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Laguna stalling at idle

Evening. My 2002 Renault Laguna with a gasoline engine is giving me some grief. The check engine light's on, and I pulled the codes – seems to be pointing towards a bad idle air control (IAC) valve. The engine's stalling at idle, which is a right pain, especially at junctions. I've checked for any obvious air leaks around the intake, but couldn't find anything. The car has done 232751 km. Could a heavily contaminated intake be the culprit here, even without visible leaks?

The 2002 Renault Laguna was experiencing stalling at idle, with the check engine light indicating a potential issue with the idle air control (IAC) valve. Despite checking for air leaks, the problem persisted. A suggestion was made to inspect the throttle body for carbon buildup, as this could restrict airflow and cause stalling. Ultimately, a heavily contaminated intake was identified as the culprit, leading to the replacement of the IAC valve and a thorough cleaning, which resolved the issue.

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4 comment(s)

I had a similar issue with my Laguna, though I can't remember the exact year. Stalling at idle and the engine light flashing – does sound familiar. Have you checked the throttle body for excessive carbon buildup? That can mess with the airflow and cause the IAC to work overtime. When was the last time you cleaned the air intake? If it's caked with gunk, it could be restricting the air and causing the stalling.

Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't actually cleaned the air intake itself, just visually inspected it for leaks. I assumed the throttle body would be clean since I changed it about 30k km ago. Is it possible for the intake to get that contaminated in such a short time, enough to cause these symptoms?

Yes, absolutely. Especially if you do a lot of city driving. The intake manifold can get coated with oil and carbon deposits. Whilst replacing the throttle body was sensible, I suspect you'll need to get it looked at in more detail, as I ended up taking mine to a workshop to sort it. I suspect that you'll need an expert.

Appreciate the insight. Looks like a trip to the workshop is on the cards. Had it checked, and you were spot on – heavily contaminated intake. New IAC valve and a thorough clean set me back 425€, but at least it's running smoothly again. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

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RENAULT

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LAGUNA