Seat Arosa Diesel Engine Jerking and Stalling

I have a 2000 Seat Arosa diesel with 123118 km. It's jerking when accelerating, the check engine light is on, and it stored an error. Feels like reduced engine power, and sometimes it stalls at idle. It's running rough, plus there's a strong exhaust smell. I suspect the intake manifold might be defective, maybe leaking due to scorching. Has anyone seen this before?

4 comment(s)

Sounds like a classic intake manifold issue. I had similar symptoms on my old Renault Megane – jerking, rough idle, engine light. Have you checked for vacuum leaks around the manifold? That's often the first place to look.

Vacuum leaks? Where exactly should I be looking around the manifold? Are there specific spots prone to leaking?

On the Megane, the gaskets between the manifold and the head were the weak point. Also, check any vacuum lines connected to the manifold – they can get brittle and crack. Honestly, with those symptoms and a stored error, it's probably best to get it smoke tested at a workshop to pinpoint the leak. An intake manifold issue would definitely cause those engine performance problems.

The Arosa is sorted. The intake manifold was the problem. Scorching was clear when it was removed. A new manifold is in, and it runs great. The cost was 1180€. Thanks for the confirmation, it helped me prepare.

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