do the MAF clean asap, hopefully it might cure the above.

ahmedali44 · November 25, 2016

Since my is250 only got 45k on clock is it worth using cataclean.getting no issues just a thought if I add it would it make any difference on mpg???? hardly use it during week only gets used weekend. do u just add to fuel tank and go on motorway as will b going over Xmas.

johnatg · November 25, 2016

It won't do any harm. It might be snake oil but I do think it helps the cat to stay clean. It recommends usage 3-4 times a year, although I rarely put it in. I don't think it will improve mpg if the cat is fully functioning as it should but it may if the cat is getting clogged up (which you probably wouldn't know about anyway if it's only slight)

You are supposed to add it to about 15 litres of fuel (1/4 tank or so) then 'drive normally'. I reckon motorway is best - then the cat is fully up to temperature and will stay there for a prolonged period. Idling in traffic isn't going to do much good.

I think it's worth a tenner..