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MG MGF Technical - Power loss

I have an MGB and my wife has an VVC'F', both of which we are delighted with.

However another friend has an MGF which on two occasions has just 'died' whilst driving along. She has pulled in at the side of the road and it restarts.

The garage could not find anything after the first incident.

Any ideas please?

JRP
JRP

JRP,

Many possible reasons and I'm sure others will come up with a host of possibilities - but the same thing has happened to a friend of mine. Driving along quite happily and then the car just cut out. Initially he got the car re-started, but on a later occasion the car wouldn't re-start and he had to call out the AA. By the way, his F is a 1.8 MPi - rather than a VVC. The AA found one possible cause, which was a wire going to the starter motor that had rubbed, frayed and possibly shorted. The AA guy taped this up, but also fiddled with other connections - possibly to the ECU. Well, to cut a long story short, the car started and stopped again and he had to be towed home. The eventual solution was a replacement ECU. We're not sure if this was the initial cause or further damage as a result of the damaged wire to the starter motor. HTH

Dave
Dave

Dave

Thanks. I will get her to take it back and get them to check the faults mentioned. It is now out of warranty but the first time was when it still covered.

JRP
JRP

This has been reported a number of times - but I've not seen a solution posted. I guess it's difficult to know when the problem is fixed unless a definite fault is found.
What happens when it 'dies' ?
Does the car lose all electrical power - as though the ignition is switched off - ie. all dash lights and gauges goto zero ?

Unfortunately, it's also one of those problems where replacing a component appears to fix it; but it wasn't replacing the componoent that 'fixed' it, rather it was getting the connections sorted !

Steve
Steve

Steve
Thanks.

She tells me that the engine stops but the brakes still appear to be OK for long enough to get her to a safe stop on the two occasions it has happened.

She is not technically minded and I haven't been there when it has happened.

I was hoping that there may be other people out there (like Steve) to whom it has happened and a pattern may be established before a dangerous situation develops.

JRP
JRP

There have been a number of these reported over the years - the first one I rmemember was Siok with her *F* and they could not find out why - I think they ended up swapping her car out.

So I am afraid no remedy to be reported only a 'mystery' problem.

Ted
Ted Newman

>>a pattern may be established before a dangerous situation develops<<
Very true. If the main 'ignition' supply drops out, then the car may not display brake lights.

If she bought it second-hand then she may have discovered why the car was sold. It may be worthwhile contacting the first owner to see if they replaced anything in their search for a fix.

Steve
Steve

This thread was discussed on 05/07/2002

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