Suzuki Wagon R+ DDiS: Starting Problems?

Hello forum,

I'm having a problem with my Suzuki. First, here are the most important details about the vehicle:

1.3-liter common-rail diesel engine with 71 horsepower (same engine as used in Opel Corsa, Astra, etc.), manufactured in January 2004.

The engine is not starting properly. When it's slightly warmer outside, it starts, runs at approximately 500 RPM, does not respond to acceleration, and then shuts off a few seconds later. There were no error codes stored in the engine's memory.

Since the car is still under warranty, it's currently in the workshop. Unfortunately, the mechanics haven't been able to get it running and they're 'stuck.' Apparently, they only have 2 diesel vehicles among their customers, and they admit that's why they don't have much experience with them.

Here's my question: According to the mechanic, the fuel injection system is self-bleeding. How reliable is this self-bleeding feature?
Since there are no error codes stored (the sensor data should be recorded there), I suspect there might be air in the fuel injection system.

Where would you look for the error?

Best regards, and thank you in advance for your help.
Bubu.

Well,

The information is scarce... but it's probably not possible to get much more. Is there a way to measure the injection volume and quality? Is there any device for determining such data?

Otherwise, it could be many things. Preheating might be possible, and it's something that can be quickly checked.

Fuel injection or peripherals. What's the condition of the diesel filter? Has biodiesel been used? You can check for air in the fuel injection system by first connecting a transparent, fuel-resistant hose between the diesel filter (DiFi) and the fuel injection pump (ESP).

Self-priming... I don't know anything about the engine. There are systems that can remove air, such as the VP37, but there are also systems where even small amounts of air can cause immediate damage, like the VP44. There's a lot of nuance to this.

Does the car have a pre-lift pump, either in the tank or near the engine? If so, test it.

Whenever I hear the name "Suzuki," I always think of "Förster" (which is a German surname). I wonder if this thing was somehow placed in the forest and now has a damaged diesel fuel line?

Otherwise, it's a sad reflection on the workshop, but understandable given that only 400 Suzuki diesel cars have been sold in Germany. Perhaps it's best to contact Suzuki directly and politely but firmly point out this issue. If necessary, you could also visit an Opel dealership...

Hello.

I also think you'd be better off taking it to an Opel workshop. If the mechanics are already saying they don't have the experience or the right vehicles to diagnose the problem, then troubleshooting becomes a matter of luck, which can be expensive because they might not know what they're doing.

It's also possible that Opel has other diagnostic methods for the engine. Hopefully, it won't be too difficult to convince people to repair a Suzuki.

Best regards!

Good morning.

Thank you for your contributions.
Welche Angaben braucht ihr denn noch über diesen Motor?? Ich hab im neuen Fahrzeugschein nicht mal die Schlüsselnummer gefunden. Wwhere is it?
Unfortunately, I can't measure the fuel injection volume myself. I'm also interested in the fuel pressure, but I don't have any measuring devices for that. I actually thought the workshop would take care of it, but it seems they're just tinkering around a bit.
I have only used regular diesel fuel in this vehicle, no biodiesel. The fuel filter is fine. I have already tested the glow plugs myself at home (using a clamp meter), and they are all still working properly.
No, I'm not a forester. That wagon is more of a car for retirees . I'm also not wearing any makeup. By the way, the wagon is built the same as the Opel Agila (except for the gasoline engines).
I believe that Suzuki is phasing out a significant number of diesel engines here. These engines are supplied by FIAT-Powertrain and are used in a large number of GM vehicles.
I've found an Opel workshop that also happens to be an authorized Suzuki workshop. If something happens again, I'll go there. Unfortunately, since the car isn't working, I can't easily take it to the other workshop .

Best regards,
Bubu.

Since the vehicle is still under warranty, I decided to have the repairs done first. Eventually, Suzuki Germany will have to address the issue, and if necessary, you might need to put some pressure on them (you could write to them at [email protected]). It's important that you receive a free replacement.

If you were already outside the warranty period, you would have a problem and would need to find a solution quickly. But in this case, I wouldn't have high blood pressure.

Despite everything, it would of course be nice if you could get some advice here. However, that might be more difficult with your specific vehicle.

Oops... okay, now I know what kind of Suzuki it is. It's definitely not suitable for forestry work.

Okay, first check the fuel supply line up to the common rail pump. There might be a small leak somewhere in the fuel line that allows air to enter but prevents diesel from flowing. That's why you should use transparent hoses.

The workshop remains silent. I still haven't received any information about what's wrong with the vehicle. I'll probably have to wait until Monday to get a rental car.
This whole thing with the workshop is such a drama.
Does anyone know what the legal situation is? Can I demand that the workshop have my vehicle towed to another authorized workshop at their expense?

Regards,
Bubu.

Unfortunately, your car is no longer covered by the statutory warranty. Currently, the manufacturer's voluntary warranty is being applied. You need to review the warranty terms and conditions to understand when a repair is considered unsuccessful. I would also suggest trying to resolve the issue directly with the manufacturer.

I finally got a rental car - with a red license plate.
Supposedly, a fault in the wiring harness is responsible for the defect. I can't quite imagine that, though, because there should be an error code stored, and, most importantly, because you can't see anything wrong.
I have the feeling that they're just trying to find a reason to deny the warranty. Because I exceeded the last service interval by 4,000 km, they're now trying to void the warranty.
But I will insist on an explanation as to what connection there is between a faulty wiring harness and an oil change...

My next car will be an old clunker again. With those, you can still do a lot of the work yourself, and they're neither more nor less reliable.

Okay, so the warranty is a service provided voluntarily by the manufacturer and is subject to the manufacturer's terms and conditions. If the service is mandatory, you're in a really difficult position if they refuse to cooperate... I'm just mentioning the case of the MAZDA 6 that had exceeded its mileage by 1500 km and suffered an engine failure. Mazda didn't want to pay, and then the legal battle began.

I can only hope that everything goes smoothly and the car is back on the road soon... You usually can't see a broken cable, although that's often used as an excuse.

I believe I still have a good chance with Suzuki directly, because I suspect the dealer is only trying to dispute the warranty claim so that they can charge me for their labor (which is over 25 hours just for troubleshooting).
A wiring harness definitely has nothing to do with a delayed oil change...

Regards,
Bubu.

Okay, and now things are getting even better. Tomorrow I'm picking up the car, no matter what the mechanic tells me.
'Today I'm going to go and say, 'I'd like to trade in the rental car for my own car.' And the boss will say, 'I'm sorry, my mechanic is almost certain it's not the wiring harness, and it will only cause problems for both of us if you end up stranded again.''
One thing I know for sure: He's not going to have any more trouble with my car, because he's never going to get my car again...

Tomorrow, I'm driving my car home, regardless of whether it has a proper diagnosis or not. He received my car a week ago today...

Isn't that almost worth an article in Auto Bild?

Regards,
Bubu.

Have you ever actually spoken to or emailed Suzuki? I'd like to know what solutions they propose. You're still "dependent" on them right now.

Today I picked up my car. The mechanic still needs to negotiate with Suzuki, and then I'll either receive an invoice or not.

Almost completely off-topic, but maybe still interesting...


@ Bububaer:

From my own experience, I know that the importer can be extremely difficult to deal with. They try to exclude anything that is subject to wear and tear from the warranty. Sometimes this is justified, but often it is not. Many dealers try to find a solution that benefits a (loyal!) customer, which often means that the dealer also participates in covering the cost of a complaint for the customer, making it cost-neutral or only involving a small expense for the customer. If the dealer is unwilling or unable to cooperate, complaining to the importer usually doesn't help either.

If a workshop is not equipped to handle a particular car or model series, you should go elsewhere. I'm experiencing this with my Ignis, which has the same engine. They sell a lot of gasoline-powered cars, but diesel versions are a niche product. I've heard this from two automotive mechanics: "I can't do much more than read the error codes..." - they were essentially admitting that they were overwhelmed by the engine.

I had incredible luck on vacation near the Dutch border when the warning light came on (again), and the Suzuki dealer listed in the directory was also an Opel dealer. This one time, I had the feeling that they actually knew what they were doing.

The cause back then was a faulty glow plug, which caused an error message in the memory during the afterglow phase. The error occurred whenever the engine, which was already warm, was briefly turned off. When restarting and driving, the aforementioned light would come on. Solution: None! Advice from the mechanic: Replace the glow plugs before winter and otherwise, don't be bothered by the light. And that's exactly what I wanted to hear - 550 km away from home!

Okay, back to the topic! Definitely switch workshops and find one that ideally specializes in Suzuki and Opel, or at least includes Fiat in their services. Despite any reservations you might have about Fiat, they're the ones who really know their own diesel engines. And the 1.3 JTD engine isn't uncommon either.

By the way, the availability of a rental car is highly dependent on the dealer! Some offer it immediately and for free, some charge for it, and in my opinion, most dealers don't provide a rental car, not even for money or good words.

The worst thing that can happen is a complete breakdown of your car on the weekend. The mobility service offers only the recovery of your car and towing to the nearest authorized workshop. Oh, and they also offer car rental services: for example, a Ford Ka for 55 EUR per day.

As much as I like my current car, the service could be better, even compared to a Dacia Logan. The Logan, as a station wagon with the 1.5 diesel engine, might be my next car...

Hello hat enthusiasts,

'Cool, another one with the same engine. Have you had any OBD experience with it yet? I'm planning to try and figure out how the error memory system works on this car sometime soon.'
Overall, I'm very happy with the engine, except that the noise level is a bit high at high speeds. The fuel consumption is perfectly fine, and otherwise, it's a great car.
There's a Suzuki-Opel dealer in the neighboring town. If I ever have any major repairs to do again, I'll go to them this time.
My dealer in Schnaittach (where I used to live) was always very accommodating and generous, especially when it came to things like this, and very competent. It's such a shame that I couldn't take this workshop with me when I moved .
How many kilometers have you driven? Have you experienced any major problems with the engine?

Regards,
Bubu.