I have a strange car. It was made only for 1 year in Japan only. This car was exported to the Caribbeans and I bought it. Many of the parts I need for it are exchangeable with Mitsubishi parts. I realise it’s old but on that island all the cars are old and they are super expensive (duty when they come in as a 2nd hand car is still 130% of their value - so people keep their cars a long time.
This car stopped cold last week. I am told by the mechanics that it’s the computer. A new computer is $1100. I have 2 questions:
Is it possible to get around a computer problem without actually changing the computer?
How do I check that this is the true problem?
I appreciate ALL COMMENTS as I don’t know what to do with this.
I have been told twice by mechanics that I needed a new computer and both times they were wrong, The first time I owned another car with the same computer and when I swapped them the problem stayed with the car. The second time the local Chrysler dealer had rebuilt computers in stock and told me that if they sold one to my mechanic it couldn’t be returned but If I had them put in the computer and it didn’t fix the car they would swap them back and only charge me an hour labor.
I think far too many mechanics say, I have tried everything I can think of so it must be the computer.
Oh the problem with the car the dealer swapped computer in turned out to be throttle body icing.
Unless your engine has a compression release, the only thing that will stop a diesel cold is lack of fuel or fuel pressure. Will it start briefly if you spray ether into the intake while cranking?
Computers do fail now and then but not nearly as often as may be claimed so I agree with oldtimer 11.
I am not familiar with this model at all so my comments are a mix of theorizing and wild guessing…
Seeing as how you state the car quit cold, which is something I assume happened instantly, and if it was fine up to that point I tend to think there may be a problem with the fuel shut off solenoid on the injection pump.
This could be a faulty solenoid or more likely, a loss of electrical power to the solenoid.
Without a wiring schematic, direct knowledge of this particular model, and how the bad computer diagnosis was arrived at, I’m afraid that I can’t offer much help.
All of my diesel experience has been with VW and I will say that in almost every case of a VW diesel not starting or dying suddenly, the cause was very minor.
To answer one question…Is it possible to get around a computer problem without changing the computer ?
It has to be nearly impossible. If the computer adjusts the fuel mixture or any other component through a solenoid, you would have to replace them with manual controls. By the time you finished, you would spend more money then it’s worth…even in the Caribbean.
So I agree…assume it isn’t and keep searching for that one mechanic who fix the problem otherwise. Another vote for avoiding Suzuki.
